Hey everyone, I just picked up my first Vette this spring. Its an 02 Z with 72000 on the clock. I have put another 4000 on it since then and have developed a few questions. Here goes...

The car had a C6Z clutch installed by a Texas shop (I have the receipt) and is now fully broken in. It also has the B&M ripper short throw with the stock shift ****. My question is, I have trouble getting into 1st from a stop probably 30 percent of the time. I saw that there are people that have issues with this and its in the manual that it could be an issue...but mine seems more frequent than others and I am wondering if I can chalk it up to the short throw being so damn notchy?

Secondly, last night as I was getting on an exit ramp and I got on it a little and up top (somewhere around 4000-5000 RPM) the check engine light started flashing. I didn't know that I needed to pull the code before I shut the car off...so I dont know what P030x code it threw. Then I started it back up, let it idle, gave it a few revs to see if there was an obvious misfire and there was nothing. I took it back out and got on it a bit and it seems fine and I haven't been able to recreate the misfire. So before I go replacing plugs/wires I want to know if there is anything else I can do to get that code back to see if it was a random misfire or a specific cylinder?

Thank you in advance!

 

Oh yes, this car has no performance mods other than the C6Z clutch and short throw (if those even count)

It does have the skipshit eliminator, and SCL bypass done to it.

 

Welcome to the Z club!

If you don’t know the status of the plugs and wires, its recommended that you remove each wire and plug and examine the condition. You can inspect each wire for damage, connector corrosion/deterioration and internal wire resistance. If you have stock wires, the internal resistance should be 275 ohms - 750 ohms. Most stock wires that I have tested measured 300-400 ohms. If you see high resistance, the internal spiral wound core is broken and is the possible cause of the misfire under high loads. That’s when the secondary ignition system works the hardest!

IF,,,,, you need wires, an EXCELLENT UPGRADE, would be the GM Performance RED wires. Gene Culley www.gmpartshouse.com sells them for around $60 for a complete set. If you need spark plugs, you can’t beat the stock AC Delco IRRIDUM plugs.

As for the tranny,, the shifter handle/housing/box has ZERO gates so the SHIFTER, really can not be NOTCHY. If you have never changed the transmission ATF, it is highly recommended that you up-grade it to a SYNTHETIC ATF. Mobile 1 synthetic ATF works excellent. AMSOIL has a extremely well suited ATF that works OUTSTANDING in ALL C5 transmissions.. Contact forum member SUBDRIVER for more info and product purchase!

If you have an issue getting into first, at a complete stop, try shifting into neutral, letting out the clutch and them pressing the clutch and try selecting it again. I always shift back to first just before the car comes to a stop (still moving a little) and have no issues. Mine does the same thing every once in a great while.

The Shifter may need alignment. Open the shift box and make sure it lubed, properly aligned and all the fasteners are tight!



You have a ZO6 so you should have metal bushings just like the ones in the picture for the shift box. NON Z cars have rubber bushings that can wear out.

I have a KIRBAN shifter and LOVE IT!!! It has internal centering springs.





BC

 

wow! thanks for all the info man! I'm gonna take it apart and take a look here this week...its 100 here right now and there is no way I'm leaving my basement! lol

Again, thanks...Ill let you know what I find!

 

with Bill's suggestion on a fluid change. My manual started having problems getting into first at ~73k miles. I changed the fluid with Dexron III (....I know....)....and it shifts like new.

 

May want to replace the valve springs on your 2002- as reportedly, there were a few bad batches. When they fail- your engine might go bye bye.