I just purchased a silver '03 Z06 in November. The car is going to Europe this summer. I expect the car to dominate the roadways there but I know that it cannot handle more than 140 mph continuous in summer heat without the driveline and, perhaps, engine oils overheating. I plan on using Redline or Amsoil synthetic fluid for the M12 transmission in the car as well as something better in the engine. I don't know if the stock GM differential lube can be improved upon so I'll probably leave that alone. My questions for your expert opinions to answer are:

1) Can the engine oil stay below 230° F (110 ° C) at sustained high-speed with the current oil "warmer" that exists on the car? If not, what would be a sound method of cooling the engine oil other than resorting to an all-in-one coolant/engine oil-cooling radiator?

2) If I install a GM Performance transmission oil cooler, where do I mount the heat exchanger?

3) With the transmission oil cooler, and given that the differential has a small heat sink on the bottom, will the differential require a separate cooler for use at sustained high speeds?

4) Where would one recommend the inlet/outlet cooling hoses be placed on both the transmission and differential?

5) GM Performance wants nearly $2k for a single cooler kit. Is there a less-expensive source for these parts?

I've followed a meticulous break-in procedure that has involved changing all the driveline fluids twice in the first 5000 miles. I can also increase the viscosities to deal with the heat but would rather have better cooling as well.

I wonder what temperature data has been gathered by GM during their endurance runs in the Z06.

Thank you.

Brook Garrettson
garrettson@csd.com

 

Search and ask in the Road Racing section, some of the people who race C5/Z06s in there have run into and figured out excellent solutions to all of these problems.

Sam

 

Check out:

microdynamic-engineering.com

They are suppose to have several oil cooler kits out that will fit your needs. I emailed them & their pricing is quite reasonable:

Diff cooler Kit = $695.00 includes pump, S.S. lines, cooler & all mounting brackets.

M12 / MN6 Tranny cooler kit = $695 includes pump, S.S. lines, cooler & all mount brackets.

LS1 & LS6 EOC = $495.00 includes oil cooler, new remote filter mount, adapter plate and S.S. lines with Goodridge connectors.

Corvette A4 tranny cooler kit = $199.00, includes cooler and SS lines with all mounting brackets.

They said their pricing and kit pictures will be up within the next 4 weeks. I can't believe the LS1 & LS6 engines do not have ANY kind of engine oil cooler from the factory!