This thread should be totally non-controversial...
05-07-2014, 08:19 PM
#81
Race Director
Member Since: Sep 2007
Location: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
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C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I guess the difference between you and I is the fact that I will readily admit that I am not an automotive, internal combustion, design engineer.
Perhaps you are, but I doubt it.
Therefore, I have no choice but to use common sense regarding an issue such as this.
1) I'm certain you are correct when you say that G.M. designed the Corvette to be driven hard.
2) G.M. is also very much aware of the fact that only a small fraction of the 'vettes they build, are actually raced on a track, or drag strip.
Seems to me I read somewhere that only 15% of all Corvettes manufactured, ever see a track.
3) Taking that to it's logical conclusion, I'd have to ask, would G.M. build a car in which they'd be opening themselves up to a warranty liability on 85% of their sales, because the car was driven normally on the street, and the oil never got hot enough to meet the standards that you seem to think is necessary?
In my opinion, the answer is clearly NO, they would not. In fact, I just got off the phone with my local Chevy dealer, a few minutes ago.
They've sold a lot of 'vettes just like mine, with oil temps that operate in the 160~190 deg. range.
I asked if they've had any premature failures in any of the LS3 internal components, because the cars were not driven hard enough to heat the oil to 200+ degrees? The answer was NO.
I asked if there were any GM bulletins that warned about oil temps under 200 degrees, possibly causing premature engine failures. He said none that he was aware of.
He said that the temps I was experiencing were normal, and he's been the service manager there for 11 years now, and knows of no issues with any of the external mounted coolers, because the oil temps were too low.
That's good enough for me, you guys can believe what ever you want. For me...end of story!
Perhaps you are, but I doubt it.
Therefore, I have no choice but to use common sense regarding an issue such as this.
1) I'm certain you are correct when you say that G.M. designed the Corvette to be driven hard.
2) G.M. is also very much aware of the fact that only a small fraction of the 'vettes they build, are actually raced on a track, or drag strip.
Seems to me I read somewhere that only 15% of all Corvettes manufactured, ever see a track.
3) Taking that to it's logical conclusion, I'd have to ask, would G.M. build a car in which they'd be opening themselves up to a warranty liability on 85% of their sales, because the car was driven normally on the street, and the oil never got hot enough to meet the standards that you seem to think is necessary?
In my opinion, the answer is clearly NO, they would not. In fact, I just got off the phone with my local Chevy dealer, a few minutes ago.
They've sold a lot of 'vettes just like mine, with oil temps that operate in the 160~190 deg. range.
I asked if they've had any premature failures in any of the LS3 internal components, because the cars were not driven hard enough to heat the oil to 200+ degrees? The answer was NO.
I asked if there were any GM bulletins that warned about oil temps under 200 degrees, possibly causing premature engine failures. He said none that he was aware of.
He said that the temps I was experiencing were normal, and he's been the service manager there for 11 years now, and knows of no issues with any of the external mounted coolers, because the oil temps were too low.
That's good enough for me, you guys can believe what ever you want. For me...end of story!
Using your 15% number and the annual average number of miles driven by the 6,309 M6 GS Coupe owners, it's pretty apparent why a low oil temp issue hasn't surfaced. I'd guess 20% or more of those owners haven't even gone WOT in the last month.
Now if less than 1,000 dry sump GS cars are driven hard and it's rare to find any with more than 50K miles, then the warranty risk to GM is already small. Compare that to the 31,725 Z06/ZR1 cars that are being driven hard in greater numbers and are, in fact, having engine failures.
05-08-2014, 12:56 AM
#82
Le Mans Master
I usually check them all and then leave it on the oil temp till it hits 180 and then check the trans temp.