What did you do with your Vette today?

[Jimbo64]

Today was a car up on ramps and axle stands day and pumped grease into every grease nipple I could find.
Topped up ATF, as it was a little low. Topped up engine oil, as that was quite a bit low, after my trying to establish oil pressure gauge problem and removing unit at inlet manifold and starting engine, Doh!
Tomorrow looks like a take gauge console out and see if blockage is at rear of oil pressure gauge/pipe to it day.

 

[Jimbo64]

Well today was i

Today was a car up on ramps and axle stands day and pumped grease into every grease nipple I could find.
Topped up ATF, as it was a little low. Topped up engine oil, as that was quite a bit low, after my trying to establish oil pressure gauge problem and removing unit at inlet manifold and starting engine, Doh!
Tomorrow looks like a take gauge console out and see if blockage is at rear of oil pressure gauge/pipe to it day.

Well today was indeed a gauge console out and see if blockage is at rear of oil pressure gauge/pipe/fitment day. Oh ma heed! What a nightmare getting console out. Nothing like the five screws in the previous video. Someone in their wisdom had previously attached bolts to a U shaped bracket just under the radio and therefore into too on centre console. This meant I had to remove said centre console to get in and about the nut (some reason only one nut attached to the RHS bolt) to eventually be able to move gauge console forward enough to get access to rear of oil pressure gauge. Pipe and connector both cleared out of old oil and then reattached. Everything put back as was, engine started, oil pressure gauge.....still not working
Hey ho, Friday mornings are for skinning your hands on all the lovely sharp inside edges on the respective consoles of your C3!

 

[Vetteheadracer]

Fitted these rock guards from ACS Composites

 

[kentvette]

Well today was i

Well today was indeed a gauge console out and see if blockage is at rear of oil pressure gauge/pipe/fitment day. Oh ma heed! What a nightmare getting console out. Nothing like the five screws in the previous video. Someone in their wisdom had previously attached bolts to a U shaped bracket just under the radio and therefore into too on centre console. This meant I had to remove said centre console to get in and about the nut (some reason only one nut attached to the RHS bolt) to eventually be able to move gauge console forward enough to get access to rear of oil pressure gauge. Pipe and connector both cleared out of old oil and then reattached. Everything put back as was, engine started, oil pressure gauge.....still not working
Hey ho, Friday mornings are for skinning your hands on all the lovely sharp inside edges on the respective consoles of your C3!

Sorry to hear that the struggle was unrewarded Jim. What a pain - literally by the sound of it! So, what's the prognosis, the gauge itself?

 

[Jimbo64]

Sorry to hear that the struggle was unrewarded Jim. What a pain - literally by the sound of it! So, what's the prognosis, the gauge itself?

You would think so. Will be on the parts that are needed but not essential list, along with the clock, as I know and regularly check oil/engine etc but appreciate what info the gauge does give me.

 

[Vetteheadracer]

You would think so. Will be on the parts that are needed but not essential list, along with the clock, as I know and regularly check oil/engine etc but appreciate what info the gauge does give me.

Remember watching Ed China rebuild the clock for a C2 or C3 Corvette on one of the Wheeler Dealer Episodes so you might not need a new one.

 

[Vetteheadracer]

Today and part of yesterday I spent cleaning the 2019 ZR1 (some might say surely a brand new car doesn't need THAT much cleaning?) Well it did! Having done 1,000 miles in 3 weeks of ownership it needed a lot of cleaning and it is also May Bug / Love Bug season in Florida and these little blighters explode on impact and cover your paint in an acidic residue which causes havoc if not removed quickly.

Washed then clay barred the car, then used a cleaner wax and finally this morning I applied a Nano Coating so I will be interested to see if this protects the paint as described. Taking the car up to Charleston on Thursday to drop it off at the port ready for its journey over to the UK for the summer. Should be at the Nats assuming the ship goes where it is supposed to go and gets to Southampton on time!

 

[Chevrolet]

So don't have paint protection film (PPF) on it? First thing I did when I got my C6, was to get PPM on the front, including lights, and the door mirrors and sills. Was at Ian Allan yesterday, and spoke with Kevin (the dealer principle). Asked him if they treated new cars with anything e.g, Supagard and apparently not. Didn't see to know much about PPF.

 

[antijam]

Along with a defunct clock (mildly annoying), my '71 has consistently refused to display any coolant temperature while on a run (rather more annoying), so today I did a little investigation. Obvious possible causes were that either the temperature sender or the gauge (or possibly both) were u/s. Less likely was a failed or missing thermostat, but if that was the case at least some temperature ought to show.

So, before a run I took a photo of the temperature gauge and attached a temperature 'tell-tale' to the manifold upstream of the 'stat housing.....



Took car for a ten mile run and photographed the gauge and tell-tale again....



Interestingly, the gauge needle had actually moved fractionally off the stop, suggesting that the gauge was probably OK and that the sender was at fault. The tell-tale
recorded a temperature between 170°F and 180°F which seemed about right, so the logical next step seems to be to go for a new sensor. I should perhaps have checked the cold and hot resistance of the sensor, but values seem to vary widely. Internet browsing seems to suggest the chances nowadays of finding a sender that provides an accurate reading with the gauge are slimmer than a super-models thigh, so I'm wondering if anyone can from experience suggest a reliable source?

 

[Jimbo64]

Remember watching Ed China rebuild the clock for a C2 or C3 Corvette on one of the Wheeler Dealer Episodes so you might not need a new one.

Yeh, I think it was a C2s' clock & with the hassle I had getting gauge console out last time, I think I'll just look at my watch !

 

[teamzr1]

If it helps,

GM has been using the same design for the coolant temp sensor for many years so easy to find and replace one

Easy to test sensor without gauge wire on sensor using a Ohm Meter from chassis to pin of the sensor
So after coolant up to operating temp around 180 F Deg would be close to 320 Ohms
Since gauge is reporting by that resistance assure wire ends to sensor and gauge clean and tight.

Temperature	Resistance
50° F (10° C)	5670 Ω
68° F (20° C)	3520 Ω
86° F (30° C)	2238 Ω
104° F (40° C)	1459 Ω
122° F (50° C)	973 Ω
140° F (60° C)	667 Ω
158° F (70° C)	467 Ω
176° F (80° C)	332 Ω
194° F (90° C)	241 Ω
212° F (100° C)	177 Ω

 

[antijam]

If it helps,

GM has been using the same design for the coolant temp sensor for many years so easy to find and replace one

Easy to test sensor without gauge wire on sensor using a Ohm Meter from chassis to pin of the sensor
So after coolant up to operating temp around 180 F Deg would be close to 320 Ohms
Since gauge is reporting by that resistance assure wire ends to sensor and gauge clean and tight.

I'll check the resistance at temperature. Willcox seem to think finding the correct sender is a problem?

 

[teamzr1]

I would do the resistance test above first to assure the sender is or is not the problem
To check to see if the problem is the gauge itself a simple test would be
Take the green wire off of the sender unit, and ground it.
With the key on, the temp gauge should report HOT.

If it does not, you either have a wiring issue, or the gauge is bad.
There should be a small resistor bolted across the terminals of the gauge itself, and if it is bad, the gauge will not read correctly, or may not work at all.
If the gauge pegs HOT, then you have verified the wiring and the gauge, so the only other problem would be the sender.
Just to be sure, you are testing/checking the sender unit on the driver side, between cylinders 1 & 3 cylinders

It seems that Wilcox PDF is more about the gauge rather then the sender on block but I agree with you that the wrong sensor
could be bought
Do not buy a generic one as it may not have correct resistance temp range

How about this ?
ACDelco® - Professional™ Coolant Temperature Sender

or
71 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Water Temperature Sender - Body Electrical - AC Delco, Forecast, Four Seasons, Standard Motor Products, Walker - PartsGeek

 

[antijam]

I would do the resistance test above first to assure the sender is or is not the problem
To check to see if the problem is the gauge itself a simple test would be
Take the green wire off of the sender unit, and ground it.
With the key on, the temp gauge should report HOT.

If it does not, you either have a wiring issue, or the gauge is bad.
There should be a small resistor bolted across the terminals of the gauge itself, and if it is bad, the gauge will not read correctly, or may not work at all.
If the gauge pegs HOT, then you have verified the wiring and the gauge, so the only other problem would be the sender.
Just to be sure, you are testing/checking the sender unit on the driver side, between cylinders 1 & 3 cylinders

It seems that Wilcox PDF is more about the gauge rather then the sender on block but I agree with you that the wrong sensor
could be bought
Do not buy a generic one as it may not have correct resistance temp range

How about this ?
ACDelco® - Professional™ Coolant Temperature Sender

or
71 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Water Temperature Sender - Body Electrical - AC Delco, Forecast, Four Seasons, Standard Motor Products, Walker - PartsGeek

Grounding the sender lead does send the gauge to full scale deflection, so it seems the gauge and wiring are OK. I also noted that removing the lead from the sender causes the gauge to return to zero, rather than just above the 100 mark as shown in my first piccie.

Cold resistance of the sender is 938 Ω and at temperature is 152 Ω. This range is markedly different to the values given in your table so I'm guessing that the sender does work but is not matched to the Corvette gauge.

Thanks for the links to suppliers. There does seem to be a wide range of senders quoted as suitable for the '71 Corvette, with several different terminations.
I note that Ecklers can supply a sender that they claim is a reproduction of the original and is guaranteed to give accurate readings without gauge re-calibration. Although more expensive than most, it might be the wisest solution.

Thanks for your help.

 

[teamzr1]

Maybe someone in the past had replaced the sender with the wrong one ?

 

[antijam]

Maybe someone in the past had replaced the sender with the wrong one ?

I'm sure you're right. The pin connection on the sender is the wrong form for the year and the lead shows obvious signs of modification.

 

[teamzr1]

Well you have this solved and easy fix rather then if it had been the gauge itself
All you need is to find the right wire pin connector for the new correct sensor

Maybe list the part number for the new sensor here so others in future know which to order.

 

[kentvette]

A lovely sunny day here, so I completed teh "service" with an oil and filter change. I do that outside. The driveway to teh garage is sloping, but with the front of the car on ramps it is perfectly level. Checked and cleaned teh plugs and air filter while I was waiting for the oil to drain.

Next run out will be on a trip organised by fellow ex-pat and CCCUK member Pete Sansbury, to one of the chateaus in the Dick Strawbridge series.....

 

[Jack Cooper]

Stephen - not sure if you know this, but the NCRS event is NOT going to Parcay Les Pins this year; we're starting at Bayeux for D-Day
75th. anniv. activities then going to Villedieu-Les-Poeles for Flt. Judging. The road-tour element will be to Mt. St. Michel. Not sure if anyone
is actually going to the 24h du Mans.
Accomm. is all at nice hotels, not a daggy old gite!
Back to subject - took my '07 out for a bit of a belt around N. Hampshire yesterday - running great. Odo just clicked over the 32,000 mile mark.
J.C. (1911)

 

[kentvette]

Stephen - not sure if you know this, but the NCRS event is NOT going to Parcay Les Pins this year; we're starting at Bayeux for D-Day
75th. anniv. activities then going to Villedieu-Les-Poeles for Flt. Judging. The road-tour element will be to Mt. St. Michel. Not sure if anyone
is actually going to the 24h du Mans.
Accomm. is all at nice hotels, not a daggy old gite!
Back to subject - took my '07 out for a bit of a belt around N. Hampshire yesterday - running great. Odo just clicked over the 32,000 mile mark.
J.C. (1911)

Hi Jack.

Yes, Chris (Sale) had told me that there had been a change in venue, and a slight shift in emphasis towards "The Beaches". Glad that the event has finally moved into decent accommodation! We won't be able to make it though, Le Mans (of course) plus a couple of other non car stuff we now have to dothat week....

32k?? Just a baby - the old '78, 41 years old last Thursday, is now up to 126160 miles!