Another somewhat disapointing season

[oceangal]

I just want to drive the car. It seems like such a simple request but NOOOOO she is not cooperating. I drove about 100 miles and they were pretty rough. At red lights she was practically jumping. Hubby checked her out and thinks only 7 cyl are running. Maybe a spark plug, who knows. She is outside now as other cars in the house that we drive daily needed repairs.

He has adjusted the car so many times he is sick of pulling off those valve covers. Also we have a leak somewhere, I forget where it is but whats it matter?

I am about ready to bring her to a mechanic, but $ is tight with the 6 weeks out of work. Not that I don't think my husband can fix her, I think he is sick of working on her. I think he is daydreaming about the car and a bonfire - combined!!!

We replaced all the vacuum lines etc and bought two new actuators and the headlights still don't go up so I don't even have a sticker on the car yet.

 

[jeffn]

Look on the bright side....It's a gorgeous car, and you can still wax it.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Has "Hubby" read the Service Manual's information on the vacuum system--especially the diagrams of the system--then made sure all the hoses are routed and connected properly?

As for rough idle there are many possible reasons for that. To help you diagnose effectively via the Internet, we really need more details on symptoms.

Does the check engine light ever come on? If not, does it come on then go off during bulb check?

Are the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and distributor rotor in good condition?

Are the plug wires connected to the correct cylinders?

 

[oceangal]

Look on the bright side....It's a gorgeous car, and you can still wax it.

I can't even do that - it has the guide coat on it! But there is always chrome to polish. Maybe I will take the cover off later and pretend I am driving it

 

[oceangal]

Has "Hubby" read the Service Manual's information on the vacuum system--especially the diagrams of the system--then made sure all the hoses are routed and connected properly?

As for rough idle there are many possible reasons for that. To help you diagnose effectively via the Internet, we really need more details on symptoms.

Does the check engine light ever come on? If not, does it come on then go off during bulb check?

Are the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and distributor rotor in good condition?

Are the plug wires connected to the correct cylinders?

As we took off the one vacuum line we put the replacement immediately on, so I don't think that is an issue.

I haven't seen the check engine come on with the new motor. The plugs are probably 4 years old, but have seen no action and were cleaned. At least I dont' think we replaced those, the wires and cap and rotor are all new.

 

[XLR8]

Sorry to hear you still haven't been able to enjoy her, oceangal. That's got to be very frustrating. Try to look on the brightside, your hubby is defintely a keeper!

These guys are tops when it comes to Vettes and they'll help you troubleshoot the problems to resolution.

Here's hoping it's sooner rather than later!

Jane Ann

 

[vetteboy86]

I can certainly relate. Money is tight in my household as well.

I think what hib is getting at is that the factory service manual (FSM) is a relatively cheap expense compared to what a shop repair fee could be.

If the FSM for your car is anything like mine, it will contain an extensive troubleshooting section. Rough idle certainly will be a topic.

Was the car running rough before the vacuum line replacement? How long has it been running rough. We really need more background about the problem.

 

[jeffn]

I can't even do that - it has the guide coat on it! But there is always chrome to polish. Maybe I will take the cover off later and pretend I am driving it

Too Funny!!!Be patient, I waited 15 years to be able to start working on mine.....It'll all come together and it will be all the more pleasing when it does.....I guess all that's left now is to have a cocktail and stare at it.Good luck!

 

[TimAT]

I feel your pain. I aquired a 77 for my better half. Drove it from Arizona to Missouri- A/C didn't work, and used 1 quart of oil. Fixed the A/C and a few other minor things, it was getting cold air and running just fine. I went back to work, I've been gone a week, and she's started having trouble with the A/C, and now it won't start. :W

 

[White75]

I hear ya.
It's been a miserable season. It's been too hot here to take the vette out and enjoy it. Plus with a new baby, it's hard to take the wife out for a drive (she hasn't been in it since the interior replacement). I'm hoping for a cooldown and a babysitter before winter to take her out

 

[pbcanney]

I'm with Hib (through my own experiences).. look for 2 plug wires crossed. Easy to cross 2 if using the stock wire shields

 

[Phill]

was the car running properly before the vacuum line and actuator replacement? also while checking the wires make sure none of them made contact with the exhaust and melted the insulation on the wires. this happened to me while driving the car home after i had just got her.

 

[oceangal]

Thanks for all the input and support. Hubby still hasn't looked at the car and there is a car show I wanted to go to on Saturday. Its only a few miles from the house, maybe he can push me there!

He is thinking now that a plug might be fouled and of course I am the suspect. I swear I have been shifting through the gears and only when I get on the hwy do I even shift into drive, so I think I have done fine. Maybe I need a tach so I can have a visual.

I will let you know when I find anything out. Fingers crossed that its soon!

 

[Eddie 70]

If your headlights will not come up and you have replaced all of the vacuum lines, you have a big vacuum leak somewhere. In my opinion, this could be causing some of the rough running you are experiencing.

 

[Evolution1980]

I haven't seen the check engine come on with the new motor. The plugs are probably 4 years old, but have seen no action and were cleaned.

For clarification...the engine was new 4 years ago and that's when fresh plugs were put in? Otherwise, I'm reading that line as "I put 4yr old plugs into a new engine."
I seem to recall a thread from long ago that you had a new (at the time) custom built engine in your car.

 

[TMPJoe]

If the headlights will not open at all then you have major vacuum issue going on which will make it run rough and idle bad if at all... Does the brake light come on ever? you can use mild soapy water and a spray bottle to see bubbling on the connections... but it is an easy thing to not have the little hoses on tight enough..

Been there done that. I had to replace the vaccum line to my transmission after modding the car so much.. Had to use fuel line and major clamps to keep it from happening.... my clue was the shifting ... the brake issue was the line to the master cylinder... i ended up with lazy drivers side light door...

anyway good luck... mine has been in the paint shop all season.. going to look at it finally tomorrow... but its rained here so much no one has done anything!

 

[oceangal]

Honestly, I forget what the deal was with the plugs, I think they were new in the old engine and we put them in the new engine??

Well lots of light shed on the mystery of the crappy running car.

We pulled out the spark plugs and 1 was at least fouled. We bought new header gaskets as that seems to have been a source of leaking. I couldn't get my hand on the copper gaskets so the valve covers had to come off. Well guess what we found?

A bent pushrod and 2 rocker arms rolling around. A 3rd rocker arm was not quite how it should have been (don't ask me I am just relaying info! ).

We had those things that lock the rocker arms in place and my husband is a strong guy so I am sure he tightened them pretty damn good but still look what happened. So we will have to push her back into the garage and no doutb he is wanting big time to get rid of the crossfire.

He might win this time.

So the good news is I dont think I have a vacuum leak!

He of course wanted to know what I did to the car to have it end up like this and I finally admitted that I smoked a Ferrari on the hwy and that made him happy that at least it wasn't in vain. (FYI that Ferrari incident didn't happen, least not yet!)

 

[TMPJoe]

Been there done that... sorry to hear but now you know why it ran rough and did not produce enough vacuum to operate the lamps!
I had a flat tappet cam in my earlier motor build and heads from World Products. Mine was the valve guides being tight and out of spec.... well time for you to buld it the right way. I would drop the crossfire while you were at it. Why not! Unless you think you have a collector there and want to keep it as original as possible.... Not sure we will ever see a ton of value to this era car though in our liftimes which get shorter each day!...

 

[Vanity Plate Bob]

Hang in there Gal. "Most" all of us have had the ups and downs with these creatures. I believe they were created in outer space and not wanted so shipped to earth.

Money was mentioned. What is that?

:bash

 

[73shark]

Were the loose rockers due to the nuts backing off? If not, you could have a cam that's starting to lose lobes. Just a thought.