What mod do you regret on your c5z?

 

Supercharger.. Great bang for buck but to keep running hard you definitely need a built bottom end.

I wish I would have skipped that mod and gone straight for the big cube engine.

 

The one I haven't done yet!

 

Interesting Pete. What boost were you running?

Have not heard a person with a SC make that statement before, but have known some to blow their engines, usually due to high boost and no meth injection.

Would not mind you expanding on that statement.

 

 

I was running a digital SPA boost gauge that stored peak boost numbers in memory and when I would let the engine spin closer to 6800-6900rpm I'd see boost in the 13-14 range.

I drive my car relatively hard.. I enjoy letting the engine spin and with a blower and a stock bottom end its always just a matter of time before something starts going. I didn't blow the engine but I did start seeing smoke at high boost due to piston ring blow by. This was after running the blower for 4 years

I know that some guys are very satisfied running a supercharger for many years... but I guarantee you they're either running lower boost or not running the car hard for extended periods. Many STOCK bottom end supercharged cars end up being show cars or built for hp bragging rights, few end up being used to their full potential on a regular basis.

Also, meth isn't always the answer. Good friend of mine had a professionally built LQ9 for high boost, twin turbo setup with meth.. Dynoed something in the 900rwhp/1100rwtq range. At a half mile race event we did this past summer his meth tank apparently had a slight crack and it ran dry prematurely resulting in a blown motor.


My LS7 loves to get spun, doesn't lose power on hot/humid days and is just a much more fun set up to run without constantly worrying about something breaking prematurely.

Its one thing if you're running 500-525rwhp with the blower on a stock engine, but pushing 620+rwhp and running it hard is just going to end up one way.

 

Wow, I could fill this thread with regrets! I have a large stroker that is in the 600rw area, I've not enjoyed the journey.

I find PeteZ06 comments interesting as some of the others have mentioned. Either way you go once you move past that 500rw you shouldn't be on a budget You cannot simply add big power to these cars, all the other weaknesses will rear their ugly heads if you drive hard.

A thread about best mods ever would be more fun & easier to list

 

A few of the mods I regret.

-Corbeau FX1 seat - I ended up replacing it with a Sparco Evo 2 Plus - tried to go cheap first go around
-Sparco and Arizen seat brackets - should have went with Hardbar in the first place
-Hardbar harness bar - sat too high - changed to Sparco
-AP T1 brake kit - wish I would have went with Stoptech 14" - no reason really other than I think it would get longer pad life due to size - The AP kit gets so hot
-Johnny O'Connell and shocks - changed shocks to DRM. Wish I would have bought T1 and DRM at the same time instead

 

I wish I had spent the money I spent on my SC kit, to beef up the drivetrain instead. I had 483w NA, and it really was more than I needed. After the SC, I had to get a built diff, and trans brace anyway. Still, if I ever raced it; I would probably break either the trans, or blow the stock bottom end. Then theres the TT couplers, which are the originals.

 

None so far. Had an 02 Camaro that I modded and regretted everything so I told myself I wouldn't make the same mistake with this car. I've still modded my Z06, but a lot more thought goes into each mod.

 

Getting rid of my first blower car to wind up doing it all over again....a$$hole!

 

not in my zo6 but I regret doing a 3600 stall in my hot rod street truck shines on the track but sucks on the street

 

I SHOULDN'T HAVE SPENT ANY MONEY WITH APSIS. Jersey Wu of Apsis is a pathetic crook.

Other than that...

I should have done a different spoiler...and should have kept it more carbon (vs painted).

 

The crazy agressive cam I am running on my boosted stroker. I kinda want to go twins and a cam change.

 

I also have had a horrible experience with a well known vendor... I don't regret the "mod" but definitely regret spending thousands of dollars with that vendor (not apsis btw)

 

Yep,

The sad part is I'm having yet another "experience" with a very well known/regarded vendor...who's taken EIGHT MONTHS and now a third try to properly paint some interior parts.

The guy keeps giving me the run around - "sorry, we forgot...didn't open the box...got busy...my paint guy messed up, not me...it's at the paint shop and they are backed up", etc. You'd think that after all of this, he'd push to get the job done right/quickly.

Also, the Kenwood deck I bought from him has now been sitting in a box for 8 months and I could have bought a better one for the same money by now.

Pathetic. He'll not see another cent of my money (and I'm a mod *****).

 

Supercharger here as well. The car was already plenty fast and now its more than I can use. Kinda takes some fun out of it for me.

 

Interesting question. I can't say I regret any of the mods I've done but I'm pretty stingy so I don't mod until I really have to and then only after enough research to know what I'm getting into. So my best answer would be I regret not doing one particular mod. When I replaced the clutch, I did so with a stock 2004 Z06 unit since my engine only makes 350rwhp. As I result I still deal with clutch pedal problems when at the track. I had to install a TICK master cylinder as a band aid so I can usually charge gears as needed but it still doesn't work as it should.

 

Thanks Pete. Kind of what I thought.

I would agree, getting the Z06 boosted, it is best to stay around 5-7 lbs boost max on the stock bottom end. Also agree that any more you are just asking for trouble.

I have been on the fence about getting blown or going naturally aspirated. I would love to drop in an LS7 motor, but the LS7 crate motors are still on the high side.

I do not plan to get too radical, something around 450-500 RWHP is all that I would want to go. Otherwise, you are going to need to redo entire drive train, not to mention bottom end.