still figuring out this vette thing

[Auzzie88]

I am still tring to figure out somethings with my car. There are a few more questions that have come up here lately?

1.) Car seems real sluggish. Can't break her lose on a corner. Compared to my friends 91Z, 305 tpi, it lacks the power that I've heard it is suppose to have. On take off, it does not scratch the tires, all slow take off, unless I am expecting to much.
2.) Car is hard to start after morning. In morning, no problem, right away. But after school, I have to hold my foot on the gas to get it to turn over.

 

[jrzvette]

When was the last time you had a tune-up?

 

[Ted Krempa]

release the parking brake....

or, wait a few more months, and you will get all the 'slip and slide' you need on that white stuff

 

[HPG]

When was the last time you had a tune-up?

What year? Fuel filter, air filter THe L98 or LT1 should jerk you in the seat if you step on it around a corner. With TPI, you should not press the gas pedal to start the car, this could cause hard start amoung other things.

 

[Ripp 73]

HPG is right, there is no need to put your foot in the gas when starting the car. It is all electronic any more. The only thing that might help that I have noticed for my own car is to turn the car to the on position for about three seconds and then turn fully to start the beast. This gives all the electronics enough time to take their readings and get the fuel pump and injectors going. The L98 will peel the tires just fine and I know of a few that with one minor adjustment can squawk into second. Give the car a good tune up, new plugs, wires, fuel filter, and see where that takes you. If it is still slughish, we'll help figure it out with you.

 

[raidoman]

From the easy start in am and hard start later with sluggish performance sounds like it may be time to replace injectors.

 

[HPG]

From the easy start in am and hard start later with sluggish performance sounds like it may be time to replace injectors.

Yep, a leaking injector (s) would cause a hard start. Turn on the ingition for a couple seconds, turn it off, then try to start without hitting the gas.

 

[Sunstroked]

My LT 1 had a leaking fuel pressure regulator that was giving the car hard starting issues. Basically it was flooding the engine thru the vacuum line to the intake manifold as the fuel pressure bled off. Easy fix. I know my vette will melt the tires thru first and into second very easily with the traction control selected off. But if you leave it activated the car just launches with barely any squawk. Normal operation.

 

[Auzzie88]

Changing oil+filter today, have plugs, getting wires today. Should be done this weekend. There is not much "put you in your seat" feeling from anything, corners or take off. Should I think about changing injectors? Anything else. Car is starting to **** me off!

 

[Ripp 73]

Don't let these little things tick you off so quickly. Part of the fun is getting your hands dirty and working on these beautiful pieces of art. I have a few more questions for you about your 88 coupe. Is it a standard or auto? How many miles? Do you know the history of this car? Tell us a little about the car to help us help you.

 

[Auzzie88]

It is a automatic. 127,XXX on the clock. Bought it from my dads friend. He got it because he rebuilt the motor for the previous owner, he didn't pay so he kept the car. Sat in his garage for about a little over a year and then I bought it. Had the tranny rebuilt about 2 weeks ago. I bought the car because I though that it would be reliable and cool to drive to school in a vette, but it is starting to turn out to be more trouble than it is worth. I want keep it, but there is only so much I can take. I'm not a patient person.

 

[Ripp 73]

Well, having a little more information on the cars background it does sound like it should have more power then what you are telling us. If the engine was truly rebuilt with quality parts and the transmission was just rebuilt, then this should be a good little Corvette. When the engine was rebuilt, what parts were rebuilt? Were all the hoses and wires changed at the same time? This may all seem a bit too much right now, but take your time. I know of several people on this forum that have been working on their Corvette's for a long time, and some still can't even be driven down the road. The Corvette (or any car) can be a good way to learn pertinence. Also give the forum some time to respond, many are still at work and might have some better ideas for you then what I would have. Good luck to you.

 

[jrzvette]

I'm not tryiong to put down your dad's friend but is he a competent engine builder? Are all of the sparkplug wires tight and in the right order? The fireing order on a SBC is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.

 

[Low drag - High speed]

Don't forget all the sensors ... those little bastards can ruin anything. I always put in new oxygen sensors, throttle position sensors, manifold pressure, air pressure and a bunch of other little gremlin-makers like that just because they can spoil your performance with a bogus report to the ECM. You may also have a timing problem brought on by a tired chip in the distributor.

 

[Auzzie88]

The guy who rebuilt the motor builds racing engines, so I trust his work. As for the parts that he replaced, i know it was all the major stuff, but not sure of the small things, sensors, plugs, etc. Trying to change as much of that as possible. Now have: Fuel filter, plugs, plug wires, oil, oil filter. Don't know much about all the senors, to mainly to even think of. Will have timing redone after tune up (set to factory?). Also I have change in elevation from where the car was bought. How much would this affect it (around 1200 to 4600)?

 

[Sunstroked]

Elevation from 1200 to 4600 should not be a problem. When I take my daily driven vette from our local 1200' elevation to the mountains 90 miles away and over 7k' the car runs as well or better.
I dont know your experience level as a mechanic so I wont try and judge your ability. The first thing I did when I bought my 92 was acquire a set of GM shop manuals, I paid around 60.00 off of ebay. My occupation as an aircraft mechanic has taught me that in order to work on anything you must know how the system is designed to work. The shop manuals do this very well. Not a clymers or a haines, get the real deal. They have driveability sections that should address your issue. My LT-1 engine is a different animal than your L-98 and I wouldnt know where to advise you at this point, I have no experience with your particular system. But if you can rule out that the engine is healthy and the transmission and torque converter are functioning correctly than there has to be something that is not allowing the engine to deliver the fuel or ignition correctly. IE, ecm, tps, maf. and to check these out you cannot guess. You must know how to trouble shoot these and other parts. Sorry to be so long winded but I went thru several hrs of T/S and repair to get my engine to top running condition. For example: The previous owner had the car maintained at a well known valley corvette shop. SOMEONES grand idea to FIX a "service engine light" was to simply remove the bulb from the DIC. Yeah the light went out, and stayed out. Duh. But the light is also what flashes trouble codes that tells you what system is inoperative. If you feel overwhelmed, seek out a trusted corvette shop. It may be cheaper than just throwing parts at it or dumping a weak running car.

 

[RedVetteMan]

Auzzie,

Your vette should have more oomph. My 84 strictly stock automatic coupe (with flo-thru mufflers) will easily turn the tires if I get just a little aggressive when the light turns green, and definitely break loose in a corner (scared the s*** out of me the first time I tried it).

Please don't think that your vette is underpowered, per se. There's some good advice here and elsewhere on this board, and with a little sluething you should be leaving little pieces of tire along with the rest of us.

p

 

[firstvet]

Changing oil+filter today, have plugs, getting wires today. Should be done this weekend. There is not much "put you in your seat" feeling from anything, corners or take off. Should I think about changing injectors? Anything else. Car is starting to **** me off!

Auzzie,
I would put a can of seafoam in the gas tank change the plugs and wires check the fuel filter and air filter chng if needed and get high octane good quality fuel.
start with the easy stuff first!!!
Good Luck and I like your picture can you make it bigger

firstvet

 

[John E]

Are the Cat's still on the car? Sometimes they collapse clogging it up.

 

[Ripp 73]

Thats a good though John, an indication might be a code though if the L98 has rear O2 sensors, which I am not sure that it does. Lets keep up with the small changes and the easy changes first, then we'll get into engine and exhaust issues.