61. PARKING LOT
Replacing a set of Corvette parking-brake cables isn't in most people'sfun dictionary. Avoid the drill of replacing rusted and frozenparking-brake cables by performing a wee bit of periodic maintenance.Every time you change the oil and lube the chassis, try squirting alittle grease or good old-fashioned penetrant into the parking-brakecable end. If a rubber boot covers the end of the cable assembly, pry itback and inject the oil or grease into the cable. Your problems withstuck or frozen cables will be over forever.
62. STAINLESS STUFF
Why do so many aftermarket brake calipers for Corvettes use stainlesssteel for pistons and/or sleeves? Stainless is a good choice for theseapplications due to slower heat transfer than mild steels. Something toconsider when shopping for replacement calipers.
63. POLISHING PROCESS
There are dissenting views on this topic, but many professionalrace-engine builders believe that engine bearings that are notaftermarket coated should be polished ("coating" refers to variousfriction-reduction coatings). The polishing process removes the shippingcoating, which in turn improves bearing life. The idea is to use acrosshatch pattern on the bearing surface with white Scotch-Brite(fine).
64. SHIM & GRIN
Here's an old concept that always seems to go unnoticed: In Chevroletapplications (for example, small-block and big-block), there is a needto shim the starter so it meshes correctly with the flexplate orflywheel. Here's how it's done: You need approximately 0.035-inchclearance between the peak of the tooth on the starter drive gear andthe valley of the flywheel ring gear. FYI, a good old-fashioned paperclip is approximately 0.035 inch. In order to check the clearance,disconnect the large wire from the battery to the starter (disabling thestarter). Leave the power to the solenoid so it will function when youengage the starter. A remote starter switch works perfectly for thisapplication. Shim as required.
65. SLIGHTLY SIMMERED
Installing a fresh pickup on an oil pump can be a curse, especially ifthe pickup tube is a press-fit such as those found on most Chevy V-8engines. While there are special tools available to press the pickuptube into the pump, you can get Mother Nature to help during theinstallation process. Spray the end of the pickup tube with an aerosollube and slide it inside your freezer for an hour or so. In themeantime, slip the bare oil-pump body in a pan of water and householdcooking oil. Bring the pump to a boil and, with the help of some ovenmitts, quickly slide the cold pickup tube into the hot oil-pump body.It's a slippery fit and usually doesn't require the use of a hammer orany special tools.
66. GROOVY SERPENTINES
When changing serpentine belts, count the number of grooves. In someapplications there are a couple types of belts: Some have seven groovesand some have eight, depending upon the year of the vehicle. Inaddition, vehicle accessories determine belt length. By the way, whenyou replace a used-up belt, keep the old one. It will usually havesufficient life left to get you back to civilization. One more thing: Ifyou have a problem routing a serpentine belt in your Corvette, pay closeattention the engine compartment. There's usually a sticker somewherewith a diagram showing the belt routing.
67. BAD--WHAT'S BAD?
When tracing electrical gremlins in a Corvette, keep this in mind: Wiresalmost never go bad. Connections do. Don't be tempted to run a new wire,thinking you're solving the problem. Quite often, if you trace a short,you'll find a bad or corroded connector that you can clean or replace.You'll save yourself time and, at the same time, you won't hack yourwiring harness.
68. SPLINTERED SPLINES
Have you ever come across a new clutch disc that doesn't want to slideeasily over the input splines on your Corvette transmission? If youhave, don't worry. You're not alone. The problem is a burr on either thegearbox input shaft or the clutch-disc splines. To ease the job, takethe time to carefully deburr the splines on both the clutch disc andinput shaft. From now on, the installation will be a snap. The problemis common on both well-used components and new clutch discs.
69. CHARGE RECAP
A quick way to check a charging system is with a voltmeter. For a12-volt system, it should read 12 volts with the engine off, and 13-14volts with the engine running.
70. LEAK DETECTION
Can't find small oil leaks in a restored Corvette engine? Check the PCVvalve and make sure it's functioning properly. If the PCV system checksout, try plugging up your PCV system temporarily. Start the engine andcheck for leaks. The crankcase pressure will build up and any small oilleaks will probably get big enough to find easily. Obviously, it alsohelps to start with a clean engine to make the leak more apparent.
71. FLUID FOLLIES
Question any seasoned racer about brake fluid and one of the firstthings that will come out of his mouth is "Ford High Performance BrakeFluid" (sometimes referred as "Ford Heavy Duty Brake Fluid"). Let's backup for a minute: The really good racing brake fluid available today iscalled "Castrol SRF." It is a somewhat rare super-fluid designedprimarily for racing, but most people don't buy it because of the highcost. The reality is, Ford Motor Company purchases this fluid by thebarrel, repackages it, and sells it as Ford Heavy Duty Fluid to ownersof heavy-duty trucks. Anyone may buy it from a Ford dealer under PNC6AZ-19542-AA. The packaging states: "High Performance Dot 3," and thecost is considerably less than the Castrol-packaged fluid.
Another good quality brake fluid is Castrol LMA. It's good at rejectingmoisture and may be kept in your brake system for several years. The LMAstands for "Low Moisture Absorption." It is sold in plastic containersthat do not have a long shelf life. Do not purchase a large quantity ofthis fluid at one time, since moisture can make its way through theplastic containers. Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3 is quite inexpensive and ispopular (particularly among racers) because of its excellent dry boilingpoint. It absorbs moisture quickly, but the racers don't care since theychange their fluid frequently. It's sold in metal cans and, as a result,it does have a long shelf life (provided the seal isn't broken). Interms of specifications, Ford Heavy Duty is classified as a DOT 3 fluid.The dry boiling point of this fluid is 550 degrees F while the wetboiling point is 284 degrees F. Castrol LMA is classified as a DOT 4fluid. It has a dry boiling point of 446 degrees F and a wet boilingpoint of 311 degrees F. And by the way, your Corvette won't disown youfor using Ford fluid!
72. CURB CRUSHER
If you smack a curb or hit a pothole with your Corvette, the front-endalignment can be thrown out (it's easier than you might think). Theresult, of course, is eventual tire damage. With the cost of tirestoday, it's good preventive maintenance to have the alignment on yourcar checked regularly. Some folks have the alignment checked every timethe tires are rotated, or at 6,000-8,000-mile intervals.
73. BOOSTER SHOT
A number of Corvette folks report plug fouling problems when usingvarious octane boosters. If that happens, go straight to the spark plugswithout passing go! The solution is to clean and/or replace the plugs(and perhaps search for another octane booster).
74. CASTING CALL
How can you tell if a Corvette crankshaft is cast or forged? A castcrank will usually have a line on the counterweights where it was pouredinto a mold. A forged crank does not have the fine lines on thecounterweights.
75. BAG LADY
Changing oil is a messy job. That's a given--but to make it less messy,try this: Slide a plastic bag over the filter after you break it loosewith the filter wrench. Hold the top of the bag firmly against theengine block with one hand, and use your other hand to unscrew thefilter. The oil slop will be contained inside the plastic bag.
76. OIL SPACE
Believe it or not, too much oil in the pan of your Corvette is just asbad (perhaps worse) than too little. If the oil level is too high, itcan be above some windage trays. At the least, the oil can be picked upby the rotating assembly. Next, it is whipped into a frenzy--creatingfoam, which really means the oil becomes aerated. Hot, aerated oil willnot maintain pressure and, because of this, will definitely createlow-pressure problems.
77. GASKET CHAOS
Some intake gaskets purposely block off coolant ports to enable theengine coolant to flow in a predetermined path through the engine. Ifthese ports are not blocked off it could create a short circuit in thecooling system. So what's the answer? Buy the right gaskets for theapplication. Otherwise, the temperature gauge in your Corvette could beheaded toward the stratosphere.
78. WALL VENEER
It's common knowledge that it isn't a good idea to break in aflat-tappet-cam engine with synthetic lubricants. Did you know thatapplies to all engines? According to the pros, all engines, no matterthe camshaft type (roller or flat tappet), are best served by usingmineral oil during the break-in. Why? The experts claim that thecylinder-wall finish/ring combination used today still needs some timeto get acquainted and effectively break in. If it's good enough forprofessional racers, it's good enough for us.
79. DRESS CODE
When polishing and detailing custom Corvette billet wheels, be sure touse only extra-soft polishing cloths. Old fleece sweatshirt material isperfect. Do not use cross-weave materials (for example, T-shirts and/ordiapers) on soft metals, since they can easily scratch the surface.
80. EXPLOSIVE FORCE
Never add air to a tire and rim assembly that has been operated in aseriously under-inflated or flat condition. Why? The condition justmight provoke the tire to separate (often explosively). The result canbe serious injury. The real solution is to have the tire deflated andcarefully inspected by a professional. By the way, we're talking fromexperience here, folks. Be extra cautious.