19corvette91

hey

how much of a pain is it to work on a vette?

i'm a mechanic apprentice, and i've done alot of work to my 2 camaros in my own driveway

i did several tranny swaps and a rearend swap

is a tranny swap even at all possible in my own driveway on a C4?

i do have access to a lift at work , but i'd just like to know how far some of you have gone at home

oh yeah, i never realy worked on a vette because i work at a pontiac/buick dealer (well i got to put tires on and rebuild some of the front suspension on the service manager's 68 427 coupe) :p:

65Z01

I can only speak for mid C4s but if you can turn a wrench you can work on your Vette.

For example Scorp508 recently did his 4+3 tranny and engine in his driveway. I do all my wrenching (water pump, intake base, headers, etc.) in a parking lot.

I find it some of the most rewarding and most frustrating work I've done, but I love it.

Since you understand EFI you only need a GM Shop Manual for your Vette to get started (and of course the Vette).

dbwade36

I have never worked on cars, or known much about them for that matter, but since buying the Vette, I have learned tons! I know so much more than I did and learn something new every single day. (mostly because of this website) :)
Anyways, I just have a parking lot to work in too and I have already done some little things on my own. Replaced 3rd Brake lights, put in new battery and Alternator and new TB. Put in Air Filter and cut air intake (tin snips). Rewrapped steering wheel (wheelskins). Point is, I am nowhere near some of the guys on this site, but I am way above what I was 2 months ago.

vader86

As long as you have a GM Shop Manual then youll be ok.

VetteNoob

Ive found my 86 to be one of the easiest cars Ive ever had to work on. I agree with the shop manual tip. It is VERY helpful.

BrianS

I just did some suspension work on my '95... It was far easier than on other cars I have worked on in the past.

19corvette91

:cool:


well, i hope i can afford a 95 or 96 vette, cuz i got those 2 shop manuals for free from tech school :D (i really did)

but seriously, this is good news, cuz i hear EVERYONE complain about how hard vettes are to work on

i'm not a genious (i'm a mechanic whose starting out) so i dont claim to know everything :)

but i know a fair share

Vic'89

It's not too bad if you are good with your hands.

A shop manual is helpfull, buth most of all , this forum is the best place for info.

Vic

RichS

I think they are pretty easy to work on. There might be a few pain in the rear bolts here and there, but all cars have them.

cprgmr

I've done the tranny, torque converter, gears, speedo gears, third brake light, power antenna, lumbar repair, vortex, B&M super cooler, MSD w/coil, taylor wires, NGK plugs, throttle body air fool :rolleyes:, baer eradispeeds, chip, intake leak, dimmer switch, wet okoles and the power effects (and TNT nitrous soon) all in my garage or driveway (some with the help of a kwiklift). The hardest part about working on a vette are the confined spaces in which to work. Other than that, it's fun and rewarding. You can learn tons from the vette brothers on this forum! :)

Kdrhpe

If you ask around I guarantee there is some guy on this forum that has done just about any job you can think of in his driveway! It depends on your confidence in yourself. I feel if anybody else can do it then so can I.

kkonen

The reason people say vettes are hard to work on is some of the working area can get a little tight. Personally, I think there is a lot more room than there is on the current crop of FWD cars. If you really want a cramped workspace, try an LS1 camaro.

Most of my mechanic experience is on my 95. I think it is pretty easy to work on. Some things, like the front spring, are messy, but they are not overly complicated. As someone else said, this forum combined with a shop manual, you can do anythihng.

87SAM

I guess some things might be cramped, but on a C4, when you open that hood, the whole engine seems accessible. :D On my 4 X 4, what a pain in the back it is to crawl up in the engine compartment to do work. Also much more room than the wife’s Toyota. I love working on the Vette. I guess a draw back would be that You have to get it in the air to look at the bottom of the car.

blk90rdstr

I too hear too many complaints from mechanics how tuff it is to work on a Vette. Even people who i trust say there a pain and i dont know cause i dont do it everyday. But this is the fourth vette ive been fixing and havent seen anything too overwhelming. I would think the LS1 cars would be a pain. I still think the C4s are fairly easy to work on. JMHO :cheers:

1bad85

I replaced the front seal in the transmission in my driveway.

cougarSVT

in response to the FWD statement....

you ain't a kiddin bud. i have no experience with corvettes in any way but i think i have a prett darn good understanding of how sucky it is to work on a car that has limited space.... headers on a cougar.... good luck

AquaMetallic94LT1

I have found that my vette is as easy to work on as any other late model car. The electronics under the hood is a bit intimidating until you know what the stuff does and where it goes. Bottom line is that cars are very similar once you get past the sheet metal. I am sure a Ferrari has an oil pan, fuel injectors, crankshaft etc and is bolted together so any of us who work on cars could work on one with the factory service manual (in english).

The tough part is trying to diagnose engine performance problems. It ends up narrowing it down to spark or fuel and then testing everything that might be related.

Wadoka

Spark plugs and plug wires on an LT1. Yeesh. You know you're in trouble when the shop manual starts out with "Lift and support car. Remove wheel and tire assembly. remove inner fenderwell skirt..." :yesnod

ConeKLR

I can't think of alot of cars where you can sit on the front tire and easily work on the engine. There are a few things that are slightly different than a camaro but it mostly the same thing. Sure the spark plug wires can be a pain, but what car out there does not have a repair item that is not a pain.
Camaro engines can sit far into the cowl. How is that not a a pain in the butt to work on?
If I was a mechanic I'd tell you working on a vette are a pain. So I can charge you more. :yesnod:



[Modified by ConeKLR, 10:03 AM 8/21/2002]

scorp508

Well I have removed and replaced my transmission twice with jackstands in the driveway and also rebuilt the top end of the engine. The early L98s seem to have a lot more room to work on them than the 88+ L98s and later engines.