My 98 systems took on a mind of their own yesterday. Reduced power, ABS, Trac control, AC turning on and off, windows not working. All kinds of problems. At least it didn't quit running. The positive cable did have corrosion on it and I cleaned it off and made sure that both cables were tight. I checked all the codes and had alot of history's and one current (just the remote sensor code). The car did just fine the rest of the day (I was relieved) until I stopped off for something and left it idling. Came back out and the problems all there again with a vengence. This time things were just off gauges and air. This time could not access the codes. A "no comm" reading. Could that remote sensor be causing all this. I did resyncro it earlier, and it worked fine. Any ideas?

 

How old is the battery? Might want to pull it out and have it load checked.

 

Im on a company business trip and dont have access to my C5 stuff. Call me around 7PM tomorrow evening EST (connecticut) to discuss resolve.....

Bill

 

I'm taking the battery in tomorrow for load testing and I have enough info from previous Bill Curlee threads to keep me busy. Thanks

 

Well, took the battery out this morning to take into town (I live about 15 mi. from any where) to get load tested. Before I left I decided to check the passenger side floor for moisture (As per one of Bill Curlee"s posts) and sure enough, it's pretty wet. I checked the boxes and there was a little moisture in it. That alone make me feel like I found the problem. Wet feel all the to back of passenger seat. No funny or sweet smell so I believe I just have a plugged AC drain (I hope and not a heater core issue). I have never cleared it. I decided to have the battery checked anyway since it's already in my suv. It only pulled 20% so it was toast also. My luck two seperated issues at same time. I got a new battery but decided not to hook it up for about 5-7 days of drying time to be sure (I shop vacd most of it up and it is running about 100 degrees here in south Texas). Should be completely dry in that heat in that amount of time. Hopefuly, I have it licked. My 243 head port and polish job and cam grind should be done by then anyway. Thanks for your suggestions and inputs. I never would have suspected number one and two checks to be bad. Just glad I decided to get the battery checked even though I figured the water was the culprit.

 

I have removed just about everything that I'm not afraid to remove. I've pretty much have the carpet dry (I'm going to have to remove the pass seat though), removed fuses, and blow dried the recepticles. For the humidity, I use some granuals in a can we use on boat interiors when the sit locked up for days and weeks (RV's also). I think it's called camp dry or something like that. In a couple of days, the bowl will be full of water (from the air). It really works great. But as I said, the car is going to dry out, without connecting the new battery, for at least 5 days. Now, during that time I'll be cleaning out all the hoses and tubes you have told me about. I've already got a pretty good size notebook full of all your ideas and pictures. All in a couple nights time from the Forum. Thanks, again

 

Get all the drains properly cleaned and eliminate the cause of the issue..

Bill

 

Bill-Everything is dry and all drains are unblocked. I will put new battery in as soon as it quits raining here (car is outside because I live on my boat). Thanks again

 

I have a 98 Corvette and I developed a problem where the ignition clicked a couple of times before it started. I charged the battery for an hour and a half and under my dic read "service traction system: reduced engine power: low voltage" after that I straightened my battery cables and my dic would not display the corvette message and the security light would blink rapidly and the at would not start unless the key was taken out and remembered to get the "corvette by Chevrolet " message. I took my car to Midway Chevrolet in Phoenix and at first they said my battery cable were not tight. But after there tests they said the car was fine. Before I took delivery on the dic it would not display the corvette by Chevrolet message and the security light was blinking rapidly. They took it back and told me that the ignition switch was faulty and possibly the ebctm computer was bad but they did say they believe it is most likely the ignition switch. So now I am looking to pay anywhere from 450 dollars if it is only an ignition switch and up to 1500 dollars if it is the computer_ which I will find out tomorrow. CURSE THE CORVETTE. LONG LIVE THE MUSTANG A MUCH BETTER AUTOMOBILE.

 

I'm going to trade in the 98 Corvette as soon as I can. I Will be acquiring a Mustang. **** CORVETTES THEY SUCK

 

corvettes suck dude. Drive a mustang

 

LOL The damn switch is $60. You can easily replace it your self!

Thats the first step!

I seriously DOUBT that the EBTCM is bad.

You have a serial data buss corruption issue.

You pronounced it wrong Its pronounced STEALERSHIP>

 

I also own 2 Ford products...and have friends that own much newer Fords, including high performance versions of the Mustang...I can report with absolute certainty that there are age related electrical issues in the Ford products as well. When one is getting old enough to be in the carburator era, with plain DC wiring and NO computers anywhere, things DO get simple-relaible... It is also largely true that when considering vehicles of that age, relative electrical reliablility is consistant between all 3 of the big American makes. I have a friend with a high performance version of a Mustang that is a former dealer manager, recently retired. He also has a brand new performance version of the Focus...these cars are both still VERY new, but his older Fords [ 1o and 16 years old] are showing the same kinds of high milage and age related electrical issues as our Vettes....It is completely wrong to paint a Mustang as an example of superior engineering....Both GM [ Corvette] and Ford [ Mustang ] are going to have issues with electrics as they age, accoding to what I have seen and experienced with my own old Fords [ one carburator era, one comuputer FI] and with the experience of my friends that have the kinds of issues with their aging Stangs....

 

Buy a Kia

 

call Rich at Compliance Auto Parts in Calif. (google it up and tell him your problem)

 

Cherrypoppins Ever wonder where Found On Road Dead came from. How about Fix Or Repair Daily. Failure On Race Day. Why do they need 32 valves, variable valve timing and boost to make real power. A stock c5 would outrun a ton of stock mustangs with the exception of the new boss and the boosted models.
If you have an extra 40-55k laying around, go buy a mustang. Meanwhile stay off ehuron's thread. There are people here trying to help him!

 

Where did this turn into a thread hijack? Did I miss something?

 

Computerized fuel injected cars are and will remain more reliable than carbed cars until a module actually fails. Most of the problems related to older cars with electronic modules are more related to the people trying to fix them and not knowing or thinking about what they are doing. Sensors can be replaced and contacts can be cleaned (sort of the same as cleaning carbs and replacing all the other crap that goes with them) but a failed electronic circuit inside a critical 30 year old module may mean the car sits forever since nobody will be manufacturing replacement components.

This is something that affects every car made, not just domestics. They all buy the same circuitry from the same 4 or 5circuit fabrication shops in the world.

Bill

 

ehuron

After you reinstall the battery, let us know if you still have any issues.

Don't forget to CLEAR ALL THE DTCs after you connect the battery. The battery connections needs to be properly torqued to 11ft/lbs

We still have to make sure that your water leak is fixed.

Bill

 

Just to let everybody know, all my problems are solved. Just about every suggestion from everybody was correct. My ac drain was blocked and full to the brim. Pass floor soaked. Pass electronics inside of box were wet. The computor wouldn't let car move more than 4 feet. Codes were comming up all over the place. Probably 5 more things that I can't remember. I drained and unblocked all drain hoses, dried carpet, the module box, checked for leaks, and got a new battery, since it had a couple of bad cells, and cleared all the codes. All that and I still had the driving 4 feet problem. I found an old thread that mentioned Rich at Compliance Parts in Calif. He told me not to buy any computor stuff and he would send me this little $25.00 adaptor cable to stop the "column lock" and the injector shut off. It took 15 min to put in and I've never looked back. It's been about 4 months now with no (knock on wood) issues. I've fallen in love with the car all over again. Even bought new wheels, small not invasive pin stripes, rear spoiler, and now waiting for my heads to be finished porting. Thanks everybody for all their suggestions. Like I said, just about every suggestion was done. Special thanks to Bill Curlee for his in depth ideas. I'm driving it every day no matter how short or long the trip. Ehuron