adias

I own another brand high-end sports car and I'm looking seriously at the 08 C6.

By reading this excellent board I learned about this hot tunnel problem. It seems to be serious as owners immediately replace a tunnel plate.

This is troubling to me. If this is a known why was it not addressed on the various C6 model years and notably on the 08 just released?

I understand that in order to address the problem (and i don't know if totally or partially) owners have to remove exhausts to insert this after market plate. I certainly do not want to do that right after i buy the car (if i buy the car).

Comments welcomed.

VettinFan

Good Question. I've wondered this too. I'm seriously getting ready to pull the trigger on an '08.

I'm sure our expert panel will provide us with the right answer(s)

AL

CQRT

I've really not found it to be a serious issue - -even here in Arizona . . the tunnel gets warm - - but no hotter than any of my other Corvettes back to C3's and C4's.

Some folks have used the tunnel plate . .others have added Reflectix as an insulating barrier under the carpet and tunnel. I used it on the C3, but haven't felt the need to do so on my `05.

I can't imagine there's any difference car to car . . so it must be a matter of personal preference and tolerance.

Just my .02

BrooklynC6

I assure you guys that this "problem" will not detract from the enjoyment you get from this great car - Yes the tunnel will heat up but it is not SO annoying like you may read here . The tunnel plate is an easier fix than it seems , but coming from a guy who has driven three corvettes cosecutivly as daily drivers , it really isnt so bad - you get used to it , and if it still bothers you , you can easily remedy it .

Good Luck Gentlemen

adias

I welcome more experienced comments as the last one. The poster says it is a matter of tolerance and I would like to know more. My european sports car also heats up the tunnel area and I do not think it I abnormal. It is warm to touch but does not burn. What is the situation in the C6?

There are some race cars (NASCAR?) maybe Corvette ALMS GT1 with super hot firewalls to a point that they burn drivers' feet. Is this the case with the C6?

C6FirstVette

I have not noticed any undue heat in the console area...I do image if you were sitting in traffic on a hot day things could get toasty...

The tunnel plate actually stiffens the chassis and as you can see (barely but look at the fore front of the pic you can see) the plate creates a cavity where above it where the driveshaft tube runs and also where the shift mechanism is located

...to me the key issue is air flow thus as the car is moving the air flows under and over the chassis plate and minimizes heat gain in that area...come to a lengthy stop and the heat simply rises.

It really has not bothered me in the least...
Michael

BrooklynC6

Absolutly not - Warm yes , but nowhere near the point of burning you ! ( its not like the dodge viper ! ) - What car are you driving now ?

PeterSG

After several Vettes over 40+ years I can say yes, it gets warm in the console / tunnel area on hot days.

The heat is not excessive. Just don't put food in the console and all will be OK.

Actually the heat is not excessive -- in my opinion. But we are talking in relative terms: "excessive" or "hot" versus "warm". Whatever the actual temperatures are, they will be ignored, judged warm or hot, and talked about as a detail to ponder.

The engine, radiator, exhaust manifold and pipes, and A/C are each heat sources that dissipate heat by air flowing past them. Some of that air flows through the tunnel and under the car. Also some heat is conducted through metal and non-metal parts toward the console and tunnel.

To me the heat in the tunnel is a byproduct of an amazingly aerodynamic, compact, light weight sports car design. The sports car design and laws of physics of this great machine ensure that our consoles can get warm and warmer.

Life is not perfect and certainly this warming aspect has never and does not detract from my enjoyment of my C3, C5, & C6.

talon90

I agree with CQRT about tolerance. I am on my third Corvette. My C4 was the best of the bunch as far as heat goes. My C5 (1997) and my C6 (2005) are about equal. The way some talk about the "heat" in the center console you would think that it would sear flesh on contact. Utterly ridiculous. This is far from the case. I would venture that the temperature inside my center console is somewhere in the 105 to 110 deg. F. I have taken this car on two 3,000 mile round trips and never found it to even be noticeable as long as I didn't have my ipod in there. If so, the metal back of the ipod is a little hot to the touch. Human skin can tolerate temperatures up to about 160 deg. F before major discomfort or damage will be done. The temperature barely rises above cabin temp in the first hour of around town driving. After about two to two and a half hours on the highway it will start to heat up.

I'll tell you what. I have a long trip coming up in a few weeks. I will try to record temperatures inside the console at different points along the journey and post my findings back to the forum.

NOCRISIS

I did mine,is there a difference,maybe yes maybe no.But it was fun to do,I used the aftermarket one along with the stock one.I think there is a bit of difference,but not done it was not an annoyance.

my2005c6

Just my two cents. I drove my C6 from New Orleans to Indianapolis twice within five weeks during the summer (approx 800 miles one way). Not a big issue with me. She got somewhat warm and my water bottle went from cold to warm in the cup holder. But like I said it really was not a issue with me.

carpe dm

Fairly easy to rip out the interior and put down insulation.

adias

911 Carrera 4 (996).

Thanks all for the feedback. Very reasoned and the issue does not seem to be a problem - 100F or there abouts is normal in my book.

Irv

As noted by others: a) we're talking about a level of relative comfort, not an injury risk like Viper sidepipes, b) sensitivity to the issue varies by individual, c) the effect is proportional to the length of the trip.

After having invested in a replacement tunnel plate, and helping several others with various products, I've come to the conclusion that they're mostly not worth the money. The insulation products do seem to postpone the onset of discomfort, but unless you frequently take your Vette on very long trips I still think it's a waste of money.

I have found that drivers (like me) that rest their right leg against the console/tunnel hump tend to find the heat problem most annoying. My buddy Ted, for example, doesn't do that, and on a bone stock '07 he doesn't feel tunnel heat at all. (Though he did make the mistake of putting a chocolate bar in the console compartment. It was paste when he went to retrieve it on a longish trip.)

Frankly, I'm very sensitive to tunnel heat and it is still only a 3/10 on my annoyance scale.

dtvet

Doesn't the C5-C6 Corvettes already come with a plate over the exhaust? If so, why does adding another, aftermarket plate make it better and stiffer?

I plan on changing the exhaust on my 08, so I'll be halfway there. Thanks for your help?

rakuhn

THere has been some heat on both my 03 and 06. Is it a problem, the anwer is no.

talon90

The factory tunnel plate while better than nothing is little more than stamped sheet metal (steel). As I recall it is less than .125" thick and a good conductor of heat. The aftermarket tunnel plates are made from aluminum to prevent too much added weight but are at a minimum .250" and many to most are ceramic coated to reduce the amount of heat that is conducted.

C6FirstVette

As the picture I posted above shows..yes comes with a plate but some aftermarket companies hawk a thicker or ceramic coated or insulated versions with claim of reducing heat... I say 'claim' since I simply do not know if they work or not...and Irv has posted that he feels there is marginal difference..
Michael

dtvet

Is there ANY improvement on making the car stiffer? (especially in a convertible) Or is that also questionable?

john351

Anybody who has installed and used one for awhile (besides the already given input) have a definite opinion on the tunnel plate's effectiveness? Re: heat and re: chassis flex?

Thanks, I'm short on time before I need to buy/not buy one!

John