IMA 66

So i have finally sold my 74 and have really been considering getting a ZO6. I was trying to see if there were any special things to look for when checking out a ZO6. I have read that the 2001's may have ring issues. I really would love to get a white one so it is possible i'll be looking at 01's. How do i tell if has or had the ring issues besides documents and word of the owner? Do 02 and 03's have the same issues? What special things need to be looked at for a ZO6 as opposed to a regular C5? Hopefully i will be joing the ZO6 club in a few months

Higgs Boson

Just get a white one and be done with it. My 01 doesn't have a ring problem. If you really research it on different boards you will see that the model year and engine types vary regarding burning oil then you realize that all LSx burn oil in some amount. It could also be a PCV issue or even an intake manifold issue. You can't tell for sure. The best you can do is check with a Chevy dealer for the VINs service history. This will tell you what work has been done. A lack of a ring replacement could indicate that the problem wasn't taken care of OR it could mean there were never any symptoms and thus no issue. Can't tell for sure. Just get the car and be happy.

utryd2

Any 02 and you should be fine.....Plus get the one with more power!
Do the basic checks, and kick the tire routine....Cheeck the clutch fluid....See if it is clear or black.....Shows a little insite on how hard it was driven with cooking the fluid.....check the rear and/tranny connection for cracks....known to crack with hard lauches or abuse....or just buy one from the forum here from one of us **** guys about our cars!

IMA 66

Thanks guys didn't know about the clutch fluid. I have been leaning towards an 02 with the extra power and the HUD. I will be looking on the forum to get one from us first lol. Keep any other tidbits coming along

utryd2

The clutch fluid is up near the brake booster....

sothpaw2

Many of the Z06's have been raced, either drag racing or road racing. Drag racing adds wear to the clutch and may damage the trans& diff depending on the competence of the driver. Too much road racing can damage the motor if the cooling mods were not installed; stuff in the suspension will wear a bit.

For drag racing: A sure sign is rubber bits up in the rear wheel wells and on the mufflers--most people don't clean them. Get the car warm and test the clutch with a full power from 2500 rpm in 1st gear, go through the gears. Get the engine hot and be sure to go through the gears fast and shift at 6,000 rpm. A bad tranny will not be able to do this smoothly. Note: the car needs to have decent tires to do these tests. 5 year old tires will not suffice--they don't stick well.

Road racing: many events can damage the motor due to oiling issues if not upgraded. Look for paint chips on the nose and hood. If very badly pock-marked with chips, probably it has been extensively road raced. Windshield chips also a sure sign.

transamer79

it doesnt look like anyone one said this yet so i guess ill do it. Being that you are new to the c5 you might not know the difference between the 2001 and 2002 z06. there are a few differences but most importantly the 2001 has 385 hp at the crank and the 2002 and up have 405. that is deffinately something to consider when trying to decide which z to buy. best of luck. the z is a great choice

ctusser

Find a decent car at a decent price then find out as much about the car's history as possible by carfax and asking questions. Have it checked out by a competant mechanic. Then like any used car you'll just have to take a leap of faith and hope for the best. Keep a reserve budget for inevitable repairs/modifications.

utryd2

Well said

Bill Dearborn

Not exactly true. I bought my 8 month old Z with 18K miles on it and it had all sorts of highway road rash that had nothing to do with the car being tracked. The windshield was hazy due to little chips from sand and the car had a lot of paint damage from the tires. Car was purchased in Oct. and sold in Mar. so the tracks weren't even open during the time the miles were being put on.

The Z is more susceptible to road rash since the F1 tires pick up more debris than the standard C5 EMTs. Check the rears of the wheel wells, rocker panels, lower doors, rear brake duct bezels, and the lower front of the mirrors for road rash damage.

Bill

01Z06 Black

Your gonna love it Jason.
At least if you go to Carlisle next year, you won't have to sit in traffic with your door open to keep cool.

IMA 66

LOL yeah ac would have been very nice!!!!

Thanks for all the tips guys. I am definitely going to take my time on this one and make sure i don't rush into buying one without checking it out with a fine tooth comb.

LuS1fer

In essence, the 2001 did have some oil-burning isssues but that shouldn't be a deal-breaker. The 2002 405hp car had hollow sodium-filled valves, a more aggresive cam and better rear shocks that allowed the power to be put down better. It also had the HUD which the 01 never had. The 2002 was a fairly trouble-free item although they replaced the alloy gear selector fork for a steel one on the 2003 model (the anniversary year model). The 2004s got even better rear shocks and some if not all had the carbon fibre bonnet.

Common problems are leaking diff seals and you should check the battery area carefully for any leakage as the computer sits underneath. The cars can also malfunction and give lots of false warning messages if it has a low battery.

Worth finding how you interrogate the DIC as that will give you any codes, current or historical.

This is the definitive analysis of the 02 and the improvements over the 01:
http://www.c5registry.com/2k2z06/index.htm