jetske

I am no stranger to Corvette and have C3, C4, C5, and C6 Vettes in my collection. We just found this 2008 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car Festival #1 for sale and bought it one week ago (picture below at the track in 2008, on the left). Car had 1,056 miles (yes, one thousand fifty six) and is automatic transmission. Decided to drive the car to work today, for the first time driving it anywhere, with paper license plate in the window just to have fun. But this afternoon the car is falling apart and I need advice.

When I stopped by a friends house on the way home to show him the car we went for a ride and I hit the gas a little aggressively; nothing too bad. Car ran strong for a split second but then then flipped out and ran horribly. Check engine started flashing, "service traction control" errors, "service electrical system" flashing...car runs like absolute $hit at all speeds. Idle or on the drive home after my visit, the car is shaking like a 1976 Ford Granada about to die. Down shift approaching a stop sign, transmission is knocking through gears...it's not good. Check engine flashing and traction control lights still on.

I bought a 2005 C6 with 517 miles on it 3 years ago which also sat at NCM for 5 years with no use, and I never had any technical issues like this. Anybody have advice on my next steps?

Vette_DD

Sounds like the previous owner might have done something to/with it. Did you have the service record checked before you bought it?

Be sure to tell us what you found out after you have it serviced to fix all the problems.

Gary '09 C6

^ I was also thinking a bad battery...probably the first/easiest item to have checked.

maybe bad/stale fuel (which wouldn't help overall, but likely not be the primary cause)

jetske

Yeah I need to get the codes and see whats up. Done this with C5 many times and will figure out how to do it with C6. Battery was just replaced with a brand new interstate battery.

Thanks...

c54u

2008 Corvette with 1000 miles. All codes flashing, service electrical system, car runs like crap......I am going to guess it is the original battery and it could have a bad cell or whatever.

See if who sold it to you will replace the battery. If they don't it's only about $100 or so to replace. I would start with the battery first.

jetske

I pulled a Car Fax but there was nothing, whatsoever, indicating a problem. I did not check service records at GM. With 1,000 miles I was not too concerned. We'll see...

JLB768

Sounds like the guy about a week back, that said he put headers on the car. His was bucking, snorting, lost power, etc, turned out to be a bad O2 sensor if I recall correctly.

jetske

Guys...ok, maybe the new battery is bad??? Your comments plus I'm still getting a "service charging system" message? Maybe I need to get the battery tested.

Car runs and shakes really bad. It all went to $hit after I hit the gas tonight...would that also be battery?

ChevyDave

with a C6 you gotta have a code reader. you can try simple reader first, but you reach the point where a TechII is required to reach into "C" codes. Some autoparts places will do a read for you, but again, some codes can only be read with TechII (gm dealer probably)

not08crmanymore

I don't know what state you're in or if there's a used car warranty.If there is,use it.Also,see if there is any of the 5yr/100k warranty left on the powertrain.

jetske

Good tip. That should not be too bad to replace. Wonder if engine codes would indicate the O2 sensor if that is the issue? Thank you

jetske

...well darn

ChevyDave

yea (P0130 thru P0167) , plus another 1,000 codes. (actually i havent counted them.. lol)

http://westersgarage.eidnet.ca/OBD2%...le%20Codes.pdf

not08crmanymore

I use a simple code reader I bought at AUTO ZONE for 40 bucks.I got the codes and looked them up here and online. It's not a spaceship,have the auto parts store read it or better yet,go directly to the dealer since they will fix it anyway,whatever it is.

JLB768

NP, anytime. I'd think they would. When you mentioned the loss of power, bucking, etc, the first thing that came to mind, was the guy with a bad O2 sensor. I'm wondering how old the fuel was in the car, could have had moisture in it, or just gummed up from being old. Worth looking into...

cranky

check the battery connections first then check at the starter battery connection. if loose, it can give the service charging system message. also check the positive lug on the fuse block. check the ground side of the battery also. then check for codes. hope this helps

jetske

I have a "3 month/3,000 mile" used car warranty but...the little dealer does not understand the Indy 500 collectible value of the car. It was Mari George Hulman's personal #1 Festival car, photographed in most IMS pictures documented in the '08 Indy 500, very collectible and ultra low miles. It's a long story, but the dealer guy did more to screw up this car in a couple months than ever happened in the 5 years previous. He was a blind squirrel that found a nut, I got lucky, but don't really want to go back there. Will probably take my chances with a trusted, albeit pricey, Chevy dealer.

AORoads

not sure I understand OP's terminology: is this an Indy-used car for one of the races? or is it just "marked" that way, as in a halo car?

regardless, with all those Vettes in your collection and being on here for awhile, you probably know all about battery issues. if you didn't before, based on the above posts, you do now.

while batt. may not be the issue, diagnosing a problem such as this from afar and with no tech analysis is virtually impossible. this is, as you know, no longer a simple, non-computer car where everything is mechanical save for plugs, points, distributor, coil, alternator and starter.

c54u

maybe bad alternator or connection on alternator
loose spark plug(s) or wires
bad fuel pump
check air filter

RoadkingC6

sounds to me like maybe one of the coil packs went