You're a walking encyclopedia of Corvettes. I enjoy hearing your opinions on our beloved cars.

Hi, I've got a1991 C4 with L98. It's had 1 owner before me,just over 32000 miles at present, Bright Red, Black Leather, Transparent Roof. Absolute stunning condition. I absolutely love it. 👍👍👍

I do not even own a Corvette yet and I stil have enjoyed watching this four times!

My first Corvette was a 1991. I loved it, and the L98 😉

My 94 is my prize possession and I absolutely love it

Good information as usual... My sweet spot is 1985-1988. I find these cars VERY easy to diagnose and work on, and I prefer the earlier exterior. I love the ATARI dash and had it rebuilt for only $350. I like the earlier C4s because they have fewer electronic gadgets. I love the simplicity of my 1985 Vette: No ABS, VATS, Electronic AC Control, TPMS, ASR, FX3, etc... However the 85 has a i year only ECM that is slower than the ECM in my 88..... One thing you should note: 94-95 were not truly OBD2. They had an OBD2 connector but still OBD1 codes. You could not jumper to read codes and you needed a special adapter for a Tech1 scanner. That was a bad hodgepodge by GM. I would avoid 94-95 because of this.

Can't forget about the '96 manual transmission cars getting the LT4 motor, which was just as quick as the early LS1 C5

Had an 85 and now a 92. Both pristine low miles. The 85 felt more solid like a tank. The 92 just not as solid but faster with the new engine that year obviously. I love them both and for 10k you can’t have more fun and reliability in a car.

I own an 87 and its an absolute incredible car. Never ever had any issue with it. LOVE IT

I own a 1990 ZR-1, I paid 5k for this bad boy. It had been sitting for several years. After doing fuel pumps, fuel filter and injectors and a oil change, along with plugs she fired right up. Also did brakes, instrument cluster rebuild, clutch slave and master cylinder. She has been on the road since June 2020 and have racked up 3500 miles and she is a blast to drive, running great. I'm loving this LT5, I still have cosmetic work to do but mechanically she is stout. Love my 1990.👍👍🏁🏁 Enjoy your videos, get right to the point, great information. This is my first C4, I was looking for a vette for a while and never really considered a C4, but my ZR-1 presented itself and as soon as I opened the clamshell it was over, paid the man and bought her home. I have to say after diving in to fix this car, I was/am amazed with the engineering that went into this machine. I'm glad I chose this C4, it's a blast to drive and I really enjoy it. I'm not sure why the C4 catches so much crap, they are very affordable, relatively cheap to work on(ZR-1 NOT INCLUDED) and a very important part in Corvette history. Long live the C4.

I do love this C4 Corvette! Even with all its quirks. Most people forget this is the car that made the so called supercars go back to the drawing board and step their game up and this is an actual fact

Mind blown I was thinking about going on youtube to search for this and it pop up in my recommend. KZfaq read my mind.

I just scored a 1994 for almost nothing. This video is a blessing. You will be hearing from me soon!!!

I have a 90 6spd that I put a LOT of work into over the last 3 years or so. I bought your SuperPro suspension bushing kit, and it made a huge difference in drivability and handling. Was well worth the effort. I've replaced the water pump, timing chain and gears, oil pump, 2 wheel hubs, exhaust, lowering kit, 18" wheels/tires, steering wheel, rebuilt steering column, replaced heater control valve and climate control brain, heater core, replaced all hoses, VATS bypass, clutch, rebuilt diff, trans shim, I-beam reinforced mounts, air pump delete, oil pressure sender, rear main seal, shocks. I know I'm way upside down in it, but it was essentially therapy for me and a good distraction from some of life that was welcome then. Still has it's quirky idiot light issues that will not go away, but it runs and drives great now - and that was my goal. May not be a C7 that I would rather have, but I'll take it. A very rewarding car to work on (most of the time).

I'ld love to get my hands on a '89 6 Speed. L98, old interior, old exterior, love it. I think I've to import it to Germany next year.

Thank you, Lyle, for passing on your knowledge/expertise in regard to the C4, this will be very helpful in my search.

Just bought rare greenwood 1991 c4 corvette with L98 engine and 25000 mileage. Its amazing car

Bought my 96 back in May and all i can say is that it is a blast to drive. My dad is a huge corvette fan and when he is with me he does not want to take any other vehicle besides the corvette. So it is a bonding moment with him.

1991 is my favorite of the C4's.

Lyle, can't thank you enough. Having a C4 was always a dream for me but had to raise a family and save for college etc. Now it's my time finally. Found an 94 with 31K original miles in amazing condition. Everything works as should and I gave $12.5K for her. A little pricey but not a lot of prestine low mileage ones around with all service records. You will be my go to for parts for sure. Only driven it 150 miles so far but it is a beast.

Great informative video Lyle ! I bought a nice `88 auto coupe last January - and like Lyle said here, it needed a few things like tires, tune-up, belt, MAF relays and the seat leathers replaced but I now have a great fun every weekend cruiser that didn't break the bank and it gets thumbs up all the time. Love my L98 grunt around town and on the highway.

Greetings from a German '95 Lt1 6 speed manual guy 💪 Here in Germany those are quite rare and I had the opportunity to get one (US model) nearby (south Germany). Admittedly I aspired to one of those as I wanted to enter the 300hp club 😄 With the combination of 285 rear and 255 front tyres it just handles so stable. Nice video 👍

96 LT4 #1

The C4 cars get no respect, good deals can be had

Great discussion of the C4 group. I have an '87 coupe, my first vette, that I love to drive. It has some problems but hopefully, I am close to figuring them out. And It is nice to hear you like the L98.

Thanks Lyle! '95 here...Please keep doing the videos! You have helped me out a bunch!

Bought my first American car, Corvette 93 LT1 automatic. Am-a-zing car! Needs alot of love but runs and drives great! Thanks for this video and greetings from the Netherlands!

So, I have a 1981 and a 1979 Corvette. And I couldn’t be happier. Are they perfect? Absolutely not. Do they run? Oh yeah! Have they been projects? Every step of the way. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I could write pages of information about what I’ve done to the cars… I work on them myself. Learned a ton. And I just keep going because this is too much fun. I dreamed of these cars when I was in high school graduating in 1977. But who had the money on a two dollar and50 Cent an hour job.? Now I have enough money to afford a car that I’ve been in love with since I was a kid. I hope the same happens for those of you who are dreaming about these cars. It’s totally worth it…

Actually, the 95 and 95 C4s have an improved OptiSpark design. Yes, it is under the water pump, but GM improved the design and made it more resistant to damage if there is a water pump leak. My '95 C4 has over 153,000 miles. Routine maintenance is critical and getting ahead of the usual trouble spots that you'll have on any car can keep you from getting stranded. Use top tier gas, use good quality oil and filter, change gas filter, lube the front end (C4s have grease fittings) replace battery before it dies (~ 5 years), etc.....

I was recently given a 95C4 and I'm loving it, had to learn about a few parts quickly, but now she's coming together. Your knowledge is incredible, thanks for you bring to the Corvette world.

My 91 had the ECM problem you described. I’d be driving along, all’s well, and out of nowhere it would die, or shudder like a wheel came half off, and the OBD I interface didn’t tell me jack about what the problem was. Thankfully I had Corvette Forum and other online resources to fall back on, and about $85 and a trip to O’Reilly’s, and it was running great again after an ECM swap.

A corvette c4 1990 from Norway here :)) 🇳🇴🇺🇸

I bought a new 86 Z51, 4+3 transmission, first year with ABS. Wonderful car, except those Girlock brakes SUCKED. Anytime I drove on a twisty road, the rotors kicked the pads back, so the pedal would go low until I pumped the brakes. I learned to double pump the brakes every time I used them. A Corvette specialist at the local dealer drove it and said they were fine. WTF? The notorious 4+3 gave me no problems. I liked it. Pressing the button on the top of the shift lever gave an instant downshift, or upshift. I sold the fully paid for car with only 24K miles when I retired and needed to spend less - insurance was high. I remember going to Sears Point and watched a totally stock 86 win the race. He returned to the pits, put his spare tire, jack, etc. back in the car and drove home to Newport Beach. Just like in the very early days of sports car racing.

I want to thank you for your informational videos. I, like you say you are, am a big guy, 5'11" and 290. While reaching for my wallet I pushed back on my right side of my seat in my C5. I heard it pop and thought I broke the fiberglass back in my seat. I looked up videos and found yours on the seat back quick repair. It worked! So thanks again for your videos, and keep up the info on our Vettes.

94’ and love I ❤️ it. I picked this over a c5 and I’m happy with it. I like the c5 but they took away the curves that I fell in love with.

I really enjoyed this video. My dad had a 91 six speed which is probably what prompted me to buy my 94.

My brother used to own a Silver 1996 Corvette LT4 6-Speed manual... What an awesome machine that was! I owned an Electron Blue 2003 C5 Z51 Targa MN6. First mod was a DTE HD 3.90 rear along with OEM Cast Spun 2003 C5 Z06 Gray factory wheels with factory non run-flat 265/40/17 front & 295/35/18 rear Supercar tires. Those two mods alone got my 1/4 mile time from 13.07 @ 110.994 to a 12.89 @ 110.668 at Englishtown. The conditions were much hotter and worse for the 12.89 run, so I'm positive that number would have been even better in the same conditions as the stock run. I immediately began modding my C5 after that, so I never got to re-try in better conditions. The 3.90's made a huge difference! Stock gearing was way too tall. Anyway, I bought my C5 in 2005 and sold it in 2012 because I needed the money. Something I regret to this day. I will buy a C6 GS Targa when I buy my second Corvette in the near future. Thanks for posting the great videos! I subscribed and have liked the four videos I've seen so far. Thanks again! -Chris

A couple issues here... 94 was first year of sequential injection, not 96. 84s had a lot of forged internals and their engines are typically very strong and reliable. It isn't hard to get them to run right. 85 may have had a better intake setup, but it was not a better engine in any other way. The Optispark is very reliable, if indeed you use a GOOD unit and not rubbish. The biggest issue is people that 'think' they were shit, and instead of just a simple cap and rotor, they foolishly threw away the whole thing when there was nothing wrong with it. The one in my 93 Callaway is 28 years old and has 67,000 miles on it, trouble free, fires instantly.

You sir are a treasure trove of information on corvettes. I have wanted a corvette since I was a young boy. My dad helped design the ZR1 body panels on the C4 and when he drove one home as a demo I fell In love with them. I am now planning on buying my first vette and I have been watching a ton of your videos and learning so much about them. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into these videos to help us newbs.

The 84-87 models used hard to find 16 inch tires. The 93 - 96 used hard to find staggered 17 inch tires by a single manufacturer. The 93 - 94 Opt-spark ignitions are problematic while the 95 - 96 used a vented Optispark ignition that is better. My 96 had a weird a/c system that was unique to that year and required an expensive controller if problematic. All years had lousy weather stripping when care was ignored. Owned an 87 for 13 years and a 96 for 3 years. Hard entry with the higher sills for us older owners. Emergency brake locations were strange. Digital dashes were hard to see in bright sunlight. Despite these annoyances, the C4’s were fantastic cars that delivered a visceral driving experience. Now own two C5’s and could not be happier.

Hell yeah, made the right choice! I just got a 91 C4 with the L98 in it. It’s got the sexy rear bumper with the square tail lights and came with the ZR1 Polished Aluminum wheels. It’s an all original double red car, never been touched - and in near mint condition, too. I’ve been driving it for about 2 weeks now, and after getting the tranny serviced, air filter, and 2 oil changes, she runs like a brand new car. Absolutely love it.

First C4 I bought on a Friday was a used 1984. A bucket of bolts as you said. Returned it on Monday no questions asked. Next was a new 1987. What a perfect car. Didn't bother to test drive it. Perfect in every way except one time it shut off completely while driving by a chevy dealer, so I coasted it right in. Something was fixed and no problems at all after that. Only thing was at 135 mph, the front got real light, could barely feel the road.

Great overview! I so appreciate your immense knowledge about Corvettes overall. Years ago I had an 1984 with the Crossfire and 4+3 manual (and a CA car, no less) -- an absolutely terrible car. I didn't have it long. Now I have a 1994 with the 6-speed and 48k miles which I absolutely love. Only issue I've had in 11 years was a leaking water pump (fixed before the Optispark got damaged) and occasionally climate controls not responding in hot weather.

My first new vet was a 1988 with that horrendous 4-speed manual with overdrive transmission what a nightmare traded it in for a 1990 6 speed and loved it

Recently bought a '94 with 83k on it. Absolutely love it.

_Definitely agree on the '91 (and 94,95,96) models being the sweet spot of the C4 Corvette. My first fourth gen purchase was a 1991 Corvette convertible almost new in the mid-90s. (Super low mileage, Palm Springs car). Incredible torque to say the least as Lyle noted. Six Corvettes later(all C4s), I still own and drive a '96 Corvette convertible. (Is the car perfect? To me it is. That said, because it was purchased 'used' with about 100k miles, going back and sorting out former repair jobs done inaccurately has been a mechanic's nightmare). At the end of day I'd still do it all over again._

The Commadore 64 analogy definitely puts the electronics into perspective. Thank you!😅

I love these videos and that is why I subscribed. I am in the C4 with a 1984 Vette. Still working on it as it is coming around, it will be sharp. Thanks for the information you provide!

Thank you very much for your advice - a week ago I bought a 90 L98 with a 6-speed ZF manual transmission - I love the car - it's called Jody - best regards from Germany

Spot on with the OBD1, when working on my 85 vette that I purchased which sat idle for 8 years. Made it so hard to pin point issues....

I love my C8 but the C4 ZR1 is my Dream Car.. can’t wait to purchase my C4!!

I had a 90 with the L98 and a 93 with the LT1. I'll take the L98 everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. Better engine all the way around IMHO.

Extremely informative thank you. My neighbor has a 95 C4 LT1 covered under an oak tree on his ranch. I need a project.

Can you believe how the prices are so much higher than the day you made this video.. 😁

Don't be afraid of ANY C4s. They are the sweetest rides EVER built, and EVERYTHING is cheap and easy to fix. One of the things it was designed for is pit stop repairs. Can't believe they moved away from its platform.

1989 corvette thanks for the info

I have a 1996 with 110k miles and I drive that car weekly. It has only had a few issues here and there, but it’s such a reliable little car. I get compliments on it way more than you would expect. I wouldn’t get rid of it for anything.

I love c4's! Own an 89 convertible and a '96 LT-4. I do prefer the interior and vibe of the earlier cars when they were the king of the track, wiping up the floor with the competition on the race tracks across the world and all done with the L-98 engine might add. Even the '84 had some voodoo in it being lighter prior to the extra bracing that came later and the over the top 1G suspension in base and z51 form. Heck, one of my favorite driving experiences was whisking my buddies razor sharp '84 crossfire z51 around the Pocono mountains, rowing through the gears, wringing out the car for everything it had.

I have an 87 and like he mentioned I have tons of service and restoration docs that helped me make the decision to buy mine and feel good about it. Like you said the electronics are a bit off, the Radio sometimes doesn’t stay on, the windows move slow, and the power seat buttons work but only if I press them a certain way, but that L98 engine is the main reason it’s so much fun to drive!

Thanks, Lyle! Great rundown!!

I own a 2000 C5. You and your channel give us owners a wealth of information. Thanks for being out there.

The 1986 Indy pace car. Or the 1993 or 1995 purple C4 Corvette they're very rare these are my favorite C4 Corvettes

Great information and I appreciate the "hurt feelings clause" for problematic years

My first corvette was a 91 red on red, sold it when my son was born, now have a numbers matching 72 LT1, silver over red

Great video, I have a 1987 C4 & love it😎💯🔥

I have an 89 Z51 coupe. 1989 is the first year of the 6 speed and 17 inch wheels and the last year without the airbag. Mine has 35000 original miles.

I was daily driving a 1990 Iroc my senior yr of Highschool (2006) I had read every online article and forum about the L98 platform.when I turned 20 I told myself I would have a corvette for my birthday, I saved and flipped cars and found an 89 ZF6 (after again, reading everything I could find on C4s and having driven a 4+3 car). It was fantastic, it turned heads everywhere it went and I only ever did a basic tune up and had to replace the rear mono spring. Truly a splendid car and experience. After having seen this video I would love to test drive a 91 as I too am apprehensive of the optispark platform having serviced many of them in my shops over the years. For anyone looking, his info is spot on. Really id only advise a 94-96 if you dont DIY. Obd2 will make diagnostic procedures MUCH easier, but for those who may be using it periodically or have a back up car in your stable: stick with the L98

Awesome! Just got a 94 C4.

Hey, I still use my Commodore 64 to run my X-10 Powerhouse system to turn on and off all my lights and appliances! It runs my whole smart home and has for the last 40 years! 😁

I gotta say, this is such a well done video. It's easy to tell that you know the ins-and-outs of each model year like the back of your hand.

I wish I had every piece of knowledge about c4 corvettes as you do while I work on my 1990. I’m still learning a lot about it and it’s gonna be awhile before I know everything.

Great video Lyle. One thing not mentioned that deserves highlighting is when the glovebox came and went. 1990 first year for a glove box. 1993 last year for the glove box. It's important only because there's not a lot of storage in these cars. I 100% agree with your comments concerning the L98 vs LT1. That's why 9 years ago, after doing my own research, I purchased a 1990 ZF6 coupe, and this one in particular had the added bonus of an aftermarket ZR-1 rear bumper, so it has the old front and the convex square light rear and the high mount stop lamp, and the factory slicer wheels for that year that were similar to 89 but 90 had a nicer look with exposed lugnuts with beauty caps, so it looks like a narrow 1990 ZR-1 clone. Love it. Shares space in my garage a 2001 z06, both red with black interior. wouldn't have it any other way.

My 1989 red coupe had the best seat support of my Eight C4 Corvettes My black 1991 Corvette convertible with light gray interior, 6 speed and both the soft and hard tops was the most fun!!!

Great reviews. Thanks. I had a new 84 back in the day. Red/tan. You are so right about the suspension. I had the Z51 stiff suspension. I could feel the leading and trailing edges of a painted yellow line on the road as I drove over it. In 85 they basically made the 84's standard suspension the z51 and threw away the 84s z51. I am looking to buy another c4 now, for nostalgia and weekend driving. So much easier to get parts and work on them than the Porsche, BMW, mercedes cars. The C4 looks really awesome IMO. Very clean, crisp styling. The optispark replacement looks like a weekend project to me. And about $500. To get a classic sportscar like this for under 10K is truly awesome..... I am currently debating convertible/targa (I'm in Florida). Since it rains whenever it feels like it in Florida, the Targa is a pain to replace the panel, so would not be a good choice, unless you left the targa in place full time. The used convertibles I've looked at all smell like shaggy wet dogs, since they all leaked and caused mold in the carpet.

I bought a C4 from 94. Very pretty. Thank you so much for any knowledge you have about this car

20+ year 84 owner here. Of course the later cars are better, but don't be afraid of the Crossfire. Its basically the same as the trusty truck TBI and very easy to work on.

Lyle is correct about old C4's, you should have some experience working on cars if you're going to on one, they constantly need love and care. Thank God there are a number of Corvette lovers who have put the videos on KZfaq to help the uninitiated into the Corvette world.

I picked up my first Corvette three months ago. An '88 with only a little over 33,000 miles. Hoping it gives me a few years of good use.

I had to choose between 1991 and 1994 C4 coupes. The 1991 had a real distributor instead of the optispark. The 1994 used the currently available freon in the AC whereas the 1991 used an older version of the freon which is very hard to find and very expensive if you do find it. In Virginia, we need AC especially in August, so I went with the 1994. I have not regretted it.

95 high performance chip, kb airfilter, corsa exhaust, chrome wheels, ceramic headers, high performance brakes. Dynoed equivalent to LT 4 engine. Admiral blue, 123000 miles, love that car.

This was very informative.....I've owned a '77, '86 and now own an '89. What you failed to mention the '89 had cross bracing at the frame that took the twist out of your acceleration and made it stiffer walking in and out of curves. My '89 is a much better handling and flatter going in and out of the corners. Just saying!

Had to subscribe. Awesome information. Thank you!!

I'm getting an '84 now - when you said hard suspension that was the last box that needed checking for me! :-D

Great vid and info. I have had my 93 for just over a year. I love my car but I have had my share of obscure electrical shorts in the vats and recent fuel pump issues but she seems to be straightened out and is running strong at the moment. Love the C4s and feel they are the best sports car value on the market . 😎👍🏼

I remember when the 84 came out. It was so awesome back then. I had an IROC Z but always wanted a C4. I still have the car and driver magazine with the introductory article of the C4. It was a light blue metallic car. The clamshell hood, the visible cast front suspension A arms, the rotating headlights, the targa top, the video game like dash was what I worshipped for years.

Used to own an 89 6-Speed. My first Corvette in my life. Even though it’s kinda problematic. I still enjoy it. For me I want the digital dash, Old body style and 6Speed. So that’s the only choice for me. And now I have a 2001. But somehow I still miss my 89.

Great share....really ought to be a semester of education at high school level....this and further exploration of corvette history and engineering...would set the strong base for further motor vehicle investments...and good choices...

Thank u! Thank u! Thank u! I' have been looking to buy a C4. This is a big help. The reason I subscribed. Please keep these type of videos coming

My first Corvette is my 95 ZR-1. Hell of a great car, tough to beat!

I have been looking for vettes for 2 years now and this year is the year im actually finally going to jump on one. All 3 of these vids, c4 - c6 are the best vids I’ve seen to help me. Coincidentally these are the models im hunting for. Thank you for these!

Excellent job, my friend. You covered exactly what I wondered about concerning a C4 Corvette. Now time for me to go shop for one ! Thanks for the info.

Very cool vid....I recently purchased a 1993 last year and so far have had okay luck with it to this point. Very informative vid. Well done

Someone has described the C4 years as the "Malaise Years" at GM. I agree. I own an 84, which I purchased used well before you produced this video. Thank you for finally explaining the issues with Cross-Fire Injection and electronics, etc. of which I've spent a fair amount of time and money rectifying. Around town the suspension poses a challenging ride, true, but on a sunny afternoon on a country road in the Summer, it is great fun to drive. The poor quality of materials, plastics, cheap fabrics, etc really is an indictment of GM policies for using crap on what should be a premium automobile. Beyond that, I find myself unable to part ways with this car because it is so much fun to drive on the days it chooses to run right. Thanks for your videos.

We need more Lyle's in our Corvette world. 12 out of 10. 👍👌👍

Just bought a 91 coupe, my first Vette. It’s a great driver, all sorted. I like how the L98 just lugs along happily at 1100 RPM until you want to wake it up.

Dude knows his stuff i called the number and he helped me out!!! Thanks man keep up the great work

Great video. When the factory moved from St. Louis to Bowling Green, KY, they skipped the '83 model year due to the move. There were so many 1984's sold from mid 1983 and all thru the 1984 model year. I have always found that the later made 1984's ( not produced in 1983) are much better cars than any made in 1983.

Thank you very informative. I'm a C3 girl but I'm looking at a 96 also, very good information !

Im in Australia . I own an 87 z51 . Its converted to rhd . Its a rarity to see one over here , when im not actually driving it , i always put a towel over the dash cluster to protect it from uv damage . Its a race car with rego plates . I absolutley love it . Always get comments on it . Cheers from Queensland Australia . Great video .

I have a 1987 convertible and to me the C4 is what a corvette should be. After that generation corvette started to slowly loose what its supposed to be. C8 is an awesome car for sure just not sure it’s a corvette any more.