Project black hole sun.

Dorsetsteve

Well-known user
On Wednesday I made the journey from Dorset up to Hull in a hired Ford Puma, what a hateful little car that was! Not built around the driver in any sense. The dreary drive was worth it as I arrived in Hull around half 9 in the morning to look at a C6 I’d been discussing with its owner. This one ticked a lot of boxes, firstly I wanted a black one, it was under budget and most importantly it was manual. The deal was done and I was home around 6pm with the whole return leg in one stint, having had to learn to drive a LHD car and to boot it being manual with the wrong hand, it was five hours of learning. Safely home I’m now the owner of a black 2006 C6 narrow body model.
IMG_9655.jpeg
It’s not perfect. There’s a few gremlins of which the most pressing is;
Reverse does not engage with the engine running. This seems to be related to a solenoid on the box.
The car’s been converted over to coilovers and was previously a mag ride car, so there’s an error code for the “missing suspension”.
There’s a power steering leak. I’ve ordered some UV dye to diagnose the source. Unfortunately the ABS unit is in my way.

Going to fix these issues first and then progress to the service items. There seems to be plenty of meat on the pads and disks but they’re not the best breaks. So that will be on the list. There also appears to be no oil or power steering fluid coolers so that will on the list. The Anti Roll bars look like pipe cleaners so there on the list.
Cosmetically the rear spoiler is the diddy centre one, which is carbon fibre effect. That will get replaced by the Z06 style one with a front splitter to complement.
 

Chevrolet

CCCUK Member
Looks nice in black. Can't see any headlight washers on the front, so presume its a US spec car? If so, did you get a CARFAX report on it? Is it a Z51 option car?
 

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
You might luck out, check the fuse in engine bay as I show below
If not check that the 2 wires at tranny, connected to reverse lockout
See if getting 12 volts from fuse to the lockout
Ground is switched by the PCM to lockout
Or wiring from the PCM all the way to the lockout
Lockout is bad, could be tested


Worse case, syncro for reverse go wacked, and all ass end has to come out :-(

C6reverselockoutb.jpg
 
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Dorsetsteve

Well-known user
Looks nice in black. Can't see any headlight washers on the front, so presume its a US spec car? If so, did you get a CARFAX report on it? Is it a Z51 option car?
It’s actually been here in the U.K. for a few years, if memory serves me correctly 2019. Californian car. There’s very little information about the cars origin really.
 

Dorsetsteve

Well-known user
You might luck out, check the fuse in engine bay as I show below
If not check that the 2 wires at tranny, connected to reverse lockout
See if getting 12 volts from fuse to the lockout
Ground is switched by the PCM to lockout
Or wiring from the PCM all the way to the lockout
Lockout is bad, could be tested


Worse case, syncro for reverse go wacked, and all ass end has to come out :-(

View attachment 32683
That’s very useful thanks. I had found the fuse while doing some research but had yet to test. I was wondering which way the solenoid operated. I’m hoping that its something simple, if it were the synchro id expect it to crunch on the way out (engine running) or be able to get it in with some determination like shifting without a clutch but it simply will not go there with the engine on. It also holds in gear nicely once in. I should really see if it will go into gear with the accessory live but the engine off.
 
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teamzr1

Supporting vendor
The lockout is up high of tranny
so you could take it out and then with wires connected have someone put in reverse and see if the plunger goes in and out
with it out and at idle can that allow putting in reverse and see if tranny than allows reverse with engine running ?

lockout.jpg
 

Dorsetsteve

Well-known user
I’m sure experienced owners will be able to point some missing or erroneous items here?
The fuse box below the battery is insecure.
There’s clearly a missing shroud over the rad.
IMG_9674.jpeg
 

teamzr1

Supporting vendor
They may have been racing this C6
That is not a stock aircleaner housing and took the shroud off to get cooler outside air in
I would be looking at the condition of the air cleaner as that was a ill quality designed housing and caused air leaks

The black box in your photo to the left of the battery is the fuse panel
Need a photo on the side to see what you're seeing, further below battery hidden would be the PCM (engine controller)

Questioning why engine bay is so dirty and the case of the alternator is very odd as looks like water causing the case to turn like that

Compare to my older 1999, yours looks like sloppy owner never maintaining the car or a flood car ?

TZR1CAI.jpg
 

Dorsetsteve

Well-known user
I think tbh, that looks pretty average for a car here, salted roads in winter and massive humidity mean everything corrodes. The car’s been living up on the the north west coast, could see the sea from the previous owners front door.
 
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teamzr1

Supporting vendor
The shroud is needed as it creates pressure for the cooling fans to work correctly
What is that stuff I point to ?
If it is trash than can assume the A/C condenser and radiator get less flow and requires they be flushed out

There are products that are for high temps areas that are clear and spray over engine bay parts that would
prevent them from getting degraded from where you live


IMG_9674.jpg
 

Dorsetsteve

Well-known user
The shroud is needed as it creates pressure for the cooling fans to work correctly
What is that stuff I point to ?
If it is trash than can assume the A/C condenser and radiator get less flow and requires they be flushed out

There are products that are for high temps areas that are clear and spray over engine bay parts that would
prevent them from getting degraded from where you live


View attachment 32703
Gravel. Car was on a shingle driveway when the photo was taken.
 

Dorsetsteve

Well-known user
I haven’t had time to get the car up off the floor yet, Kids have been on an east egg hunt today. I did manage to fit the spoiler last night, massive improvement in my opinion, cars still filthy from the drive home. Il have a dig around, not sure what they did with the rear fog light for compliance but id like to configure so the back up lights become one for back up and one for fog.
IMG_9684.jpeg
I also took the car to the supermarket just to keep me driving it, getting used to it etc. I added two further things to the diagnostic list which the reverse issue. It does go into reverse same as if it’s off with the accessory live. I can also force it into reverse with the engine running, it’s tight but it will go and does not crunch.
 
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