Hey All!!

So a few months back I inherited a 2000 C5 6 Spd, with 46k.

My older neighbor had it for years (purchased it used) but one day while leaving for work it got super loud and rattled from the engine (pretty sure main bearing?)

I guess my main motor question is: Rebuild? or Replace?

I hear if the main bearing/s get bad enough that it kind of trashes the block, I'd love to get feed back from those that have experienced something like this.

Pros for me:
Basically got the car for free (traded a 2012 Honda CR-V)
He washed it religiously, and always had it in garage or under cover.
Looks like original base wheels were replaced? (I may be wrong)
Has what appears to be a decent aftermarket exhaust and intake (can provide photos)
I've got more tools than I could ever need (former motorcycle technician) and I'm not afraid to use them.
Interior is clean (ish) and has a non OEM head unit.
Most shocking... Wife wants me to keep/rebuild it (mind blowing)

Cons for me:
I live in FL, don't have a barn/garage to work in and its 1000 degrees, or hurricane-ing.
The interior is light brown/cream? On a deep blue exterior its not what I would choose.
There's not a ton of info from the original owner, it doesn't have key fobs. (is that an issue?)
Some (most) or the weather stripping is dry-rotted and cracking (no leaks I can find)
Not sure any of the major MUST DO C5 updates/upgrades have been done (steering lock, plastic headlight gears)
Biggest thing, I'm not poor, but not willing to/wanting to put a pile of $$$$ into a 25yo car that I don't know a ton about.

.

 

Well, i guess washing instead of changing the oil since he own it, will toast the engine.

If you diagnosed properly your looking at least 5k. stick add more money. Or get yourself a used engine and save couple thousand. Take it easy just messing around.

PS did you look at oil and cut open oil filter??

 

Before doing anything, find a reputable Corvette shop (contact local Corvette club for recommendations) and let them diagonals the issue with $$ options to fix.

 

I did find a complete engine with 90k for $2000, guy has videos of it running with time stamps.
I'm thinking I can do a cam, the always unreliable harmonic balancer, and just generally clean it and be under $3k?

And yeah, I feel like he kept it looking good, and didn't worry about the important stuff...lol

 

Well, what your looking at now, sounds like ur heading in the right the direction as far as saving a big chunk of money, if its the engine. Might not be,You never know.

 

I have a garage and still only work on it late fall through winter. A couple of well placed fans help at night during the transition months.

Try to keep it dry as possible. Maybe an Ez Up (sand bags on the poles) and a good car cover. Keep the Ez Up oiled so you can take it down as needed.

I think you’re right about a used engine. Cam, lifters, maybe valve job or at least new valve seals, cam chain, reseal including pan and rear crank seal. You’ll probably remove the radiator and that’s the best time to thoroughly clean out the fins on it and the condenser. They are notorious for picking up road dirt/debris and contribute to cooling problems. There’s also an upgraded cover somewhere on the back of the engine that helps prevent oil leaks (I think @Tusc knows about this). Look up lifting points for direction on where to support the car.


Note: you must secure your steering wheel in place when you disconnect the rack.
If you wish,I can send you a parts list for most items, and a torque chart. You’ll need an inch pound torque wrench…

Heres some of the steps I had for a cam/head swap.

Order of R&R

1 Car on jack stands

2 Disconnect battery

3 Remove front wheels

4 Drain radiator

5 Take pictures of radiator air bridge

6 Remove air bridge/filter

7 Take pictures of belts, hoses, electrical connections

8 Remove hoses from radiator

9 Remove accessory belt

10 Separate condenser from radiator

11 Suspend condenser with bungees

12 Separate front shroud from condenser

13 Remove shroud and air filter

14 Remove fans/radiator

15 Check side seals on radiator

16 Clean radiator and condenser

17 Remove water pump

18 Remove alternator

19 Secure steering wheel

20 Remove sway bar links

21 Remove sway bar

22 Remove tie rod steering ball joints

23 Disconnect and suspend EBCM

24 Take pictures of rack mounting and lines

25 Disconnect and suspend PS reservoir

26 Separate steering column from rack

27 Remove power steering fittings/lines

28 Remove steering rack

29 Remove balancer

30 Remove wires/coil packs/valve cover/plugs

31 Disconnect evap line aft of solenoid

32 Remove a/c tensioner and a/c pulley

33 Remover front cover

34 Check chain dampener; order if needed..Yup; RDE 2.1”

35 Remove intake manifold

You Tube

36 Remove knock sensors

You Tube

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37 Remove valley cover

38 Remove steam crossover

39 Remove valve covers

40 Remove rockers/pushrods

41 Remove exhaust manifolds (the manifolds must be disconnected from the head pipe. Also, make sure to remove the nearly invisible bolt below the AIR boss on each side).

You Tube

42 Change rocker trunnions

43 Remove heads (the passenger side has bolt in the rear of the head that can’t be seen! It attaches to a clip that holds a section of wiring harness. I kept tugging on the head until It bent far enough that I could reach back with a wire cutter to cut and twist it until it gave up.).

You Tube

.

You Tube

44 R&R power steering reservoir hose

45 Remove lifters

46 Clean carbon deposits from pistons and cylinders

47 Clean block to head surfaces

48 Blow out and chase head and valley pan bolt holes. Spray cleaner and blow out again.

49 Install valley plate w/new knock sensor grommets

50 Install new knock sensors

51 R&R knock sensor wiring harness

52 Seal knock sensor caps, Permatex 27037 Optimum Black

53 Rotate crank to TDC exhaust stroke #1

54 Verify cam/crank at TDC timing marks, dot to dot

55 Install head locator dowels

56 Draw reference line on cam sprocket

57 Remove cam sprocket

58 Remove cam plate

59 Remove old cam

60 Install new cam

61 Install cam cover, blue loctite

62 Install cam sprocket and chain, blue loctite

63 Verify timing marks reman lined up dot to dot

64 Rotate to #1 firing position, 12 o’clock cam, 12 o’clock crank

65 Remove front cover seal

66 Chase and clean front cover bolts and holes

67 Oil timing chain

68 Final cleaning of gasket surface and crank snout

69 Attach front cover, run bolts in enough so cover may be positioned relative to cover tool

70 Align front cover with lightly oiled Sac City timing cover tool

71 Torque front cover bolts and front two oil pan bolts

72 Remove timing cover tool

73 Place front seal on cover, slide tool against seal and use a mallet to gently hammer into place

74 Chase and clean balancer bolt hole

75 Install balancer

76 Install timing pointer

77 R&R coolant reservoir

78 R&R coolant reservoir hoses

79 R&R heater hoses

80 Clean lifters in solvent and bathe in engine oil

81 Install lifters

82 Chase exhaust bolt holes

83 Install heads

84 Verify pre-load with lifter mfg.

85 Check pushrod length and determine pre-load

86 Apply blue painters tape to the perimeter of balancer

87 Align pointer/mark balancer for TDC compression stroke

88 From pointer, mark TDC and 90° points on balancer

89 Install pushrods

90 Install rockers

91 Torque rockers

92 Install valve covers

93 Install exhaust manifolds, connect head pipes

94 Install new a/c tensioner and pulley

95 Install a/c belt

96 Install steam crossover

97 Install intake manifold

98 Bend exhaust gasket tabs

99 Install dipstick

100 Install coil packs/wires/plugs

101 Check shocks for leaks

102 Install new 187° thermostat

103 Install water pump

104 Paint alternator bracket

105 Install steering rack / steering shaft coupler

106 Install accessory tensioner

107 New o-rings for PS pump and rack

108 Install accessory pulley

109 Install alternator bracket

110 Install power steering pump

111 Install EBCM bracket

112 Install EBCM

113 Install all power steering lines and hoses

114 Install vented fog light coves

115 Install power steering reservoir

116 Install alternator

117 Attach and torque tie rod ends to knuckle

118 Install stabilizer/sway bar

119 Flush and fill power steering

120 Install accessory belt

121 Check electrical plugs for location

122 Install radiator

123 Install fans

124 Install intake shroud

125 Replace engine coolant hoses

126 Install radiator cover

127 Install air box, filter, and MAF

128 Install air bridge

129 Connect outside temp sensor

130 Fill coolant reservoir

131 Check PS reservoir level

132 Install front wheels

133 Connect battery

134 Spin engine for oil pressure

135 Heat cycle engine valve springs

136 Check for leaks

137 Check/add coolant

138 Remove car from lift

139 Drive

140 Recheck for leaks

141 Recheck power steering reservoir

142 Recheck coolant reservoir

143 Recheck steering shaft coupler torque

144 Base Tune

145 R&R new 0.025” shorter pushrods 7.375, 5/16”’

146 Change engine oil and filter

147 Dyno Tune

148 Recheck exhaust manifold torque

149 Recheck tie rod end link torque

 

Need sooooo much more information here! Who knows if this is actually the issue it's having..... Could be a thousand things. for example torque tube bushings and have nothing to do with the engine..... That low of mileage and a Stick is a pretty nice C5 to be in financially right now. You really need to have this diagnosed correctly before you start looking at options.

 

Holy Sh$#

Thank you so very much for this!!!

I am blown away by how detailed it is, I appreciate it!!

 

I'm not a Dr, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night, and I could hear the rod knock from there...

I'll try and upload the video of the engine running for reference.. It legit sound like someone dumped marbles in the bottom end.

 

PS… To prelube before restarting, press both the clutch and gas pedal to the floor and run the starter with the key. It will not pump gas or send spark while the gas pedal is floored. You can safely spin the engine and watch your oil gauge for pressure build.

 

Someone had their espresso this morning. Long post. Solid details.

I did not, however, read for content so take this with a grain of salt. Engine leaks fore and aft are typically either the main seals or the pan. If you take the pan and timing covers or rear covers down certainly read up on proper alignment as well as correct placement of gasket sealant prior to reassembly.

C&S Corvette in Florida sells their own rear plate which includes the rear main seal. I trust Lyle's experience when he says the OE gm rear plates have thin material at the oil passage which allow oil to weep over time. His upgraded plat eliminated the chance. I have one standing by for my next clutch change hopefully years and years away. It's only about $80 and definitely on the "while I'm in there" list.

 

vette4fl - great post and it will surely help the original poster.

 

If his directions were not from a sticky already posted somewhere, maybe it should be added as one.

 

This information is from many sources that I used to list and organize my work. I’m old and didn’t want to forget details as I went, lol. There may be some statements that are in “Vette4fl-speak” so some items may be more observations than actual steps.

I also have all of the relevant torque specs and a long list of part numbers, specialty tools, and sources in spreadsheets. I can also copy and paste that info. Many of the part numbers I found were the result of forum member posts and responses to my many questions.

 

Oh, please do! I have gathered and created many such spreadsheets over the years. Though I typically do them in preparation for a project and then save / set them aside. I keep a 'honey do' list on Google sheets for the Z06 project for example and it needs to be updated.

Though I suggest never keeping a full spreadsheet of expenses and sales earnings back towards a project. Mostly so your wife never finds it!

 

Wiser words were never spoken. I try to stay under the radar.

Maybe I’ll toss that in a new thread and package it up. It more a to do list, than a how to. I might go through and clarify a few things, though. Maybe add a few pics. But basically a check list, parts, and tools. Might add a couple Toys4Life-C5 videos for the balancer, etc. Need a catchy title. “Hurricane Alley C5”, or “How Did I Get Sucked Into This”

 

Before I took my current job I had made a list of videos worth sharing with guys while my car has been apart. Easy to show things when the car is gutted which most people do not do. I lost all pretense of a life or free time after that and it has not returned. I have no interest in a monetized channel for myself, just something fun. Now if I get back to the garage right now I will be racing against winter temps to get basic work done - so likely no vids or effort at it until I get to the first start. We'll see. If I had enough time to keep it fun and relaxed for myself I'd be all about it. Editing footage and uploading is a chore I don't have much space (or love) for.