81. CORROSIVE CONCERNS
If you're plagued with bulbs on your Corvette that constantly needattention, think about this: Is there corrosion at the base of the lightbulbs? If so, apply a wee bit of electrical grease to the bulb base.This goes for the prongs of blade fuses as well. Your problems should besolved.
82. FUEL FAMINE
According to several fuel-pump manufacturers, one of the leading causesof in-tank electric fuel pump failure is fuel starvation. Most tankshave baffles or a built-in sump that keeps the pump pickup submerged infuel. These pumps use the fuel as a cooling agent. So far, so good; butif the gas tank contains only a gallon or two of fuel and the vehicle isdriven hard around a corner, the fuel may slosh away from the pickup andmomentarily starve the fuel pump. Repeat this process a number of times,and the pump will ultimately suffer (no more cooling and it willeventually expire).
83. TIP TEMPERATURE
Spark-plug gap size has a direct effect on the plug-tip temperature andon the voltage necessary to ionize (light) the air/fuel mixture. Becauseof this, gaps are important. Plugs are not pre-gapped at the factory,and the gap must be set and adjusted for a specific Corvette. NGK pointsout that a modified engine with higher compression or forced inductionwill typically require smaller gap settings (to ensure ignitability inthese denser air/fuel mixtures). As a general rule, the more power youare making, the smaller the gap you will need. NGK also states that aspark plug's voltage requirement is directly proportionate to the gapsize. The larger the gap, the more voltage is needed to bridge the gap.Most experienced tuners know that opening up gaps to present a largerspark to the air/fuel mixture maximizes burn efficiency. It is for thisreason that most racers add high-power ignition systems. The added powerallows them to open the gap yet still provide a strong spark. With thismind, many think the larger the gap the better. In fact, someaftermarket ignition systems boast that their systems can tolerate gapsthat are extreme. Be wary of such claims. In most cases, the largest gapyou can run may still be smaller than that claimed.
84. IDLE IDIOSYNCRASY
If you're plagued with a vintage Corvette engine that starts, thenstalls, check and reset the idle-mixture screws. Turn the screw in untilit seats. Repeat with the second screw, then back both out 11/2 turns.This should provide a baseline so you can set the idle mixture on arunning engine.
85. FINESSING FILTERS
When servicing K&N filters, be sure you do not over-oil the element.Aside from restricting airflow, excess oil can migrate into the intakesystem where it can coat electronic sensors. The result, of course, canbe catastrophic. When servicing the filter, if oil drips from it, washthe filter and start over. Use only K&N oil. Follow the oilinginstructions included with the filter or, if you've misplaced them,refer to the instructions listed in the back of the catalog.
86. YANKING YOUR CABLE
Speaking of the "old days" and ancient tricks, here's something youshouldn't do: It was once common to pull off a battery cable when aCorvette engine was running to check the charging system. If thealternator was working, the engine would continue to run. If it wasn'tcharging, the engine would stall. Some people think you can do thattoday. Not so! Those old Corvettes had relatively robust mechanicalvoltage regulators. Newer examples have internal voltage regulators, andif you yank the cable, you'll create a spike or surge in the system.Everyone knows what that will do to a computer.
The modern automotive electronic voltage regulator has some of the samecomponents as a computer. Pulling a battery cable while the engine isrunning will send a voltage "spike" throughout the electrical system ofthe automobile. This can, and often does, damage the voltage regulator.But it can also take out other electronic bits. Included in the mix arecomputers, ABS control units, electronic instrument clusters, soundsystems, and so on. Bottom line? Don't mess with the electronics.They'll come back and bite you.
87. NEW MATH
Here's a quick tip: In order to measure a wheel-bolt pattern, measurefrom the center of the No. 1 lug hole to the outside of the No. 3 lughole. The number you get is the bolt circle size.
88. JUST A WHINER
Do you have an impossible-to-find whine originating from the undersideof your Corvette? If you do, think about adding a small amount of greaseto the splines on the transmission slip yoke. This eliminates themetal-to-metal contact from the splines in the yoke to the splines onthe output shaft.
89. EXPLOSIVE FORCE
Never add air to a tire-and-rim assembly that has been operated in aseriously underinflated or flat condition. Why? The condition just mightprovoke the tire to separate (often explosively). The result can beserious 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.
90. SQUEAL ON YOU
Squealing Corvette disc brakes are a pain in the you-know-what. In orderto stop the ordeal, try these two tips:
* After resurfacing a rotor, hand-sand both sides smooth and flat, using120- or 150-grit sandpaper on a sanding block.
* After sanding, clean the rotor thoroughly with detergent and water.This serves to demagnetize the rotor and remove all of the fine grit anddust that can cause chatter.
91. SCOUR & SCRUB
Car wash sponges are cheap. Dedicate a sponge for tire cleaning only anddon't use this pad for anything else. This way, the tire residue canstay in one spot, and you won't contaminate your car's paint withwayward tire dressing, small rocks, and so on.
92. PAIR THEM UP
On vintage Corvettes, rear drum-brake wheel cylinders should be replacedas pairs. Why? Simple. It will equalize the hydraulic pressure pulse. Ifyou don't, you run the risk of replacing brake shoes that can becontaminated by brake fluid leakage from the cylinder.
93. FUEL FIXATION
Have you ever had one of those moments when you're searching for thatelusive problem on your Corvette only to find out it was a painfullysimple fix? Here's one more to add to your collection: a crimped fuelline. The fuel line is important to fuel delivery but often overlooked.If it's crimped, your car will have no fuel (or much less thanrequired). The maladies perpetuated by this can be numerous. Give it alook before ripping apart the car.
94. PULLEY STERILIZATION
Don't you just hate a squealing fan belt? If the belts on your Corvetteare tight and still squeal, try this: Buff the inside of the pulleyswith green Scotch-Brite. The abrasive pad gives the fan belt a morepositive surface and should eliminate the noise. It's also a good ideato use a new belt once the pulleys are "deglazed."
95. FOOT SOJOURN
When bleeding Corvette brakes manually, be careful not to overextend themaster-cylinder piston. This can rip or tear piston-cup seals that, inturn, can result in master cylinder failure. It's simple to cure thisproblem: Just put your free foot under the brake pedal during thebleeding process to act as a stop.
96. BIG LUG
Pretend you have aftermarket wheels on your Corvette (not a bigstretch). And pretend they use different lug nuts from those fitted toyour car by the OEM manufacturer (similarly, not a big stretch). Whatabout your spare? If it's stock, make sure you have a spare set of lugnuts that fit the spare. Otherwise, you might not be too happy if you'reout in the middle of nowhere with a flat.
97. SHAKY SILICONE
Fan clutches lose speed over time because the silicone fluid insideloses shear strength. After six or eight years of service, the clutchmay be slipping to the point it can't spin fast enough to keep up withthe engine's cooling requirements. This in turn may cause the engine tooverheat during hot weather, when idling in traffic, or when using theA/C. Any fan clutch that's wobbling, making noise, leaking, or turnswith little or no resistance is overdue for replacement.
98. GETTING HOSED
Believe it or not, good old-fashioned, standard rubber fullsize coolanthoses should be used to ensure maximum flow. Smaller-than-stockbraided-steel AN hoses decrease flow and, as a result, can hinder propercooling.
99. ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK
If you have roller rockers on your Corvette engine, be sure to installthem with the flat side of the seat facing up. If you don't, it willkill the polylock (and quite possibly the rocker). Just make certain theflat surface on the rocker-pivot mechanism faces up. You'll have nobroken parts or "missing lash" with this tip.
100. FUEL FUNDAMENTAL
Poor fuel economy can be caused by a defective jet, an incorrect jet, ora loose jet (more common than you might think). Use a large, flat-bladescrewdriver or, preferably, a dedicated jet driver to tighten the jetsso they aren't damaged in the process. Tighten the jets (Holley torquespecs call for 30-40 in-lb of torque). If the carb is a Holley, and ithas a secondary metering block, repeat the process.
101. BREAK AWAY
What isn't generally known or understood is that break-away orbreak-loose torque is considerably less than the applied torque. Thismeans the torque required to loosen a bolt previously tightened to 90lb-ft would be considerably less than the 90 lb-ft of applied torque. Atorque wrench should be tested on a torque-wrench testing machine todetermine its true accuracy.