Suffering from ZR-1 Withdrawal! :(

[Jim Jones]

It all started about three weeks ago as I was taking my daughter to gymnastics, the Z started missing. I drove her the next day, not to bad at start-up, but after she warmed up she started missing. Well, not being very mechanically inclined, I did some reading here, (thanks tomtom72 for having a similar problem) and guessed that it was probably the injectors. I decided to change the spark plugs. I got out my Ouija board and contacted Houdini's spirit for luck with the number 8 plug. I don't have a lot of tools so I went and got a torque wrench and 8 Denso IT-16 spark plugs. I also got a little tool magnet that extends which came in handy on #8. I got them changed and no luck, still missing. I called my mechanic because the wife wants to take the Z to Nashville this week and last Wednesday we took the Z to Corvette Care in Columbus, OH. He's on the list in Corvette Fever and he serviced the car for the original owner, so I'm confident. As soon as I pulled in he told me he heard it missing. He called me about an hour later and said that he checked everything else before the injectors and of the 16 injectors, 7 primary were either bad or going bad and five of the secondaries as well. I told him to replace them all.

Monday I called him for an update. He said that the secondaries should arrive that day but the problem is that the primaries are on a national back order!! I said I guess this means it won't be ready this week then? He laughed a little and said probably not. He's putting AC Delco injectors back in to it. So of course the weather has been gorgeous the last several days and I can't go for a drive!!

What are the major differences between the AC Delco and the RC's? I'm thinking of calling him and having him get those. Can you mix the injectors like that? I would think it wouldn't matter, but I really have no clue.
It just makes it worse because I haven't really got to drive her in about a month because I have been working a lot and we went to Vegas for a week. I was going to take it to him that week, but he didn't have any openings. Isn't that the way it always works??

And then of course my home computer crapped out, gone, hard drive made a lovely noise and crash!! My patrol car at work died on Sunday. 2005 Crown Vic with only 8800 miles and the dealer "thinks" its the fuel pump. The darn thing left me stranded for about 45 minutes while I waited on a wrecker!

Sorry about the long post. I needed to let off some steam. This last week has really been FUN!! Anyway, I hope everyone has a great day!!

Jim

[We Gone]

Hope things get better soon :cheers: Just go out and run the dog out of the crown vic...:mrgreen:

[Aurora40]

When I called about the Delphi injectors, they didn't seem to indicate they were on backorder. Might be worth looking into.

[Jim Jones]

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys!! Delphi? I didn't even know about them. I will call!!

Thanks again!!

Jim

[Jeffvette]

RC's are a stainless deisgn and will not rust and stick. Cost (discounted) is comparable with GM injectors.

[Z Factor]

He called me about an hour later and said that he checked everything else before the injectors and of the 16 injectors, 7 primary were either bad or going bad and five of the secondaries as well. I told him to replace them all.



What are the major differences between the AC Delco and the RC's? I'm thinking of calling him and having him get those. Can you mix the injectors like that? I would think it wouldn't matter, but I really have no clue.





Jim,

That is a lot of injectors to go bad all at once. You can get away with only replacing the faulty ones, but it is not a good idea to mix and match injectors.

The three things that can differ are the flow rate, the spray pattern, and the impedance. The prices can also differ as well, but it is important to match the injectors rather than mix them. Injectors from Delphi/Lucas for example have a 251 cc/min(24lb) at a static flow rate of about 44 psi, which is higher than our stock ones, which are at 220 cc/min(ie 22lb). They use a 6 hole rotary system, so the spray pattern will be similar to our OEM's, and they only cost about $40 per. If you had mods or wanted/needed to run rich they would be a good deal, but you should not mix them together. The RC's are about $70 and do have a close flow rate, I think 225cc/min, but their spay pattern is different. The OEM's will set you back about $130 per unless you can find a decent discount like I did at $85 per.

If you order from RC, you can order either the (205cc/min) injectors or the (225cc/min), with the latter in mind if you plan to mod in the future. Either will work for the LT5, and depending on who's numbers you go by, the 225's are closer to what GM had intended to be used. Since you do not work on it yourself it might make sense to just replace them all at the same time rather than have the few old ones go bad in the not too distant future, and pay the labor costs again.

Good luck

:cheers:

[Aurora40]

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys!! Delphi? I didn't even know about them. I will call!!

Thanks again!!

Jim

Some more specific info can be found here, mostly on page 2: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=1184612&highlight=delphi&forum_id=50

[Jim Jones]

Update:

Well, I got all the injectors replaced with the AC Delco and it is still missing. I am thinking that I should replace the spark plug wires as well. I didn't because I love the original ones. Any other thoughts?

[Jeffvette]

Should have replaced them.

[Tyler Townsley]

Update:

Well, I got all the injectors replaced with the AC Delco and it is still missing. I am thinking that I should replace the spark plug wires as well. I didn't because I love the original ones. Any other thoughts?

Quickest way to check wires is to take a good spare plug and pull the plug wire put plug in boot, lay it on the plenum and crank the car. Your bad wires will show a weaker spark across the gap. Do not le it run too long as it could damage the cat.

Tyler

[sledutah]

Me too and I don't even have one YET! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[LeoLily]

Please let us know when you "lose" your ZR1 withdrawal symptoms - I'm hurtin' for you!!! :cry:

Lily (& Jeff)
'90 ZR1 turqoise/black #2468

[tomtom72]

Please let us know when you "lose" your ZR1 withdrawal symptoms - I'm hurtin' for you!!! :cry:

Lily (& Jeff)
'90 ZR1 turqoise/black #2468


I agree withe Lily & Jeff! I also know what that withdrawal feels like!! :cry:
Good luck with fix'in it!

Tom

[LeoLily]

We'll be feeling even more sympathy after this weekend. Say "bye bye insurance" for 6 months - Colorado winter weather is not conducive to much playing in the mountains (unless you LIKE rocks hitting every area of your car!) so we're garaging the ZR1 until April. This weekend is our "last hurrah."

[tomtom72]

Hi Jim, what was the outcome? You get the situation under control??

:cheers:
Tom

[Jim Jones]

Well, I am picking up the coils and plug wires today and I am going to wait to do everything until I get the Samco hoses and the intake duct and then do them all at the same time. I haven't had much time lately to be online. Working lots of OT and doing some minor remodeling at the house. It's seems like it's that whole 'no time plenty of money, no money plenty of time' conundrum lately.

Jim

[ZR-1 Mack]

Only one real solution


:cheers:

[Jim Jones]

I am waiting until after Christmas to order a hose that I need to get it back together. For now, she just sits in the garage in pieces!! :cry:

[Nick]

Jim, believe it or not this is good for you. Just think how much you'll appreciate it once its back together. :mrgreen:

[tomtom72]

Nick, that's not funny!:sign10: but it's true!

It does stink when you have to wait for parts, the car just sits there with that "hang dog" look on the front facia & it wimpers at ya every time you walk past it in the garage. You look at it & think..."if I only had the parts, you'ld be squared away lil buddy"...you shrug & sigh and see a tear well up in the corner of the fog light & it drips to the floor...

okay, okay it's time for my meds!

Hope ya get her squared away soon, Jim!:thumbsup:

[Jeffvette]

Jim, believe it or not this is good for you. Just think how much you'll appreciate it once its back together. :mrgreen:

But all those days you curse at it, do add up real quick.

[Kevin]

I can relate to this thread...I havn't seen my ZR-1 since Carlisle

[Jim Jones]

But all those days you curse at it, do add up real quick.
Well, I went and got the wheels I won from eBay on Friday. They are in pretty good shape. One of the rear ones has some curb scrapes on it, but I think it is fixable. None are bent and all have the center caps. That makes me happy. I will be ordering my hose in the second week of January. And if everything goes well, I will have the Samco hoses and the air duct by the end of January and have it all back together!!

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Man it is tough to see her sitting there with the hood up, looking at me and saying, "um, how about putting me back together?"

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Jim

[Jim Jones]

After 3 months I got the part ordered from White Racing Products and I spent about 4 hours yesterday getting her back together. No left over parts either!! Soooo, I get the last bolt tightened and the nerves start. I spent the next ten minutes looking over the engine to make sure I have everything on and hopefully where it is supposed to be. I get in and put the key in the ignition. My hands were shaking. It was one of the scariest moments of my life! I turned the key and after about 5 seconds or so it fired up. I was so happy!!:mrgreen: I got out and walked around the car a few minutes and even did a little happy dance!! :dancing I didn't get to take her out yesterday because we were meeting some friends for dinner, but I did get her out today and drove around for about an hour or so. The miss was gone and she ran like a top!! I missed that smile she brings to my face. My cheeks are sore now from all the smiling.

Sorry for the long post! It was my first venture into an engine and it still runs!

Jim

[WB9MCW]

Congrats JJ on a job finally over and no doubt well done! Glad to see ur not Jones'n any more...pun intended! :cheers:

[Z Factor]

Many of us have known that feeling.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that smile you have now was worth the wait.:thumbsup:

:cheers:

[tomtom72]

Great news Jim!:thumbsup:

Man, doesn't that:mrgreen: feel good!

[4DSZR1]

Happy days!!!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Good Job!

[We Gone]

:hello: Congrats....:cheers:

[UKZR1]

Many of us have known that feeling.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that smile you have now was worth the wait.:thumbsup:

:cheers:

Bet its good to get it back out on the road. REALLY missing mine now, been sitting in the garage without its engine since before Christmas. With spring on its way I know its going to be missed more and more. Should be worth it in the end though

[WB9MCW]

Hey Gixer good to see you posting here from time to time!!! :thumbsup: cYa, ZR-1 Chicago as you know me on/from corvette chat/pistonheads site! :cheers: