WAZOO Day Success 1/21/17

[Roadster]

Originally Posted by Racinfan83

It has been discussed on a couple threads here before. I need to go find someone with a known good set of wheels/tires and try that first. Have not been able to do that here. I know if I drive up to Chicago I can find that help - but 5 hours up and 5 hours back means at least one night hotel and if tires/wheels aren't it then we opened another can of worms...
I just lost my DD to a hit and run on the interstate going to work - so having to spend more money I don't have to get another one. My biggest issues are lack of money and lack of time... Hopefully 2017 will be better then the previous couple years..

So your "dd" was totaled? Hopefully you are ok....some people are unbelievable...

On your vibration, I imagine you have also checked all of your suspension and brake pieces to make sure everything is tight? I once had a 74 Coupe that shook like crazy at higher speeds. Went through many balance and rebalance of all 4 tires. No one could figure it out. Then one day having the front wheels off, checking the brakes and the front suspension, the right side front just didn't feel right. Here the steering knuckle was loose, not loose enough to cause erratic steering, but enough to cause heavy vibration at higher speeds. Tighten to specs and all was good, vibration gone...

[Racinfan83]

Oh yeah it's totaled. I was going to just buy it back, beat the rear fender back so it cleared the tire, and replace the RR suspension assembly. But the damage to the attachment points is too severe to re-mount a new suspension to. Basically I was cruising in the right lane at 60 mph, almost to work, someone came up a short on ramp too fast and drilled me right in front of rear tire. Went from watching traffic to looking head on at cement bridge wall in an instant. Instinctively I spun it to the left, missed wall but rear wheel caught a piece of curb that was past the wall, spun me 180 again and down in a deep ditch. Someone else called it in as a 2 car accident - cops were unable to locate car that hit me. Insurance isn't giving me squat for my car. It's a 98 Civic I've had for 5 years and was worth far more to me then what they say it's worth....SMH
And yes I have checked and re-checked everything I can think of on the Z. That deal is frustrating as well. Next order of checking is swapping to a known good set wheels and tires which I probably will have to travel to Chicago to find...

[efnfast]

There is a yield sign at the top of the ramp, that means the guy getting on has to yield, and the guy on the highway has to do nothing. So many people have no idea how to get on a highway, or let someone on a highway.

[Roadster]

Originally Posted by efnfast

There is a yield sign at the top of the ramp, that means the guy getting on has to yield, and the guy on the highway has to do nothing. So many people have no idea how to get on a highway, or let someone on a highway.

After driving a big truck on the road for the last 40 years, just when you think you have seen everything, there is always something that just boggles your mind.
I agree on the yield sign, most people have no perception of timing for yielding onto the highway, or changing lanes, etc.,etc.
When drivers "yield" onto a highway, most of them think that you in your lane, whom have the right of way should almost come to a complete stop to let them onto the highway. I could tell you stories, but that is for another time....lol

As far as the vibration goes, if it was me, I would put the car up on stands once again and pull all four wheels. I would then get my Service Manual out and recheck all torque values for every piece of suspension, including all steering and brake related parts for proper torque.
If your wheels have been rebalanced on the balancing machine, and balanced out correctly, then I would rule out the wheels and tires. Unless there is a wheel(s) that are slightly out of "round" and not being detected by the machine.
If it still persist after all of this, I would try to find a local C4 Corvette owner close by where you could switch wheels and tires (even though they would not be the correct size) and see if the problem still exists, rather than driving 5 hours one way trying to find a solution. That would be a long drive!!!

[Racinfan83]

I've been up there to Marc's before - just didn't have time for him to diagnose the vibration. Will any C4 wheels and tires bolt on a Z? Good point on the torque. That I can do.
Yeah this deal with my dd was kinda shocking. I have driven everything from mini bikes to semis in my 35+ years of driving. Beer delivery local here for 5 years and heavy haul dump trucks local for 5 after that - along with some fill-in gigs in semis over the road here and there. In my dd I do drive pretty aggressively - stupid part is had I been doing my normal 75mph left lane get the hell out of the way bit - I would still have my car. But I was early so I was just loafin along at the speed limit in the right lane and got hammered. I never saw what happened. Dark, car 20' front of me, beside me, one directly behind me and lots of shuffling. I remember hearing a loud bang and I was sideways looking at concrete. Had I not instinctively yanked it left I would be posting from the hospital.. So I never saw what hit me. Either somebody behind me tried to banzai on the shoulder and couldn't make it (not likely from how hard I got hit) or someone came up this on ramp which isn't really a ramp, was going too fast to make the hard right from the ramp to the merge lane, and hammered me (which would be my best guess) I got bounced around pretty hard on both hits, the car and the curb but just sore for couple days. Here is a pic of damage - the body damage is from the vehicle who hit me, and wheel/suspension damage is from hitting curb while sliding sideways at 60mph...

[Roadster]

Well we know 17" wheels will fit, so I would say that another C4 with 17" wheels would not be a problem. And the difference in the width should not be of a concern, since you are only using the wheels for a short testing purpose.

But again, repeating myself, if you are going to check all torque values, do not overlook any steering, braking parts and attachments. You just never know or wouldn't think that a certain part could cause such a problem i.e. my 74 Coupe from a long time ago as mentioned.

Well you been on the road for a long time, so I don't anything to tell you that you already don't know or have experienced.....lol I bet we could sure tell some good stories though!!!

Don't give up on the vibration, you will find the solution......

[secondchance]

Racinfan83,

If you haven't, don't forget to check the ball joints and tie rod ends while at it also.
Also, agree with Tom - standard C4 wheels will work for sure.

[rkreigh]

the Wazoo gang is the best and this is what separates the ZR-1 from ALL other corvettes.

The people. These guys have helped countless owners remedy problems gratis.

This is really what makes the club special, and there is no reason why other folks can't do exactly the same thing.

I'm not the "big cheese" anymore, but I can tell you from first hand experience that these guys are 100% the best.

And I would tell you that the expertise available has gone up by leaps and bounds and as many of you know the Wazoo gang has taken on and completed some pretty durn ambitious projects that would have cost the owners many TENS of thousands of dollars.

All I can say about these guys to others in other areas is "do likewise".

Very good times, and it helps keep the legend alive.

[-=Jeff=-]

I like the 'hidden' coolant lines back to the surge tank.. I will consider that the next time I have mine apart

[Roadster]

Beautiful weather here today, so I washed the 94 went for a ride, and came home. Now since the plenum pull I have noticed my idle at times being at
1000-1100 rpm's when stopped. Sometimes after driving and stopping again, it would come down to 800 rpm's.
Pull in the garage and wanted to try some hot restarts, so engine starts right up and hear this clanging, rattling noise appears to be coming from the alternator. Noise goes away when revving the engine, come back at idle.
Texted with Yun and he suggests maybe the fan blade and clean the IAC for the idle.
So I take the tension off the tensioner and turn the alternator fan blade by hand, sure enough there is one blade that hits the house each revolution. So I get some of my screw drivers out and proceed to pry each blade outward. After that is completed, success, or so I thought!!!
Started the engine 3 different time, no noise.....woohoo!!! started the engine the fourth time and noise is back.......so I either have to try again, or just change out the alternator. At least I found the noise.....

Cleaned out the IAC, had a load of carbon in there, put back in and all is good on the idle side.....on start ups, the engine revs up to 1700 r's and come right back down to 700 r's.....idle sounds real good.....
Just have to eliminate the noise.......

IAC getting cleaned......

Cleaning out the side of the plenum/throttle body area where the IAC attaches....

All back together.....

Getting set up for the operation....

Prying the blades.....