I have an 02 Z06 and am kicking the idea around of doing heads and cam to the car but have several questions:

1-Though the top end of the motor will be upgraded substantially, what are the LONG TERM effects on the bottom end of the stock shortblock (reliability, longevity, etc.), transmission, and rear end (assume the car will be daily driven and not beat on every second I am in it?

2-Do most upgrade things like the oil pump, fuel injectors, rocker arms (Jesel makes some nice shaft mounted ones) rear end parts, etc. at the time of installation (I am predicting the car will be making in the 450 rwph range +/-)?

3-Do most upgrade to a double roller timing chain, and are the use of head studs (ARP of course) recommended?

4-How big of a cam can you go with and avoid all of these broken valve spring issues that have popped up lately?

5-How much of a trade off in reliablilty am i realistically making?

6-Including headers, etc. does $8k sound about right (installed and tuned) I am just guessing here not comparing prices.

6-Anything and everything else...

Thanks

 

Hey,

You should contact GarettO over at the Z06vette.com site. He is from Houston and just completed a H/C job on his Z, performed by MTI. I am certain he can give you his experiences. I know his car is making ~450 rwhp, so it's no slouch.

 

For $8K you will have a very nice H/C car!

 

I'm from Houston and had an MTI heads & cam package installed and tuned on my car. Call them and ask for David, they even warranty their work.

 

I agree:

8K will get you a helluva H/C package. I just got my Z06 back from LPE a week and a half ago(and paid less than that). Stock cats, stock Ti exhaust. 441.7rwhp, SAE corrected. The cam is big, I was concerned about the size but it's almost as driveable as stock. I say almost simply because the rough idle makes it neccesary to rev it up a bit more at takeoff vs. stock.

The cam is *big* 229/243 .629/.629 but it actually idles decent at 950RPM. It's rough, don't get me wrong, but it drives real well. I can put it in 6th gear at 1KRPM, romp on it. It doesn't buck, ping, just accelerates smoothly. It's a low 11 second car for sure and has a 2 year/24,000 mile warranty. Thanks LPE!

Regards
Brian A.
90 ZR-1
12.09@118
01 Z06
not stock

 

I love my Magnuson blower and cam. 480rwhp and it drives like stock until you hammer on it. The ACI hood sucks, go with a Motor City Mold.

D.

 

ZR1Dude:

Let's run 'em, see who wins... Or, just bolt some Quick Time Pros up to your Z06 and let me get it into the 10s...

Brian A.
90 ZR-1
12.09@118
01 Z06
Not stock

 

Brian - It is always easier for you to beat on my car harder because you won't have to fix it. I am surpised you didn't blow the rear end out of my ZR-1. There is no way I would ever launch my own car that hard.

So, I will pass on you driving mine. How about we run from BG to the Museum. I wonder which one of us will end up in jail first...

D.

 

Dude:

Well, I didn't launch your ZR-1 *that* hard... 1.71 60ft.. C'mon, 5K launch on Quick Times.. You didn't think I'd let you beat me in that Porsche Turbo did you??? I got it into the 11s, didn't I??

Brian A.
90 ZR-1
12.09@118
01 Z06
not stock

P.S. We'd both be in jail....

 

John,
You'll always be number one man, your the greatest.

Toad

 

ZRWON that seems like an excessively large cam for the numbers it put down.

Did you not do headers?

What was the torque number?

What heads and what LSA on the cam?

 

Sly:

LPE in Decatur did the conversion, so, it's all LPE stuff, heads, etc.
There is absolutely no doubt that the stock exhaust and cats are negatively affecting the power output. Nevertheless I'm very pleased with the power and driveability. I didn't want some raucous car; running no cats, and an aftermarket exhaust would make it too loud. This is what I wanted and LPE came through with flying colors. If I want loud I'll hop in the ZR-1 with headers and Tri-Flos.

I'm sorry that you feel the power is low; I think it's an incredible number given the stock cats/exhaust variable. Sure, It would probably be well over 450 if I made that change, but I like it the way it is; a real sleeper. No one running down the road would have any idea the power that lurks under the hood. That's what I wanted. Different strokes for different folks..

Brian A.
90 ZR-1
12.09@118
01 Z06
not stock

 

Though the $8k seems high, I look at like this:

Heads: $2800 +/-
Cam: $500
$LG headers: $2000
Install; at least $1000
Tax: $700

your at $7k right there and you havent addressed things like timing chain, lifters, head studs/bolts, fluids, etc.

Any comments??

 

Call MTI, they will hook you up.

 

I am planning to do heads, cam, etc. as well (althought I want to wait a little to check out the next Z), but as far as I have read here, nobody has really addressed the emissions querstion. I live in MA, will the mods flunk the sniff test? If anybody knows I'd appreciate some info on that. Thanks
George
'04 Z

 

If you wait long enough the vendors will do a H/C package deal. LPE and others had packages for under $5-6000 a month or so ago installed.

Do your homework now so you know what you want when the time is right! Then pull da trigger!

AFR's 225 heads will be tested out soon and then we will be seeing 500 HP at the rear wheels possibly!