They Aligned It How?Q On my '70, the rear two strut rods are bent upwards. I have two reconditioned rods with new rubber bushings to be installed. Someone once told me the rear alignment can be achieved by bending these rods. We all know this isn't correct. Why would they have chosen this method? What should I look for in this repair, or is it a job for a qualified mechanic who knows these cars?Ed Hafe
A Bending the strut rods was a once-common means of achieving the correct camber setting when the camber cam/bolts "ran out of adjustment." The real problem was that the strut rods needed new bushings, but many alignment shops either:
*Didn't know that the bushings could even be replaced*Didn't want to replace the bushings*Thought they were saving the customer some money*Figured the customer would scream if they told them that they needed to have extra work done on the car*Didn't have a clue about how to replace the bushings
You'll need to replace those bent rods. They're cheap enough that it's not worth trying to straighten them. While you can use the factory bushings, I still prefer the polyurethane bushings for this application. They're just slightly more precise and don't create any noise or ride-quality issues.
Q Throttle Body CrudI've removed the throttle body from the plenum on my '87 to clean it. I can't seem to get the bottom off; I've removed all of the screws, except one that broke off in the hole. Is there anything besides brute force to remove the bottom?
A It may just be the remainder of the broken screw that is holding the bottom in place. Oh man, is it filthy in there. Also the throttle body to plenum gasket was broken at the back and had two leaks out the bottom. Even the plenum is filthy. Words cannot describe it. Should I do some porting while it's off? Will it help? I now know what ridges people are talking about when they say got rid of the ridges just inside the plenum entrance.Edward Baker
One of the most common problems with the '85-96 Corvette is a dirty throttle body. Generally, the older the car, the worse the problem is. The first sign of a problem is high idle speed.
Normally you should remove the air intake tube, along with the mass air flow sensor, and spray air intake cleaner into the throttle body. Use a toothbrush to scrub the inside of the throttle body, as well as the throttle plate. If you do this once a year, everything should be fine. This same procedure applies to all of the C5 Corvettes as well.
If you own one of the early C4s, chances are it's not real fine. There's a good chance that you have so much crud built up behind the throttle plates that you'll have to remove the throttle body from the car and let it soak overnight. Just make sure you have the necessary gaskets before you start this job. You'll also need a couple of cans of air intake cleaner-not the old-fashioned carb cleaner.
Q You can also unplug the mass air flow unit and spray it down with the air intake cleaner. That helps a lot. And don't forget to replace the air filter. If you're using the K&N filters, be careful with the oil spray. More than one person has contaminated their MAF sensor with the K&N oil. Just remember this is one time when less it better.
As far as porting the plenum, you won't see much increase, if any, by doing this on a stock motor. You're going to be increasing the complexity of the job by removing the plenum and all the tubes for no real gain in power. Wait until you change the heads out and add the big tube runners. Do everything at once. Right now, just concentrate on getting the throttle body clean. Oh, good luck with drilling out that broken screw. Don't you just love working on old cars?
A It's Going to be ExpensiveI pulled the complete dash out of my '65 roadster, and I have to replace the pads; they're cracked and broken. How do I remove the pads from the dash itself?