Pre-'94 LT1 C4's are suseptible to a high pressure P/S hose failure. High RPM operation will fail the O-ring on the pump end of the hose. This happened to me 4 times on my '93 LT1. P/S fluid sprayed everywhere, getting on the converters and nearly igniting! GM re-engineered the hose and restrained it to the aluminum accessory bracket for '94-'96. GM refuses to acknowledge a problem ever existed, but was obligated to recall 4 months of late '92/early '93 cars to change O-ring (band-aid fix), due to excessive failures, posing a risk of fire. Sadly, I spent $500 in '93 parts to fix problem with pre-'94 components. At a car show, we noted the setup was re-engineered & I purchased a '96 bracket and hose for a $200 permanent fix. GM won't inform dealers (via recall or TSB) about true fix for fear of having to spend a few bux, so owners continue to throw pre-94 hoses and O-rings on their cars out of ignorance. How sad!

That's a pretty serious problem. Anyone else on the board running into this?

Rick:
The problem your are referring to is TSB # 93C02 issue date Oct. 92 Title Power Steering Gear Inlet Hose. This Safety Recall effects the following cars with the following Vin #s 1992 model year N5116741-N5119977 and 1993 model year P5100039-P5102533. I obtained this information off the computer at the dealership I go to. I hope this will shead some light on the issue. Also TSB and Recall info can be obtained at [www.alldata.tsb.com]

[This message has been edited by BobbyS (edited 03-05-99).]

[This message has been edited by BobbyS (edited 03-05-99).]

Bobby S.,
Thanks for info, but this TSB does not address the real problem. A TSB was issued, covering a small batch of cars and specifies replacement of a certain lot# of more marginal O-rings. This was the minimum action they could get away with while pretending to address the problem & spending minimum bux. Any LT1 car without the '96 style restrained high pressure hose will fail O-rings, no matter what material they're made of. Admittedly some O-rings are worse than others. FYI, my car is a late '93 and falls outside of the TSB group. I tried every brand, type, vintage & color of O-ring and '93 hose with repeated failures. Only updating to later re-engineered, restrained hose and drilled/tapped aluminum bracket will solve problem.

Hi Rick

thanks for the info. I too have a late 93 corvette M6 coupe,(3600 miles) it looks like I may have to check into this a little more closely.

Bobby S.

More info. I just examined a '94 car and noticed it had the revised '96 style aluminum bracket with the boss drilled and tapped for a hose restraint. Oddly, the hose was still the old, '93 and earlier unrestrained style & the updated aluminum bracket was not being used as intended. Looks like the update was a running change in '94.

Here's the latest on the LT1 P/S defect. Most, if not all '94 Vettes have the '95-'96 accessory bracket with hose mount and updated hose. For some reason it took until '95 for Chevrolet to get around to bolt the new hose to the new bracket. Even stranger, Chevrolet lists the updated line for the '95 and '96 cars only, even though the '94 cars came with it. The aftermarket does not sell a '95-'96 style updated hose. The '92-'93 hose will fit any '92-'96 LT1 or 4 Corvette and the '95-'96 new style hose will also fit any '92-'96 LT1 or 4. Anyone considering updating an early LT1 better do it soon, before GM discontinues the reliable hose and bracket with mounting pedestal. They are sole source! Note that the reliability of the late hose may be adequate even without restraint (like '94 cars), so you could just swap the hose. List price for new '96 hose is about $85.