WOT - Good or Bad?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 5
From: West Coast
WOT - Good or Bad?
I must confess that when I cruise my C5, which is only once every week, I like to run WOT where it is safe and open. 
I have my regular "daily driver" and never really floor it. BUT the C5 is NO FUN to putz around.
I have my daily driver for that.
Question is. With a STOCK converter. How much "wear" does a WOT run up to 80MPH from a dead stop really do to the car? Is not the car DESIGNED for that type of driving? Mobil1 in the engine and everything in operating temps, does it hurt the car?
I have my regular "daily driver" and never really floor it. BUT the C5 is NO FUN to putz around.
I have my daily driver for that.
Question is. With a STOCK converter. How much "wear" does a WOT run up to 80MPH from a dead stop really do to the car? Is not the car DESIGNED for that type of driving? Mobil1 in the engine and everything in operating temps, does it hurt the car?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
From: Tampa FL
i usually do two, three gear drops, fast shifts .. thus far no problems *knock on wood* ... 30,000 miles. Just maintain the car, they were built to take some abuse. 
edit: perhaps I said that wrong, I dont want to give the impressive I do this at every light and etc. etc. .. I mean once in a while .. probably every couple of days ... it's my DD. So for instance, when i'm going on to the highway I merge and by merge I mean cruise up the on ramp at 55-60 then nailing third and riding it out until i'm in ... traffic.
edit: perhaps I said that wrong, I dont want to give the impressive I do this at every light and etc. etc. .. I mean once in a while .. probably every couple of days ... it's my DD. So for instance, when i'm going on to the highway I merge and by merge I mean cruise up the on ramp at 55-60 then nailing third and riding it out until i'm in ... traffic.
Last edited by Neablas; Sep 17, 2004 at 04:24 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
I am on the track( road race course) one weekend a month. SO the car is run a WOT out of each corner and over 130 multimple times each lap for 20 to 30 min at a time. My car runs far better now then when I got it a year ago
The guys who only come a few times a year say there cars run much better after a weekend at the track. Which some one mentioned cleans the engine out.
Drag race starts hurt clutches and trannies that is more harmful then running at WOT
The guys who only come a few times a year say there cars run much better after a weekend at the track. Which some one mentioned cleans the engine out.
Drag race starts hurt clutches and trannies that is more harmful then running at WOT
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville Florida
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
I am on the track( road race course) one weekend a month. SO the car is run a WOT out of each corner and over 130 multimple times each lap for 20 to 30 min at a time. My car runs far better now then when I got it a year ago
The guys who only come a few times a year say there cars run much better after a weekend at the track. Which some one mentioned cleans the engine out.
Drag race starts hurt clutches and trannies that is more harmful then running at WOT
The guys who only come a few times a year say there cars run much better after a weekend at the track. Which some one mentioned cleans the engine out.
Drag race starts hurt clutches and trannies that is more harmful then running at WOT
Ya gotta blow it out once in a while 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
On a follow up to what CAJUNY2KC5 has said. Several of the members of my Corvette club came to me with a problems in their vettes. The cars were a bit sluggish when they "attempted" a WOT.
I said really?? How often have you done a WOT and what RMP range do you drive at? To my suprise they all said amost never over 3000 rmp.
What???? I mentioned that was the problem. Corvettes are NOT meant to be babied. Drive it hard. Vettes need 3000 to redline several times to clean it out and help the computer recompute the airflow / fuel ratios ( or something like that ).
I understand it is not easy to do with all the idiots out there driving, but RED LINE IS GOOD for vettes and your SMILE
The biggest challange with vettes are the clutch and shifting. The clutch is a big strong chunck of Iron and takes like 40 hp just to turn that thing. Shifting is another story. With the tranny in back and long shift linkages, Corvettes are really not ment to be 'power' shifted. That can be a source of major damage to tranny and linkage. Gentle shifting does not mean slow shifting, just dont ram it into gear.
SO on occation, DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT. and you and your vette will feel VERY VERY GOOOD
I said really?? How often have you done a WOT and what RMP range do you drive at? To my suprise they all said amost never over 3000 rmp.
What???? I mentioned that was the problem. Corvettes are NOT meant to be babied. Drive it hard. Vettes need 3000 to redline several times to clean it out and help the computer recompute the airflow / fuel ratios ( or something like that ).I understand it is not easy to do with all the idiots out there driving, but RED LINE IS GOOD for vettes and your SMILE
The biggest challange with vettes are the clutch and shifting. The clutch is a big strong chunck of Iron and takes like 40 hp just to turn that thing. Shifting is another story. With the tranny in back and long shift linkages, Corvettes are really not ment to be 'power' shifted. That can be a source of major damage to tranny and linkage. Gentle shifting does not mean slow shifting, just dont ram it into gear.
SO on occation, DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT. and you and your vette will feel VERY VERY GOOOD
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Fredericksburg Va
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
On a follow up to what CAJUNY2KC5 has said. Several of the members of my Corvette club came to me with a problems in their vettes. The cars were a bit sluggish when they "attempted" a WOT.
I said really?? How often have you done a WOT and what RMP range do you drive at? To my suprise they all said amost never over 3000 rmp. What???? I mentioned that was the problem. Corvettes are NOT meant to be babied. Drive it hard. Vettes need 3000 to redline several times to clean it out and help the computer recompute the airflow / fuel ratios ( or something like that ).
I understand it is not easy to do with all the idiots out there driving, but RED LINE IS GOOD for vettes and your SMILE
The biggest challange with vettes are the clutch and shifting. The clutch is a big strong chunck of Iron and takes like 40 hp just to turn that thing. Shifting is another story. With the tranny in back and long shift linkages, Corvettes are really not ment to be 'power' shifted. That can be a source of major damage to tranny and linkage. Gentle shifting does not mean slow shifting, just dont ram it into gear.
SO on occation, DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT. and you and your vette will feel VERY VERY GOOOD
I said really?? How often have you done a WOT and what RMP range do you drive at? To my suprise they all said amost never over 3000 rmp.
What???? I mentioned that was the problem. Corvettes are NOT meant to be babied. Drive it hard. Vettes need 3000 to redline several times to clean it out and help the computer recompute the airflow / fuel ratios ( or something like that ).I understand it is not easy to do with all the idiots out there driving, but RED LINE IS GOOD for vettes and your SMILE
The biggest challange with vettes are the clutch and shifting. The clutch is a big strong chunck of Iron and takes like 40 hp just to turn that thing. Shifting is another story. With the tranny in back and long shift linkages, Corvettes are really not ment to be 'power' shifted. That can be a source of major damage to tranny and linkage. Gentle shifting does not mean slow shifting, just dont ram it into gear.
SO on occation, DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT. and you and your vette will feel VERY VERY GOOOD
Seen this myself cause my Sister always had a vette that ran like crap. She never, ever, nailed it ever. It was my pleasure to take it out and blow the dust off the car for her periodically.
I would theorize that you would have the least wear and tear opening it up on the highway and letting the car fly than putting the drivetrain under stress romping from a standstill, going through and mashing gears....etc. I would also think high speed on the highway (at the right place (no LEO's or Traffic) and time (clear road)) is safer than high speed on the street unless you race for a living. Even then your odds at dragging on the street will eventually make your lawyer very happy.
Only the outside of the car is glass. It will take some punishment.
Be careful.....ENJOY!
Rd
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Shouldn't hurt anything. Just keep your normal maintenance up. Have fun with the WOT.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
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i've got about 2,700 mph on my '04 z. still haven't completely floored it yet. close, but not quite. have gotten it up to a few ticks above 6k though while drag racing a monstrous built 427 cobra up to about 80 mph (he won after engaging his 2nd gear, it wasn't even close).
methinks i'll have to try flooring it sometime soon after reading this! thanks for the motivation!
methinks i'll have to try flooring it sometime soon after reading this! thanks for the motivation!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
From: Tampa FL
Originally Posted by SLO VETTE
i've got about 2,700 mph on my '04 z. still haven't completely floored it yet. close, but not quite. have gotten it up to a few ticks above 6k though while drag racing a monstrous built 427 cobra up to about 80 mph (he won after engaging his 2nd gear, it wasn't even close).
methinks i'll have to try flooring it sometime soon after reading this! thanks for the motivation!
methinks i'll have to try flooring it sometime soon after reading this! thanks for the motivation!
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,874
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From: Fishing Somewhere Cold
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15
Originally Posted by SLO VETTE
i've got about 2,700 mph on my '04 z. still haven't completely floored it yet. close, but not quite.
What do you have that thing for????Get busy man!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38,314
Likes: 35
Vettes are meant to be run hard. I used to worry about this too, what with the various dyno runs and drag racing. But the car is well taken care of and runs great. They were built for it. I feel for anyone who has a C5 and has not driven it at WOT, cause anything less and you don't get to experience the full potential of the car.
Drive it like you stole it.
Drive it like you stole it.
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; Sep 18, 2004 at 01:00 PM.
