Check Engine Light and Gas Gauge problem
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Check Engine Light and Gas Gauge problem
One of my best friends almost got screwed on a C6 lease deal from his local dealer. Long story short, I am his financial consigliori and we did some research and discovered that he was going to get screwed.
One of the outcomes of the deal is that he offered to sell me his 1997 C5 Vette for $13,500 (optioned-out, spotless, 52k miles). That's what the dealer trade-in was so he offered me the same price.
There are two caveats. First he gets right of first refusal if I go to sell it because he has sentimental attachment to the car. More seriously, his Check Engine Light will go on from time to time and then eventually stop after 100 or 200 miles AND his gas gauge will occasionally show empty right after he has filled it up. He has had the car into the dealer a number of times about the Check Engine Light but they have not been able to fix it.
My questions:
1) Has anyone here experienced similar problems? Were they ever resolved?
2) How much does it cost to just pull the wiring harness and replace it all? (Assuming that would actually fix it through overkill)
One of the outcomes of the deal is that he offered to sell me his 1997 C5 Vette for $13,500 (optioned-out, spotless, 52k miles). That's what the dealer trade-in was so he offered me the same price.
There are two caveats. First he gets right of first refusal if I go to sell it because he has sentimental attachment to the car. More seriously, his Check Engine Light will go on from time to time and then eventually stop after 100 or 200 miles AND his gas gauge will occasionally show empty right after he has filled it up. He has had the car into the dealer a number of times about the Check Engine Light but they have not been able to fix it.
My questions:
1) Has anyone here experienced similar problems? Were they ever resolved?
2) How much does it cost to just pull the wiring harness and replace it all? (Assuming that would actually fix it through overkill)
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
First off, you need to learn how to pull up the DTC codes from the DIC and post the results here. With the DTC information, we can point you in the right direction.
Here is a web site for getting the DTC codes:
This is the absolute best C5 Code web site!!!
http://www.corvettedoctor.com/Codes_Page.htm
The fuel guage is a very common issue. The sending unit in each tank (there are two) get dirty and loose continuity. The computer faults to an empty tank and you should get the "CHECK GAUGES" light.
The first step to resolving the issue is to dump some Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner in the tank. If it is just a dirty sensor, a couple of treatments should resolve it. The last resort is sensor replacement. That is EXPENSIVE. One sensor is about $200 and one is about $400. There have been a few forum members that have removed the sensors and cleaned them. CONNECTICUT is one of them who was successful cleaning them!
Try the cleaner and let us know how you make out.
Bill C
Here is a web site for getting the DTC codes:
This is the absolute best C5 Code web site!!!
http://www.corvettedoctor.com/Codes_Page.htm
The fuel guage is a very common issue. The sending unit in each tank (there are two) get dirty and loose continuity. The computer faults to an empty tank and you should get the "CHECK GAUGES" light.
The first step to resolving the issue is to dump some Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner in the tank. If it is just a dirty sensor, a couple of treatments should resolve it. The last resort is sensor replacement. That is EXPENSIVE. One sensor is about $200 and one is about $400. There have been a few forum members that have removed the sensors and cleaned them. CONNECTICUT is one of them who was successful cleaning them!
Try the cleaner and let us know how you make out.
Bill C
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 27
From: Long Beach NY
I'm not sure of the sequence of your fuel/check engine problem is.
You might want to do a Fuel Guage search. Try some Techron in the fuel. This seems to be an ongoing sensor problem in C5s.
Barrier
You might want to do a Fuel Guage search. Try some Techron in the fuel. This seems to be an ongoing sensor problem in C5s.
Barrier
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Thanks guys! I managed to find the comment about the fuel gauge problem in a sticky. I feel better about that. When my buddy described the Check Engine Light problem he didn't mention the fuel gauge. That was a new thing. It would be great if they were related AND if the fuel gauge problem was an easy thing to fix!
I need to spend less time at the audio forums and more time here.
I need to spend less time at the audio forums and more time here.
