CCA Corvette Parts

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Regards
Chip

SaxyVette

What's up Chip..nice to meet ya..

Cash

SaxyVette

Good news..! on re-installing the factory stereo.. My GF's son in law who worked installing auto stereo's for a few yrs, took a look at my car yesterday.

He dug into the hole in the dash and started pulling out wires and connections..Whew!! nothing is cut or chopped, all the plug-ins are intact.He said it's plug and play and that the Alpine was installed the correct way

I'm pretty relieved and stoked. Next Sat I'll have some sounds. I gave him the Alpine/bluetooth unit that was removed, he said he's got a good home for it.

SaxyVette

Forgot to mention my guy (he's also an excellent mechanic) listened to my cold start motor noise as I was showing him the car for the first time. It's a bearing noise from the alternator (another whew). It quiets down perferctly within a minute. But again I'm very relieved it's not anything major.

GCG

I'm really glad it was not butchered! Looking forward to hear your new unit is up and running.

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GCG

C5 alternators are very peculiar in their interaction with the PCM. If they are replaced by units that do not properly meet factory specs, they will produce charging system faults.

It would probably be better and less costly to have yours rebuilt before the bearing finally fails

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SaxyVette

GCG..THANKS for the heads up. Another invaluable Tip from the forum..Hat's off man..!!

SaxyVette

..here's the scratch repair..my pal did it, he has a body shop here in Boulder City..I bought GM touch up..tried to give him a $20. he took $5 and said see ya later..

SaxyVette

Hmm that last pic tells me I gotta go dig out an old toothbrush and clean some old wax out of that body seam..never a dull moment.

GCG

Since you alternator is charging well, rebuilding it before the bearing finally fails should be relatively simple and not expensive: just new bearings and new brushes.

In any case, don't exchange it as a core for another rebuilt unit!

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SaxyVette

I'll start researching my mech pals for someone to help rebuild it for me.

Here's a Q..If it fails completely can it still be rebuilt. or do you have to restore it before it quits..?? THANKS

GCG

It probably depends on how catastrophic the failure is. Right now your alternator is charging fine, so it's just bearings and brushes. After a complete failure the list is probably going to be longer and perhaps end up beyond repair if it is really catastrophic. Definitely it will be costlier.

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SaxyVette

Thanks again GCG, it's going on the "to-do" list..

GCG

Take a look at this. It will give you a better idea of what's involved. Although he is describing this $5 DIY process for Audi and VW with Valeo-manufactured alternators, his experience on those units could probably be extrapolated to our Valeo alternators.

SaxyVette

Something I'd for sure want a Pro to handle. But I am going to start making some inquiries to my local mech pals. THX

GCG

How is it going with your radio install? When are you planning to have it done?

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SaxyVette

Stereo installed today..went smoothly, theft code was written on the back of the unit (thanks Marc at VetteNuts)..it sounds and looks great. Although CD player doesn't want to work, I read somewhere that's a fairly common issue with C5's.

As an aside my guy that installed the stereo said my ignition switch that was supposedly "replaced" wasn't, one screw was missing and the other loose. That's pretty bad and shoddy work from the shop that fixed my running light issues when I first got the car.

But here's the real bad part..a wire attached to the switch was turning and chafing on the metal close to it. Thankfully my guy filed the metal back so the wire can't make any contact and taped the wire so it can't possibly chafe any further.

He declared everything is now tightened up properly and the fix will be permanent. Whew.. a possible extremely bad electrical situation avoided.

Anyway CD or not I got SOUNDS..HooRay...

SaxyVette

Got a bit of more good news..my stereo guy also knows an old retired dude here in town who makes extra bread rebuilding alternators. He thinks 50-60 bucks will get mine done. Sounds like a plan to me..

Speaking of plans, I think my headlight motor fix kit is finally going in next Sat. The old black beast is coming back to life..

GCG

That's good! Just make sure he DOESN'T replace the electronics inside your alternator. Yours is working fine, so it's just new brushes (this is the component that normally wears out with use) and new bearings (since they are acting up).

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GCG

Congratulations on your new radio!

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