r/C5Corvette

I’m definitely not a mechanic, but this car was my Dad’s, and every chance I get to turn a wrench on it feels like another adventure with him there in spirit.

Huge shoutout to the Corvette community. The forums and threads are always full of people encouraging owners to learn, be patient, and get the job done. That confidence goes a long way.

This project started as plugs and wires and quickly became a reminder that a 20+ year old car always has surprises 😂. The old AC Delco wires were cooked — brittle, stuck to the plugs, and a couple fought me every step of the way. Stayed patient, worked them loose, and all 8 plugs came out clean.

Of course the Corvette had one more challenge waiting… bumped the original engine coolant temp sensor during the wire change and the old plastic housing broke off. Turned into another mini adventure and another new part upgraded 😎.

New plugs, new wires, new sensor, smooth idle, and a little more confidence gained.

Biggest lesson: stay positive, stay patient, and lean on this awesome Corvette community. These cars are meant to be enjoyed, drive, and worked on.

Love being a Vette owner. I know my dad is smiling ear to ear. ❤️

‘03, 33k miles. Had a wobble. Pretty bad. Got that engine up as high as it would go, carefully, dropped the cradle a lot more than I thought would be needed. Old mounts were 1/2” shorter than the new. Car is totally different. Love it. Thankful nothing was bent or broken when it was done 🙌🙏

I ordered wires and 9 plugs in case I had a problem with one. I know they are pre-gapped but two look wonky.

Used a quad lock magnetic mount and their knuckle adapter on the Course Motorsports bracket. Overall it works well and has the phone in a good position.

Now if only I could get the stock radio to do Bluetooth instead of using an fm adapter.

Hi guys! Brand new 2001 C5 LS1 4L60E owner here. Been working on JDM/Motorcycles but never any American stuff. Specially with a big ol v8. I started working on a Cherokee and the deal on this rat chewed Vette was too good to pass up.

Anyone know how many harnesses there are and which controls what?

Rats got to the harness and not really sure which harness is which and what it does. I know I need an “engine” harness and probably a “front”? harness, as the headlights do not work at all nor does the ABS or any active component pertaining to traction and suspension control and so far with the research I’ve done, its tied with the headlight harness?? Also what’s the difference with the front ABS/EBCM harness vs the rear ABS/EBCM harness? Are they both needed or trim specific?

Also I’m currently firing 5/8 cylinders. Will do a leak down test asap and a compression test. But she sounds amazing and starts right up even on 5/8. Physically see chewed up spots on the driver side close by the 2 non-firing cylinders so it makes sense. Right passenger side was filled with toooo much pine needle to even see the harness.

With all that being said. Which harness should I replace first? The transmission harness seems to work fine. I’ve yet to test the brake lights and tail lights since I have no one to help me with that.

But I got every single light on the dash and the only codes I consistently get are these two: P0300 random / multiple cylinder misfires and P0481 for the fan 2 control.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

TLDR: Need help prioritizing which harness to replace to get the car running and driving and what the harness is.

I am looking into getting this 2002 C5 ZO6 that I found on FB marketplace. The description is as follows:

“2002 z06 c5 corvette 6spd Clean Texas title 126k miles
Long tube headers and cam
Car runs and drives but has to be push started to drive it (starter housing has a crack on it) still cleans up pretty good …
Looking to trade for something daily or 8500”

I am a younger guy trying to get into a C5 but I wanted to get some advice from mor experienced folk.

The only other C5s in my budget are auto transmissions.

Hey there! I’ve got a ‘98 and I was curious if there’s anything I could do to this car to make it more road trip friendly or more reliable? Done with power mods for now, just wanna drive it! Mods in comments

I bought my 2003 coupe last July. No airbox has a cold air intake. I see a hose tucked in the left front side and am wondering if this is why I get the code.

Bought it for 3500. Runs and drives good for some reason 100k miles t56

23 year old neglected paint. 5” orbital, m105, m205, wax. Turned out beautiful!

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Hey everyone,

I’m looking to finally join the club and I have my eyes on a 1999 C5 Coupe. The car has 196,000 km (roughly 121,000 miles) on the clock. It just had a major service done, including a new water pump and new belts.

There are two things that stand out to me right now, one good and one slightly concerning, and I'd love some real-world input from guys who actually own these early models.

The Good:

The seller was smart enough to swap the battery to a leak-proof/sealed AGM battery. Since I know the original acid batteries loved to leak directly onto the PCM and wiring harness below the tray, I’m hoping this means the main brain of the car has been saved from the acid bath.

The Bad:

There is a whining/squealing noise coming from the engine bay. I haven't done the water spray test yet, so I'm not sure if it's just a dried-out idler pulley/tensioner, the harmonic balancer wobbling, or the power steering pump whining. (Any bets on what it usually is at this mileage?)

My main question for you early C5 owners:**

I’ve done my research and I know the '97-'00 models get a lot of hate because the EBCM (ABS module) is potted, unrepairable, and discontinued. I also know about the steering column lock issue and the ground splice packs getting corroded.

Because I live in Europe, converting to the 2001+ EBCM system will cost me an absolute fortune in shipping and import taxes for the parts.

So, how bad are the electrical gremlins *truly* in the real world?

If the EBCM has survived 121k miles without throwing a C1214 code, is it just a ticking time bomb, or do some of them actually last?

Are you guys constantly chasing ground faults, or is it blown out of proportion on the forums?

I really want this car, but I don't want to buy a 25-year-old electrical nightmare. Give it to me straight. Thanks!

Next upgrade will be exhaust...what do you guys recommend.? Considering Corsa Extreme, Billy Boat PRT and also looking at Black Widow as an option. Love to hear your thoughts. Still running stock Ti exhaust. Long tubes and X pipe

...of course.

No or low drone desired.

I took my c5 to Chevy and had the ignition recall done on mine because it had not and free so why not
Well honestly it seems like they didn’t do anything other than have my car for 4 hours and break a couple plastic trim pieces.
Is it normal for my switch to set like this? I swear it was perfectly vertical before