C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

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Old Sep 24, 2016 | 10:35 PM
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i have a base model 93 hatchback automatic

im looking to get new oem shocks for the rear.

ive seen two diff acdelco kinds

22064099 with electronic suspension

22064033 without electronic suspension


is there a site or any way I can tell if i have electronic on my personal vette or dont.

or is that reffering to the actual part? any help be great thanks
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Old Sep 25, 2016 | 04:36 AM
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The magnetic shocks are for a car with the "FX3 selective ride control" package...it doesn't sound like yours has this. If you have a dial between the shifter and center counsel with Touring, Sport, and Performance options that is the FX3 package which would mean you need the magnetic shocks. (Look up a pic of the FX3 dial on the internet) If not, the standard are the ones for your car.
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Old Sep 25, 2016 | 05:11 AM
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Originally Posted by wideopen85
The magnetic shocks are for a car with the "FX3 selective ride control" package...it doesn't sound like yours has this. If you have a dial between the shifter and center counsel with Touring, Sport, and Performance options that is the FX3 package which would mean you need the magnetic shocks. (Look up a pic of the FX3 dial on the internet) If not, the standard are the ones for your car.

i do have that dial so which one do i get?
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Old Sep 25, 2016 | 05:22 AM
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Originally Posted by maverick1453
i do have that dial so which one do i get?
get the ones with electronic suspension
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Old Sep 25, 2016 | 06:27 AM
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Originally Posted by wideopen85
get the ones with electronic suspension
thank you
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Old Sep 25, 2016 | 07:03 AM
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On your console lid there's a label with all of the RPO's involved in the build of your car. Get familiar with it and maybe just snapshot it and carry it on your phone.

If in fact your '93 does have the FX3 they're very rebuild-able and there's debates as to whether Bilstein sill does the rebuilds or not. You would want to buy new direct from a Bilstein vendor BUT first it might be very important to confirm that your FX3 is operational. From time to time various vendors have very god pricing on the Bilstein shocks

There's many components to the system that can fail. Read, read and then read again. Do you have any WARNING LIGHTS in the DIC? Do you sometimes see the SERVICE RIDE CONTROL light in the DIC?

Here's a '93 SPID with base suspension FE1, yours should have a VIN that matches the windshield or door label PLUS FX3 in the SPID.

Name:  '93 SPID.jpg
Views: 317
Size:  228.7 KB

Do you have the FSM? Do you have an OWNERS MANUAL?

Here's a link to an OWNERS MANUAL that's free from GM.

https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam...tte_owners.pdf

If that link doesn't stick you can find it at

https://my.chevrolet.com/home

You DO NOT need to establish an account to get the OWNERS MANUAL
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Old Sep 25, 2016 | 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by WVZR-1
On your console lid there's a label with all of the RPO's involved in the build of your car. Get familiar with it and maybe just snapshot it and carry it on your phone.

If in fact your '93 does have the FX3 they're very rebuild-able and there's debates as to whether Bilstein sill does the rebuilds or not. You would want to buy new direct from a Bilstein vendor BUT first it might be very important to confirm that your FX3 is operational. From time to time various vendors have very god pricing on the Bilstein shocks

There's many components to the system that can fail. Read, read and then read again. Do you have any WARNING LIGHTS in the DIC? Do you sometimes see the SERVICE RIDE CONTROL light in the DIC?

Here's a '93 SPID with base suspension FE1, yours should have a VIN that matches the windshield or door label PLUS FX3 in the SPID.

Attachment 48021456

Do you have the FSM? Do you have an OWNERS MANUAL?

Here's a link to an OWNERS MANUAL that's free from GM.

https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam...tte_owners.pdf

If that link doesn't stick you can find it at

https://my.chevrolet.com/home

You DO NOT need to establish an account to get the OWNERS MANUAL

well I was going to get ac delco. cause i figured that was oem

did bilstein come on this car cause i have the fx3?
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Old Sep 25, 2016 | 04:15 PM
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You can look at the shocks and if they are yellow, and probably have a sticker that says Bilstein (I say probably, not being sarcastic) then they are Bilsteins. Mine say Bilstein and also reference AC Delco, but my car is a 1996 Z51, non-FX3. My buddies car that has the FX3 shocks (his is a 1990) has Bilsteins.

I have spoken to Bilstein technical about getting shocks rebuilt. I was told that if there are replacements available on the market, they don't rebuild them.

BUT that is what I was told on one specific day, by one person, out on the net if the Corvette forums are posts by folks talking about work having been done on their shocks.

are your shocks bad ?

you really should spend some time on the forum and with Google doing searches and reading about the shock options on these cars as FX3 shocks can be a bit pricey (Mid America sells them for $250.00 each) and the actuators are even more pricey.

there are places that rebuild bad actuators.

the key on shocks for these cars is to replace/repair like with like unless you are making a very educated, deliberate decision. you don't want to end up with (for example only, not referencing your car) Z51 shocks on the front and non-Z51 on the rear, or mismatched side to side


follow this link

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/c4/fx3/

there are some pictures that show what Bilstein FX3 shocks look like

Last edited by drcook; Sep 25, 2016 at 04:21 PM.
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Old Sep 26, 2016 | 01:21 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by drcook
You can look at the shocks and if they are yellow, and probably have a sticker that says Bilstein (I say probably, not being sarcastic) then they are Bilsteins. Mine say Bilstein and also reference AC Delco, but my car is a 1996 Z51, non-FX3. My buddies car that has the FX3 shocks (his is a 1990) has Bilsteins.

I have spoken to Bilstein technical about getting shocks rebuilt. I was told that if there are replacements available on the market, they don't rebuild them.

BUT that is what I was told on one specific day, by one person, out on the net if the Corvette forums are posts by folks talking about work having been done on their shocks.

are your shocks bad ?

you really should spend some time on the forum and with Google doing searches and reading about the shock options on these cars as FX3 shocks can be a bit pricey (Mid America sells them for $250.00 each) and the actuators are even more pricey.

there are places that rebuild bad actuators.

the key on shocks for these cars is to replace/repair like with like unless you are making a very educated, deliberate decision. you don't want to end up with (for example only, not referencing your car) Z51 shocks on the front and non-Z51 on the rear, or mismatched side to side


follow this link

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/c4/fx3/

there are some pictures that show what Bilstein FX3 shocks look like

yes thank you very much i took a look and they definetly arnt yellow. jet black is what they are.
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Old Sep 26, 2016 | 02:23 AM
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Old Sep 26, 2016 | 02:24 AM
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Old Sep 26, 2016 | 05:54 AM
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If the VIN on the SPID matches the the car, it's likely a black/black coupe. You mention the shocks are black so it could be assumed likely that the FX3 shocks were removed at some point. The fronts are very easy to do visuals of. Just raise hood. On the shock tube nearly all manufacturers stamp the part # of the product. It's normally found on the shock near the lower mount on the cylinder. You might check them to see what's there presently.

From your SPID it appears the car is a 3.07 ratio rear which is certainly a PLUS I'd say.

It would require many diagnostics and inspections to determine if the FX3 could be returned to be functional.

If the VIN doesn't match then the console could have been swapped from that car to yours. You didn't mention the VIN match or NOT. Is the VIN on the SPID correct for the car? Does it match the windshield?
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Old Sep 26, 2016 | 06:33 AM
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Old Sep 26, 2016 | 06:34 AM
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Originally Posted by WVZR-1
If the VIN on the SPID matches the the car, it's likely a black/black coupe. You mention the shocks are black so it could be assumed likely that the FX3 shocks were removed at some point. The fronts are very easy to do visuals of. Just raise hood. On the shock tube nearly all manufacturers stamp the part # of the product. It's normally found on the shock near the lower mount on the cylinder. You might check them to see what's there presently.

From your SPID it appears the car is a 3.07 ratio rear which is certainly a PLUS I'd say.

It would require many diagnostics and inspections to determine if the FX3 could be returned to be functional.

If the VIN doesn't match then the console could have been swapped from that car to yours. You didn't mention the VIN match or NOT. Is the VIN on the SPID correct for the car? Does it match the windshield?
may i ask why that ratio is good? is it rare?
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Old Sep 26, 2016 | 07:59 AM
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yes thank you very much i took a look and they definetly arnt yellow. jet black is what they are.
go back and take a look at the pictures in the link I posted. click on the pictures and they will enlarge, then back arrow and look at the others. See the mechanism at the top of the shocks ? there will be a wire running to the mechanism.

do your shocks have the mechanism on top ? that is the key question as shocks can be painted.

may i ask why that ratio is good? is it rare?
it is the "performance" ratio. a good compromise for reasonably quick acceleration plus still get good mileage without spinning the RPM of your engine up while you are simply driving

Last edited by drcook; Sep 26, 2016 at 08:14 AM.
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