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This thread is dedicated to my experiences with my 01 Corvette it is a manual. This car is my first Corvette. Hopefully there will be little posting regarding repairs and more so on the maintenance and modding. I have started one of these with my last two cars I've purchased and finally have decided to do this with my Corvette. For reference below are the two threads I created when modifying my subaru legacy and honda accord prior to getting the Corvette if you're bored and want some bathroom reading below might provide some entertainment.
Been finding it difficult to remember everything I've done with my Corvette, posting it all here will help me keep track. Breaking this into 2 separate posts. One showing where the car was when I got it, and one showing where it is now.
I purchased this car sight unseen from a wonderful member on the forum, JMBBluevette (Joaquin). It arrived with many mods already on it, I wanted a heavily modded Corvette and knew if I didn't buy one built I likely would not have the funds to do so otherwise.
When I received the Corvette it had the following...
• 243 heads with PSI beehive springs
• Thunder Racing cam (220/220 .561/.561 114 LSA)
• FAST 92 intake manifold
• LS2 throttle body
• 60 lbs. Injectors
• A&A SC with 3.6 pulley
• LPE fuel pump and boost a pump
• 190 degree DYI thermostat
• PCV oil catch can
• FLP header with high flow cats and x-pipe
• GHL magnum catback
• East Coast Supercharging (ECS) rear end with 3.90 gears
• Fidanza 6.5 dual clutch
• RSD C6 Z06 snap shifter.
• DBA cross-drilled/slotted rotors/Hawk HPS pads
• Bilstein sport shocks
• C6 Z51 sway bars.
• GM European clear tail lights
• Race mesh fog light grilles
• Caravaggio rear spoiler
• Shift bypass, column lock bypass, embroidered
• Hood liner, SS exhaust plate, and radar detector
• Cooling Mist Methanol Kit
• CCW SP20A Wheels 20 x 11 (Toyo T1R 305 30 20 Rear) 19 x 10 (Toyo T1R 275 30 19 Front)
• Replaced Engine Block (Lessons Learned https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...s-learned.html)
• Replaced Lifters with LS7
• Piston Rings (Sealed Performance)
• Crank/Rod Bearings (Clevite)
• Replaced Relays on both door control modules
• Repaired Dim Climate Control Screen
• Replaced squeaky radiator fan motor
• Replaced Oil Pump with Melling
Pics of the car as it sits today:
Last edited by tommypenguin; 09-06-2016 at 04:11 PM.
I didn't know how old my battery was and figured I should replace it as preventative maintenance. I might call Guinness Book of World Records while I'm at it, my optima red top lasted 10 and a 1/2 years and was still going strong.
Did an oil change yesterday and switched back to synthetic for the first time since rebuilding my motor. Cut the filter open and inspected it along with the drain plug, everything looks great. Put Joe Gibbs LS30 oil back in. Will go back to 2000 mile oil changes now that I'm through the break in period.
Next up a mod, going to install the tick master cylinder and flush my clutch fluid with my remote bleeder. Running Castrol DOT 4 fluid.
Going to have a repair to address in the somewhat near future, for whatever reason the people GM had to soldering on circuit boards did a terrible job. I had no soldering skills prior to buying this car, now I can solder about anything. If there is one tool that is damn near mandatory to own for a C5 to save yourself of costly repairs it's a good soldering iron.
I have had to solder in new relays for both door control modules when the power locks went out. Have had to resolder the climate control display and now I got the dreaded TCS 1214 code, which means I will have to pull the EBTCM module, open it up and resolder those joints on that circuit board. I cleared the 1214 code and it hasn't come back but from what I've read I can expect it to keep coming up sporadically until I decide to fix it.
Installed the tick master cylinder yesterday. Took 4 hours and a sore back to do it. Was one of my least enjoyable installs on the corvette given you have to work upside down under your dash hanging out the door. I bled my clutch fluid via remote bleeder. Was shocked to see that only 2000 miles after replacing my slave my clutch fluid was pretty pretty black. Going forward I'm going to start doing the ranger method every 1000 miles and a full flush every oil change.
Still have to adjust the master will do this over the next week. Next up going to change out the diff fluid with amsoil and wire up the harness for DMH low profile electric cutouts.
Installed the tick master cylinder yesterday. Took 4 hours and a sore back to do it. Was one of my least enjoyable installs on the corvette given you have to work upside down under your dash hanging out the door. I bled my clutch fluid via remote bleeder. Was shocked to see that only 2000 miles after replacing my slave my clutch fluid was pretty pretty black. Going forward I'm going to start doing the ranger method every 1000 miles and a full flush every oil change.
Still have to adjust the master will do this over the next week. Next up going to change out the diff fluid with amsoil and wire up the harness for DMH low profile electric cutouts.
I would advise going for QTP cutouts over the DMH. I've had so many issues with DMH, and never had a single problem with my QTP's.
I would advise going for QTP cutouts over the DMH. I've had so many issues with DMH, and never had a single problem with my QTP's.
Thanks for your post. I was going with DMH over QTP because of the 4 year warranty and then had read of many members trying to get their cutouts warrantied unable to get a hold of DMH in addition to quality issues with them. Going to go with QTP instead.
Thanks guys the car is just a little different than when I picked it up Have done all of this stuff over the last 2 years and 2 months. Also wrapped up grad school and had a baby during that time, rarely a dull moment around here.
Before buying this car would consider myself a mild car DIYer, now I've crossed over into the more hard core territory. Done all the work myself on jack stands except for machining the block/heads/crank and tuning the car.
For the most part I believe there are two types of car enthusiasts, riders and builders. Wouldn't surprise me if I have more hours into working on it than driving it, love doing both. But probably get just a little more joy out of building than I do from driving the car.
Will chime back in when I get on the next projects.
Thanks guys the car is just a little different than when I picked it up Have done all of this stuff over the last 2 years and 2 months. Also wrapped up grad school and had a baby during that time, rarely a dull moment around here.
Before buying this car would consider myself a mild car DIYer, now I've crossed over into the more hard core territory. Done all the work myself on jack stands except for machining the block/heads/crank and tuning the car.
For the most part I believe there are two types of car enthusiasts, riders and builders. Wouldn't surprise me if I have more hours into working on it than driving it, love doing both. But probably get just a little more joy out of building than I do from driving the car.
Will chime back in when I get on the next projects.
Car looks great... looks like you have been putting some money and time for sure
I've realized I probably could have just bought an almost new C7 for the stuff I've done to my car now. :| Would have been more reliable as well.
Changed the diff fluid and went with Amsoil fluid and slip lock.
Pulled the X pipe, tunnel plate, and radio/center console. Wired up the cutout switch and am doing a little ghetto mount for it much like my afr gauge where I cut up an old dvd case as the mount.
For the switch I pulled the cigarette lighter out next to the ash tray and am using a big washer I painted black to mount in that location. Need to run the wire to the transmission area and put everything back together.
A buddy of mine has welded in his cutouts previously and offered to do so for my car. Going to swing by sunday to do it and get a tutorial on welding. That is a skill I would love to learn but have no experience with. Will get pics and video posted after I'm done.
Did the dip stick mod of drilling an extra hole to more easily be able to check the level.
Also got the cutouts welded in yesterday, my friend did a great job was the first time since I've owned the car it has been on a lift. Man do I wish I had one in my garage and a welder, and a lot more air tool attachments Will try and get some video soon. Pics from the job.
Last edited by tommypenguin; 09-19-2016 at 10:40 AM.
Installed a metal shifter ring for my shift boot from an ebay seller to replace my plastic one. Always had a gap between my shifter boot and trim because of it. Fixed. Also picked up HPTuners Pro so I can make a copy of my tuned map in addition to start learning how to tweak it.
Got HPTuners Pro this week and was excited to start logging with it in addition to making some tweaks to my map when I got my first repair(s) to do since creating this thread. Got the dreaded TCS 1214 EBCTM issue it has popped up a few times over the summer but went away after restarting the car. Tried clearing the code and starting the car several times and going for a drive in addition to resetting the battery and the code will not go away.
Jacked the car up so I could more easily access the EBCTM from underneath to pull it but discovered another issue to repair. My methanol is leaking right at the sprayer at the quick connect fitting. I believe the methanol system is 4 or 5 years old I did not originally install it. I ordered a new checkvalve, spray fitting and quick connect.
When I install the checkvalve I will make the methanol spray at idle to flush the line of air, then set it back to only spray during boost. Also had to pull the powersteering cooler to get more access to the EBCTM, will have to flush PS fluid. Also need to research how to log my afr with my aem wideband via hptuners to ensure the methanol system is working correctly after fiddling with it when hitting boost. I suspect my car will be out the game for a week or two while I sort these issues out. Knew I jinxed myself when I told a friend of mine I was finally out of projects to work on for the car till next year. Famous last words.
I briefly went through that other thread you posted and I still cant see why you ended up rebuilding the engine, did something go wrong or was it just to make it more bulletproof?
I briefly went through that other thread you posted and I still cant see why you ended up rebuilding the engine, did something go wrong or was it just to make it more bulletproof?
Thanks. Reason I rebuilt the motor is that one of the two previous owners had a shop install 243 heads on my car. When the shop did that install, they must not have cleaned out the head bolt holes and when they torqued down the head bolts they cracked the block along a head stud.
While tearing down to troubleshoot the initial issue I discovered the crack on the block, and because the block is aluminum and my car is making significantly more power than stock I couldn't find a shop willing to stand behind welding it. There was no way I was going to roll the dice and reuse my block knowing it had that crack in it. Figured I might as well replace rings and bearings as well. Here's a couple pics of the crack in the block...
08-10-2016, 12:35 PM
TP's Modding/Repair/Maintenance Thread
Have done all of this stuff over the last 2 years and 2 months. Also wrapped up grad school and had a baby during that time, rarely a dull moment around here.
x2
