86 with injector problems
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2011
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86 with injector problems
I have a 86 convert. with tune port injection. The car sat for I long time before I bought it so there might be bad stuff in the tank. It was running very rough and even died while going 45ph but it started in 30 sec. I had the fuel filter replaced, put in bottle of injection cleaner and 15 gal. of fresh prem. fuel. A mech. says 4 of the injectors are bad and another going. He wants to replace all 8 at 90 bucks per and 400$ labor! The car only has 31,000 miles on it. I found injectors on corvette central and amazon for $50 per. Some are 24 lbs. and others are 30 lbs. which is beter? Are they hard to install? Any advice???
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
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I'm a little suspicious of this car needing injectors at 31K, I'd try and find another mechanic to tell you the truth. Ask him how he reached the conclusion that the injectors were bad. I hate to say it but auto-shops harbor the biggest CROOKS, next to doctors and lawyers, look it up, it's a fact. There is a list of top 10 swindilers and auto shops are in the top 10 and I've seen it first hand, thats why I don't let anyone touch my cars and I feel bad for those who are at thier mercy. Get a second opinion 
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
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From: Merritt Ils Fl
caddy I agree on a second opinion after I told the current mechanic(?) to pack sand. His pricing is criminal. 34, both limited testing and replacement of injectors is not rocket science. Tech tips contains several DIY instructions and Search will give you several days of reading. My suggestion is to do a little studying and get back to us.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 841
Likes: 1
caddy I agree on a second opinion after I told the current mechanic(?) to pack sand. His pricing is criminal. 34, both limited testing and replacement of injectors is not rocket science. Tech tips contains several DIY instructions and Search will give you several days of reading. My suggestion is to do a little studying and get back to us.
Most definately, we gotta stick together here 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
A fresh set of FIC injectors is in the 250 dollar ball park. If the fuel supply sat for years there is a very good chance those injectors are clogged. Running cleaner thru them is not going to remove debris of this nature.
Pulling and replacing the injectors is what?, a 4-5 hour job? Pull the plenum, tubes (maybe) rails, without breaking the vacuum lines. R&R the injectors, replace what was removed, new gaskets and test. $400 at $75-90 an hour is not too bad if the guy will stand behind his work.
AND since you have no idea what is in the tank, I'd pull the pump and inspect, clean, flush the lines and the FPR while the plenum is off.
That 86 is 26 years old with low mileage. It will take some extra money to make everything right.
Pulling and replacing the injectors is what?, a 4-5 hour job? Pull the plenum, tubes (maybe) rails, without breaking the vacuum lines. R&R the injectors, replace what was removed, new gaskets and test. $400 at $75-90 an hour is not too bad if the guy will stand behind his work.
AND since you have no idea what is in the tank, I'd pull the pump and inspect, clean, flush the lines and the FPR while the plenum is off.
That 86 is 26 years old with low mileage. It will take some extra money to make everything right.
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Burning Brakes
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Race Director
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From: Whitefish Falls Ontario
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
"By the end of the year, 7,315 of the 35,109 Corvettes were convertibles (20%), all considers “pace cars” regardless of the color of the car. The actual Indy 500 Pace Cars were all yellow and 732 yellow convertibles were sold for the year." From Corvettereport.com..
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
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From: Pennsylvania
The color is what makes the car rare! That's not too hard to figure out. There were lots of pace cars, true, but copper would really make your car stand out in a field of yellow pacecars. I hope you can get good money for it. You might be a little high pricewise, but only by a few grand. I'd consider it a keeper myself.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
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Pic of my 86 vert.- What do you think it's worth?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Sorry that's Dark Red Metallic, not Copper
Very CLEAN!!!! Good Find!
This is Copper
Very CLEAN!!!! Good Find!
This is Copper
Last edited by JrRifleCoach; Jun 3, 2012 at 11:55 AM.
Team Owner
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
- 1986 Original Owner -
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From: North Yorkshire, England
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Quite wrong. I've been buying the latest BLACK BOOK since 1980 and never read anything linking color with VIN. The last 5 digits of the VIN indicate the build sequence number. For the '86, coupes went from 00001 to 27794 and convertibles went from 00001 to 07315. I suppose there could be a misprint in the BLACK BOOK, but you'd have to quote the passage and reference the edition and page number.