For my 1989 convertible, I replaced the underhood bulbs with LED units. Super cheap from Amazon and installed in minutes. With hood raised for five hours at a car show, the lamps are still cool to the touch, with negligible battery drain and no problem starting the engine.
So far so good Chris. It's look'n good. As to the under-hood lights, it's easy enough to install a button switch for each one. You never know when you may want to show off the engine at a car show when it's dark, or, if you're traveling and you think "something" is going on with the motor, a little lighting without having to mess with plugging them back into the harness might be a tad easier. Just a thought. Save the Wave👋👋
Chris, I'm glad you found another project. You continue to make great how-to videos on C5s and C4s. I have been following you since you started, back when I had a C5. I've moved on to a C7, but I'm still intrigued by your videos and overall personality and will continue to watch. I really like your overall story and totally get why you wanted a C4 because of memories. Anyway, I am a fan. I am FX VETTE on CF.
Nice job. You should have covered the tps sensor, they don’t like water. Looks like somebody replaced the brake booster, these are normally black plastic. Good luck replacing the heater core; that’s a stinking job...At least the former owner was honest about it. I have met some people saying they bypassed the heater core because they live in a warm climate🧐 I guess you can remove the wipers too because you never drive in the rain😉
Hi Chris! Really appreciate your content...I learn something new every time even tho I’m 66! I’ve been detailing my cars eng compartments over the years using a similar treatment but with 409 & spray Armorall. Seems to work really well and even makes wiring and harnesses dress up nicely, ‘cept of course for the dust that seeps on. 😫 I will look for your recommended products here in Houston. Again, really like your content, how you explain the details, your knowledge level and mech abilities are terrific. I know your videos are ALWAYS fun to watch so I usually click on them soon as I see one. Great job, good luck, & Merry CHRISTmas my friend!
Great vid I have an 1991 C4 and I have been wanting to clean up my engine bay. So I will be following you and do each step as you have in the future. Thanks so much :D
You don't want to get water on that smog pump. When I hosed mine down, I removed the alternator, etc. and covered any electronics and hosed it down. Then I found the smog pump made noise and was hard to spin. As that water caused the insides to start rusting, and so I had to replace the smog pump with a good used unit. Though that smog pump may have worked fine if I just ran it for a while. You may want to pull the radiator housing that's under the air filter as leaves like to get trapped in there. I looked and mine is like 1/4 full of leaves I'll need to vacuum out. Also every so often, I like to remove the hood latch pieces that your hood release cable connects to. And then I run water in the latches to make sure the drain hole is open. As they like to get clogged sometimes and then in rain you'd possibly get water dumping into the engine bay. Or in the winter the water filling up in there could freeze and prevent you from being able to open the hood. Though you probably won't have those kinds of problems there and with the car in a garage. I've permently left my hood lamps disconnected. Just because I regularly pop the hood to do things and just disconnected them so I don't have to worry about a dead battery.
Love the racks for the cleaning supplies. Had a C4 1984. Same color sold after a year got another C3 after that Cross fire 🔥 system i could never get it right Well off i go. Made the mistake and let a friend drive my C6 w me in the car and he hit my splitter. Bring on the fiberglass and resin .....
I saw the rub marks inside the wheel wells. Those are normal for a C4. My '88 is exactly the same. As the front fiberglass spring ages, the front end bounces a little lower when hitting dips or bumps. The stock tires will lightly bump the inside of the wheel wells. Not really an issue.
Good job Brother! Looks way better! When you get a chance, switch those hood bulbs to LED's. You won't have to worry about battery drainage so much, plus with two high power LED bulbs you'll have great lighting under the hood! Just food for thought Chris... Thumbs up from me as usual... Stay safe... Rico
I have subscribed. When you do the valve covers please do a how to! I want to get in there on mine. Also, you may want to look into roller rockers when you do it + new injectors.
I wish you all the success in the world taking out the valve covers, because you will need it. The driver's side is a real pain in the behind to remove. There's a lot of stuff sitting in the way. But the passenger's side...... no chance! As you can see there is a small EGR pipe that sits over the valve cover. You will need to remove this small pipe first, otherwise you will NOT be able to remove the valve cover. Believe me: I have been there. I really struggeled to loosen the two bolts under the plenum. On the other side the pipe was clamped on the exhaust manifold with a special clamp that only could be removed by completely destroying it. When I tried to move the pipe up, it cracked completely into two pieces. A good friend of mine had to weld a new pipe that sits a lot higher over the valve cover. So in the future I will have space to remove the valve cover if needed. I am writing this just to warn you: it is a real struggle.
@@mycorvettelife my door is starting to sag. I think the bushings in the hinges are no good. I’m going to have a shop do mine though. It pops when I open it and it is starting to cause paint damage too. But I guess it’s just my luck that it is just mine that does that. Lol
Enjoy your channel. I have a 1989 Corvette Black Convertible I purchased new put 100,000 miles on it. Parked it about 15 years ago with cover in my garage in Florida and now in Maine retired, car still,in garage in Florida. Purchase when i turned 40 and paid $32,000 now 73. I am sure I need to remove fuel from tank which I filled before parking. My son in law thinks I am crazy keeping the car this long. They say when you turn 40 a lot of things happen so I bought the Dream car vs finding a girl friend my lawyer said I took the cheaper route. I am interested in a rebirth of the car but where do I start? Budget $6,000 about what that car maybe worth .
That's a very nice car. I totally agree with you on the engine detail about only using light pressure water. Although I'm 59 and I've never covered a alternator, and never had an issue. And on the Omni Spark, I totally agree with you. I have a 94 and am afraid to even spit in it's general direction.
Heh Chris, haven't seen your truck lately only Breezy's vehicle. You still have the truck, right? Noticed when you were moving the C4 outside that from the front of the front tires to the front of the car sure is long. (Wow was that a mouth full). You know what I mean. Well at least you have a start detailing under the hood. I'm confident that in the end of that area it will look fabulous. I have to admit I've never been a fan of the C4 Generation except the last ZR1. You know, the blue one with the wide strip. Looking forward to watching your future transformation of the C4. Love your work and patience to detail. Steve
Really looking good, I've been watching for about a year or so and I've learned so much. I went out and brought me a C5 last year and I can't wait to start working on it.
Consider adding a simple switch to turn-off the under-hood lights, or replace them with aftermarket LED lights with a built-in switch. You can just unplug these light bulbs - but be careful, as they get really hot. Also, my 87 C4 ate car batteries every 2-3 years, due to high parasitic current draw that’s mostly due to the anti-theft system that stays on when the car sits. So, using a battery charger/keeper attached is a good idea if the car is not driven for more than a week. Be real careful if you disassemble the tuned port intake assembly. Even after using WD-40, I broke-off one of the cap head bolts, then had to use an Easy-out tool. Since then, I’ve switched to “Blaster” penetrating catalyst with much better results. 🤓
New to your channel because I’m close to a deal on a 95 C4 Convertible. Sold my C7 early and waiting to have my ticket punched to order the 21 C8. That said, I’m learning where the warts are on the C4 which i hope will bridge the vette gap. So what years did GM install Opti-Spark on the car? I know that the 96 was a significant change but wasn’t sure about exactly what the part was. Distributor and coil?? What else should I be concerned about on the LT1 engine and the 95 model year?
Can anyone suggest the best parts source for OEM( or near OEM) replacement for cooling fan, relay and temperature switch for my old '86. Maybe even something on the order of a parade fan that I can control as needed ? Nicely done video Chris. Also noticed you used one of the best all around degreaser. Simple Green; that's a non-toxic, non- flammable ecosystem friendly- smell good & wash it down the driveway product.
I JUST SUBSCRIBED TO THE CHANNEL. I JUST BOUGHT A 88 VETTE CONVERTIBLE. MY QUESTION , HOW WOULD YOU CLEAN THE RUST OFF THE VIN? WHAT CAUSES THAT. IVE SEEN MANY WITH THIS LOOK. THANK YOU FOR THE CONTENT. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND THE FAMILY.
@@mycorvettelife Thank you for responding. Any suggestions on what to use on the vin plate, once the windshield comes out? Thank you again for the content. I've watched almost half of your videos. Catch you on the next video. Stay safe, and have a great year in 2023.
Now I am not so afraid to get under the hood of mine wet. Also get yourself a trickle charger and hook up the car whenever the hood is open or it is not going to be in use for 7-10 days. Beats disconnecting the hood lights all the time. That car will eat batteries if you are not careful. The car has a parasitic draw even with the hood closed. Mine sits on the charger all winter and fires up in the spring first crank.
L-98, L89 was an old big block. i have browned a set of those valve covers my self some sort of cleaner that did it when it was warm... hate to see it. good video man.
I did use water to wash my later model C4 (with the opti-spark) ......not a good idea. I left it to dry in the sun for a few hours and got away with it. My bad.
See, I went to buy that wash kit that chemical guys sells, but had changed my mind because there is a pic of a viper on there. But I guess it’s just a pic.
For my 1989 convertible, I replaced the underhood bulbs with LED units. Super cheap from Amazon and installed in minutes. With hood raised for five hours at a car show, the lamps are still cool to the touch, with negligible battery drain and no problem starting the engine.
I went through and replaced every single bulb except the headlights with LEDS. The power drain just on the IP is crazy with the halogen or xenons.
Nice c4.
I got mine last year.
I love it so far. It’s a 91. 6 speed. All black.
I love my 2020 Corvette stingray spider with 3LT Z-51 package
Thanks stay tuned for the Build we are going to do 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I use simple 'DAWN dish soap' works great on grease spilled birds and c-4 corvettes..
Thanks Chris, I got some work ahead of me!
So far so good Chris. It's look'n good. As to the under-hood lights, it's easy enough to install a button switch for each one. You never know when you may want to show off the engine at a car show when it's dark, or, if you're traveling and you think "something" is going on with the motor, a little lighting without having to mess with plugging them back into the harness might be a tad easier. Just a thought. Save the Wave👋👋
Dawn dishwashing detergent works well too. It’s also an awesome degreaser.
96 owner. Sure enjoy your C4 content. Cheers !
you have a wealth of knowledge about the c4 corvette. I'm just learning. Greetings from Poland
Chris, I'm glad you found another project. You continue to make great how-to videos on C5s and C4s. I have been following you since you started, back when I had a C5. I've moved on to a C7, but I'm still intrigued by your videos and overall personality and will continue to watch. I really like your overall story and totally get why you wanted a C4 because of memories.
Anyway, I am a fan. I am FX VETTE on CF.
Nice job, Ill be doing that to my C4 tomorrow
Nice job. You should have covered the tps sensor, they don’t like water. Looks like somebody replaced the brake booster, these are normally black plastic. Good luck replacing the heater core; that’s a stinking job...At least the former owner was honest about it. I have met some people saying they bypassed the heater core because they live in a warm climate🧐 I guess you can remove the wipers too because you never drive in the rain😉
Good luck with the heater core replacement. Had to replace mine on my 85 C4. Really not a fun job.
I got my own c4 project, an 85!
It came out nice. I like detailing cars. It's therapeutic.
Hi Chris! Really appreciate your content...I learn something new every time even tho I’m 66! I’ve been detailing my cars eng compartments over the years using a similar treatment but with 409 & spray Armorall. Seems to work really well and even makes wiring and harnesses dress up nicely, ‘cept of course for the dust that seeps on. 😫 I will look for your recommended products here in Houston. Again, really like your content, how you explain the details, your knowledge level and mech abilities are terrific. I know your videos are ALWAYS fun to watch so I usually click on them soon as I see one. Great job, good luck, & Merry CHRISTmas my friend!
Great vid I have an 1991 C4 and I have been wanting to clean up my engine bay. So I will be following you and do each step as you have in the future. Thanks so much :D
Clean up detail is my favorite thing to do
I’m new to your channel , I like it. I don’t own a corvette yet . Starting my research and learning a lot from your videos .
Love the c4 project Chris, would like to get a 2006 anniversary edition down the road.
Very nice job Chris.I use to have a C4-89 but change to C-5 conv-99.Good work and Hello from Sweden.
You don't want to get water on that smog pump. When I hosed mine down, I removed the alternator, etc. and covered any electronics and hosed it down. Then I found the smog pump made noise and was hard to spin. As that water caused the insides to start rusting, and so I had to replace the smog pump with a good used unit. Though that smog pump may have worked fine if I just ran it for a while.
You may want to pull the radiator housing that's under the air filter as leaves like to get trapped in there. I looked and mine is like 1/4 full of leaves I'll need to vacuum out. Also every so often, I like to remove the hood latch pieces that your hood release cable connects to. And then I run water in the latches to make sure the drain hole is open. As they like to get clogged sometimes and then in rain you'd possibly get water dumping into the engine bay. Or in the winter the water filling up in there could freeze and prevent you from being able to open the hood. Though you probably won't have those kinds of problems there and with the car in a garage.
I've permently left my hood lamps disconnected. Just because I regularly pop the hood to do things and just disconnected them so I don't have to worry about a dead battery.
Love the racks for the cleaning supplies. Had a C4 1984. Same color sold after a year got another C3 after that Cross fire 🔥 system i could never get it right Well off i go. Made the mistake and let a friend drive my C6 w me in the car and he hit my splitter. Bring on the fiberglass and resin .....
I saw the rub marks inside the wheel wells. Those are normal for a C4. My '88 is exactly the same. As the front fiberglass spring ages, the front end bounces a little lower when hitting dips or bumps. The stock tires will lightly bump the inside of the wheel wells. Not really an issue.
Hello Greg, same here. My 1987 C4 has the same marks.
That foam tire cleaner that you just spray and let it do it's thing works fantastic.
Looks nice Chris perfect i enjoyed.
I find a relatelvely narrow toilet brush is great to clean engine bays since you can just shove them in to clean it
Looking good Chris. Nice job!
Good job Brother! Looks way better! When you get a chance, switch those hood bulbs to LED's. You won't have to worry about battery drainage so much, plus with two high power LED bulbs you'll have great lighting under the hood! Just food for thought Chris... Thumbs up from me as usual... Stay safe... Rico
I'm enjoying this one so far. I just found your channel today. Subbing!
I’ve got over 300 C5 videos as well. Check them out! Thanks for watching.
I have subscribed. When you do the valve covers please do a how to! I want to get in there on mine. Also, you may want to look into roller rockers when you do it + new injectors.
One of the hardest job on a C4 is to replace the heater core!
By pass it
Literraly just bypassed mine yesterday
The joke is that on the C4 assembly line job one was a heater core and the car got built around it.
Amazing channel 👌
Thank you so much 👍
WOW very kool great info.,,1st class AAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++ again great video I liked it a lot keep up the great work.
I wish you all the success in the world taking out the valve covers, because you will need it. The driver's side is a real pain in the behind to remove. There's a lot of stuff sitting in the way. But the passenger's side...... no chance! As you can see there is a small EGR pipe that sits over the valve cover. You will need to remove this small pipe first, otherwise you will NOT be able to remove the valve cover. Believe me: I have been there. I really struggeled to loosen the two bolts under the plenum. On the other side the pipe was clamped on the exhaust manifold with a special clamp that only could be removed by completely destroying it. When I tried to move the pipe up, it cracked completely into two pieces. A good friend of mine had to weld a new pipe that sits a lot higher over the valve cover. So in the future I will have space to remove the valve cover if needed. I am writing this just to warn you: it is a real struggle.
Chris, do know what size cam would be good for a C4 and a rough guess what it would cost 😉
I still waiting for you to do a video on replacing the door hinges on the c5. Can’t wait for more of the c4 videos.
Why do you need to replace the door hinges? I’ve literally never heard of anyone doing this.
@@mycorvettelife my door is starting to sag. I think the bushings in the hinges are no good. I’m going to have a shop do mine though. It pops when I open it and it is starting to cause paint damage too. But I guess it’s just my luck that it is just mine that does that. Lol
Enjoy your channel. I have a 1989 Corvette Black Convertible I purchased new put 100,000 miles on it. Parked it about 15 years ago with cover in my garage in Florida and now in Maine retired, car still,in garage in Florida. Purchase when i turned 40 and paid $32,000 now 73. I am sure I need to remove fuel from tank which I filled before parking. My son in law thinks I am crazy keeping the car this long. They say when you turn 40 a lot of things happen so I bought the Dream car vs finding a girl friend my lawyer said I took the cheaper route. I am interested in a rebirth of the car but where do I start? Budget $6,000 about what that car maybe worth .
Looks great!
I enjoyed the vid cool C4 I got a 90 convertible do a video when you can on fuel injectors and water pump thanks.
That's a very nice car. I totally agree with you on the engine detail about only using light pressure water. Although I'm 59 and I've never covered a alternator, and never had an issue. And on the Omni Spark, I totally agree with you. I have a 94 and am afraid to even spit in it's general direction.
I just bought a 93, can I take it through the car wash?
I bring my 88 convertible through. But I do no touch option, no brushes.
Great Video Thanks 😊
Has your 1988 have a distributor cap in the back of the engine
Heh Chris, haven't seen your truck lately only Breezy's vehicle. You still have the truck, right?
Noticed when you were moving the C4 outside that from the front of the front tires to the front of the car sure is long. (Wow was that a mouth full). You know what I mean.
Well at least you have a start detailing under the hood. I'm confident that in the end of that area it will look fabulous.
I have to admit I've never been a fan of the C4 Generation except the last ZR1. You know, the blue one with the wide strip.
Looking forward to watching your future transformation of the C4. Love your work and patience to detail.
Steve
Yep I still have the truck.
Great job😎👍🏾💯🔥
You have a ton of patience to get those little details under the hood!
Where did you get those wall racks on this video?
Looks like there is some tire rub on the underside of the hood on both sides. Car looks good
Love your C5 and now the C4! 👍🏽 Any plans in dropping the C4 in the future?
Where'd you get those chemical racks? I've been looking everywhere for them.
Summit
Does my 86 c4 have opti spark? Great video 💯
No
Really looking good, I've been watching for about a year or so and I've learned so much. I went out and brought me a C5 last year and I can't wait to start working on it.
I think yours is a L98 engine not L89(you said).. I own a 1987 c4.. Like your Vette. Good Video.
Yes, L98.
What about the optispark??? Is this not a good idea?
4:41 Don't even think of doing this with a LT1 C4 you would kill the opti.
my hood lights have switches to turn them on or off... is that not normal? I haven't researched it
Replace all filters and fluids, wonder when the rear diff was last done?
Consider adding a simple switch to turn-off the under-hood lights, or replace them with aftermarket LED lights with a built-in switch. You can just unplug these light bulbs - but be careful, as they get really hot. Also, my 87 C4 ate car batteries every 2-3 years, due to high parasitic current draw that’s mostly due to the anti-theft system that stays on when the car sits. So, using a battery charger/keeper attached is a good idea if the car is not driven for more than a week.
Be real careful if you disassemble the tuned port intake assembly. Even after using WD-40, I broke-off one of the cap head bolts, then had to use an Easy-out tool. Since then, I’ve switched to “Blaster” penetrating catalyst with much better results. 🤓
I am also a fan of PB Blaster!
Do you know any one that has in stock a oil seal repair kit for the rack and pinion on the 1989 C4 Corvette?
If the hood is down will the lights under the hood turn off thanks
Yes
Had a 84 c4 battery was fun to change I've had a c5 for 13 years
All I did was take the small panel loose and then take out the sma rubber block.
I am curious what kind of topics are coming up...👍🏼👍🏼
New to your channel because I’m close to a deal on a 95 C4 Convertible. Sold my C7 early and waiting to have my ticket punched to order the 21 C8. That said, I’m learning where the warts are on the C4 which i hope will bridge the vette gap.
So what years did GM install Opti-Spark on the car? I know that the 96 was a significant change but wasn’t sure about exactly what the part was. Distributor and coil??
What else should I be concerned about on the LT1 engine and the 95 model year?
Can anyone suggest the best parts source for OEM( or near OEM) replacement for cooling fan, relay and temperature switch for my old '86. Maybe even something on the order of a parade fan that I can control as needed ? Nicely done video Chris. Also noticed you used one of the best all around degreaser. Simple Green; that's a non-toxic, non- flammable ecosystem friendly- smell good & wash it down the driveway product.
Rock Auto
guess it's safe to hose/wash the engine now no worry for optispark distributor damage
This car doesn’t have OptiSpark. It’s a L98. Only LT1/4 have OptiSpark.
Lol i detailed my 88 yesterday too
I JUST SUBSCRIBED TO THE CHANNEL. I JUST BOUGHT A 88 VETTE CONVERTIBLE. MY QUESTION , HOW WOULD YOU CLEAN THE RUST OFF THE VIN? WHAT CAUSES THAT. IVE SEEN MANY WITH THIS LOOK. THANK YOU FOR THE CONTENT. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND THE FAMILY.
Only way to do it is remove the windshield. Condensation over the years causes it.
@@mycorvettelife Thank you for responding. Any suggestions on what to use on the vin plate, once the windshield comes out? Thank you again for the content. I've watched almost half of your videos. Catch you on the next video.
Stay safe, and have a great year in 2023.
Good luck with that heater core. You have to to take the dashboard out to replace it.
Yikes
Would you use the same products from the C5 on your C4?
You can, as long as it is a 84-90 car. 91-96 cars with Optispark cant use water.
@@mycorvettelife ok thank you im a lil scared to wash my engine
How to clean 1994 c4 engine bay?
Now I am not so afraid to get under the hood of mine wet. Also get yourself a trickle charger and hook up the car whenever the hood is open or it is not going to be in use for 7-10 days. Beats disconnecting the hood lights all the time. That car will eat batteries if you are not careful. The car has a parasitic draw even with the hood closed. Mine sits on the charger all winter and fires up in the spring first crank.
L-98, L89 was an old big block. i have browned a set of those valve covers my self some sort of cleaner that did it when it was warm... hate to see it. good video man.
Are you going to tackle the heater core yourself?
Yep
I did use water to wash my later model C4 (with the opti-spark) ......not a good idea. I left it to dry in the sun for a few hours and got away with it. My bad.
See, I went to buy that wash kit that chemical guys sells, but had changed my mind because there is a pic of a viper on there. But I guess it’s just a pic.
what year is this car? no info anywhere
88
do mine next lol
The brown color of the valve cover are not original???
Nope
Good to know. Wow I always thought that was the original color.
They are made of magnesium and turn brown from the heat after time.
@@mycorvettelife Thank you for informing us about this detail. New project for my dad's 86 Vette.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO REPLACE THOSE ORIGINAL BILSTENS BEFORE YOUR TEETH RATTLE OUT
I plan on it.
7
You said at beginning L89 motor,you meant L98 right? 5.7 L tpi? I have same motor in my Formula 350
You can do so much better then Chemical Guys products, they are consumer level stuff , nothing great at all