1986 Corvette GM Shop Manual decode

[peterw]

I have bought a 1986 GM Shop Manual and Electrical Diagnosis Supplement.

Is there a secret to finding things in there?

It doesn't seem to have a useful index or glossary so every time I try to find something in there I spend hours reading and going down dead ends.

The wiring diagrams don't seem to have a legend of abbreviations so that is guesswork.

I have been trying to find info on the TPS and feel like throwing it at the wall.

Has anyone cracked the code?

Pete

[sirfixalot]

check out in rear of book does it have diagrams of where components are, my 87 book doesn't have much on tps has all wiring diagrams google operation , testing plenty of good info on american forums have found out heaps just in last couple of days

[peterw]

Thanks to youtube I know where the TPS is.  What I was looking for was a wiring diagram so I could test it.

I ended up working the wiring out by trial and error (and youtube) and result was that the TPS was working correctly.

At the rear of the book about 50 pages from the back is diagrams of component locations.  There is no reference to this in the table of contents.  Will I remember this next time I need it?

It's a great book full of fantastic information but every time I look for something I struggle to find it.

There must be a logic to it.

Pete

[sirfixalot]

If you  need a hand deciphering anything give me a call I have just about worn my book out trying to get my car to run

[peterw]

Thanks for the offer.  There's nothing I need at the moment but I figured there would be a process for finding things.

So to find things you just read a lot and thumb through it?

Surely the dealers don't just thumb through?

Maybe the trick is that all GM manuals are laid out the same so dealers don't need an index.

If there is no trick to it then I can see myself making my own index on a spreadsheet.

[gtc]

I can see myself making my own index on a spreadsheet.

Sounds like the way to go -- unless someone has already put one on the Web somewhere.

[sirfixalot]

I photo copied all the wiring diagrams and have them in plastic sleeve books to use when working on car. When I am trying to work something out I can read the description while referencing the wiring diagram without flicking back and forward between pages

[peterw]

I asked the same question on the US forum and it seems no one has a quick way of finding stuff in the FSM.

The best responses were people who stick post it notes right throughout the book when they find something useful.

I did get a response from a guy who does a searchable pdf of the manual, when I asked him if the content was the same as the FSM he didn't respond.

If I can find a searchable pdf manual then it might be worth 50 bucks just to be able to find things.

I'd love to know how the GM mechanics do it?  Surely the dealers don't pay them to sit around for hours reading the manuals.

Other than that my spare time in the next couple of years will be devoted to making a spreadsheet index.

If we go back into complete lockdown it may be done much sooner.

[peterw]

I bought a pdf manual from one of the guys on the US forum and it is great.

You can search for words even in the diagrams so finding stuff is a breeze.

[Vettech]

Way to go.

I must admit I have the same combination of books as Sirfixalot has, and I'm always finding stuff I wanted six months ago in places I had not looked originally.