A 94 Corvette with Issues

[93Rubie]

Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable than I like GMJunkie or Hib will chime in on this one.

I got a 94 I'm working on for a guy. I have NOT totally completed the FSM diagnostic steps yet. This post is so maybe one of you guys have ran into these issues before and maybe I can avoid tearing the whole dash appart to test various modules. Here goes...

The HVAC system is not working correctly. Cannot control it, lights flash for 1 minute on start up meaning I have a problem. Problem is I cannot get the HVAC Control Head to go into Diagnostic mode. Any ideas short of me tearing it out of the dash to continue FSM procedures?

I have courtesy lamps that stay on for 15 minutes regardless of door open, shut, doors lock or unlocked. Only go out if you go to ON with the Ign. Key. or if you wait 15 minutes. NO CCM DTC's, testing Door Ajar switchs and key switchs via CCM Input Check, those are OK at this time and working properly. CCM can control Courtesy Lamp Relay, switches them on and off every 3 seconds in Output Control Mode.

I also have no Tone(S) from the Tone Generator. Security Light Flashes for 30 minutes when unlocked, doors shut then goes out. It will stay on for 30 minutes if shut doors and lock them.

I should note this car has what I believe to be an aftermarket alarm system.

I did a parastic draw test with these results:
0-15min 3.40amps Courtesy Lamps ON
15-30Min .22-.39amps Security Light Flashing-Doors shut and unlocked
30-1hr 5 min-.22amps Security Light OFF

I have a major draw on that battery, needless to say.

Quite frankly, I have so many electrical issues that COULD be related as the systems are intermingled. I wonder which direction I should go in???

Also, some ding dong disconnected the E-brake cable at the brake handle. I reconnected and discovered that the right side mostly and some on the left side, the parking brake is engaged. The levers are off there stops a little.
Obviously, when they where not connected to the brake handle the levers touched the stops and parking brake was NOT engaged. SO my cables should be ok, FSM has an adjustment procedure but says that it will NOT correct my above condition. The brake handle does NOT ratchet when connect to the E-brake cable.

OH, and the Back Up Lamp Fuse Blows when you put the car in Reverse. Sweet!!! I love shorts to ground.

Also, the Water Pump is leaking, but not on the Opti-Spark. The right side of the engine where the pump meets the block is where the leak is. None on the left or middle where it is driven by the cam. Pressure test made it leak but very small leak I only dropped 1 psi in 15 min. cold. Could see the coolant very slowly dripping out.

My question on the above is, if the pump seems ok, can I just get away with replacing the water pump to engine block gasket???

I have been making progress on this slowly, I work on it in the evenings. Really just got going today, this might turn into a pain the butt. I got about half the car apart already.

 

[boomdriver]

Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable than I like GMJunkie or Hib will chime in on this one.

I got a 94 I'm working on for a guy. I have NOT totally completed the FSM diagnostic steps yet. This post is so maybe one of you guys have ran into these issues before and maybe I can avoid tearing the whole dash appart to test various modules. Here goes...

The HVAC system is not working correctly. Cannot control it, lights flash for 1 minute on start up meaning I have a problem. Problem is I cannot get the HVAC Control Head to go into Diagnostic mode. Any ideas short of me tearing it out of the dash to continue FSM procedures?

I have courtesy lamps that stay on for 15 minutes regardless of door open, shut, doors lock or unlocked. Only go out if you go to ON with the Ign. Key. or if you wait 15 minutes. NO CCM DTC's, testing Door Ajar switchs and key switchs via CCM Input Check, those are OK at this time and working properly. CCM can control Courtesy Lamp Relay, switches them on and off every 3 seconds in Output Control Mode.

I also have no Tone(S) from the Tone Generator. Security Light Flashes for 30 minutes when unlocked, doors shut then goes out. It will stay on for 30 minutes if shut doors and lock them.

I should note this car has what I believe to be an aftermarket alarm system.

I did a parastic draw test with these results:
0-15min 3.40amps Courtesy Lamps ON
15-30Min .22-.39amps Security Light Flashing-Doors shut and unlocked
30-1hr 5 min-.22amps Security Light OFF

I have a major draw on that battery, needless to say.

Quite frankly, I have so many electrical issues that COULD be related as the systems are intermingled. I wonder which direction I should go in???

Also, some ding dong disconnected the E-brake cable at the brake handle. I reconnected and discovered that the right side mostly and some on the left side, the parking brake is engaged. The levers are off there stops a little.
Obviously, when they where not connected to the brake handle the levers touched the stops and parking brake was NOT engaged. SO my cables should be ok, FSM has an adjustment procedure but says that it will NOT correct my above condition. The brake handle does NOT ratchet when connect to the E-brake cable.

OH, and the Back Up Lamp Fuse Blows when you put the car in Reverse. Sweet!!! I love shorts to ground.

Also, the Water Pump is leaking, but not on the Opti-Spark. The right side of the engine where the pump meets the block is where the leak is. None on the left or middle where it is driven by the cam. Pressure test made it leak but very small leak I only dropped 1 psi in 15 min. cold. Could see the coolant very slowly dripping out.

My question on the above is, if the pump seems ok, can I just get away with replacing the water pump to engine block gasket???

I have been making progress on this slowly, I work on it in the evenings. Really just got going today, this might turn into a pain the butt. I got about half the car apart already.

WOW !
true basket case...

That electrical system sounds bad...first thing I'd do is d/c the aftermarket toy alarm system. Then start pulling fuses one at a time with the meter on the battery to see when the drain stops...

That will at least give you some idea of which system is at fault.

The water pump....a gasket will probably fix that. I've never seen a broken pump body there that had a slow leak...if someone managed to crack the waterpump flange by over tightening a bolt before its companion, its usually large and obvious. a drip says gasket.

Don;t know how else to help, except to say go slow and note the victorys, not the defeats.

Good Luck

 

[93Rubie]

Those are my thoughts too. I am going to find and disconnect that aftermarket alarm, I have seen them cause many a draw. It fried the battery it is toast. My main concern has shifted now to get the car running perfect for the guy and be reliable in its driving. The A/C can come later-windows down. Hopefully, I can at least get rid of the draw or else he will spend lots of money to keep putting batteries in it.

I have a few other things to address on it, the window seals are bad, bad rear wheel bearing-play, and the infamous LT1 intake oil leak to address as well. Should keep me busy and entertained to say the least. It is kinda of fun to work on this car, I keep learning things and figuring them out. Now if I can just fix the darn thing. She needs lots of TLC, but the car has potential.

 

[boomdriver]

Those are my thoughts too. I am going to find and disconnect that aftermarket alarm, I have seen them cause many a draw. It fried the battery it is toast. My main concern has shifted now to get the car running perfect for the guy and be reliable in its driving. The A/C can come later-windows down. Hopefully, I can at least get rid of the draw or else he will spend lots of money to keep putting batteries in it.

I have a few other things to address on it, the window seals are bad, bad rear wheel bearing-play, and the infamous LT1 intake oil leak to address as well. Should keep me busy and entertained to say the least. It is kinda of fun to work on this car, I keep learning things and figuring them out. Now if I can just fix the darn thing. She needs lots of TLC, but the car has potential.

Thats ok....the more mess that you sort out, the clearer the future seems. just take one step at a time. You'llget there !

 

[gmjunkie]

grounds,Grounds,GROUNDS!!

First thing I'd do is Check and Clean ALL Grounds!

All of them,leave No Grounds un-touched!

This car was 90% grounds,10% Parts!
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/thread116719.html

High Resistance or Non-Existent Grounds make Electronics do weird SH*T!

 

[John Robinson]

You can take the Junk to the bank on this one.

 

[93Rubie]

Update

I played with it all afternoon, found that the Alarm System was causing the lights to stay on and causing the draw on the battery. Removed that POS and fixed two problems.

ON a hunch that the A/C Control head was working fine as some of the buttons worked. I took it out and cleaned all the contacts. It now works perfect and I got it to go into Diagnostic mode. I have a code 06 which I found I have a bad In Car Temp Sensor.

I fixed the back up lights too, disconnected the Trans. Position switch and didn't find anything wrong. Put it back in and put in a fuse, the dang lights worked. I adjusted the switch some and it now works perfect.

 

[Rex S]

Don't just disconnect the after market alarm wires, remove them! I left one in the driver's door 'cause I just didn't feel like pulling the door panel and about two months later when I hit a bump the hatch would pop open. Also there will be a splice into the main power lead over on the driver's side that will have to be properly repaired. Look for a 10-12 gage wire that has been cut and one of the alarm boxes wires spliced into.