HELP!! I need some advice from those who know considerably (and that's putting it mildly) more than me about corvettes. I own a 1989 standard C4. Last summer was the summer from you know where with my car. It started running rough and I took it to a Chevy dealership and they told me it needed a new computer. Put that in and no change is performance. Took it several other places in my area and over the following 6 months had all 8 fuel injectors replaced, new spark plugs, mass air flow sensor. All work was completed in November of 2005 and I thought all was fixed. Took it out this year, drove it once and got stranded because the car just quit. Thought it was just "bad gas" from over the winter, filled it up with new and put fuel cleaner in the tank, but things got worse. Finally found someone who knew what they were doing and found that my exhaust system was completely clogged. He cleaned the cat converter and I finally thought all was well......NOT! Because the exhaust system was clogged, it blew out my head gaskets. I also found out that it needs new tail pipes. Well, I'm all tapped out with extra funds and right now it sits in my garage as a very pretty paper weight.

Here's where the advice comes in: Do I keep the car (which is what my heart wants to do) or do I cut my losses and sell it for as much as I can get for it? I truly don't want to sell it - who knows when I'd have enough money to get another one? This one is all paid for and has a lot of sentimental value (it was an anniversary gift). But, I can't afford to keep pouring money into this one. If I knew the head gaskets were the last thing that needed to be fixed and all would be well....that would solve my problem. But there's no guarantees, right? So many people who don't know corvettes keep telling me to dump the car, but the guy who has been fixing it tells me not to sell. He says I've been working out the "kinks" and to sell it and let someone else reap the benefits would be dumb. Please, HELP! I need some honest advice from those who share my love for this car, but also know alot more about them than I do. Thanks!!

 

A little "too late" advise: Pick 1 shop & stick with it. Sometimes intermittent drivability problems require some trial & error testing. Trust 1 good tech to work through the problem logicaly. It is hard to continue where someone else has started a repair. What if Tech 1 actually made a mistake, (it happens) Tech 2 now has 2 problems to fix & so on. Choose a shop that hires ASE certified techs & preferably one that is a member of the i-ATN. http://www.iatn.net/ Once you find one that fits your needs, stick with them. If you do some stuff yourself, keep good notes & make them available to the tech. (it is appreciated & saves time & money)

 

Replacing head gaskets is not all that expensive. Not cheap either, but if you decide to sell it as is you are certain to take a loss. You can also find plenty of used exhaust parts that are in good shape and very cheap here on the forum or other online sites. Guess I would vote to keep it and fix it.

 

Keep the car. You are not going to get much by selling it with blown head gaskets. Have you thought of replacing the gaskets yourself, perhaps with the help of a friend? If you have never done this before, just plan on taking a couple of weeks working when you have the time. Just label EVERYTHING as you take it off...even the bolts! Did you know that the bolts on the runners to the intake are not all the same size (I didn't and figured it out the hard way). LABEL, LABEL and take notes, draw pictures and don't rely on memory even if you have an experienced helper. Take lots of pictures if you have a digital camera. Buy your gaskets thru Jeg's or Summit. Just take you time and when you are through you will have a better understanding of your car.

How do you "clean" a cat? Never heard of that, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. I would think about replacing the cat. You can purchase most of the exhaust pipes, cats and other things thru places like Ecklers, Mid America and others on line and do these things yourself. If you can't weld then use clamps.

 

Seems like you are almost there. Donf

 

Cleanning a cat? BS. the only thing you can do with a clogged cat is gut it or replace it! You'd be well advised to get the FSMs or Helms, forget Chiltons or Haynes. As far as replacing the head gaskets, you can do it, just label parts, bolts etc. and take pics. it's more of a time consuming project, but pretty easy. And if I decided to sell..I'd take care of the problems first, or plan on losing some substantial dough. Good luck, we're here to help. BTW FSM =factory service manuals, about $100. year specific.

 

Thanks! I did realize this after the first two, but my problem was finding one that knew what he was doing. I have found one that I trust completely now, but as you say, a little too little, a little too late!

The suggestions of trying it myself.....well......I know where the gas goes and the ignition key, that's about it! I appreciate all your responses and am glad most votes are to keep it. I'll keep plugging along and hope this is the last of my problems.... at least for this year???

 

We can help find the problem. Just give us and update on the situation. Are you sure the headgaskets are blown or did somone tell you that? Have you/they check fuel pressure? Could be something simple and along with the FSM Rick stated, this forum is a tool in itself. If you have any mechanical ablility you can fix it yourself. It would be hard for me to buy a vette with blown head gaskets unless the price was right. I say keep it and see if we can help.

 

I was told it was the head gaskets. When the car is running white steam comes out of the exhaust and the car overheats very quickly. Could it be something else?

 

Well documented problem on the '89 - more probable than not, it let loose at the #7 cylinder. The only other source would be the intake manifold, but there's a great deal more distance between the coolant and intake passageways on the manifold and given the '89's reputation, the fault is often the head gasket.

Get the oil out of it - if there's coolant in it, you'll destroy the engine. Pull the #7 plug and turn it to TDC for that cylinder and coolant may just pour out of the hole. Otherwise, the spark plug will usually look quite a bit different than all the rest. Assuming it is the head gasket, you don't know whether or not you just need a new gasket, or reworked or new heads, or block work - until you pull the heads. Letting it go and continuing to run it will damage the deck of the block along with internal components. If selling it, I'd slop some new head gaskets on it and let it go.

 

Bah. It's junk. Yank the motor, and rebuild it. Even the smallest headgasket failures almost always cause perm damage.. After he changes his gaskets, mills his heads, puts it all back together, 2,000 miles later it will start knocking, puff in whatever cyl failed, or some other issue.

-- Joe

 

TTT

These folks are friends of mine. Unfortunately, I can't be of nearly as much help as you folks in C4 (I'm in the C5 section), so your opinions are especially helpful.

Thanks again to all the amazing people in this forum.

 

jjvd, If the car is paid for and you want to keep it, why not go to the bank/credit union where you do business or had the original car loan, and get another loan? Use the money to fix what is left to be fixed. If you get a loan for $3500~$5000 and pay it back over 3 years you would have low payments and you could fix the car now. I'd get an estimate from the mechanic you trust and add another $1500~$2000. You'll have a cushion for any new issues. Get it fixed and if no other problems show up in the next 6 months, do some mods or pay the loan down early with the extra.

 

If you have decided to keep it this would gbe good advise. Yes it does sound like blown head gaskets with the white smoke but as SunCr stated look at the oil and if there is water in it drain the oil, fill it up and don't drive it.

 

jjvd,

Paying a man to work on your car and a small budget are not compatible.

I think you should keep your car and enjoy it for three reasons:
1. Sentimental value - this is important
2. Resale value - in the current condition you will get a very low price, that would be a shame
3. Another car - who knows when you might be able to get into another one and since you need one that requires no work it will be a lot of money

You really ought to consider fixing the engine yourself (there is a lot of help here on the forum) or get a second job because a car as old as yours develops problems that take a lot of time to diagnose. That costs a lot of money.

I think it would be nice if you keep the car, it sounds like you do enjoy it. However, the ONLY way I can afford my Vette is by doing my own maintenance. I just worked on it for over six hours yesterday.

I am not trying to be a downer here but these are my experiences.

If you can understand these parts that you are talking about (cylinder heads, catalytic converters, spark plugs, fuel injectors, etc) you may possess the skills necessary to do the work. If I can learn it anyone can.

I hope the best for you.

 

and one other thing.......

Once you get her fixed drive her more often! Cars that sit a lot develop wierd problems.

I am still cleaning mouse nests out of my car.