Plastic or nylon wire ties have countless uses on a Corvette (they'vebeen called the modern equivalent of duct tape). Unfortunately, they'reoften as sharp as a knife once the excess "tail" has been cut off. Tosolve the problem (and save your hide), simply touch the cut-off endwith a hot soldering iron. The end will be blunt, will never work loose,and, best of all, won't cut you when you least expect it.
When shopping for high-performance wheels for your Corvette, one thingmost people forget is the actual size of the center wheel hole. Believeit or not, the center hub holes in wheels are not all the same. In fact,certain vehicles have significantly smaller hub holes than others. Agood example is the late-model Corvette. A wheel designed for theCorvette often has a much smaller hub hole than a similar wheel designedfor use on a late-model Camaro. Check first before you buy.
There are two main types of lubrication in things mechanical: oil andgrease. Which chemical is used where depends upon the speed of rotation,the operating temperature, and whether heat must be removed from thearea concerned. If a function of the lubrication is to control or coolfriction-generated heat, then oil is the chosen product since it canflow away, dissipating heat while recirculated oil is introduced toinduce relative coolness. On the other hand, grease is used when thebearing operates under normal speed and temperature conditions.
Some people prefer to use "gasket in a tube" instead of header gaskets.While it seems like a good idea, think about the cleanup time requiredto peel the high- temperature silicone from the cylinder heads andheader flange once you remove the pipes. We've watched racers spend halfan hour or longer trying to scrape all of the goop clean. A simpleheader gasket can be replaced in seconds.
Worn idler-arm bushings cause front-end steering shimmy and can negatethe responsive "feel" the steering demonstrates. So what's the point?Never overlook the idler arm on an early Corvette when it comes tosteering maladies.
Here's another grease trick: It works well as a sealer for Corvette carbgaskets. If you use a small amount of grease on the gasket(s), it can bereused a number of times and it won't stick to either the carb or intakemanifold.
27. CORROSIVE TREPIDATION
Battery terminals have a nasty habit of corroding (even on Corvettes).That should come as no shock. A quick fix is a shot of GE Silicone II ora similar spray-clear product over the terminals. It will minimize thecorrosion and prevent acid from eating the terminal bolt.
Did you know there is more than one use for Rain-X? It can also be usedas a lubricant between door-glass and associated rubber window-glassseals on your Corvette. If you apply Rain-X to both sides of the sidewindows, you'll never have that not-so-pleasant experience of a sealtucking down and jamming the operation. Better still, Rain-X helpspreserve the rubber glass seals.
If you've had the front end completely rebuilt or restored (fresh parts,proper wheel balance and alignment) and still notice a vibration, trythis: There might be pebbles lodged in the tires. Check your tire treadsfor small pebbles. By the way, you should also consider washing thedirt, grime, and rocks from the inside of your wheels so the balancewon't be affected.
Engine valvetrain damage is rather common, particularly if the engine ismodified. According to the pros, the majority of this damage can beattributed to weak valvesprings. Some enthusiasts believe a very stiffspring stresses the valvetrain and soaks up power as the springcompresses. That might not be correct. Very little drag is actuallyadded by stiff valvesprings. Why? That's easy: There are always the samenumbers of lifters opening as there are closing valves. Think about it.It makes sense.
If you have a close look at all V-8 engines (Chevys included) you'llfind the connecting rods can be installed in one of two ways. The bigend (crank pin) of the rod has one side finished with a healthy radius.The other side doesn't. The rod end with the radius matches the filletradius on the crank. The flat end faces the other connecting rod it'spaired with on the journal. To install them correctly, always face theradius end toward the crank fillet.
If you've swapped tires and increased or decreased the diameter, thenthe true axle ratio in your Corvette has changed. Perplexed? Here's aformula to help with the axle gear ratio: MPH x Gear Ratio / True TireDiameter x 336 = RPM
33. COMPRESSION CONUNDRUM
Universal joints that are equipped with a grease fitting should beinstalled with the fitting compressed. In other words, they should beinstalled so they are ahead of the driveshaft in the direction ofrotation.
Have you noticed that as oil becomes dirty (prior to a necessary change)the oil pressure in your Corvette goes up? Similarly, have you noticedthat after the oil has been changed, the pressure seems to go down? Thereason is, clean (new) oil has a lower true viscosity than used oil. Asoil is used in the engine, it gathers contaminants and this causes theoil to oxidize. Simple enough, we'd say, but also a good reason to keepon top of the oil change schedule.
You know those little plastic clips that keep bread bags together? Youmight want to start saving them. Here's why: Think back to the time youmixed up the ignition wires when you swapped distributor caps on yourCorvette. If you had used these tags on the wires, and wrote down theappropriate cylinder number (for example, 1-3-5-7) on the tag, then youwould have saved oodles of time.
Fin count plays an important role in cooling. As a rule of thumb, aradiator will normally have between 8 and 14 fins per inch. When the fincount number is increased, the radiator can "radiate" more heat to boththe surface airflow and the surrounding air. Unfortunately, as fin countincreases, so does the opportunity for plugging, especially with bugs,dirt, and other foreign road junk. Bottom line? Keep your Corvetteradiator clean.
It's pretty common to use a flat-blade screwdriver to remove interiorpanels in a Corvette (to pop out the retainers). Trouble is, the panelsare usually soft (and expensive). On the other hand, screwdrivers areusually small and sharp. If the screwdriver slips while you're prying apanel, things get expensive quickly. The solution is simple: Wrap theend of the screwdriver with electrical tape. You'll be much happier. Sowill your door-panel upholstery.
If you spy a tire with a foreign object such as a nail embedded in thetire tread, don't try to pull it out (we know, the temptation to dosomething like that is pretty compelling). Why? Remember that a tire isa pressurized vessel. If the nail is loosened, it could become ahigh-pressure-powered missile. Anyone and anything nearby is a candidatefor injury. In addition, the escaping air can also pick up debris (dirtand other junk) from the area of the puncture. It too will be forcedoutward. What's the solution? Deflate the tire before you yank outforeign objects.
We all know that neglected coolant can lead to a clogged cooling systemand a loss of cooling system efficiency, but it can also cause otherless obvious problems. If the coolant age or condition can't be easilydetermined, there is a quick check for coolant contamination using adigital volt/ohm meter (DVOM). Attach the positive DVOM lead to theradiator, then dip the negative lead into the coolant at the fillerneck. A voltage reading of 0.2 volt or less is good. A reading of 0.5volt should be considered borderline, and anything over 0.7 volt isunacceptable. If the coolant fails this test, the cooling system shouldbe thoroughly flushed and cleaned. Remove any engine temperature sensorsand inspect them for contamination or other damage.
When installing Corvette valve-cover gaskets, it's common to usesilicone for the sealing agent. Trouble is, the gaskets tend to tear ifthey have silicone on both sides. Try this instead: Use silicone to gluethe gasket to the valve cover, then use a bit of grease on the side thatmates to the head. The gasket won't leak and won't rip off the next timeyou lash the valves.