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Common Problems

Leaking Battery
Grounding Problems
Water leaks
Seats
Seat choice
Headlight bezel plugs
Headlight gears
Roof noises
Hood rattles
Drivetrain rattling
Shaky braking
Parking brakes
Scraped front ends and rocker panels
Hood seal weatherstrip
A/C System
Squeaky steering wheel
Squeaky/chirping/grinding wheel bearings
Oil woes
Overheating and burning smells
Locked steering column
Faulty gas gauge
Noisy fuel pump
Extremely high oil pressure reading
Suspension squeaking
Tough shifting
Leaky butt
Inside/outside tire spinning
Tire hop
Interior rattles
Belt chirping
Sticky hatch
Rocker failure






Common Problems

Leaking Battery
Many C5's came with AC Delco Freedom batteries that tend to have the case crack near the battery posts. The leaking battery acid would drip down the side of the battery, down the funnel-like battery support, straight down onto the PCM and the wiring loom. It can also get onto the A/C lines. I believe they are the vacuum lines that control the movement of the interior vents, and usually the system will default to blowing out the defroster vent. Sometimes car crippling damage would occur, sometimes not. It worst it would mean replacing the battery, the PCM, the wiring harness, grinding the rust off the frame to repaint it, changing the A/C lines and possibly swapping out another computer as well. This mostly happened on early C5’s because later C5’s used a gel-type battery that cannot leak, but I believe the problem resurfaced on ’04 or ’05 models again.

Check this out before buying a C5. Use a 8 mm monkey wrench, preferably a ratcheting closed-end version, to removed the battery cables. You also remove a holding block on the front side of the battery. You will need a long extension to reach it. The battery lifts out, then remove the black plastic battery tray. Look under the tray for rust or white powder--signs of evidence of battery acid damage. It would probably be best to move to the next Vette unless you don't mind possibly tackling this repair in the future. It's possible that the car will throw codes for no apparent reason.

No matter what Vette you buy, replace the battery with a gel-type battery, like the Optima Redtop, sold at CostCo for $100.

Grounding Problems aka CRAZY electrical gremlins!
Bill Curlee has a great thread on the problems that corroded ground connections can create, and how to clean out the grounds. The most problematic ground connections are behind the headlights on both sides. Check out Bill’s thread for detailed info: Go!
Here’s where all the grounds are: Go!

Water Intrusion
Water leaks have several ways of getting in the car, and none of them AFAIK are very difficult to fix. Proper adjustments and maintenance will prevent most leaks.
Bill Curlee’s thread abouting locating & cleaning the udders, and sealing the door hinges.
Here’s a few TSB’s from the CorvetteActionCenter.com:
1997-1998: Service Bulletin: Waterleak Above Door Glass (Reseal Blowout Clip)
1997-2002: Service Bulletin: General Waterleak Guide
1997: Service Bulletin: Water Drips into Rear Compartment After Hatch/Glass Has Been Opened

Seats
Corvette seats are delicate. Sliding hard across the bolster can break it, causing it to flap side-to-side. The leather is cheap, and there's little protection for it. It will wear out and form cracks, which is normal…for cheap leather.

The wire springs in the seat bottom, and the bars in the bolsters can also wear thru the foam and leather, but that can be fixed by placing layer of burlap between the springs and the foam.

Check the black plastic surround on the bottom of the seat to make sure it fits snugly against the leather, and isn't cracked. Older style plastic surrounds had a tendency to separate from the seat, but could be pushed back in. The newer style plastic surrounds can be used as a direct replacement, but one of the plastic studs may need to be ground off, or a hole will need to get punched into the leather.

The seats tend to rock back and forth by about a 1/4" during acceleration and braking. It can be fixed, but GM will not fix it. Some lucky owners can get the dealer to replace the frame under warranty. The seat backs swinging forward under braking is normal, and not considered a problem.

Here are a couple fixes:
Corvettemechanic.com --- must be a member
Rocking Seat Fix

Seat choice
Get the sport seats. The sport seats have a hole under the headrest. Some people put racing harness belts thru those loops. The seat frames and foam in both seats are interchangeable. Harness belt holes can be installed using Ford harness cutouts. Ask the dealership for them, they should know what it is without a part #. The foam in a standard seat will need to be cut, and sewing will have to be done, but it’s an easy job.

Headlight bezel plugs
There are 1-1/2" plugs that are located on the headlight bezels that would fall off on the older Vette's. The new style plugs, have a twist-lock to prevent them from falling out, but also requires new bezels. Only the new bezels & plugs are available now, and they are compatible with older C5’s.

Headlight gears
The gears in the headlight motor are plastic, and wear out over time. Ice, heavy Euro or projector headlights and twilight sentinal will cause the gears to wear out quickly. Fortunately a few years ago, Rodney started selling replacement brass gears, check out his website. Corvette America and probably a few other vendors now sell their own copy of his brass gears. Here’s a thread that shows how to replace the gears.

Replacement nylon gears are also available from Motormite Help!, part #42400 for $10-13. Src

To replace:
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyBlueC5
Src
Raise the headlamps.

Remove the screws that hold the plastic bezel around the headlamp.

Remove (3) 10mm bolts holding the motor to the headlamp assy. (one is a bolt with a nut on the end, the other two are just bolts)

Unplug the wiring to the motor.

Remove (3) 7mm bolts holding the cover for the gear.

Replace gear, reinstall.

Literally a 10 minute fix.

…it is completely unnecessary to remove the headlamp assy to pull the motor off to get to the gear.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pattymelt1285
Src
At first my driver’s side headlight would only come halfway up and I would have to get out of the car, turn the headlights on then manually pull up the light. After a few weeks it would not even go up or down at all. I decided to order some new brass gears. After much research I decided to buy them from www.bfranker.badz28.com

The gears from bfranker do not use the stock rubber inside the gear. Good thing, because when I pulled out the stock gear and it was fine! But the rubber bumper was destroyed! With bfrankers gears you don’t have to retain the stock rubber bumper. In this picture you can see the good stock gear on the left on the bad one on the right, also notice it broke the plastic tabs inside the gear that keep the rubber bumper from spinning:

BORDER=0

Pic of the stock gear and stock rubber bumper:
BORDER=0

Picture of bfrankers gear:
BORDER=0

Installed:
BORDER=0

Rodney Dickman's gear:
BORDER=0

Installed with rubber bumper:
BORDER=0

I would go with bfrankers, because with his gear it eliminates the rubber bumper. On 97-99 Corvettes the motor case unbolts with 3 bolts, but on 00+ they are sealed and with bfrankers kit he even includes the epoxy to close the motor case as does Rodneys. I am not dogging on Rodney’s gears, but I am just letting you guys know what else is out there. Bfrankers kit is $43 shipped for one gear kit, or $81 shipped for two. The install only took about 45 min and they work perfect now. More info and instructions for bfrankers gear can be found here:

http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/index.htm

The install is almost the same as the 93-97 Trans Am in the instructions.

Info for Rodneys gear:

http://www.rodneydickman.com/corvette.html

Patrick

Torque Settings
All Data Diy
Headlamp Mounting Bolts 20 N.m (15 lb ft)
Headlamp Mounting Nuts 10 N.m (89 lb in)
Headlamp Bezel Retaining Screws 1.9 N.m (17 lb in)
Headlamp Capsule Retaining Screws 3.5 N.m (31 lb in)
Headlamp Intermediate Bracket Screws 1.9 N.m (17 lb in)
Headlamp Opening Door Screws 1.9 N.m (17 lb in)

Roof noises
If you buy a coupe with a removable roof, you can expect wind noise and some creaking. The wind noise will never totally go away, but if there's creaking, you can eliminate that by thinly applying dielectric silicone grease to the weather-stripping. It also prevents cracking, so do this to all weather-stripping, on any car.

Also, the plastic beneath the roll-hoop may hang low and rattle against the attachment points of the roof.  A dremel with the drum sander attachment quickly provides the clearance to eliminate the rattle.

Hood rattles
During cold weather the rubber hood stops can also rub and rattle against the hood. Adjust and lubricate the rubber stops so when you pull the corner of the hood up, it doesn’t pull up, but the hood still closes.

Drivetrain rattling
The valvetrain makes a significant amount of noise at idle. It may sound like sewing machine. Converting the valve rockers to true shaft-mounted adjustable roller rockers with may help eliminate the valvetrain noise if adjusted properly. Installing a big cam and stiffer valve springs will make the noise louder.

On manual transmission cars (M6 or M12), the transmission sounds like it is rattling when leaving the line. It is normal. It is the clutch throwout bearing rattling around. Sometimes you'll hear a horrible rattle if you shut off the engine. If you press the clutch pedal in while shutting off the car, you won't hear it.

Shaky braking
The front brake rotors warp easily under heavy braking…or at least that’s what uneducated drivers think. I tend to believe StopTech: http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/...otors_myth.htm

I verified this by lightly grinding my rotors with steel wool. Garnet paper is recommended, but I haven’t tried it.

If you insist the problem is warping, don’t turn the rotors since thinner rotors warp more easily. Resurfacing the rotors is only a temporary fix, one that is less effective each time your resurface the rotors due to the reduced thermal capacity of the rotors. Rotors are available for $25 at Napa and RockAuto.

Parking brakes
This parking brake can present when the rear rotor is taken apart.  I have an ongoing problem with my right parking brake.  After leaving the parking brake on for a prolonged period, or during very cold weather, the parking brake tends to drag and cause a squeek once per revolution of the wheel.  After driving for a few hundred feet, the sound usually goes away.  Sometimes backing up and pulling the e-brake can make it go away immediately.  That procedure is supposed reset the e-brake, but I don't know why it occasionally and temporarily fixes the problem.  Here's a diagram:
182092park_brake

Scraped front ends and rocker panels
Checking for scrapes is an easy way to tell if the car was treated well. It's almost impossible not to scrape the front end, but there are two metal crash bar loops that should prevent the bumper from scraping. The bumper itself should not have scrape marks on it. Check the underside of the tip of the bumper, and the bottom corners of the bumper. If the crash bar gets scraped enough, eventually it will wear down to the point where it needs to get replaced. It costs about $220 for the crash bar, nut-serts, bolts and insulators, and can be replaced in a couple of hours, just be sure to hook the hoses and electric connector back to the A.I.R. pump.
Here’s a list of ALL the parts you’ll need to replace the impact bar and the side air deflectors:
Part #------Qty---Description
10188023---001---Insulator (goes to bottom of radiator)
10278679---001---Insulator (goes to bottom of radiator)
10278679---005---Nut
10400765---001---Plate (the actual impact bar, unpainted)
10419312---001---Panel (air deflector)
10419313---001---Panel (air deflector)
11515638---010---Nut-speci
11515757---010---Bolt-Metr
10281487---010---Nut
Not all of these parts need to get replaced, and there will be a few leftovers, but it will get the job done.

The rocker panels tend to get scraped on lifts and big speed bumps.

A & A Corvettes invented two products to prevent damage from both kinds of scraping. They have wheels that attach to the crash bar, allowing the car to roll on driveways instead of wearing down the crash bar. It will still scrape the spoiler, but the spoiler is a cheap wear item that takes only 2 minutes to replace without a lift or jack. They also make two aluminum strips that attached the frame next to the rocker panels, and they take the scrapes themselves instead of the rockers panels. Neither of the devices are visible unless looking under the car, and they are discreet enough to possibly be missed anyway. If you see these devices installed, you can be pretty sure the owner took good care of the car. Without this extra protection, you can expect to replace the crash bar and repair the rockers several times over the life of the car. WARNING: It won’t stop all scraping damage, just reduce the possibility of it happening, and reduce the damage when it does happen. Low hanging headers will probably still scrape.

Hood seal weatherstrip
The sides and back of the hood compartment have weather-strip installed from the factory. The front is left open. Many owners install weather-strip along this front edge. You may not even notice it since it looks identical to rest of the weather-stripping. This extra weather-strip helps keep the engine compartment clean, and may also help the air intake system work better. This is another sign that the owner took good care of the car. The engine compartment stays pretty clean, but this the "extra step".

A/C System
There are two kinds of climate controls. One is manual with knobs, and the other is a dual-zone electronic system. The dual-zone system did cost more, but is not as reliable as the manual system. A leaking battery can affect both systems; a symptom is when the vents cannot be switched.

Over time, and especially in humid climates, condensation can leak onto the passenger side carpet. There are 3 udders under the driver’s side cowl, and behind the battery. There are slits on the bottom--vigorously squeeze and massage the udders until free of debris.

If the vent settings cannot be changed, the vacuum line is probably loose, clogged or broken. Read more!

Squeaky steering wheel
When you turn the steering wheel, you may hear a squeak. It's just the plastic surfaces rubbing against each other. A shot of lubricant fixes this.

Squeaky/chirping/grinding wheel bearings
Drive slowly, better yet, coast along at low speeds with the windows open in a quiet location. Listen for a squeak from the wheels. Try turning in different directions. If you hear the rear wheels squeaking, you may have a worn wheel bearing. A replacement bearing costs $600 list, but you can usually find it for $400-450. I've heard that AutoZone has a better replacement for $126 by a company named Timken.  The part is easy to replace if you can separate the ball joints; I bought the Kent-Moore tool to do mine. The problem may persist safely for a few months, but eventually will become annoying. It seems to be a common problem, and more so for the rear wheel bearing. I've never heard of it happening twice to the same car, so if you fix it once, you're probably good for life. Several racers replace their wheel bearings every year.
Here's the Kent-More ball joint breaker:
54844J-42188-1

A broken emergency drum clip may cause a false diagnosis.  See the section on the parking brakes, and be careful when removing & replacing the rear rotors.

Oil woes
Many late 2000 thru 2001 Vette's burn a lot of oil when the engine is kept constantly over 4,000 rpm's. This is caused by ring flutter, which allows extra oil to seep past the oil control rings, but doesn't seem to cause any extra wear to the engine. Chevrolet has rebuilt and replaced engines for owners that complained about excessive oil consumption. Their policy is that while the engine isn't normally operated like that outside of racing, it is the owner's prerogative to drive around in second gear all the time if they want to. It is covered under the warranty.

The PCV system also has a tendency to suck oil back into the intake at high rpm's. It doesn't seem to cause any problems, other than a slight mess inside the intake manifold. The newer style PCV system can be installed, but this requires removing all the components in the top of the engine valley. Usually only racer's bother with the hassle. Several generations of PCV systems have had the problem, and at this time, December 2004, the PCV system still sucks oil into the intake.

The oil-sucking problem will cause carbon buildup in the cylinders. The dealership sells GM Top End Cleaner, and Napa sells SeaFoam. The Top End Cleaner is not available in some smog states like California. Run a tube from the bottle into the hole for the PCV system behind the throttle body on the passenger side. Start the car, then start slowly sucking the solution into the engine. Don’t go too fast or the engine could lockup. As soon as the solution is gone, stop the motor for >4 hours, but preferably 12 hours. Be aware that when the engine is restarted, there will be a LOT of smoke!

The oil-sucking can be prevented by installing a catch can. AMW and Greddy make catch cans, but a homebuilt catch can may be built using a Campbell-Hausfield air tool oil separator from most tool stores, including AutoZone. The AMW and Greddy cans are ~$100, but look great. The CH can is $15-25 for all the parts, and you can see how much oil is in it.

Overheating & burning smells
Even though the engine can heat up to 220, even 240 degrees Fahrenheit, this is normal. The radiator will keep the engine cool enough unless the radiator is blocked. Reprogramming the PCM can allow the fans to turn on earlier. If the fans also cool an aftermarket oil cooler, make sure the oil occasionally gets to 220 degrees to allow condensation and fuel to evaporate away. Fan settings and oil thermostats are two different ways to do this.

It's not uncommon for plastic bags to get sucked up under the front bumper, and cover the radiator, thus causing the car to truly overheat. If this happens, take a quick peek under the bumper, and remove anything under there. Sometimes bags get stuck to the exhaust pipes too, causing quite a stench as they burn away.

If an aftermarket oil cooler is installed, take extra care to keep the oil lines away from the exhaust pipes.  They may last for years before failing, but they will eventually fail.  The best protection is space, and for extra insurance, put heat wrap around the oil lines and ceramic coat the exhaust pipes.

Locked steering column
All C5’s, particularly manual transmission C5’s, and early C6 steering columns have a tendency to lock and stay locked. Usually it can be unlocked once, but just once. Some owners claim that vigorously shaking the steering wheel can unlock the steering wheel. Dealer's are able to disable the locking mechanism with a modified locking plate. Currently this is the only real method to disable the locking mechanism. Basically the wheel will still try to lock, but there will be nothing for it to lock to. It’s like a door dead bolt with a slot cut into the door jamb. There is a $100 kit that disables the steering column lock, and can be installed easily, but enough car vibrations can cause the lock to fall into the locking plate, even while driving!

GM has a part (#88952428 or 88952428) that has a harness wiring jumper and different lock plate. Not sure what the difference in the kits are.

After reading a few posts, manual transmission C5’s & C6’s are still in danger, even if the lock is disabled. The lock can vibrate out over time and get trapped in the locking plate. Auto transmission cars that have undergone the recall and new auto’s will not have the locking plate at all, so they are safe. More information about COMPLETELY disabling the steering column lock will be forthcoming from other’s on the forum, and by my own personal project. Until then, here are a few links about the topic:
Column Lock Harness K Installation
A4 non locking column plate --- must be a member
Column-lock again even with CLB!
Has anyone ELSE beat column lock?

Faulty gas gauge
If you have bad gas (phew!), the fuel sender can be affected by the high sulfur content in the fuel, and cause the gauge to read empty. They car will still operate normally, and the gas gauge will work again if you use better gas, and will usually start again when you restart the car. It's just better to use good gas. Some people have had luck with running fuel filter cleaners thru the gas tank. New fuel senders sometimes fixes this problem. This thread has a LOT of ideas about what could be causing the problems, how to avoid problems, and how to fix it. It also points out how the late C5 fuel tanks and crossover tube is different.

Noisy fuel pump
There are two fuel tanks, and two fuel pumps. One fuel pump continually pumps gas from the passenger side tank into the driver side tank, and is quiet. The main fuel pump is directly behind the drivers seat, and can be annoying loud, especially on early C5’s. It's normal, and not a sign of a failing fuel pump. Chevrolet does have a bulletin out instructing how to better insulate against the sound of the fuel pump. This is merely an annoyance. A newer, quieter pump can also be installed.

Extremely high oil pressure reading
The oil pressure sensor can fail, but it is still okay to drive. Turn the car off, but with the key in the “on” position and check the oil pressure gauge. It should read “0”. If the oil pressure sensor is bad, it will show a positive reading. The oil pressure sender is located behind the intake manifold, and will require moving the intake manifold. The sender costs about $40 and part # 12573107 or 12562230.
How-to

Suspension squeaking
In cold weather you may hear the suspension creak when you go over speed bumps. To fix this, clean (optional) and lubricate the sway bar bushings. The adjustable metal sway bar end links on Hotchkis and T1 bars can also create loud clicking sounds.  Double check the alignment.  The goal is to get the "eyes" as centered as possible on both ends of the endlink as the suspension moves.  
Notice how in the picture below teh "eyes" are aligned?  This configuration "clicked" on the front swaybar until I lengthened the endlinks a few rounds and rotated one end of the link by ~25 degrees.
BORDER=0 
Most adjustable end links are quiet initially, but wear out and get noisy over time. Greasing and protecting the end links from dirt may prevent wear.  I've installed zerk grease fittings to make it possible to grease the swaybar bushings without having to remove them.

Tough shifting
The shifter in manually shifted Corvette's takes a strong arm to get it into gear. You really have to make sure that the shifter is fully in 1st and Reverse, or it will pop out of gear when you let the clutch out. This is not the fault of the car, but the fault of the driver.

Manual transmissions -- Replacing the transmission fluid often helps shifting. Early transmissions have paper blocker ring that require Dexron III compatible (usually organic) fluid because some synthetics will destroy the paper blocker rings and subsequently the transmission. Later transmissions, and all rebuilt transmissions, have Kevlar/carbon fiber parts that allow the use of synthetic fluids. I believe the 98-00 transmissions have the paper blocker rings. The safe transmission fluids seem to be: GM Synchromesh PN #12345349, Honda ATF-Z1, Royal Purple Synchromax, Amsoil ATF, O’Reilly Dexron III ATF. The following transmission fluids may be unsafe for early transmissions: Redline D4 ATF, Mobil 1 ATF, Royal Purple Max ATF.
Related threads:
LS1.com - Ending the speculation: Blocker rings, who's had them fail?
LS1Tech.com - Ending the speculation: Blocker rings, who's had them fail?
Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF for a M6?

If it is especially tough to shift into 2nd or 4th gear, it's possible that the synchro's are worn out or the forks are bent. Do NOT force it into gear. Abuse creates and aggravates this problem. You can still drive, even quite well, without synchro's....or a clutch for that matter if you know how to rev match.

Some aftermarket shifters make it easier to make sure you're fully in gear, and prevent gear grinding, but they also vibrate, and require more effort to shift. The stock shifter has a tuned weight damper that changes the vibrations to a non-audible frequency. The shaking doesn’t annoy some people, and there are some fixes.

Leaky butt
The differential can leak from the side covers. The problem has to do with the design. The lip on the casing is not wide enough to create a proper seal with the cover. Resealing the covers can be successful, but many dealers do not use the correct sealant.

Inside/outside tire spinning
If one tire spins while turning, adjust the friction modifier ratio. Aftermarket gear fluid from Royal Purple, Amsoil and Redline do not require additional friction modifier. GM’s friction modifier is PN #12377916. Too much friction modifier and the inside tire will spin/skip/hop. Too little friction modifier and the outside tire will spin/skip/hop. -- Thanks Russ!

Tire hop
Tire hop during hard acceleration in cold weather is common, even if the same tires don’t hop in warmer weather. Tire rubber when viewed thru a microscope looks like a web. Normally parts of this web grabs onto objects on the ground and stretch until either the car moves forward, or the web breaks, resulting in tire spin. I believe in cold weather, the web is too stiff for either of these events to occur, so the tires hop. To find out more, read Racing & High Performance Tire: Using Tires to Tune for Grip and Balance. I haven’t read it, but if you do, please let me know if my guess is correct. I found a couple stories on Google about people curing wheel hop with stiffer bushings and/or (jounce) shocks.

Interior rattles
The visors may rattle when they are put up, but if you flip them down, the rattle goes away. Squeezing the mirror lid down seems to take care of it. Try glueing a piece of felt or velcro between the mirror and lid to see if that fixes it. Caravaggio also makes replacement leather visors, but they go for $400.

The stereo is Bose, and to go along with the historically crappy build quality of Bose products, Bose has graced the Corvette with Bose emblems on the door speaker covers that rattle when you play music with bass. A Bose system doesn't exist that puts out good bass, but the system still manages to rattle the emblems when playing Country, Hip Hop, or Techno at moderate volumes. Check this problem by having a passenger and yourself putting a finger on the emblems with music playing. Glue the emblems down to fix it.

If the roof isn't tightened down enough, it will rattle. There are some adjustment screws in the roof to make this adjustment.

Belt Chirping
During cold weather, the belt can chirp. Goodyear Gatorback belts from AutoZone don’t chirp.

Sticky Hatch
During cold weather, the hatch may pop up slowly, or not at all. Spray the latches with silicone grease until they come up properly. If the struts do not hold up the hatch, try lubing the strut bars.
1997: Service Bulletin: Hatch Will Not Pop Up When Activated in Cold Weather

Rocker failure
The needle bearings in the OEM rockers have been known to fail. Usually the problem is noticed with extra valvetrain noise and needle bearings stuck to a magnetic oil plug. Nasty Performance will rebuild OEM rockers with Harland Sharp bearings. This seems to be one of the better solutions since the stock rocker is very good at high rpms. Most aftermarket rockers are nose heavy and require grinding the heads and valve covers to fit. Currently Harland Sharp rockers are having problems with c-clip retainers falling off and causing problems on the way. I’ll be following this issue since I have a set of HS rockers on my shelf waiting for this issue to be resolved. Here are some links:
LS1Tech - EMERGENCY!! ROCKERS! Help ASAP!
LS1Tech - Harland Sharp Rocker Failure
LS1Tech - Install or not install HS rockers?
1998-2002: Service Bulletin: Needle Bearings Found In Oil Pan (Replace Rocker Arms)

Other Information

Active Stability Control
This allows you to keep some control of the car even when you do really stupid stunts. It doesn't bend the laws of physics, but will keep the car pointed where you are steering; you may still slide off the road, but at least the car will be pointed in the direction you were steering! One of the sensors is located around the passenger seat, and needs to be considered when installing a racing bucket. If you move that sensor, Active Stability will not know how to balance the car, and can be very dangerous. Active Stability came out around '99.

Jacking
The C5 was the first car to use hydroformed frame rails. Hydroformed rails are quickly becoming a common platform for new cars, but not many shops are prepared to lift these vehicles. The C5 requires an adapter for regular jacks and lifts to fit the jacking points. Make your own adapters with a hockey puck (or two) with a 1 1/2" eye bolt screwed thru the center. Stick the eye bolt thru the slit in the jacking point, turn 90 degrees, place jack under adapter and jack away....if you can get the jack under the car. You may have to use ramps. The C5 is so low that most people make their own wooden ramps....rhino ramps are too steep.

Key Fobs
There are basically two different kinds of key fobs, and they are not compatible with each other.
97-00, but 00 does not have the Passive Lock feature
01-04

Both remotes use a CR2450 coin type battery. I found replacement batteries at Office Depot. To replace, use a coin to wedge between the seam, and twist.
Ref: Service manual, page 8-747.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vette747
Fob programming
1-Turn the ignition to RUN
2-Turn the radio off
3-Press the RESET button in order to clear any IPC warning messages
4-Press the Option button on the DIC until the IPC display is blank in order to enter the program mode
5-Press and hold the Reset button for 3 seconds
6-Press the option button until FOB Training message is displayed
7-Press the Reset button in order to begin the programming sequence.
8-Simultaneously press and hold the lock an unlock buttons on the first transmitter for 12 seconds. The IPC will indicate when that transmitter is programmed and when to proceed to the next. Repeat this step for each transmitter.

Spark plugs
The OEM platinum plugs, along with other plugs have had problems with the pucks falling off. I have a picture of missing pucks in this thread. This thread outlines some of the problems with using platinum, and a recommendation for using silver tipped plugs by Beru. Basically, of all spark plug tips, platinum is the worst conductor, copper is good, iridium is even better and silver is the best. Don’t take my word for it, do a little research, starting with this review. As for longevity, platinum, iridium and silver do have an advantage over copper, but plugs foul up after ~10K miles, negating any difference corrosion would cause, and no plug will run well after 100K miles.  The best way to go for most people are inexpensive TR-55 copper spark plugs. 

To make the spark plugs easier to change, get the Snap-On double-swivel sparkplug tool and remove the coil packs. Here’s all you need to know about sparkplug changes: Go!

Alternator Replacement
’98 AC Delco part #10246634
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
If you have the original alternator, it is clutch-less. Newer C5's with automatic ( A4) came with a clutch at the pulley to address belt squeal when putting in and out of gear. You have a Valeo 110 amp alternator made in France... it is a good unit. Your specs seem to be OK. The alternator is not your everyday alternator, it communicates with your PCM, the PCM that came with your car.,. GM came up with a clutch type A4 alternator with 140 amps, made in Mexico... the alternator works OK, but does not communicate well with your pre 2000 PCM. Many people experience charging system fault messages with this unit..The PCM thinks it is a 110 unit.
AS our Resident Electrical guru has mentioned, and I concur, if you have a problem with your alternator, the PCM will flash you a message stating you have a "charging system fault".,.,.If you do not have this, then I suspect you are ok...
The latest word I heard from the people who sign my pension check is that they have a fix for this: and its is the new Mexican made clutch driven 140 amp alternator, and a PCM reflash.... But to be honest... this is from the same group that said they have a fix for the column lock disaster... If I were you, I would never give up my original alternator.
You have a smart alternator, here is how it works:

The L-terminal circuit from the generator is a discrete circuit (a discrete circuit has no splices and only one Src and destination) into the PCM. The PCM applies ignition voltage to the generator L-terminal circuit. A small amount of current flows from this circuit through the generator windings to ground to create a magnetic field which starts the generator process. When the generator is at operating speed and producing voltage, a solid state switch for the L-terminal circuit in the generator opens and the PCM detects that the initial startup current flow has stopped.
The PCM expects to detect low voltage on the L-terminal circuit prior to the generator rotating at operating speed and conversely expects the circuit to be at ignition voltage potential when the generator is operational. When the PCM detects a fault (circuit shorted to ground, or circuit shorted to voltage), the Driver Information Center will display Charging System Fault.

The generator has an input to the PCM called the F Terminal to indicate the percentage of total capacity that the generator is producing. This signal is detected by the PCM as a duty cycle from the generator and displayed on the scan tool as a percentage. The PCM can monitor the generators output under all conditions to determine if it is functioning normally.

When there is low demand from the electrical system on the generator, a low duty cycle percentage will be displayed. As more accessory load is placed on the generator, the duty cycle output detected by the PCM will approach 100 percent. A normally functioning generating system will never reach 100 percent as indicated on the scan tool.

The L and F terminals are the red and grey

I tried to make this as simple as possible so those thinking 1960's/70's alternators/gen will throw all that old stuff away, clear their head and rethink smart alternator/gen. systems.

Thanks Bill Curlee for the vote of confidence...

Good Luck
Bill aka ( ET )
These problems, and many others, are addressed at the www.corvetteactioncenter.com in the Tech Center -> Knowledge Base.

While these problems do sound numerous and severe, just remember that JD Power considers this a very reliable car. If you buy a Corvette, consider yourself fortunate that there are many reSrcs available to help you locate and correct problems.




Secrets of the C5
Copied from www.corvettemechanic.com
Quote:
? The little yellow “helper light” on the bottom of the rear-view mirror that illuminates the shifter area.
? That you can put your key in the driver’s door and turn it twice towards the front to unlock the passenger door and a third time to pop the trunk.
? That you can pop the trunk and also pop the gas cap cover by pulling on metal lines hidden in the back.
? The little slotted cover on the dash behind the steering wheel is where the inside air temperature sensor is located.
? All of the option codes are in the glove box.
? Tire inflation recommended pressures are on the driver’s door.
? The thing that looks like a little LED near the DIC buttons is a light sensor.
? The thing that looks like a little LED near the defroster vent is a UV sensor for determining A/C usage to compensate for the heating effect of the sun.
? The build sheet is in the front re-bar.
? If you leave your turn signal on, in about 1 minute it will start to ding (loud enough to hear over the stereo) to let you know you have old timers disease.
? You can reset the oil life by pumping the gas pedal 3 times (but not with the engine running).
? Hold down the reset button while on one of the trip odometers and it changes that reading to the miles you’ve traveled since last starting the engine.
? Hold down the Active Handling button for 5 sec. to engage “Competitive Driving” on cars equipped with active handling (2000 and previous years must be stopped.)
? If you pull the seatbelts all the way out while you’re buckled in, they ratchet back in to hold you tighter into the seat. (then move the seat forward to make it extra snug -- Leafty)
? Simply remove fuse #2 under the hood and your DRLs will be out permanently. Only thing affected is that when you unlock at night using the key fob your front turn signal lights and back up lights will not flash. Your front turn signals will operate normally, however.
? The side-view mirrors can twist both forward and backward, decreasing the chance of damage if struck.
? There is a release opening with a flap to let air out of the car when the hatch is closed. It is located just above the driver side rear compartment behind the carpet and on the side of the car. Not that it really works well.
? Also you can ground your amp to a screw/bolt that holds the rear middle compartment to the frame.
? If you have a 6-speed car you can pop the trunk when the car is running by lifting the e-brake.
? There is a spot on the driver side just out of the middle compartment under the carpet for the lug nut key. You should have a compartment on the drivers & passenger’s side (in the trunk) and a center compartment. On the left (drivers) side of the center compartment, on the left side where the center cover fits, there is an ‘indent’ that holds the wheel lock key.
? If you turn on the headlights, then go to parking light position, the lamps remain up but the headlights are not left on.
? If you have the passive entry feature: If you lock the keys in the car, wait a few minutes and then shake the car. That will unlock the car.
? HUD has a shift light for the manuals.
? You can easily shift the M6 trans up or down without the clutch if you match revs. (Not great for longevity, however.)
? You can eject the cd from the in-dash player without turning on any power. Don’t even need key in the ignition.
? The cruise will disengage if you purposely make sharp side to side turns while cruising at say 60-80 mph.
? When the engine is shut off, you can get the odometer reading by turning on the parking lights.
? You can program setting #3 (both memory buttons at once) in the seat memory to run the seat back and steering wheel forward for getting in/out of the car with the engine running.
? If you hate DRLs you can pull the e-brake ONE click and they go off.
Power
First you need to know how your car is doing. A trip to the dyno can give you quick answers.

Tuning software can diagnose and tune your car. LS1Tech and HPTuners are two popular tuning packages. At some point in the future, both packages will be able to do scanning with incorporated wideband sensor support. At this time, December 2004, only HPTuners can do both.

Popular upgrades:
Cold air intakes: Vararam, Halltech, Blackwing, zip-tie
Intake manifolds: LS6, LS2, LSX, Wiend, sheetmetal
Cat-back exhausts: B&B, Borla, Z06 Ti, Corsa
Long tube headers: LG, Kooks, TPIS, Stainless Works, Breathless, Jet-Hot, GHL, QTP
Superchargers: ATI (go to A&A), Vortech, Magnacharger
Turbochargers
Stroke & bore
Head & cam packages: TEA, AFR, TSP, Patriot, Cartek
Tires: Kumho Ecsta MX, Nitto Extreme RII
Quote:
The convertible and coupe (it's really a targa) come with run-flat tires, with 17" wheels in the front, and 18" in the rear, with tire pressure sensors. The Z06 comes with non run-flat tire, but has a tire repair kit. Switching from run-flat tires to regular tires typically allows the C5 to ride softer, accelerate faster, and corner harder, but if you use the tire repair kit (goo) on wheels with the unobtainium tire pressure sensors, you'll destroy the sensors. No C5 has a spare tire. The best way to improve the handling of any car is usually thru the tires.
Aerodynamics, gearing and top speed
The hardtops and Z06 have shorter rear windows, are less aerodynamic, noisier, and weigh less than the standard C5 couple like mine. Even though the Z06 has more hp than standard C5’s, they have a lower top speed than manual Z51 C5 coupes. This is due to both aerodynamics and gearing. All C5’s top out at redline in 5th gear, so a taller 5th gear, or much shorter 6th gear, or taller redline is required to go faster. All else being equal, a Z51 coupe will still go faster than a Z06.
Above 175 mph, the aerodynamic limits of the C5 are nearly reached, and the car starts to become unstable.  Air builds up under the front of the car, and with no real place to escape, front end lift occurs, making it difficult to keep the car in a smooth straight line, especially if the road has the slightest waviness. This can be solved with a vented hood like the ACP C5-R or MCM vented hoods.  The ACP and Motor City hoods both have a center vent, but the ACP also have vents above the wheel wells, which if used, would reduce lift further, and allow greater cooling for the brakes.

Weight reduction
You can achieve substantial weight reduction with the following modifications, while still having a car that's very comfortable to drive. Most of these modifications will directly increase (and decrease in a few cases) the safety of the car, while safety is indirectly improved due to the better handling and limits of a lighter car. Fighter pilots say "speed is life". Acceleration, deceleration, and lateral acceleration are all forms of acceleration, and lighter cars accelerate better in each of these ways because the tires have less mass to control....thus a lighter car is a safer car. Lighter cars have better moments of inertia which allows them to turn in more easily and roll less. Lighter cars are also easier on the tires and gas.

All the stage weight estimates are typically wild butt guesses, but it makes it easy to see what is possible. The weight listings in the separate weight posting is MUCH more reliable.

Stage I: Streetable weight reduction mods

Non-popup headlights (~40 lbs)
Brake rotors with an aluminum hat, or titanium rotors (unproven on street cars) (~20-30 lbs)
Carbon fiber hood (~12 lbs)
Z06 (thinner) windshield and side windows (~5.7 lbs)
Non runflat tires (~20 lbs)
Slicks (~30 lbs)
Z06 wheels (~4 lbs est.)
Corsa titanium exhaust (~35 lbs)
Long tube headers (~20 lbs)
Halltech aluminum alternator & bracket (10 lbs)
Carbon fiber driveshaft (~2 lbs)
Newer torque tube
Less options [HUD, elec AC, Active Stability, seat/mirror/steering wheel memory, cd changer] (~50 lbs)
Less gasoline & wiper fluid (No wiper fluid=9lbs, 6 lbs for every gallon of gas in that 18 gallon tank....~81 lbs for autocrossing)
Remove
cargo net
targa top (~20 lbs)
BCM’s
C5 "appearance mods" - exhaust plates, doorsill covers, etc.
fuel rail covers
all loose change, CD's, golf clubs, misc. items, from center console, hatch area, and glove box
Replace
stock crank pulley with aluminum aftermarket pulley
steel dampener with aluminum dampener
stock targa top with lexan piece (coupes)
water pump with electric water pump
battery with smaller "race" battery
non-stressed fasteners with aluminum or titanium fasteners
leaf springs with coilovers that have aluminum bodied shocks and titanium springs
steel shifter with aluminum shifter and delrin or titanium shift knob

Empty your pockets of extra change, PDA's, cell phones, keys, lead plates, or whatever other junk you lug around
Go on a diet =p

Stage II: Hardcore semi-streetable weight reduction mods
Aluminum flywheel (~10 lbs)
Lighter clutch like Exedy or Quartermaster (~10 lbs)
Racing buckets (40-50 lbs)
Off-road x-pipe (10 lbs)
Replace stock hood, fenders, doors, roof, hatch and bumpers with aftermarket carbon fiber pieces
Remove
Tire repair kit (Z06)
Floor mats
Fog lights

Stage III: Track only weight reduction mods
Racing steering wheel & delete both airbags (~30 lbs, but get a 4-6 point harness)
Use unpadded aluminum or carbon fiber steering wheel
Run open headers
Replace stock front and rear glass with polycarbonate “glass”
Rebuild motor with Al or Ti connecting rods, Ti valve spring retainers and pushrods
Port the heads
Replace valve covers with magnesium or carbon fiber parts
Strip entire car, acid wash chassis, put car back together.
Remove
Column locking hardware
Interior – passenger seat, carpets, speaker panels, head liner, dash, center console, glove box, door panels, sun visors, rear view mirror, insulation, etc.
A/C Compressor
A/C controls and ducting
AIR pump system
Factory radio, speakers, and/or CD changer, and unnecessary wiring
HUD projector
Windshield wiper fluid reservoir and pump
Windshield wipers and motors
Stock cat back
Power steering pump
Front sway bar (drag only)
ABS, TC, AH hardware and sensors (drag only)
Fender wells
Headlight assembly, turn signals, taillights and reflectors
Shave side mirrors
Torque tunnel cover
OEM seat belts
Parking brake
Side windows and motors
Power locks and power windows
Side impact beams
Casting flash from engine, then polish

Reducing unsprung weight—not all is streetable
Forged 1-piece wheels
Use 3-piece wheels by Jongbloed, Kodiak, CCW, BBS
Carbon fiber wheels with magnesium or titanium hub
Skinny front wheels (drag only)
Ti fasteners on 3-piece wheels (~1 lbs per wheel)
Lighter non-runflat tires, or even track only synthetic corded slicks
Lighter calipers
2-piece, unvented or titanium rotors
Titanium wheel studs
Aluminum or titanium lug nuts
Remove tire pressure sensors
Remove rubber valve stem cap
Balance the wheels without tires or balancing weights, and then mount tires

Great literature for hardcore techies
Helm’s Service Manual --- this should come with every Corvette IMHO
Key Design Developments of the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette (SAE SP-1282)
GM eSI Techline Service Manual
Nuts, Bolts and Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook, Carroll Smith
Drive to Win, Carroll Smith: The Essential Guide to Race Driving
Engineer to Win: The Essential Guide to Racing Car Materials Technology or How to Build Winners Which Don’t Break, Carroll Smith
Tune to Win, Carroll Smith
Fiberglass & Composite Materials: An Enthusiast’s Guide to High Performance Non-Metallic Materials for Automotive Racing and Marine Use
How to Make Your Car Handle, Fred Puhn
Race Car Vehicle Dynamics (SAE R146)
Racing & High Performance Tire: Using Tires to Tune for Grip and Balance (SAE R351)
Physics of Racing
C5 Suspension
Swaybars
18.5 lbs - T1 front anti-swaybar w/OEM adjustable endlinks & bushings - Src
8.5 oz - T1 OEM adjustable endlink - Src
3 oz - T1 OEM (endlink) bolt, nut and spacers - Src
5 oz - T1 OEM rear bushings (2) - Src
4.1 lbs - Z51 rear anti-swaybar w/OEM bushings - Src
3.6 lbs - Z51 rear anti-swaybar - Src
4.5 oz - Z51 rear OEM bushings (2) - Src
18.5 oz - Z51 OEM endlinks (2) - Src
9.5 oz - QA-1 endlinks - Src
6.5 oz - Lowe's 1/2" hole, 1.5 mm (avg) thick, 2" diameter (8) - Src
4 oz - Lowe's 1/2" hole, 2.25 mm (avg) thick, 3.5 cm diameter (8) - Src
Rotors
4.8 lbs - ZMI titanium ---Src
14 lb - rear left brake rotor from Napa, made in Canada, part# 86702 - Src
14 lb, 4 oz - rear right brake rotor from Napa, made in Canada, part# 86703 - Src
18 lb, 14 oz - front right brake rotor from Napa, made in USA, part# 86700 - Src
18 lb, 10 oz - front left brake rotor from Napa, made in Canada, part# 86701 - Src
Calipers
5.8 lbs - ZMI - Src
1/2 oz - single Speedbleeder - Src
Pads
1 lb, 2 oz - PFC Z-rated brake pads, single side, rear, without shim - Src
1/2 oz - PFC brake pad rear shim, single side - Src
2 lb, 5 oz - PFC Z-rated brake pads, single side, front, without shims - Src
3 oz - PFC brake pad front shims (2), single side - Src
Wheels
19.2 lbs, front; 21.4 lbs, rear - 97-99 OEM wagon - Src
22 lbs, front; 29 lbs, rear - 97-99 OEM wagon - Src
17 lbs, front; 19.5 lbs rear - 97-00 OEM magnesium - Src
17.5 lbs, front; 19.5 lbs, rear - 97-00 OEM magnesium - Src
18.08 lbs, front; 20.06 rear - 00 OEM standard, thin spoke, high polish - Src
17 lbs, front; 20 lbs, rear - 00 OEM standard, thin spoke, painted, no sensors or centercaps - Src
16 lbs, front; 20 lbs, rear - 01 OEM standard high polish - Src
19.6 lbs, front; 21.4 lbs, rear - 01 Z06 forged - Src
19.2 lbs, front; 21 lbs, rear - 02-04 Z06 cast/spun - Src, Src
24 lbs, 18x10.5 - 00+ repro high polish - Src
28 lbs, front; 32 lbs, rear - Z06 chrome repro - Src
23 lbs, front; 26 lbs, rear - Z06 chrome repro - Src
23.5 lbs, front; 24.5 lbs, rear - Z06 Motorsports, polished - Src
20 lbs, 17x8.5, 58mm offset, front; 23 lbs, 18x9.5, 65mm offset, rear - PWO - Src
22 lbs, 18x10.5, 58mm offset, front - HRE 545 w/clear center - Src
27 lbs, 18x12, 74mm offset, rear - HRE 545 w/clear center - Src
24/25 lbs - Z07 wheel weight, front - Src
28 lbs - Z07 wheel weight, rear - Src
Lugnuts
1.5 oz - OEM open lugnut - Src
Tires
NOTE: Kumho tires are not currently differentiated between runflat and nonrunflat tires.
29.5 lbs, front; 32.5 lbs, rear - Goodyear EMT, stock size - Src
27 lbs, front; 33 lbs, rear - Bridgestone S03's, stock size - Src
26.4 lbs - Goodyear GS-C 275/40R17 - Src
12 lbs, 275/40x17; 15 lbs, 315/35x17; 16 lbs, 305/30x18 - Hoosier A3S03 - Src
28 lbs, 275/40x17=28lbs; 30.5 lbs, 315/35x17 - Goodyear ZR "S" Rains - Src
25 lbs, 275/40x17; 28 lbs, 315/35x17 (shaved to 6/32") - Goodyear GS CS - Src
23lbs, 265/40x17; 24.5 lbs, 275/40x18; 25.5 lbs, 295/35x18 - Goodyear F1 GS CS - Src
27 lbs, 265/40R18; 28 lbs, 315/40R18 - Goodyear GS F1 SC - Src

25 lbs, 255/40R17 - Bridgestone Potenza S02 - Src
27 lbs, 275/40R18 - Bridgestone Potenza S02 - Src
29 lbs, 285/30R18 - Bridgestone Potenza S02 - Src
30 lbs, 285/30R18 - Bridgestone Potenza S02 - Src
30 lbs, 295/30R18 - Bridgestone Potenza S02 - Src
29 lbs, 295/35R18 - Bridgestone Potenza S02 - Src
28 lbs, 245/45R17 - Kumho Ecsta 711 - Src
29 lbs, 245/45R17 - Kumho Ecsta Supra - Src
32 lbs, 245/45R17 - Kumho Ecsta MX - Src
26 lbs, 245/45R17 - Kumho Ecsta Victoracer V700 - Src
30 lbs, 265/40R17 - Kumho Ecsta Supra - Src
20 lbs, 275/40R17 - Kumho Ecsta MX - Src
36 lbs, 275/40R17 - Kumho Ecsta MX - Src
25 lbs, 285/30R18 - Kumho Ecsta V700 - Src
TBD lbs, 295/35R18 - Kumho Ecsta ASX - Src
30 lbs, 295/35R18 - Kumho Ecsta Supra - Src
20 lbs, 275/35R18 - Kumho Ecsta MX - Src
31 lbs, 295/35R18 - Kumho Ecsta MX - Src
26 lbs, 305/30R18 - Kumho Ecsta V700 - Src
28 lbs, 315/35R18 - Kumho Ecsta V710 - Src
30 lbs, 335/30R18 - Kumho Ecsta V700 - Src

Tire Rack
Kumho ECSTA ASX Specs
245/45WR17 27 lbs
275/40WR18 30 lbs
UTQG: 420 AA A

Avon Tech M550 A/S Specs
245/45WR17 29 lbs
275/40WR18 34 lbs
UTQG: 360 AA A

Avon Tech M500 Specs
245/45WR17 28 lbs
275/40WR18 32 lbs
UTQG: 280 AA A

Continental ContiExtremeContact Specs
245/45WR17 24 lbs
275/40WR18 25 lbs
UTQG: 400 AA A

Kumho ECSTA MX Specs
245/45YR17 25 lbs
275/40YR18 29 lbs
UTQG: 220 AA A

Pirelli PZero Nero M&S Specs
245/45WR17 24 lbs
275/40WR18 29 lbs
UTQG: 400 AA A (front), 400 A A (rear)

BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW Specs
245/45YR17 28 lbs
275/40YR18 32 lbs
UTQG: 300 AA A

Goodyear Eagle F1 GS Specs
245/45YR17 25 lbs
275/40YR18 28 lbs
UTQG: 300 AA A

Kumho ECSTA MX (runflat) Specs
245/45YR17 32 lbs
275/40YR18 35 lbs
UTQG: 220 AA A

Continental ContiSportContact 2 Specs
245/45YR17 25 lbs
275/40YR18 26 lbs
UTQG: 280 AA A

Dunlop SP Sport 9000 Specs
245/45WR17 26 lbs
275/40WR18 29 lbs
UTQG: 280 A A

BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KD Specs
245/45YR17 27 lbs
275/40YR18 31 lbs
UTQG: 200 AA A

Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 Specs
245/45YR17 25 lbs
275/40YR18 28 lbs
UTQG: 280 AA A

Michelin Pilot XGT Z4 Specs
245/45WR17 26 lbs
275/40WR18 30 lbs
UTQG: 300 A A

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 Specs
245/45WR17 26 lbs
275/40YR18 28 lbs
UTQG: 140 A A

Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position Specs
245/45YR17 28 lbs
275/40YR18 34 lbs
UTQG: 220 AA A

Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar Specs
245/45YR17 24 lbs
275/40YR18 27 lbs
UTQG: 220 AA A

Wheel & Tire combined weight
45 lbs, front - 97-00 OEM magnesium w/Nitto 275/40-17 (1/2 tread) - Src
50 lbs, rear - 97-00 OEM magnesium w/Yoko 295/35-18 AVS Sport non-runflats - Src
47 lbs, front - 97-00 OEM magnesium w/OEM 245/45-17 runflats - Src
53 lbs, rear - 97-00 OEM magnesium w/OEM 275/40-18 runflats - Src
50 lbs, 17x8.5, 58mm offset, front - PWO w/OEM 245/45-17 runflats (1/2 tread) - Src
51 lbs - '06 C6Z GM Stock Wheel/Tire Combo, front - Src
56 lbs - '06 C6Z GM Stock Wheel/Tire Combo, rear - Src


C6 Suspension
Z51 rotors
Estimates based on information above and http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=880807
17 lb, 14 oz - front rotor
24 lb, 16 oz - rear rotor

Drivetrain
Clutch/Flywheel
23.3 lbs - O.E. iron flywheel - Src
44.8 lbs - O.E. flywheel/clutch assembly - Src
49 lbs - Z06 clutch/flywheel assembly - Src
42.8 lbs - Z06 stock - Src
36.7 lbs - Exedy Single Disk - Src
36.7 lbs - Exedy Dual Disk - Src
12.4 lbs - Fidanza flywheel - Src
33.9 lbs - Fidanza flywheel & SPEC clutch assembly - Src
14 lbs - Quartermaster 5.5" 3-disc clutch/flywheel/hardware - Src
115-129 lbs - T56 transmission, TUET1806 - Src
21 lbs - DTE A4 Differential Strut Kit, Stage I - Src

Motor & accessories
457.6 lbs, LS1 auto; 497.2 lbs, LS1/LS6 manual - LS1/LS6 dressed - Src
443 lbs - LS2 dressed - Src
~600 oz - LS1/LS6 connecting rods - Src
434 gm - LS1/LS6 piston - Src
76 gm, intake; 63 gm, exhaust - '02 LS6 valves - Src
99 gm, intake; 86 gm, exhaust - LS1 valves - Src
11.2 gm - LS1/LS6 retainer - Src
7.2 gm - Comp Ti retainer - Src
15 lbs - A.I.R. system & plumbing - Src
30 lbs - AC/condenser/lines/oil holder/brackets/pulleys - Src
10-3/4 oz - airbridge - Src
1 lb, 14 oz - radiator top cover with screws (x4) - Src
1 lb, 12 oz - fuel rail covers - Src
16 lbs - P1SC head unit - Src
14 lbs - A&A single intercooler - Src
8 oz -- Headlight relay
2.5 oz -- OEM air filter clip/band x2
6 oz -- Serpentine belt OEM
4.25 lbs -- OEM LS1 air filter assembly without any clamps of any sort
10.5 oz -- OEM LS1 air bridge
2.1 oz -- Timing belt cover
92.5 lbs - GEN III V8 (LS1) Aluminum block - GM Manual, JRP's SuperFAQ
210.4 lbs - GEN III V8 (LS1) Cast Gray Iron Block - GM Manual, JRP's SuperFAQ
18.9 lbs - GEN III V8 (LS1) Aluminum head - GM Manual, JRP's SuperFAQ
43.2 lbs - GEN III V8 (LS1) Iron head - GM Manual, JRP's SuperFAQ
13.45 lbs - LS1 water pump - Src
10.25 lbs - LS2 water pump - Src
15.5 oz - LS1 piston - Src
480 gm - LS7 titanium connecting rod - Src
~685 gm - LS2 connecting rod - Src
76 gm - LS7 intake valve (2.200) - Src
71 gm - LS7 exhaust valve (1.600) - Src
Quote:
The lightweight titanium valves weigh 21grams less than the stainless steel valves used in the LS2, despite the valve head having 22 percent more area.
- Src


Batteries
13 lbs - Odyssey/Dynabatt/Hawker racing battery - Src
13.5 lbs - Genesis G16EP, LWH=7.15x3.01x6.65, CC=280 - Src
15 lbs - PC 680, LWH=7.27x3.12x6.67, CC=280 - Src
23 lbs - SVR SVR28-12, LWH=6.88x6.50x4.88 - Src
23 lbs - Genesis G26EP, LWH=6.57x6.92x4.96, CC=470 - Src
26 lbs - Odyssey PC 925, LWH=6.69x7.05x5.04, CC=470 - Src
26 lbs - SVR SVR33-12, LWH=7.75x5.00x7.25, CC=500 - Src
26 lbs - Optima Yellow Top 51, LWH=9.25x5.00x9.00, CC=500 - Src
32.8 lbs - AC Delco 75P-7YR, LWH=9.50x7.10x7.30, CC=550 - Src
32.9 lbs - Genesis G42EP, LWH=7.78x6.53x6.72, CC=630 - Src
35.4 lbs - Odyssey PC 1200, LWH=7.87x6.66x7.55, CC=630 - Src
33.1 lbs - Optima Red Top 75/35, LWH=9.31x6.81x7.63, CC=650 - Src
37.7 lbs - AC Delco 34P-7YR, LWH=10.3x6.80x7.80, CC=650 - Src
36 lbs - Exide Select Orbital 75, LWH=9.00x7.00x7.44, CC=690 - Src
38.8 lbs - Optima Red Top 34/78, LWH=10.0x6.88x7.81, CC=750 - Src
38 lbs - Exide Select Orbital 78, LWH=10.1x7.00x8.1, CC=770 - Src
45.6 lbs - AC Delco 65P-7YR, LWH=11.9x7.50x7.60, CC=800 - Src
57 lbs - SVR SVR80-12, LWH=10.6x6.50x6.25, CC=800 - Src
58.7 lbs - Odyssey PC 1700, LWH=13.02x6.62x7.68, CC=930 - Src

Exhaust
Headers with H-pipe unless noted otherwise
68 lbs - 97 stock double wall manifolds & h-pipe - Src
72.5 lbs - 02 cast iron manifolds with pup cats & h-pipe - Src
46 lbs - GHL 1-3/4" headers w/3" collectors & 3" Random Tech cats and x-pipe - Src
52 or 61 lbs - FLP LT's w/cats - Src
49 lbs - Kooks LT's w/high-flow cats - Src
48.5 lbs - LGM Pro LT's w/high-flow cats - Src
45.4 lbs - QTP LT's w/high-flow cats - Src
50 lbs - Stainless Works w/cats - Src
63 lbs - SuperMAXX LT's w/high-flow cats - Src
Cat-back Exhaust
14 lbs per side - Z06 Ti - Src
13.5 lbs per side - Z06 Ti - Src
15-16 lbs per side - Z06 Ti - Src
17 lbs per side - Z06 Ti - Src
22 lbs per side - OEM steel - Src
24 lbs per side - OEM steel - Src
19 lbs - B&B PRT's - Src
19 lbs - Borla Stingers (2-tip) - Src
22 lbs - Borla Stingers (4-tip) - Src
Universal Components
12.0 lbs - Random Tech X-pipe - Src
5.8 lbs - Random Tech left cat - Src
5.7 lbs - Random Tech right cat - Src
2.5 lbs - Dynatech clamps (4) - Src

Body
9.0 lbs - Window glass (left) - Src
9.0 lbs - Window glass (right) - Src
36.09 lbs - C5 Windshield - Src
30.39 lbs - Z06 Windshield - Src, Src
3.0 lbs - Exterior rear view mirror (left) - Src
3.0 lbs - Exterior rear view mirror (right) - Src
6.2 lbs - Stock tunnel plate - Src
15.4 lbs - Elite Engineering 304 SS, 0.134" tunnel plate, uncoated - Src
9.4 lbs - Elite Engineering aluminum 1/4" tunnel plate, uncoated - Src
9.6 lbs - Elite Engineering aluminum 1/4" tunnel plate, coated - Src
14.6 lbs - Elite Engineering aluminum 3/8" tunnel plate, coated - Src
9.2 lbs - LAPD 1/4" 6061-T6 aluminum Tunnel Heat/Insulator/Chassis Re-Enforcement Plate, coated - Src, Src
12.2 lbs - LAPD 3.8" 6061-T6 aluminum Tunnel Heat/Insulator/Chassis Re-Enforcement Plate, coated - Src, Src
12.7 lbs - VNM 304 SS BackBone, coated - Src, Src
1/2 oz - part# 11515757, crashbar bolt - Src
1/4 oz - part# 10281493, crashbar nutsert (big) - Src
1/2 oz - part# 10281487, crashbar nutsert (small) (x4) - Src
1/2 oz - part# 10#11515638, radiator/bumper nut-speci (x4) - Src
1/2 oz - part# 11513568, radiator/bumper screws (x3) - Src
1 lb, 14 oz - US headlight with bulbs - Src
3 lbs - Euro headlight with bulb
1 oz - front spring to subframe bolt - Src
502 lbs - C5 frame - Src
30.4 lbs - C5 Hood & substrate (no light) - Src
20.5 lbs - CE Hood (with substrate & light??) - Src
31.1 lbs - C5/Z06 Hood (with substrate & light??) - Src
14 lbs - Motor City 100% carbon fiber hood - Src
24 lbs - Motor City 50% carbon fiber, 50% fiberglass hood - Src
5.26 lbs - Stock 63mm driveshaft, part #12564457 - Src, Src
4.56 lbs - LG carbon fiber driveshaft - Src, Src
4.5 oz - Headlight surround
5 oz - Air dam - right side
20.22 lbs - C6 transparent roof - Src
20.90 lbs - C6 painted roof - Src
21.86 lbs - C5 painted roof - Src

Interior
3.5 lbs - Driver side air bag - Src
8.5 lbs - Passenger air bag - Src
3.5 lbs - Driver side seatbelt - Src
4 lbs - Interior fan motor - Src
8 lbs - Front speakers - Src
18.0 lbs - HVAC (base under dash unit - Src
4.0 lbs - Blower motor (Heat/AC) - Src
2.0 lbs - HVAC plastic ducts - Src
4.0 lbs - Airbag/glove box aluminum support - Src
2.0 lbs - Aluminum center console support - Src
1.0 lbs - A/C control head - Src
2.0 lbs - Dash vent duct - Src
1.0 lbs - Knee bolster support (white foam) - Src
1.0 lbs - Bose radio amplifier box - Src
3.0 lbs - Radio, AM/FM/CD - Src
7.0 lbs - Door module, harness, regulator (left) - Src
7.0 lbs - Door module, harness, regulator (right) - Src
3.0 lbs - Glove box assembly - Src
3.0 lbs - Door speaker (left) - Src
3.0 lbs - Door speaker (right) - Src
3 lb, 8 oz - driver side seat belt and fasteners - Src
11 oz - cd changer pack, no cds - Src
6-1/2 oz - 12 cds - Src
2 lb, 2 oz - trunk side storage covers, both - Src
1 lb, 10 oz - passenger floormat - Src
2.5 oz - Right seat button surround part # 1027308
2.5 oz - Ashtray
3 oz - Driver's seat frame plastic bracket covers and front bolts
5 oz - Seat belt top bolt and covers
1.5 oz - Dashboard cigarette lighter male & female

Seats
Sparco - Src
I'm using the Sparco Evo 2 as the largest possible seat that can fit, so all the seats below should fit. 20.91"/531mm base, 23.66"/601mm shoulder
18.00 lbs - Sprint (steel tube)
15.00 lbs - Ultra (fiberglass)
16.50 lbs - Off Road (fiberglass)
18.50 lbs - All Road (fiberglass)
21.50 lbs - Pro 2000 (fiberglass)
13.00 lbs - Pro 2000 (carbon fiber)
18.50 lbs - Evo (fiberglass)
12.50 lbs - Evo (carbon fiber)
20.00 lbs - Evo 2 (fiberglass)
17.50 lbs - Pro WRC (fiberglass)
14.50 lbs - Pro WRC (carbon fiber)
18.00 lbs - Rev (fiberglass)
22.00 lbs - Corsa (fiberglass)
12.50 lbs - Corsa (carbon fiber)
25.00 lbs - Circuit (fiberglass)
15.00 lbs - Circuit S-light (carbon fiber)
14.00 lbs - S-light (carbon fiber)
17.00 lbs - Speed (steel tube)
44.00 lbs - Milano (steel tube)
40.00 lbs - Monza (steel tube)
40.00 lbs - Torino (steel tube)
48.00 lbs - Milano Presige (steel tube)
16.00 lbs - Roadster (fiberglass)
20.00 lbs - Fighter (fiberglass)
Cobra seats
I'm using the Sparco Evo 2 as the largest possible seat that can fit, so all the seats below should fit. 20.91"/531mm base, 23.66"/601mm shoulder
14.3 lbs - Aqua 4x4 (fiberglass)
17.6 lbs - Evolution (fiberglass)
14.1 lbs - Evolution Technology (carbon fiber)
14.3 lbs - Imola (fiberglass)
11.2 lbs - Imola Technology (carbon fiber)
15.4 lbs - Suzuka (fiberglass)
12.3 lbs - Suzuka Technology (carbon fiber)
19.8 lbs - Monaco (steel)

Other seats from Flying Miata site that aren't listed above
I'm using the Sparco Evo 2 as the largest possible seat that can fit, so all the seats below should fit. 20.91"/531mm base, 23.66"/601mm shoulder
12.00 lbs - Aerosport AS100
7.50 lbs - Aerosport AS100/CK
12.00 lbs - Aerosport AS100N
7.50 lbs - Aerosport AS100N/CK
16.00 lbs - Aerosport AS200
30.00 lbs - Corbeau A4
12.00 lbs - Corbeau Classic Bucket
21.00 lbs - Corbeau Classic II
16.00 lbs - Corbeau Forza
25.00 lbs - Corbeau GT7
12.00 lbs - Corbeau GTA Lo Back
10.50 lbs - Corbeau Monza
42.00 lbs - Koenig Bio-Med
32.00 lbs - Koenig CL200
32.00 lbs - Koenig CP200
30.00 lbs - Koenig CP700
28.00 lbs - Koenig CPK700
38.00 lbs - Koenig K370
38.00 lbs - Koenig K530
38.00 lbs - Koenig K4000
31.00 lbs - Koenig K5000
31.00 lbs - Koenig K5000G
36.00 lbs - Koenig Miata
32.00 lbs - Koenig RL200
12.00 lbs - Koenig RS1000
10.00 lbs - Koenig RS2000
10.00 lbs - Koenig RS3000
26.00 lbs - Koenig S50
30.00 lbs - Koenig S100
28.00 lbs - Koenig SP700
28.00 lbs - Koenig Speedster
12.60 lbs - Momo Start
16.90 lbs - Momo T-Frame
14.70 lbs - NEX Racing Seat
16.50 lbs - NEX Reclinable Racing Seat
13.20 lbs - OMP Champion
18.50 lbs - OMP Eco
15.00 lbs - OMP Evoluzione
24.30 lbs - OMP Rec
24.30 lbs - OMP Red
19.00 lbs - OMP San Remo
14.30 lbs - OMP Sport
19.80 lbs - OMP Strada
19.50 lbs - Procar by Scat, Race 1600 Series
16.50 lbs - Procar by Scat, Xtreme 1700 Series
14.30 lbs - RaceTech JetSprint
16.50 lbs - RaceTech ProSprint
18.70 lbs - RaceTech RAC 4009
13.20 lbs - RaceTech RAC 9000
14.30 lbs - RaceTech RAC 9009
9.90 lbs - Recaro SPA
12.10 lbs - SPA Racer

Fasteners -- no weights, just intentions to replace with Al or Ti
?? oz - Bolt, Rocker Arm Cover 202-12556430 M6x1.0x33.5 - Src
?? oz - Bolt, HDR Pt (Bolt, Eng Lift Brkt) 231-11516328 M10x1.5x30 - Src
?? oz - Stud, Ign Coil M6x1.0x40 239/240-12557539 - Src
?? oz - Bolt, Front/Rear Timing Cover M8x1.25x30 277/309-11515758 - Src
?? oz - Bolt, Flywhl M11x1.5x23.5 124-12553332 - Src
?? oz - Bolt, CLU Press Plt M10x1.5x25 174-12561465 - Src