[Z06] Blown Engine - 08 Z06 with 33k miles
07-07-2011, 09:51 PM
#22
The Consigliere
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Number of track days undertaken by OP with this car would be an interesting fact to know.
Hopefully he'll post such. It is relevant to understanding the duty cycles this engine saw.
Also hope he can manage to get some pics of the engine with the heads off.
Hopefully he'll post such. It is relevant to understanding the duty cycles this engine saw.
Also hope he can manage to get some pics of the engine with the heads off.
07-07-2011, 10:34 PM
#23
07-07-2011, 10:35 PM
#24
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While driving Saturday in the country my 08 Z06 with 33k miles put a rod through the block on the passenger side.
I was in 2nd gear at about 4,000 rpm when I lost power. This was immediately followed by a loud band and it sounded like a machine gun under the car. Took a bit of effort to not crash it due to the rear tires being oiled. Lucky the car didn't burn due to the amount of oil on the exhaust manifold and exhaust system. Lots of aluminum chunks all over the place. I even picked up a piston pin circlip from the crossmember.
Not certain what failed but if I had to guess it sounded like it dropped a valve prior to the loud bang.
Engine is stock and has not been tuned. My dealer knows I've tracked the car.
Got it towed to the dealer who downloaded the engine mapping and transmitted it to GM in Michigan. Got a call yesterday from my service writer that GM approved a new engine under warranty. Said it should be here next week.
GM did not play any games or question my use of the car. I commend GM for standing behind their warranty. It's been a very stressful five days. Great relief when the service writer called and said authorization for warranty replacement granted.
Not sure if they're covering it under the 5 year 100K mile powertrain warranty or the extended warranty I bought two months ago. I bought the extended warranty two days before my original 3/36 expired. I've never bought an extended warranty as I firmly believe they're sucker bets. However, I've had a number of problems with this car. Also, I plan on keeping for two more years and will be able to sell with one year remaining on the warranty. Thought it would be a good selling point.
Rick
I was in 2nd gear at about 4,000 rpm when I lost power. This was immediately followed by a loud band and it sounded like a machine gun under the car. Took a bit of effort to not crash it due to the rear tires being oiled. Lucky the car didn't burn due to the amount of oil on the exhaust manifold and exhaust system. Lots of aluminum chunks all over the place. I even picked up a piston pin circlip from the crossmember.
Not certain what failed but if I had to guess it sounded like it dropped a valve prior to the loud bang.
Engine is stock and has not been tuned. My dealer knows I've tracked the car.
Got it towed to the dealer who downloaded the engine mapping and transmitted it to GM in Michigan. Got a call yesterday from my service writer that GM approved a new engine under warranty. Said it should be here next week.
GM did not play any games or question my use of the car. I commend GM for standing behind their warranty. It's been a very stressful five days. Great relief when the service writer called and said authorization for warranty replacement granted.
Not sure if they're covering it under the 5 year 100K mile powertrain warranty or the extended warranty I bought two months ago. I bought the extended warranty two days before my original 3/36 expired. I've never bought an extended warranty as I firmly believe they're sucker bets. However, I've had a number of problems with this car. Also, I plan on keeping for two more years and will be able to sell with one year remaining on the warranty. Thought it would be a good selling point.
Rick
Sorry to hear about the engine. I have had a couple of repairs done on my car since the 3/36 ran out and they charged them to the powertrain warranty and not the GMPP. Going in next week for replacement of axle shafts and both rear wheel bearings due to wear. That is being charged to the powertrain warranty as well.
Bill
07-07-2011, 10:42 PM
#25
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Of course. But engines are disposables just like brakes and tires. They have a useful life based on duty cycles.
Tires and brakes should be able to handle "some" track duty as well. But how much before they also wear out?
Depends on how much hard track duty it saw.
Do you think these cars should run for 100,000 miles regardless of how hard they have been driven on the track?
Let us know what you find when you crack it open.
Tires and brakes should be able to handle "some" track duty as well. But how much before they also wear out?
Depends on how much hard track duty it saw.
Do you think these cars should run for 100,000 miles regardless of how hard they have been driven on the track?
Let us know what you find when you crack it open.
Been seeing these types of failures on a regular basis on cars that are tracked. LS1, LS6, LS2s and 3s and the LS7. The only one that was probably near bullet proof was the TPI C4 engine. HP fell off a cliff at 4500 rpm and even though the rev limiter cut in at 5600 you never got near it as you had to shift to keep out of other people's way.
Bill
07-07-2011, 10:45 PM
#26
Instructor
Chevy shows confidence in their current Z06 engine by having Michelin Pilot Sport Cups as an option.
It appears obvious why they didn't use stickier tires before 2009.
It appears obvious why they didn't use stickier tires before 2009.
07-07-2011, 11:10 PM
#27
Race Director
Yup and I supposed you believed the world was gonna end by that wise prophet that told us all so a month or two ago 
I hate to see anyone with a blown engine, and very happy to see the OP is not having an issue getting it replaced.
These are my favorite threads because nobody knows just how many failures there are and which engines failed because of what reason all unknowns, yet we have people now posting they are afraid to drive the car, and people considering re-building their engines this weekend
This forum provides great entertainment
I've seen just as many (if not more) LS1,6, 2's blow up too
I hate to see anyone with a blown engine, and very happy to see the OP is not having an issue getting it replaced.
These are my favorite threads because nobody knows just how many failures there are and which engines failed because of what reason all unknowns, yet we have people now posting they are afraid to drive the car, and people considering re-building their engines this weekend
This forum provides great entertainment
I've seen just as many (if not more) LS1,6, 2's blow up too
07-07-2011, 11:13 PM
#28
Race Director
Another tracked car, driven hard, wore out the motor. I see your looking at ZR1's.....once those are reaching 30k+ miles with extended track use, you'll see similar reports.....
Bingo, here is someone who has seen all sorts of LS engines letting go on tracked cars.
The ZR1's are soo costly, I doubt many are driven on the track....and not nearly in the same numbers as Z06's are tracked.
Been seeing these types of failures on a regular basis on cars that are tracked. LS1, LS6, LS2s and 3s and the LS7. The only one that was probably near bullet proof was the TPI C4 engine. HP fell off a cliff at 4500 rpm and even though the rev limiter cut in at 5600 you never got near it as you had to shift to keep out of other people's way.
Bill
Bill
The ZR1's are soo costly, I doubt many are driven on the track....and not nearly in the same numbers as Z06's are tracked.
07-07-2011, 11:36 PM
#30
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This is one reason I bought a 7 year extended GMPP warranty for my '08 z06 so i can enjoy this beast till 2018 with no worries.
I might sell in 2017 and have remaining one year warranty transferred to the next owner
Glad GM is taking care of you. That other thread with taking GM to court is not good PR. My car has 17,000 miles
I might sell in 2017 and have remaining one year warranty transferred to the next owner Glad GM is taking care of you. That other thread with taking GM to court is not good PR. My car has 17,000 miles
07-07-2011, 11:39 PM
#31
Burning Brakes
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OMG!! Are we gonna have another one of these threads!!! Please lord let them come to an end. The OP has tracked this car hard, and is a big time "track rat"...just look at his other threads and his new "Race Car" he purchased.
Anyway....that being said, he got a great amount of mileage out of his LS7. Richie Rich and many other guys that track their cars also had similar circumstances, and that's why they went to fully built track motors from Katech. I believe Richie's motor detonated around 32k miles as well, which he himself said was very impressive for the amount of track time that car had seen.
The point being, race engines are wear and tear items. The OP is getting a new motor, and GM covered him even though he tracked the car. Lesson being: Awesome job GM for backing your product, and awesome job on the OP for getting a new motor, which is probably perfect now that he has a new dedicated track car.
Anyway....that being said, he got a great amount of mileage out of his LS7. Richie Rich and many other guys that track their cars also had similar circumstances, and that's why they went to fully built track motors from Katech. I believe Richie's motor detonated around 32k miles as well, which he himself said was very impressive for the amount of track time that car had seen.
The point being, race engines are wear and tear items. The OP is getting a new motor, and GM covered him even though he tracked the car. Lesson being: Awesome job GM for backing your product, and awesome job on the OP for getting a new motor, which is probably perfect now that he has a new dedicated track car.
07-08-2011, 12:11 AM
#32
Burning Brakes
As one of the engine builders at Wixom, I hate to hear about a failure like yours. We occasionally get engines back from the field - I hope we get yours for examination. I'm glad you are covered and hope it all works out to your satisfaction.
I have sent your posting to some of our quality folks. Believe me there is a lot of concern whenever we hear about a customer problem. We know that we need happy customers to stay in business - and our names are on our engines.
I have sent your posting to some of our quality folks. Believe me there is a lot of concern whenever we hear about a customer problem. We know that we need happy customers to stay in business - and our names are on our engines.
07-08-2011, 02:39 AM
#33
Le Mans Master
As one of the engine builders at Wixom, I hate to hear about a failure like yours. We occasionally get engines back from the field - I hope we get yours for examination. I'm glad you are covered and hope it all works out to your satisfaction.
I have sent your posting to some of our quality folks. Believe me there is a lot of concern whenever we hear about a customer problem. We know that we need happy customers to stay in business - and our names are on our engines.
I have sent your posting to some of our quality folks. Believe me there is a lot of concern whenever we hear about a customer problem. We know that we need happy customers to stay in business - and our names are on our engines.
My theory is the number of blown engines is a far less than one half of one percent of the 26,000 ones out there.
ANy insight in this would be greatly appreciated by all here on the forum.
And thanks for building these engines. My 09 has almost 14,000 miles all trouble free. Absolutely love mine.
07-08-2011, 03:49 AM
#34
Le Mans Master
Look, my thinking is this engine should be able to handle some track duty. The engine doesn't know where it is when it's driven. It doesn't just start grinding away at it's valve guides when it enters the track (even though we don't know if that was the issue here). My point is: even if the op took his engine to the track, drove it hard over the course of many track days, it still shouldn't blow up like it did. With all that said, I must add: my car is on it's second engine. I have 71k on the odo and 40k on my engine which was replaced under warrenty at 30k after a dropped valve. This whole engine blowing up issue hits a little closer to home for me than most others. I wouldn't mind the piece of mine a rebuild would provide, at the very least I'd like to open her up and see what's going on with the valve guides.
07-08-2011, 07:08 AM
#35
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As someone who would know being at Wixom, could you divulge approx. how many blown Z06 engines you have seen or know of?
My theory is the number of blown engines is a far less than one half of one percent of the 26,000 ones out there.
ANy insight in this would be greatly appreciated by all here on the forum.
And thanks for building these engines. My 09 has almost 14,000 miles all trouble free. Absolutely love mine.
My theory is the number of blown engines is a far less than one half of one percent of the 26,000 ones out there.
ANy insight in this would be greatly appreciated by all here on the forum.
And thanks for building these engines. My 09 has almost 14,000 miles all trouble free. Absolutely love mine.
I have 30k on the clock trouble free. Though I bought the car with 28k miles on it. I chose this mileage because the car was "battle proven". Still under warranty as well.
Eagle I'm more concerned with what you personally would look or listen for. While I am no concerned about my car dropping a valve or detonating on me, there is something to be said for preventative maintenance and also knowing ones car. I feel no hesitation in bursts to 130 and do it with the wife on our way back from harris teeter. She gets a kick out of it and it provides a good laugh.
07-08-2011, 09:56 AM
#36
As one of the engine builders at Wixom, I hate to hear about a failure like yours. We occasionally get engines back from the field - I hope we get yours for examination. I'm glad you are covered and hope it all works out to your satisfaction.
I have sent your posting to some of our quality folks. Believe me there is a lot of concern whenever we hear about a customer problem. We know that we need happy customers to stay in business - and our names are on our engines.
I have sent your posting to some of our quality folks. Believe me there is a lot of concern whenever we hear about a customer problem. We know that we need happy customers to stay in business - and our names are on our engines.
07-08-2011, 10:26 AM
#39
The problem, of course, is that we don't have the sample size of all z06 owners and this forum is like the foolish journalists that publish a rare and outrageous story. Many small brained think that this is the mean or close to it.
So having said this I believe the moderators should assign a number to every one in the forum and randomly sample(send them a note) and ask miles/year/reliability. Then it must state the number responding AND not responding and results of responders.
As much as I love to hear about 120K miles z06s that is not the mean either.
So Mr Moderator could you do something like this?????
So having said this I believe the moderators should assign a number to every one in the forum and randomly sample(send them a note) and ask miles/year/reliability. Then it must state the number responding AND not responding and results of responders.
As much as I love to hear about 120K miles z06s that is not the mean either.
So Mr Moderator could you do something like this?????
07-08-2011, 10:39 AM
#40
But somehow I get the feeling that no matter how he answers, some of us are going to still believe this is an epidemic.The problem, of course, is that we don't have the sample size of all z06 owners and this forum is like the foolish journalists that publish a rare and outrageous story. Many small brained think that this is the mean or close to it.
So having said this I believe the moderators should assign a number to every one in the forum and randomly sample(send them a note) and ask miles/year/reliability. Then it must state the number responding AND not responding and results of responders.
As much as I love to hear about 120K miles z06s that is not the mean either.
So Mr Moderator could you do something like this?????
So having said this I believe the moderators should assign a number to every one in the forum and randomly sample(send them a note) and ask miles/year/reliability. Then it must state the number responding AND not responding and results of responders.
As much as I love to hear about 120K miles z06s that is not the mean either.
So Mr Moderator could you do something like this?????
Also it's impossible to tell if all of the "owners" responding in such a survey, actually do own Z06s.
This whole matter has been blown out of proportion. When you look at the details surrounding some of these failures described in here, you can see that.
Tuned cars, heavily tracked cars, cars with internal engine mods and other mods, and that's from the ones who will actually admit it, (how many do you think don't admit it?) you'll see just how blown out of proportion this scare really is.
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; 07-08-2011 at 10:45 AM.