Under The Plenum

[Eric]

...I'm aggravated beyond belief. The weather is going to be awesome this weekend and I have two events I was going to bring the car to and now....it doesn't look like it's going anywhere ...

Well Rob, if I hear from you know who and get the you know what, you're welcome to drive my Vette. Not that it would even compare to yours:eyerole. Anyhow, good luck man and I guess I'll see you Sunday at Criswell, hopefully with your Vette.

BTW, if an extra set of hands would be of any help, I'm spouseless this weekend and I'm not dropping my tank yet either so I'll just be bumming around the house.

- Eric

 

[Rob]

Rob... Take it easy. Relax a while. Even stay away from the car for a while if you have to. By all mean's when your ready go back to work on the car. Help's for me when frustration set's in.
You think the dealer can do better ? You'll get it.

Honestly....yeah. I've tried everything to get that torx bolt out. I just don't have the proper equipment or the know-how needed to get the stripped bolt out. If anything, I've only made it worse.

I've put everything back together again and will be making an appointment at Tony's Corvette Shop in Gaithersburg, MD ASAP. They have a ZR-1 certified mechanic there who has received major kudos from other area ZR-1 owners. At this point, I'd rather just give the car to them and let someone more experienced than I am deal with getting the bolt out. Once they do, they can figure out what's causing the secondaries to fail.

I'm just extremely dissapointed and frustrated because like I said, out of the only times I get to drive the car (usually weekends), this was one weekend where I wanted to take it out and bring it to a couple events and unless Tony's Shop can take the car tomorrow and get it back to me by Saturday....it just isn't going to happen. If it wasn't for this weekend, I normally wouldn't care. **** happens I guess....what can you do....

 

[Rob]

Well Rob, if I hear from you know who and get the you know what, you're welcome to drive my Vette. Not that it would even compare to yours:eyerole. Anyhow, good luck man and I guess I'll see you Sunday at Criswell, hopefully with your Vette.

BTW, if an extra set of hands would be of any help, I'm spouseless this weekend and I'm not dropping my tank yet either so I'll just be bumming around the house.

- Eric

Thanks Eric. I appreciate the offer but I'd feel a slight degree of guilt if I drove someone else's Vette while my own is down and out.

One way or another I'll be at Criswell since I'll be one of the judges. I'll be there by 9am. Unfortunately, I was hoping not to have to show my face there in a Ford pickup truck, but unless some small miracle is performed, I'll be bringing my Ford to a Corvette show. I love my truck, but geez how embarrasing. I guess I'm still going to plan to be at the cruise night Saturday....with my damn truck too as I want to bring my digital camera and get some good pics in to use here on the site.

-Rob

 

[grkzr1]

Part # 11514168 for the plenum bolts. What I did in this case, I used a size larger torx bit with a help from a small hammer and it came out without a problem.

Good Luck

--John

 

[Rob]

I GOT THE BOLT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:booty :booty :Twist :Twist :dance :dance :J

 

[Eric]

I GOT THE BOLT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:booty :booty :Twist :Twist :dance :dance :J

Uhhh, okay, since no one else is going to say it, I suppose I will...

Rob, you of all people should know this is a family joint:L:L. Watch your mouth.

- Eric

 

[Rob]

You should have heard me in the garage yelling....."HAH!!!!! WHO'S YA DADDY!!!!?????

Then....you should have heard what came out of my mouth when I pulled the plenum off only to discover that I never connected the electrical connector back up to the vacuum solenoid that I had replaced. Let's just say the drywall started to flake at the obscenities. LOL

 

[Eric]

I will assume, then, that I will see a shiny 90 ZR1 this weekend at either BK or the CCA show. Way cool man!

- Eric

 

[Rob]

No promises. I still have to torque everything down and take it for a test drive tomorrow. We'll see what happens. I assume now, everything should work. I'm actually heading up to Tony's Corvettes to pick up a spare solenoid and some plenum bolts. I will be at the show with the Corvette as far as I know. I'll try to be there early as I'm supposed to be in downtown DC for 8pm for a party.

 

[rhanselman]

Any Luck?

:cool

 

[Rob]

Hi Ron,

Yep. Here is a VERY important lesson......make damn sure before you put the plenum back on, that you have EVERYTHING connected and plugged in.

The secondary port vacuum solenoid cannot work properly if the electrical connector is not plugged into it!

Now keep in mind, before I started putting the plenum back on the other night, I stood back and just looked at the engine going through all the connections to make sure there was nothing I was forgetting! Wouldn't you know it....I plugged the vacuum lines into the solenoid....but not the juice line!

I took the car out yesterday and what a difference! Now she feels like someone lit a fire under her butt! It may be my imagination, but she feels a little stronger.

I'm going to put together a technical article with pictures outlining how you can diagnose your ZR-1 for vacuum leaks for the June Wrench and Socket column. Hopefully I can get it done by tonight. Stay tuned!!

 

[69MyWay]

I know the feeling. I am often my own worse enemy when it comes to repairs. I have to make three steps back to go one forward. Maybe I am rubbing off on you since I have been around here.

One quick tech thing to add to your article (unless you don't already), always put a dab of antiseeze on the bolts before threading them in. It is a little messy if you get it on your fingers or car parts, but it will prevent stuck bolts later down the road!


Glad you licked it!

 

[JT ZR-Won]

Cool Rob! Glad to hear you fixed the problem. Looking forward to reading the write up on the vacuum leaks.......

Jay

 

[FrankUrbinati]

Glad to hear that you have thing's sorted out Rob.

 

[Rob]

Glad to hear that you have thing's sorted out Rob.

Thanks Frank. It's good to have her back in full force.

 

[Rob]

I finally got around to putting an article together on diagnosing secondary port vacuum leaks with detailed pictures taken from my engine. You can read the article here in the Wrench and Socket Column:

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14272

 

[WaR_ZR-1]

OK, so the plenum came right off, good. I've read quite a bit here about 'under the plenum' here comes a question of costs and availability. How much were the plenum gaskets, vacuume solenoids, et.al. ... Who was your supplier, GM dealership?

 

[Rob]

The reason why I didn't list parts prices is because they have changed since I replaced the parts a few years ago. It's always best to contact your local dealer with the parts numbers I supplied in the article to obtain the most recent prices. However, here they are with the dates purchased:

Secondary Port Actuator Valves (1996743)
List: $42.00 ea.
Net: $31.50 ea.
Purchased: 5/26/99


Secondary Port Vacuum Reservoir (10067563)
List: $13.00
Net: $10.35
Purchased: 5/26/99


Secondary Port Vacuum Solenoid (1997222)
List: $28.03 - 6/7/99
List: $39.33 - 5/29/02

Net: $19.62 - 6/7/99
Net: $31.46 - 5/29/02

Secondary Port Vacuum Pump (10098474)
- Given to me - did not pay for.


Secondary Port Vacuum Hose Assembly (10146221)
List: $15.60
Net: $11.70
Purchased: 5/17/99


Throttle Body Gasket: (10067759)
List: $2.20
Net: $1.65
Purchased: 5/18/99


Throttle Body Gasket: (10168680)
List: $20.65
Net: $15.49
Purchased: 5/18/99


Crankcase Breather Gasket: (10168682)
List: $23.95
Net: $17.96
Purchased: 5/17/99

Crankcase Breather Hose: (10110908)
List: $9.10
Net: $6.83
Purchased: 5/24/99


Crankcase Breather Hose: (10110907)
List: $9.10
Net: $6.83
Purchased: 5/24/99

Source of all parts: Chevrolet Dealership