AutobahnCCZ06

so over the last couple months i am been getting my new engine ready for my C5 Z06, and i now have a few questions about what else do i need to make my engine safe for the track. Last fall I had a rod bearing go bad so i decided to go with a bigger engine and i found a great deal on a LS2 403, so i know that with my stock LS6 i was having oil temp issues which is what i think was the reason my engine took a ****. but so I know i need to get an oil cooler asap, and i would like to get an accusump as well, but i was wondering if you guys have anymore tips for me so that I can keep the engine as safe as possible I don't want to have to pay for a new engine anytime soon.

Zenak

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html

Good spot to look just find the sections.

Also are you getting a separate oil cooler? integrated into a radiator?

New oil pump? Katech makes a nice one.

Oil catch can and update pcv set up?

headers? jet hot or wrapped to keep engine temps down

Real cold air intake, not a black wing or something that sucks hot under hood temps

bypass the throttle body for $8 form the coolant lines.

dont run 5-30w in track season 10-30 or thicker

dont run 50:50 coolant, 70:30 or 60:40 with water wetter.

Did you cut open the front license plate for more air? hood seal?

tunnel plate with a thermal pad?

becareful with underdrive pulleys since they undedrive ALL your accessories including water and oil pumps. great for 1/4 mile not so great for road courses.

oh and for the obvious, a 160 temp thermostat. get rid of stock 180.

AutobahnCCZ06

I already have a new oil pump it is a manely ported high flow oil pump

i have a vararam intake

i was planning on getting a external oil cooler

i still need to get a new thermostat, i totally forgot about that.

What do you mean with the hood seal, i will cut out the front plate asap.

and i don't have any coatings or wraps on my headers since i heard that header wrap will eat away your headers

I plan on running 70:30 with coolant and water wetter

geerookie

Just a couple of comments...

Oil viscosity:
Many people up their viscosity because they have higher oil temps. This is not necessarily the right thing to do. The correct viscosity is based on the engine builders tolerances within the motor.
Run the viscosity the engine builder will warranty the motor with.
GM recommends 30 weight. Many people have blown up a perfectly good motor because the went to a 50 weight oil because their temps were high. Most good synthetic oils will handle 400 degres F before they break down thermally. When you use a higher viscosity oil the molecules are bigger and if the bearing clearances are designed for a lower viscosity you will starve the bearing of oil.

Underdrive pulleys:
This depends on the actual water pump. GM water pumps have maximum efficiency at rpms MUCH lower than you will see at the track! When the GM pump runs at 5k - 6.5k rpm levels it will cavitate (sp). An underdrive pulley is needed 10% minimum and more like 25%. If you want a really good water pump look at Evans Cooling Systems and size the drive pully based on use etc., there is a chart on this link.
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...p&vid=3&pcid=5

Just my two cents.

AU N EGL

Great Job on the 403 find

May need a larger Radiator to keep the bigger cubes cooler.

A trans and diff cooler as well are big benefits as well.

15-w50 or 40 wt racing oil would be good choices. Never let your oil temp get above 260. Higher oil temps can also mean higher coolant temps. Keeping oil temps down below 260 and coolant temps down helps the engine preform far better.

Good Luck

mgarfias

I also disagree about the 160tstat. It doesn't add any cooling when the cars on the track, and makes cold weather miserable. My water temps won't go over 155, and oil temps about the same (EOC). At those temps you don't burn off the crap in the oil.

Oh, and I think stock is more like a 195, not 180. I'd run either a 180 or the OEM and put in a big *** radiator, that OEM one is weak.

geerookie

Call Randy @ DRM or LG or Dewitts.

I have a DeWitts and never see temps above 220 with a 195 thermostat, slightly modified to flow better.

AU N EGL

yes a 160 t-stat is for parking lot queens

so not needed. A stock t-stat or just slightly 5* lower

2000BSME

100%

sothpaw2

Biggest tip to do this on a low budget is to run in the Spring/Fall and don't do a lot of Summer events. The cooler air is easier on everything. Also, avoid tracks w/huge banking (ie NASCAR) and to be safest, keep it on street tires or R comps--you go faster and run a lot harder w/ Hoosiers.

How hot were your oil temps? If your problem really was oil temps, I'd go with an external oil cooler for the $$$. I drove mine to work today and with covers on the cooler, I got to 203 oil with some traffic. The external cooler will warm up on the street and does a better job at the track--never saw over 252 oil and I ran the car harder then ever.

Since you have a 402--I'd go with a DeWitts Rad--just the rad. Doing the oil cooler separately gives you the coolest solution on both water & oil temps and you will need it w/ a 402.

Andy

argonaut

I've seen this advice and comments about banked turns multiple times and I'm trying to understand what it means. It seems to imply that the G forces at work during a high speed banked turn increase the possibility of oil starvation. Is that really true? Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way but in a banked corner, a portion of the force is pushing down on the car and thus wouldn't that tend to also force oil down into the oil pan where it can be picked up? While on a flat corner all the load is lateral and less force is pushing down and thus its easier for oil to get trapped up in the heads. Can anyone help me understand this why so many people are concerned about banked corners?

Thanks, Brad

sothpaw2

Brad,

Getting past the technical reasoning into test--w/my C4, I ran 1 HPDE at a NASCAR track and 1 at Summit Main. With just that amount of wear, the GMPP timing gear ate itself up and my rods&mains showed alot of wear uncharacteristic for the mileage. 2 HPDE shouldn't do that.
I've asked around & a lot of folks that run on that track use an Accusump. Of those that don't, I know of a couple of failures (LT4 & LS6, stock)--and I'm not trying to keep score, just have my ears open to failures.

geerookie

I'm with you on this. The laws of physics don't seem to support the speculation. My guess is something else is going on. I run on two NASCAR tracks with big sweeping banked corners, have a stock LS1 w/ 112k miles (25k on track), never been apart, no accusump etc., run all summer in 90+ temps, run 5/30 or 10/30 synthetic oil, see temps at 265 - 295 (no oil cooler) and haven't had any problems to date.

AU N EGL

The other reason to stay OFF high banks is our tires.

NASCAR slicks have inner liners. If one of those goes flat, should not be too bad of an accident

If one our tires goes flat, Up the bank in to the wall we go



Where is the oil pick in the LS6 oil pan ? That might help the OPs question.

and it is not always the oil pan but oil not getting into the heads on high banks and flat left hand sweepers.

#7 is the most common cylinder to go bang. reasons IIRC poor oiling to the heads and less the average coolant around the cylinder wall of #7

Now the LS2 is a differnt block that help correct the oil and coolant gallies in the LS6. Still an accu - sump or dry sump is ALWAYS a good idea for performance use

the LS3 the bean counters got their way. and a dry sump is needed for any type of LS3 performance

Bink

If your 403 is higher compression you may want to stay with the 160* T-stat during summer months...or pull it. You could replace in winter. Also might want to run TR6 plugs in summer and Tr55s winter. Just a thought.

AutobahnCCZ06

thanks for all of the info guys, it looks like i will have to stick with autocrossing this year i might try a track day it see how it goes but i still have a long way to go now before my car can handle me beating on the 403. my plan is to run tr6 plugs and i will never be driving this car in the winter since i live in chicago vette don't really make good winter cars

AU N EGL

get out to Autobaun. There are several guys here in this section that are regulars at Autobaun.

Even a big shot or two..