My wifes Vette hates me...
#1
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My wifes Vette hates me...
it's a total POS... damnit.
For those of you coming into this story late, two years ago, my wifes 87 blew a head gasket... which in turn tore up the main bearings. Rebuild time.
It ran just great! I was so thrilled. So was bastet44... it was running after being down for 2 months.
Then in June, 2005, the Milidon water pump gave me fits. The belt rolled off the pulley on a freeway at about 75mph. It took nearly 10 minutes for her to park it. I reinstalled the belt, and ended up removing the pump and finding the pulley boss was about .25" too close to the engine. I shimmed it up with some washers and that helped regain the alignment. Also found that every single one of the POS brackets were either cracked or downright broken. I was able to bolt it all up and it seemed to be ok. Then in Sept, the oil pressure started to fall. And by the end of Sept, the pressure was down to low single digits at idle. Not good.
I checked the oil and found that once the engine warmed, there was no oil coming up to the top.
I then drained the oil and found metal. Then off came the filter, opened it up... up, metal... I removed the pan and a main and found yup, the mains were ****ed again. Blown motor. wonderful. See, I told you, this car hates me.
I start to take it apart. I will be honest, I was devistated. It was running so well... and then it blows up. Taking $2000.00 we didn't have with it. Since then, the car has been waiting for an engine swap (LT1/4L60E).
The engine is in, so is the transmission... and just about every system of the car has been refreshed... and has fought me every step of the way.
The brakes, for example, I replaced the old rubber lines with cool SS lines. But at the rear, the lines had pretty much glued themselves to the OEM fittings. I tried to remove them, but noooooo... the fittings are so soft, it eats up the fitting whenever a wrench is put on them.
I finally tear the **** out of the drivers side line, and proceed to replace the little pig tail. I found from Chris May that the line is stock 3/16" steel hose. Easy... but the fittings are METRIC!!!! ****!!!!!
It took me 2 hours last Sunday to figure that one out. I finally got the metric fittings, and got the lines on yesterday. I then went to remove the rotors... nope... no give... they are rusted to the hub. I hit it with PB Blaster and then wack them with a rubber mallet. It took about another 30 minutes, but the brakes are now done and bled.
Oh, here is a personal fave! I went to work on the POS last month, popped the hood and guess what! The drivers side hood latch breaks! YA! Just what I need! Another cluster ****.
It took me only 5 hours to fix that mess.
Tonite, whilst installing the engine harness, a part of the loom pressed against the oil pressure sender... and BROKE IT INTO TWO PIECES. yippie.. another broken part.
This damned car hates me... and I ain't liking it very much, either.
I hope to get it started soon, tho... if something else doesn't break.
For those of you coming into this story late, two years ago, my wifes 87 blew a head gasket... which in turn tore up the main bearings. Rebuild time.
It ran just great! I was so thrilled. So was bastet44... it was running after being down for 2 months.
Then in June, 2005, the Milidon water pump gave me fits. The belt rolled off the pulley on a freeway at about 75mph. It took nearly 10 minutes for her to park it. I reinstalled the belt, and ended up removing the pump and finding the pulley boss was about .25" too close to the engine. I shimmed it up with some washers and that helped regain the alignment. Also found that every single one of the POS brackets were either cracked or downright broken. I was able to bolt it all up and it seemed to be ok. Then in Sept, the oil pressure started to fall. And by the end of Sept, the pressure was down to low single digits at idle. Not good.
I checked the oil and found that once the engine warmed, there was no oil coming up to the top.
I then drained the oil and found metal. Then off came the filter, opened it up... up, metal... I removed the pan and a main and found yup, the mains were ****ed again. Blown motor. wonderful. See, I told you, this car hates me.
I start to take it apart. I will be honest, I was devistated. It was running so well... and then it blows up. Taking $2000.00 we didn't have with it. Since then, the car has been waiting for an engine swap (LT1/4L60E).
The engine is in, so is the transmission... and just about every system of the car has been refreshed... and has fought me every step of the way.
The brakes, for example, I replaced the old rubber lines with cool SS lines. But at the rear, the lines had pretty much glued themselves to the OEM fittings. I tried to remove them, but noooooo... the fittings are so soft, it eats up the fitting whenever a wrench is put on them.
I finally tear the **** out of the drivers side line, and proceed to replace the little pig tail. I found from Chris May that the line is stock 3/16" steel hose. Easy... but the fittings are METRIC!!!! ****!!!!!
It took me 2 hours last Sunday to figure that one out. I finally got the metric fittings, and got the lines on yesterday. I then went to remove the rotors... nope... no give... they are rusted to the hub. I hit it with PB Blaster and then wack them with a rubber mallet. It took about another 30 minutes, but the brakes are now done and bled.
Oh, here is a personal fave! I went to work on the POS last month, popped the hood and guess what! The drivers side hood latch breaks! YA! Just what I need! Another cluster ****.
It took me only 5 hours to fix that mess.
Tonite, whilst installing the engine harness, a part of the loom pressed against the oil pressure sender... and BROKE IT INTO TWO PIECES. yippie.. another broken part.
This damned car hates me... and I ain't liking it very much, either.
I hope to get it started soon, tho... if something else doesn't break.
#3
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St. Jude Donor '05
#5
Le Mans Master
been there and that was on my first vette, don't you just love those occasional metrics here and there. When Lee Iacoca said "we know how to beat the competition" it took me awhile to figure out....but he had the competition make the parts.Of course that was Chrysler.
#8
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#9
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St. Jude Donor '05
When it gets to this point walk away from it for awhile and go back to it later. ANy time you change stuff it never "bolts back together" without something stupid having to be changed. Patience, grasshopper..
#10
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Location: Hampton, VA Yea, i'm a redneck... but you love it
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Cruise-In 8-9 Veteran
aka/Trunk Monkey/Banned For Life/Corvette For Life
#12
Safety Car
#13
Burning Brakes
The same thing happened to our 89 6 speed several years ago but the resolution was much more expensive. Had to buy her a new 2004 Z06 Z16. Naturally, I turned the old 89 into a racecar - didn't turn out so bad!
#14
Safety Car
#15
Melting Slicks
I know the feeling. It must be a common thread with women owned 87's. Jen's is attempting to fight me every step of the way as well. I keep threatening to turn hers into a race car as well. Hopefully it will be running soon enough though with some newly acquired parts.
#17
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#18
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St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
This why most people look for Vettes from the west coast.
No (salt) corrosion! Or an extreme lack of........
In the mean time, take a chill pill and a deep breath.
No (salt) corrosion! Or an extreme lack of........
In the mean time, take a chill pill and a deep breath.
#20
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St. Jude Donor '05