Since I am home in NC on leave and the weather is nice, I decided to take my 92 out for a little spin yesterday. It's been sitting at my home here in NC for a couple of months (actually all winter) waiting for the weather to get nicer and for my body man to get his back log cleared out and fix the rear bumper cover. Anyway I wash it and am about to head out on the road to visit some friends when I hear this clacking noise comming from the engine compartment. I raise the hood and its comming from the seperntine drive - a quick inspection of the noise revels its comming from the the altenator or the A/C compressor area.

No big deal I say to myself its not going to fall off right now and since I am only going for a short drive "I'll fix it tomorrow". So I go out on the road and the noise stopps once the car is warmed up good, and I'm figuring the brg in the altenator or one of the idler/tensioner pulley is going bad. I get back from my visit/drive and lift the hood to check things out when I notice coolant on the radiator shroud "crap I think a freaking hose is leaking". Nope... the radiator has split right on the plastic tank (pass side top) and is pissing coolant everywhere.

So today I check out prices on radiators and low and behold I can't get a Modine anywhere - all the parts houses have is some China crap for $250.00, and just out of sheer curiousity I called the dealer. My price on a new Harrison is only about $150.00, so I ordered one and it is so posed to be here tomorrow. I totally forgot about looking into that accy drive noise any further...

Work for tomorrow is:
1. Install new radiator.
2. Find and Fix accy drive noise.

As if I didn't have enough to do already - with 2 new tires for the front, new brakes for all 4 corners, a loose muffler (due to broken band clamp) and thats just my Corvette. I still have a customers race engine with a burned piston to fix - my reason for taking leave in the first place.

Why do things break when time is at a premium?
Will

 

I share your aggravation.

I'm leaving for a road trip on Friday...

While driving my '92 yesterday, I came to a stop at the end of the exit ramp and started hearing and feeling a very loud "clicking" from the left rear axle... half shaft needs both U-Joints replaced.
Not too expensive to do at home, but very time consuming.

Today I went to get the oil changed and alignment checked. That added 3 ball joints (so really 4, why not replace all of 'em), and a tie rod end.
Tomorrow morning I have to take the car in for a transmission servicing.

Also, the weather stripping on my car is shot. I ordered a complete replacement kit but there was a delay over the weekend in shipping from the warehouse. Luckily for me, the seller was cool enough to drive an hour to pick up the product from the warehouse, then ship the kit by express mail. So I'll get it Wednesday.

So between Wednesday and Thursday I have to replace the half shaft U-joints, tie rod end, etc., PLUS install all new weather stripping.

So I just have one question... which of the following two will prove to be the biggest challenge?

1. Getting the Corvette ready to leave on time?
-or-
2. Getting my girlfriend ready to leave on time?

 

My money is on the girlfriend.

 

Get a new OEM radiator from Fed Beans Chevrolet. They are a forum sponsor and I do not remember paying anywhere near $250 for my radiator 2 years ago!!!!

 

Things go bad from just sitting. Hope you get things straightend out!!

 

That's absolutely true.
We'll get it figured out!

 

As promised the local deal got the radiator in today and total price was $170.00, which made me pretty happy considering...

Putting it in was a minor PITA, why did GM have to screw the upper and lower halves of the shroud together with 6 little screws - that are hard as heck to get at without taking the smog pump off one side of the fender well and the coolant recovery tank out of the other?? Really, it wasn't that bad but those 6 little screws got thrown in the trash when I put it back together. All in all it took about 1.5 hrs to change out.

I think I found my accessory drive noise. That POS double sided belt is shreading itself to peices again. I guess tomorrow I will order the pulleys to convert it to a single sided belt.

My work is never done.
Will

 

Thats what I like about working on a vette. Things can be going crappy in the house with the wife, go outside to work onthe vette and they just get crappy also. The good thing with the vette is it does not argue back.

Cruizer

 

I got the 94-96 style single sided belt conversion done this morning. In all it cost me right at $80.00 including the new belt. I bought the powersteering pully from the dealer and the tensioner and idler from Advance Auto (Dayco).

I took the car out and beat on it few times and the belt stayed in one piece. I also did not hear it slip on the gear change which the old double sided belt always did (hence the shreaded belts at the race track).

Anyway I am happy - the conversion was easy to do and only slightly more expensive than replacing the double sided belt again. If you have a 92 or early 93, I highly recommend you make this upgrade.

I would like to thank all those who contributed to the C4 tech tips, and submitted threads about this conversion. Searching through them made this easy and painless, all the P/N's were right there for me.
thanks
Will

 

Yep. The car will be ready before she is.