UPDATE - It's been just a little over a month since I bought my 2004 coupe, but we have been on a roll. Next items on the agenda are the installation of a C6 shifter along with a TMOD lower box; parts are in hand. Also, I have all the hoses and belts, so I can swap those out next. I think after these tasks are completed I can step back and take a deep breath, and just enjoy the car...


New purchase c5 coupe 25K miles, m6. Bone stock. What are the first 5 things to replace or upgrade? Btw, the car has been well cared for.
Here's my list and feel free to weigh in:
1. Z06 air box. Fill those lungs. Installed with Wix 46144 air filter
2. C6 shifter. Improve shift control. Acquired a C6 shifter, and lower box has TMOD modification. Needs installation.
3. Shim the shifter detent - anti venom mod Installed one washer. A bit easier to move to reverse
4. Make sure it has 1-4 Eliminator Installed. Oh yeah, so fine...
5. Cupholder ring that slides over the cover. Hold beer can under hard acceleration. Installed; Corvette Clips works great!

More: cargo cover, cargo area protective carpet or mat, 3.90 rear gears, dyno tune.... Let's hear your thoughts!

What else???
Added cargo cover
Installed LMC5 Compliance Parts steering column lock bypass module
Installed new clutch master cylinder
Installed new set of "Non-Run Flat" Michelin Pilot Sport AS3 tires
Changed transmission and differential fluids with Red Line products.
Installed Flowmaster 80 series mufflers - that straight through system was making my ears ring!
Acquired all GM or AC Delco coolant hoses, GM thermostat, and Continental belts.
In process of ordering water pump, idler pulleys, and belt tensioners.

 

First thing I would have done is replace the harmonic balancer then go from there.

 

Welcome to the C5 owners club and congrats on your new to you Vette! First rule of this forum is that you have to post pics of your C5 before you ask any questions .

 

If it still has run flat tires get rid of them ASAP
Clean the radiator out (free mod)
lmc5 module if it doesn't already have it ($40 piece of mind)
If it still has the stock radio and you want to keep it, do the aux input mod ($5 mod if you're handy with a soldering iron)

 

I recently bought a C5Z with about 23K miles. I bought the car to drive everyday as long as there was no snow or salt. I also autocrossed it a few times. I may have gone overboard but here are the things I did:

1. LMC5 Mod. DO THIS FIRST. I live in Illinois and traveled to Texas to get my car. I was so worried about the column lock I actually took the LMC5 with me to install in case I faced trouble.
2. I changed every fluid. Engine oil, trans fluid, diff fluid, brake fluid (wife stepped on the pedal while I opened the bleeders), clutch fluid (Ranger method, look it up)
3. Air filter, spark plugs, wires, and belts
4. Valve cover gaskets (mine were leaking)
5. Every coolant hose, expansion tank, and radiator. My radiator was damaged from a road hazard. Otherwise I would have left it alone. I did the coolant hoses due to age and given that I planned to use my car on longer trips.
6. I put on a weighted shift ****. Really improved the feel. I may still try the Venom mod but the weighted **** really helped.

 

LED headlights and fog lights (also adjusted to be usable). Others will say LED's blind others and diffuse too much but I and many others have other experiences with them.

 

Long tubes, x pipe, borla stinger axle back. Best sounding exhaust for a Vette!!! IMO

 

Welcome to the asylum...

Plenty of great people here to help you spend money!

 

 

Since it's a 2002 Z06, first item was to replace the valve springs since they were originals. I changed the spark plugs and wires at the same time.
Installed the LMC5 for peace of mind
Installed the RadioFlyer bi-xenon lights. The originals headlights don't light up much.
Changed the tires.
Changed all the fluids
The prior owner installed a Vararam Air Intake system.

 

make sure you keep an OEM Air filter, paper style element and factory air box with PCV hose to crankcase.
This will prevent oil leaks, keep oil clean, keep the engine clean. It will last longest in this config.

 

Right on brother... I rounded up a C5 Z06 factory airbox and fitted it up with a fresh Wix filter. I found these work pretty good on the street.

 

I find it somewhat ironic that the first mod many learn to do (air filter/intake tubes) as novices to high performance vehicles, almost always disrupts the intended function of the engine's PCV system which can cut engine life span in half or worse. The single most important feature of a successful high mileage engine is filtration, high quality filtration is what does the work.

Double irony when you realize the majority of aftermarket intakes (for other cars more often than corvettes, nevertheless...) Besides freeing up power at the expense of PCV system performance, also tend to ruin the intended kinetic energy workflow of incoming air that is so important to naturally aspirated engines (no compression to "insist" on kinetic energy and vector for movement), due to poor design (R&D).

All in all after 20 years of mechanical experience and a bunch of degrees involving mechanical/electrical/science/chemistry/biology, I've realized that PCV is the most important feature on a combustion engine which intends to achieve a high mileage and it works with high quality filtration to get it there.

 

Great information and eloquently stated.

While running supercharged engines in endurance boat racing we had a form of pcv known as burn down breathers. Basically a -12 hose running from each valve cover to the headers. Our goal was to pull enough pressure out of the crankcase and lifter valley so the oil would not park itself in the valve covers. I have had pcv on every engine I've owned, street or race, since they were first widely used in the 70s.

 

The guys with the Z06 air boxes all replace them too, go with something like an SLP Blackwing

 

I've had the Z06 box on other C5's and it served my purpose, as it provides enough airflow for the 4000-5000 rpm gap where the base airbox is too restrictive. Short answer is I don't really beat on it too much. A little...but not too much. LOL

 

Lots of work getting done!

 

The supercharger mod ......

 

Well hell yeah!

 

Indeed?! My 2001 C5 Corvette came with a dual-conical filter, cold-air intake, like the one from West Coast Corvette.

I'd be better-off, in terms of longevity, seeking out and installing a stock air intake?

(Not that I need any extra horsepower. I came to Corvette-Dom by way of my econo-car Pious Prius.)