1996 Collector Edition Corvette

[wxo]

ODO: 106,431

I've been tinkering with the Vette over the last couple of weeks and just wanted to get an update in here for historical reasons.
First, I ended up needing to remove the door panel from the driver's side. Again, following the nature of C4 repairs, it was not easy. Well, it was certainly less troublesome if you watch the YouTube beforehand to learn the location of all the well hidden screws. But getting it all back together was a big PITA mostly due to routing the less-than-sufficient-length wiring in a path where it doesn't get pinched between the door panel and door frame. While the panel was off, I found a crack in it and went ahead with a repair while it was off. It also turned out that the water/dust shield on the door, which I had to peel back to get access to the inside, would not stick back to the door. I tried silicon sealer/adhesive, but the black foam shield just shrugged it off. Then I read in one of the forums that butyl rubber sealant was the ticket. So I ordered some and put the door back together. When the sealant arrived a week or so later, I took the panel off again and applied the butyl rubber sealer. That stuff is really sticky and seemed to get the job done. Again, getting the door panel with all the parts and wiring and screws in place in just the right order was easier than the first time but still a PITA.

The other accomplishment was headlight aiming. Using a tool that has lain unused in my tool cabinet for decades, it worked surprisingly well to get the vertical adjustment set.

Now I've started to turn my attention to removing the front bumper cover to get access to the fog lights. I want to install LED bulbs and clean the lenses.
This is going to be another C4 adventure. There are 56 screws holding this thing in place. Oh well, that's why we have YouTube.

[Basement Paul]

"There are 56 screws holding this thing in place.".

That's just silly.

-BP

[wxo]

"There are 56 screws holding this thing in place.".

Well, I'll count 'em for you to make sure the number is accurate.

[wxo]

For reference, this is a good video for removing the bumper cover and fog light housings:https://youtu.be/iZ3rDNGe3b0

[wxo]

ODO: 106,450
I'm almost finished with this front lens cleaning project. After about 3 days of work, I just got the front cover in place today. It's not all bolted securely in place, but it feels good to be at this point. It should be finished tomorrow.

I lost count of all the screws. I don't think there were 56 because at some point, my '96 did not match up with the YouTube video. I had to figure out some of it on my own to get the cover off. It's quite a tedious job. Once I got access to the four lens housings, I saw that someone had sprayed some tint on them and made a mess of it. I could see runs and swirls in the lens. The next part was also tedious. I started with 400 sandpaper and worked up to 2000 grit as a first step. Then I used red rubbing compound followed by two grades of plastic polish. The final coat was Meguire's car polish. I may be the only one who notices the difference after all this work. Following are some photos:
With the front bumper cover off.

With the foam bumper removed.

Front cover washed and ready to go back on.

[wxo]

I finished the work on Silvia's front end. I installed new LED bulbs in the fog lights and replaced a few of the really old bulbs in that area. In addition, I counted the screws and the number is 56. After I thought I was done, I was feeling good about getting all the screws back where they belong when I noticed that the hood and bumper cover were noticeably mis-aligned. Another hour of messing around and I got it back lookin' good again. Time for a wash job!

[Basement Paul]

That car is getting a lot of love. It's cool how much you've done so far. Hopefully you'll be able to run trouble free the rest of the year.

-BP

[wxo]

I'm beginning to look ahead to doing something with the top and related rubber seals around the windshield and doors. I might just dust off the wallet and take it down to Benito.

[wxo]

I found this adapter on Amazon to enable an easy install of a fuel pressure gauge on the AN4 fuel rail test port. I think the AN4 fitting is common to the older GM 43psi fuel injected vehicles.
It's claim to fame is an adjustable pin, that upon installation, depresses the Schrader valve in the fuel rail port to allow fuel to flow up to the gauge.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GS8RDE4?ps ... ct_details

[wxo]

ODO: 106,545

I, like a few others, ended up with leakage issues with that fuel rail adapter for my fuel pressure gauge. I took it off. I'll probably send it back when I find the rest of the components that came with it. I spend more time looking for stuff than fixing stuff

[wxo]

The leak is fixed. I found this on the web:
You could try specifying a gap-filling, anaerobic, semi-hardening pipe sealant instead of PTFE tape. You could then turn the valve to the right orientation without worrying about exceeding the installation torque – leave it slack(ish) and let it stiffen up as the compound sets.

I used some Permatex hi-temp Thread Sealant. After applying it to the male pipe threads and screwing everything together in the orientation I wanted, I just let it sit for 24 hours and it's good to go. No leaks and tight as a tick.

[wxo]

ODO: 106,600

Today's high temp was 100° so I took Silvia out to test her cooling system and AC. I drove about 20 miles on country roads averaging ~50 mph. The car's outside temp gauge was saying 99° but inside it was a cool and comfortable 72° as set in the climate control. The engine temp was running about 195° (187° thermostat) most of the time with highs about 200°. All in all, I'm very pleased. Hi Yo Silvia!

[Basement Paul]

It's time to turn the working on it VS driving it ratio around!

-BP

[wxo]

I like both fixing and driving. They go together. Improving little things always adds a little kick to the driving experience for me. The car is not perfect, so there are many things to focus on to keep me tinkering. It's what I like to do.

[wxo]

I've been doing a little bragging lately. When someone would ask me how is Silvia doing, I would often point out that "everything works except the CD player. But now I have another bug to deal with. The "Passive Keyless Entry" light has come on and stays on while driving. This feature has been working well for a long time and even though it's a bit quirky, I've gotten to like it. It's nice to walk up to the car and have the door unlock for me. I also like that I can walk away from the car when I've reached my destination and the doors automatically lock. In general, the car has a receiver buried deep in the dash the uses an antenna in the door to detect when the transmitter in the fob is near. I've done some diagnostic work using info online and it appears that the receiver has quit working. There are a lot of these receivers on eBay and a few are less than $50. All appear to be junkyard pulls. So, it looks like I've got to take a deep dive into the dash and find this unit somewhere behind the HVAC controls. Then I will be hoping that the receiver I buy fixes the problem.