I bought my 93 corvette september last year, and it's had its fair share of issues (which i expected) I got about $1000 worth of engine work done just touching up things, and got a new battery.

Everything was fine until about two weeks ago. I was driving around and suddenly my steering went stiff, and the check gauges light came on. I managed to pull over to the side of the road, and checked under the hood. I don't know too much, but the belt was still on, and nothing was apparently wrong. I restarted the car, and it ran normally until i got to where i was going. When i tried to drive it home, it happened again. I attempted to restart the car as i did the first time, but it wouldn't turn on. I cruised into a parking lot and called over a friend to help. We jumped the battery as a final attempt, and it started. Just as we were celebrating, it just shut off. No one even touched it. We left it overnight and went back in the morning, and it started! I took it to the mechanic, and they replaced the steering pump and belt, for around $650. In hindsight, it is clearly a bigger issue, and i’ll be using a different mechanic that has more knowledge in older cars.

But anyways. I was relieved and went to take it home, but it happened again, and the problem is not fixed. Before i do anything else i just wanted to see what you guys think. What could be the problem?

 

Moving you out of introduction... welcome.. to the C4 section for more assistance good luck

 

nyxie,

I think your assumption that the steering pump is not the problem is correct. Worst case scenario, the steering pump self-destructs, scatters debris everywhere, and you hear all the carnage from behind the wheel. Unless it absolutely explodes and takes out a critical component like the distributor, a steering pump failure is very unlikely to shut off the engine. I have a feeling you just wasted $650.

What is interesting to me is that you "jumped the battery and it started". To me, this points to an electrical issue. I once had an 88 Trans Am...it would go through cheap alternators at least once a year. Once the alternator dies, the vehicle continues to run on battery power until it is drained completely , and then the engine dies.

You could also have a sensor that is sensitive to heat, thus shutting the engine after a certain amount of time. This includes the Optispark. My Trans Am would refuse to start after an hour of use. Something in the ignition cylinder (I think) or ignition system was very sensitive to heat. I had to hot-wire it every time.

 

Welcome

 

Could be the AC doing this. On my 89 Vette when I first got it, the AC worked. After a week or so it did something strange, but then ran fine. AC didn't work. I found the AC clutch on my frame rail. Some how the compressor froze with the clutch locked. Same thing happened on the 92 I bought a few years ago. AC worked when I got it. It actually chewed a belt and the PS pump pulley. I replaced those and then found the AC clutch on the frame rail while replacing the above components.