rikhek

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

ranger1

Good for you... new engine...

Garry

pewter99

thats crazy..glad they are taking care of you

Translator

Too many engines blowing up lately. Good thing that you were stock, so the warranty covered it. These threads are scaring me to even drive the car now, LOL.

OnPoint

Certainly an advantage to having a bone stock powertrain.

Good luck with the engine swap; you'll be back on the road in no time.

If you get a chance, post some pics of the engine.

RUGBY

bcmarly

Good news on GM standing behind the warranty. I wonder if this thread will command 21 pages of comments like the other one, probably not.

u1arunit

I don't know about you other guys but I am staying off the back roads on those Sunday drives! Seems when an engine blows it's almost always when one is just loafing along at a lazy 40-50 mph or so. LOL

siggy_freud

Great outcome. My 06 Saleen mustang (stock) blew it's motor at 7000 miles at 2200rpm. Snapped a rod and punched a small chunk out of the block.

The Ford dealer did NOT stand behind the extended warranty. It took me writing a letter to the dealer owner threatening legal action. Wrote a nice fat check my way and I repaired it as I saw fit.

Good to see that GM treats their customers better.

Jasil

I would expect nothing else than full replacement if the car is stock!! GM did what they are supposed to do.......what I don't like is it's just another blown LS7!

Just adds another seed of doubt which I've never had in any other performance car I've owned. Every sports car I've ever owned has pushed 100hp-300hp over stock nary a problem these random failures irk the tar out of me.

Best of luck on the new motor!!

jimman

And you didn't have to sue, how weird is that.from other posts one would think it could never happen. It sure raises a question as to why some can't seem to get GM to honor the warranty, or do we hear only half the story.

0RodZ@XMS

Very interesting indeed. I HIGHLY doubt you will ever get any more info from the dealer as to what really happened but it sure would be nice to know. The past few Z06's (and a ZR1) we did had valves, and guides, that were extremely prematurely warn. I'm sure it's just coincidental but it certainly makes you wonder.

383vett

Glad it's working out. Crossing my fingers with my 08 with a tune.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Yes, it does. Yes, it does.

Rick, how much actual track duty did the car see before the incident on the street where the engine went?

I ask because I saw in one of your prior posts where you eventually bought a dedicated track car...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...y-new-toy.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1576534869-post20.html

joe11204

Is that all you could dig up?

forg0tmypen

I'm on the fence on this exhaust valve wear issue. On one hand you have people like Jason at Katech saying it's just a coincidence or a supplier issue (he didnt actually say this but loosly implied it) and on the other hand you have threads like these popping up with ls7s with exhaust valve issues. I think I might be looking into a rebuild soon...this is crazy.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

First, we don't know if it was an exhaust valve, and second, we don't know how much track duty the engine saw over it's lifespan.

And yet you say you might be looking into a "rebuild" soon???

forg0tmypen

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.

SlayerRX8

Not very confidence inspiring.

I'd also like to know how much track time the car saw.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

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.