It seems they'd rather not even address the issue!

Ken · 09-13-04, 06:17 PM

I was just reading through my service manual for the 1987 model year Corvette... Hey, what else have I got to do? Me, a fainéant, all alone with nothing but time on his hands.

Anyhow, I discovered that GM, in its infinite wisdom, chose to not even include written instructions for changing the bulbs in the tailights of the early C4s - the ones with the attaching screws for the lenses located on the inside of the rear bumper fascia. They cover all of the other bulb change-out procedures, but not for the tailights; it's "Figure 8B-9" and "Figure 8B-10" then skips to "Figure 8B-12" and on up from there. There is a "Figure 8B-11" which depicts the taillight assemblies and associated wiring, but the funny thing is that it includes both set-ups; that is, they depict one set-up showing the screws attaching the lenses from the inside, while the other diagram in the same figure shows them attaching the lense with screws installed from the outside of the lenses.

How do they expect people to help themselves if the instructions aren't there?

Even the Helm, Inc. people were confused on that one, eh?

c4cruiser · 09-13-04, 06:42 PM

Probably because they would also have to include a step to show how to go find the first aid kit, stop the bleeding and cover the scrapes on your skin!! o

Do you have the white covered manual or the red cover?? The white cover edition is supposed to have been a "preliminary" version that would not have had any final changes.

The 8B-11 pic is strange. I bet it was in there so if GM decided to make the lenses removeable from the outside, they would have it covered.

Ken · 09-13-04, 06:59 PM

The white book.

Moonunit 451 · 09-13-04, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken

The white book.

I have the white ones and also understand that they are the preliminary editions, not the final product which was released in Red. These are the GM shop maunuals, not the owners manual Ken

And I don't even own and 87

Ken · 09-13-04, 08:34 PM

Semantics. I suppose I should have paused before I spoke.

Moonunit 451 · 09-13-04, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken

Semantics. I suppose I should have paused before I spoke.

Speaking of semantics, and I hate to seem like a dolt here, but what is a "fainéant"?

Ken · 09-13-04, 09:09 PM

fai·né·ant (fa´na-äN?) adjective
Given to doing nothing; idle. See synonyms at lazy.

noun
An irresponsible idler; a sluggard.

[French, alteration (influenced by fait néant, does nothing), of Old French faignant, idler from present participle of faindre, feindre, to feign. See feign.]

Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V., further reproduction and distribution restricted in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.

Moonunit 451 · 09-14-04, 12:10 AM

Thanks Ken! Now fiegn I know, but wadayasay we keep the french crap outa hea?

Ya lazy shiftless, well, you're a great guy Ken

And I can't type or spell for, well you know

edit, edit, edit, where's the spell checker?

582Boat · 10-14-04, 09:43 AM

Happen to run into this thread and wanted to add my comments, the latest manual for the C5 (1999 Vette) there are no step by step procedures of replacing a air conditioner tenenioner and idle pulley. They tell you how to release the pressure on the tenenioner, but not how to get to the bolts for removal and replacement. There is very little space to remove or replace the tenenioner due to the transmissions lines. Doc