[Z06] My poor 2002 Z06
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
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From: NC
I am glad to hear no one was hurt. I get the feeling, GM takes the angle that if they don't look for a problem then a problem does not exist. I wish corp. america would treat people with the same respect that you or I would. If you sell a product to someone, make sure it is safe or at least let people know what could go wrong. Unfort. it seems that most large corp. like to pass the buck and to treat the little man like a POC. I get the feeling that the locator that was added to the car might be at fault. If so then maybe all of us out here would like to know what not to wire in our cars. Can you blame someone for trying to protect their investment with a locator. If it wasn't the add on then we all really do have a problem. Thanks for telling us your story.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 884
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From: McKinney TX
Sorry to hear about that!! The main thing is that you got out safely!! Good luck with your settlement, etc.
Was the car modified at all? I'm curious about what caused this. Beyond a fuel leak I dunno what could cause it to go up in flames so fast.
Was the car modified at all? I'm curious about what caused this. Beyond a fuel leak I dunno what could cause it to go up in flames so fast.
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Originally Posted by t56gen3
Sorry to hear about that!! The main thing is that you got out safely!! Good luck with your settlement, etc.
Was the car modified at all? I'm curious about what caused this. Beyond a fuel leak I dunno what could cause it to go up in flames so fast.
Was the car modified at all? I'm curious about what caused this. Beyond a fuel leak I dunno what could cause it to go up in flames so fast.
It was the main fuel line. Apparently enough pressure had built up in the engine that it blew. The only modification we did to it was the exhaust pipes--not a full exhaust. The history of the car before we got it is up for grabs because the dealer we bought it from used didn't know about the Lojack on it even and was mystified when the dealer we had it serviced from locally called them to ask about it. I don't think there were any other modifications on it other than that. I'm still mystified by it---had I been racing her or something along those lines, I could understand it better, but my max speed that night was about 75 (which is barely even going, as all Z06 owners know!) and when it blew, I was going about 40.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 884
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From: McKinney TX
Originally Posted by mcb1964
Thanks (to everyone) for the thoughts.
It was the main fuel line. Apparently enough pressure had built up in the engine that it blew. The only modification we did to it was the exhaust pipes--not a full exhaust. The history of the car before we got it is up for grabs because the dealer we bought it from used didn't know about the Lojack on it even and was mystified when the dealer we had it serviced from locally called them to ask about it. I don't think there were any other modifications on it other than that. I'm still mystified by it---had I been racing her or something along those lines, I could understand it better, but my max speed that night was about 75 (which is barely even going, as all Z06 owners know!) and when it blew, I was going about 40.
It was the main fuel line. Apparently enough pressure had built up in the engine that it blew. The only modification we did to it was the exhaust pipes--not a full exhaust. The history of the car before we got it is up for grabs because the dealer we bought it from used didn't know about the Lojack on it even and was mystified when the dealer we had it serviced from locally called them to ask about it. I don't think there were any other modifications on it other than that. I'm still mystified by it---had I been racing her or something along those lines, I could understand it better, but my max speed that night was about 75 (which is barely even going, as all Z06 owners know!) and when it blew, I was going about 40.
Your driving habits shouldn't have anything to do with this accident. Fuel systems in cars today are designed to maintain integrity in moderate impacts; it's not like they are brittle. Though anything is possible, I would suspect something had either been tampered with or possbily damaged prior to you purchasing the car either by modding or by careless service on the vehicle. But like I said, anything is possible...
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Originally Posted by Captain America
I am glad to hear no one was hurt. I get the feeling, GM takes the angle that if they don't look for a problem then a problem does not exist. I wish corp. america would treat people with the same respect that you or I would. If you sell a product to someone, make sure it is safe or at least let people know what could go wrong. Unfort. it seems that most large corp. like to pass the buck and to treat the little man like a POC. I get the feeling that the locator that was added to the car might be at fault. If so then maybe all of us out here would like to know what not to wire in our cars. Can you blame someone for trying to protect their investment with a locator. If it wasn't the add on then we all really do have a problem. Thanks for telling us your story.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 474
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From: Atlanta
sorry about your loss 
it seems reasonable to assume this is a one time incident however because no one has ever reported this happening before now that I've seen
it's understandable to want to lay blame in a situation like this but it's almost guaranteed your particular car was at fault, not GM's engineering
it seems reasonable to assume this is a one time incident however because no one has ever reported this happening before now that I've seen
it's understandable to want to lay blame in a situation like this but it's almost guaranteed your particular car was at fault, not GM's engineering
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Originally Posted by t56gen3
Wow, that's scary!! There should be NO reason for a fuel leak unless the fuel system had been modified. The lines are steel braided, so I'm wondering what could have caused it to pop (would have taken a LOT of pressure; more than I think a fuel pump could produce, but who knows.) What is tough here is that since you bought it used it's hard to say what was done prior to your ownership. Maybe the line lock that connects the lines failed or the schrader valve on the end of the fuel rail. If someone had had a wet nitrous kit on it at some point and didn't reassemble the fuel lines safely that could be it. Wow, several possibilities.
Your driving habits shouldn't have anything to do with this accident. Fuel systems in cars today are designed to maintain integrity in moderate impacts; it's not like they are brittle. Though anything is possible, I would suspect something had either been tampered with or possbily damaged prior to you purchasing the car either by modding or by careless service on the vehicle. But like I said, anything is possible...
Your driving habits shouldn't have anything to do with this accident. Fuel systems in cars today are designed to maintain integrity in moderate impacts; it's not like they are brittle. Though anything is possible, I would suspect something had either been tampered with or possbily damaged prior to you purchasing the car either by modding or by careless service on the vehicle. But like I said, anything is possible...
Thanks for all of your input!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 884
Likes: 1
From: McKinney TX
Originally Posted by mcb1964
Is there any way to tell if a car has been modified and then put back? Is this something, since we bought it from a dealer, that should have been recognized when/if they inspected the car? I'm asking both for the current situation and for the future in what to look for. I was a Ford-girl before and will probably go back to Cobras (sadly, because Christine really was about the most fun I've had driving in a long time) and, of course, if it was due to a modification that had been put back together, I wouldn't want to make the same mistake again.
Thanks for all of your input!
Thanks for all of your input!
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Originally Posted by why_ask_why
sorry about your loss
it seems reasonable to assume this is a one time incident however because no one has ever reported this happening before now that I've seen
it's understandable to want to lay blame in a situation like this but it's almost guaranteed your particular car was at fault, not GM's engineering
it seems reasonable to assume this is a one time incident however because no one has ever reported this happening before now that I've seen
it's understandable to want to lay blame in a situation like this but it's almost guaranteed your particular car was at fault, not GM's engineering
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,479
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From: Devil's Island CA
If you've already had her for 2 years and havent had a problem, then Idont think there was any "not put back together right" issues. If it was, it would have happened within the first month or so of purchase. I'd say have it looked into. Inquiring minds would like to know, expecially considering I just got myself an '02 Z06 myself.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 884
Likes: 1
From: McKinney TX
Originally Posted by mcb1964
Well, she had been well-maintained and in our possession for almost two years. So, other than any modifications that might have been undisclosed by the previous owner when he traded it in...there really is some one to blame at some point, you know? I mean, I don't have these huge plans of going after someone or some company for it because our insurance company will compensate, but somewhere along the line I am laying blame. The only blame I place on GM is not wanting to find out for themselves through their channels what did happen because it is a matter of safety for their consumers.
Unfortunately it's hard to get their attention without a repeat occurence (if not several.) Isn't life in corporate America grand!!
I hope you are able to find out a definite cause. Let us know how it goes.
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Originally Posted by Quik S2K
If you've already had her for 2 years and havent had a problem, then Idont think there was any "not put back together right" issues. If it was, it would have happened within the first month or so of purchase. I'd say have it looked into. Inquiring minds would like to know, expecially considering I just got myself an '02 Z06 myself.
I'm sad for me because I loved the car so much but truly sad for my husband because before this, he swore he'd never be without a 'Vette since his first one (an '84) and now he's a little shaken by it. I'd like for him to be able to find out that there was a specific reason unrelated to manufacturing to restore his faith in the cars he loves the best.