Help! c-4 1989 corvette std --- new member

[harryd44]

i hope you guys can help me:

About a yr ago i purchased a 1989 vette with 55,000 miles -- got it for a good price.
Car is in basically good shape (2) onwners -- garaged kept.

Problems:
Left headlight will only open 1/2 way and will not close.. Any ideas how to trouble shoot the problem?

The dash tach speed 0- etc dark -- i want to switch to manual gauges. Any ideas on where to get the kit -- at a descent price. Plus it appears i have a bad heat a/c control switch - -- the digital light blinks all the time outside temp doesn't work. A/c comes and goes. Anyway to determine what is needed to repair.

Exhaust -- i have installed the muffler eliminator system. Tail pipes connect direct to old fty cat- i am not satisfied with the sound and i have been told that i need to replace the old fty cat. First off since ther're 2 cats on each exhaust manifold pipe -- do i have to maintain the single cat -- or can i replace with a solid muffler from magnaflow etc? If i have to retain the cat is there one that would improve the sound and performance?

Thanks for taking time to help me

harryd 2 27 15

 

[Otter]

Sold my 89 last spring and I had Magnaflows on it and was very pleased with the look over the stock pipes. Still have the FSM for the 89 if you're interested.

 

[hcbph]

I don't know about manual instruments because some of them are required for things like cruise control. If you're saying the speedometer, tach, fuel gauge etc are dark, try shining a flashlight on it as see if you something working or not. Once you know that, check the Batee website, there's a lot of info there. I suspect yours may be like mine was, there was a connector burnt off on the inside. Batee repaired it and for a decent price.

 

[BRUTE86]

C4 1898 Corvette standard

i hope you guys can help me:

About a yr ago i purchased a 1989 vette with 55,000 miles -- got it for a good price.
Car is in basically good shape (2) onwners -- garaged kept.

Problems:
Left headlight will only open 1/2 way and will not close.. Any ideas how to trouble shoot the problem?

The dash tach speed 0- etc dark -- i want to switch to manual gauges. Any ideas on where to get the kit -- at a descent price. Plus it appears i have a bad heat a/c control switch - -- the digital light blinks all the time outside temp doesn't work. A/c comes and goes. Anyway to determine what is needed to repair.

Exhaust -- i have installed the muffler eliminator system. Tail pipes connect direct to old fty cat- i am not satisfied with the sound and i have been told that i need to replace the old fty cat. First off since ther're 2 cats on each exhaust manifold pipe -- do i have to maintain the single cat -- or can i replace with a solid muffler from magnaflow etc? If i have to retain the cat is there one that would improve the sound and performance?

Thanks for taking time to help me

harryd 2 27 15

Hi Harryd,
With your headlight, it is a common problem with 1988 - 1996 corvettes, especially as they are getting on in 'age'. Your 3 nylon bushings in your headlight gears are probably pulverised. Symptoms are headlight wont go up, or maybe wont go down, in any position or maybe 'flicker' on the spot. The nylon / Derlin bushings are readily available. Otherwise you can buy a 10mm nylon rod [6 -12 inches long] and cut your own bushes about 1/2 inch long, and you'll have plenty to spare.

With your gauge pack, are your 4 globes illuminating at all ? with the lights on? [in other words do the dash lights come on at night. Cover up your light sensor [that little globe hole above your speedo], does that bring on the lights? . Otherwise the gauge pack itself has a bad earth or a blown circuit, any way I would get it tested. [from Batee, as hcpbh mentioned, or Mid America, or Ecklers, .....]

You can go analog/mechanical/'manual', as most racing club corvettes have done that modification. Care that a gauge may not be a correct 'gauge' because they could use different voltage or resistance variance to the factory's. For instance your fuel gauge runs from 0 ohms to 90 ohms [empty to full], so you'll need a fuel gauge utilising those parameters. As for a voltage gauge they are all the same, so be careful.
Niceties like cruise control [as per hcpbh comments] you'd loose, as well as range, fuel consumption reading, distance to empty, etc. Others like indicators lamps and high beam lamps shouldn't be too hard to install globes and connect. The gauges are obtainable from such places as 'Summit' , they are not cheap. Making a nice looking dash for the gauges and wiring them would be expensive as well.
Don't connect any mechanical, manual gauges to the factory's instrument panel harness, because any soldering or fitting wrong size or type of electrical wire will affect the resistance, thus giving wrong signals/readings to the gauges.

Your A/C problems sounds like you have a faulty C68 Climate Control Module, could be a bad earth or a blown circuit in the module. I found that, this module is the first to cop a 'punch' when jump starting the car incorrectly. You can get them tested

Can't help you too much with the exhaust system as I'm not too familiar with US Emission laws. Also noise doesn't necessary mean power, 'droning' is the worst at cruising speed. You do need some back pressure in the exhaust system. It sounds like 'Otter' knows what he's talking about, and it could be a good start for you.

Hope this helps.
Cheers.

 

[hcbph]

Being you said you wanted mechanical gauges I didn't mention this earlier but Eckler's has a replacement for the instrument cluster but they are electronic analog gauges.
If interested, check 25-285081 & 25-285080, but IMO they are pricey and not as modernistic and integrated as the original cluster. Plus I've seen these before and if you want cruise control it's usually something like an additional $200-$300 module, assuming there in one for that cluster.

 

[harryd44]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!! For the reply

Thanks - i really appreciate the reply and information.

hi harryd,
with your headlight, it is a common problem with 1988 - 1996 corvettes, especially as they are getting on in 'age'. Your 3 nylon bushings in your headlight gears are probably pulverised. Symptoms are headlight wont go up, or maybe wont go down, in any position or maybe 'flicker' on the spot. The nylon / derlin bushings are readily available. Otherwise you can buy a 10mm nylon rod [6 -12 inches long] and cut your own bushes about 1/2 inch long, and you'll have plenty to spare.

With your gauge pack, are your 4 globes illuminating at all ? With the lights on? [in other words do the dash lights come on at night. Cover up your light sensor [that little globe hole above your speedo], does that bring on the lights? . Otherwise the gauge pack itself has a bad earth or a blown circuit, any way i would get it tested. [from batee, as hcpbh mentioned, or mid america, or ecklers, .....]

you can go analog/mechanical/'manual', as most racing club corvettes have done that modification. Care that a gauge may not be a correct 'gauge' because they could use different voltage or resistance variance to the factory's. For instance your fuel gauge runs from 0 ohms to 90 ohms [empty to full], so you'll need a fuel gauge utilising those parameters. As for a voltage gauge they are all the same, so be careful.
Niceties like cruise control [as per hcpbh comments] you'd loose, as well as range, fuel consumption reading, distance to empty, etc. Others like indicators lamps and high beam lamps shouldn't be too hard to install globes and connect. The gauges are obtainable from such places as 'summit' , they are not cheap. Making a nice looking dash for the gauges and wiring them would be expensive as well.
Don't connect any mechanical, manual gauges to the factory's instrument panel harness, because any soldering or fitting wrong size or type of electrical wire will affect the resistance, thus giving wrong signals/readings to the gauges.

Your a/c problems sounds like you have a faulty c68 climate control module, could be a bad earth or a blown circuit in the module. I found that, this module is the first to cop a 'punch' when jump starting the car incorrectly. You can get them tested

can't help you too much with the exhaust system as i'm not too familiar with us emission laws. Also noise doesn't necessary mean power, 'droning' is the worst at cruising speed. You do need some back pressure in the exhaust system. It sounds like 'otter' knows what he's talking about, and it could be a good start for you.

Hope this helps.
Cheers.