JwT

Anyone who has opened some of my recent posts will understand the question I'm asking here. For those that haven't the short story is this.
Guy gets a great deal on a used 2007 Z06 vette with 67300 miles, yeah I know Guy thinks he understands that the vette will need attention. Guy replaces brakes, shocks, bearings, new tires. Installs bitchin set of rims. All is well. Soon after that lights stop working on great deal vette. Dealer cost $1200.00 and lights are fixed. At 68000 miles the tranny makes a small noise. Cost to fix from dealer is only$7600.00 for a new tranny, torque tube and clutch....What a deal.

So here we go I'm gonna do the work and save myself the $2100.00 in labor the slimy dealer wants to do the work. All the parts are ordered. A new trans and torque from RPM and a clutch with aluminum flywheel from Scoggin Dickey.

Now for the question. While I have the car down and I'm pretty sure that abuse was in the car's past I need to make sure the heads are not the next catastropy waiting in the wings. What needs to be done while thecar is down to make sure the valve droppin LS7 heads do not cause me more mental anguish???

Thanks for any positive responces, please.... no I coulda told you that!!!
Thanks
JwT

RUBYREDVET

I'm no expert so just throwin this out.
Since you seem to be a pretty good mechanic based on you're doing the tranny install yourself, take off the heads and send them to a reputable place and have them measure the guide wear. If you do a search, the name Richard at WCCH (?) comes up quite a bit.
Good luck.

ZO ZICK

I believe Texas Speed has agreat deal on the Heads, you ship it to them and they will be back nice and fresh

My heads are also milled .35, dont forget ARP Studs while they are out

jedblanks

The consensus for now seems to be solid SS exhaust valves and bronze
Guides. Sure there are people on both sides, but of
You are hell bent to "fix" the heads, then you already know which side you are on.

Mopar Jimmy

I believe Carlos at QMS Motorsports claims that he has the silver bullit fix for what worries you.

The BIG PROBLEM is that nobody has enough miles on the alleged silver bullit fix to see if it actually is in fact a fix, and LG motorsports reported today that a one piece stainless steel valve has failed on one of the heads and cam cars they have built.

JwT

Well I don't know if (hell bent) applies here. I bought the car used, a 2007 with 67300. I thought that if the car made it this far it may have been taken care of. The paint on the car is flawless, I have looked for respray in areas that should show them and nothing seems to indicate this.

I did the normal remove and replace. The brakes were shot which seemed odd at only 67k but I didn't know how Z06 brakes held up.
A week after I have the car, the lights stop working $1200.00 dealer fix with a new fuseblock and BCM. I'm an older guy so hot rodding is out of the question. At 68k the tranny is making noise, long story short the dealer wanted $7600.00 to replace the clutch, torque tube and tranny.($5500.00 in parts, $2100.00 in labor).

Now I have managed to get this price down to $4500.00 in parts and $800.00 in labor if I don't do it myself. I thought that while the car was down I would try to eliminate the next possible costly catastrophy. The dreaded dropped valve.

MEXIVETTE recommended Texas Speed and after calling them thats the way I'm going. I send them my heads and $1200.00 later I get heads that are better than new(thats the price for both heads $1200)

JwT

jedblanks

That pretty much nullifies my statement. I haven't seen that.

Didn't mean to offend, I just meant that it sounded like you had already made up your mind.

2k Cobra

Hey JwT, Did they say what condition the valve Guides were in when they worked on the heads.

I have 43K miles on mine.

TIA: 2k

Random84

You're better off sending the heads to a reputable shop (looks like that's what you're doing) than taking chances with a local place that might not be as experienced. The cylinder heads are likely the most critical part of the entire car to get "right," so don't cut corners.

All you NEED to to is have the guides and valves replaced. Conventional wisdom says you'll be better off / more peace of mind with stainless exhaust valves (but replace the intakes too).

If you want a little extra, have the heads decked to increase your compression ratio - this will buy you a few extra ponies. You likely do NOT need to bother with spending $$$ on valve angle jobs or heavy porting - since these heads flow very well in stock form.

Put it back together, run quality oil and enjoy!

JwT

Hey thanks guys, and no offence was taken. It seems that the with the problems I have had so soon after buying the car, it may have been beat on a bit. That's the chance you take buying a used car. But hey, I saved a lot of money going this way Now it looks I have to give some back.

I haven't thought of replacing the intake valve as well, but that sounds like good advice. When I talked to Texas speed I believe he stated that when I sent him my heads all the valve guides would be replaced with bronze units, SS exhaust valves installed, porting of the head and a decking for trueness. The qoute I got was $1200.00 for both heads and I also pay shipping both ways. This sounds like good insurance. When I take them off to send them to him I'll ask about a SS valve for the intake and a new set of springs.

I haven't sent him my heads yet as the car is on a lift at a friends house awaiting the tranny and torque tube from RPM. I already have the clutch from Scoggin Dicky. So we will see.

Thanks for the replys guys.

JwT

Hirohawa

I think you would still be better off selling it once the tranny is fixed. You would be better off spending your money on a used car that has some warranty still left as it sounds like the current one is going to continue to have problems.

90sundevil

I don't know who would buy your car when told what has been done when there are thousands of cars without your problems, a warranty and 1/4 the miles. You will have bumped more money into the car than what you can sell it for, keep it and enjoy it.

Bill Dearborn

Although it won't make you feel any better your car may not have been beat on so don't assume you were taken for a ride. Brakes at 67K whether first or second time isn't a sign of beating the car. Electrical center issues aren't a sign of beating the car. Tranny, issues could be a sign of beating the car. Did you ask why they want to replace everything between the engine and the diff?

As for the heads I would ask a local shop to check them out. They can check the guides and springs to see what kind of shape they are in. If something has to be done you can decide on how you want to proceed once you know the the condition. I think it is a mistake to just go ahead and send the heads out to be reworked without verifying their condition ahead of time. You may need to spend that money some place else.

Bill

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Tough call all the way around.

I would not put a lot of money into it that I couldn't get out of it though.

JwT

Hey Bill your absolutely right there isn't much telling me that the car has been beaten. I drove the car two hundred miles the day before the tranny stopped working and the car ran fine. In fact I put about 700 miles on the car since it arrived and it ran flawless. The day after that two hundred mile slow drive (26mpg) it puked. I had the car flat bedded to the closest dealer. They had the car for three days before telling me the clutch, torque tube and tranny needed to be replaced. The guy also said that there may be a problem with the rear end.......yeah right.

It's obvious that chevy dealers make a ton of money if they just replace everything. And they really have you over a barrel when you don't have a vette mechanic to give you the real issues to be fixed. I found this forum in the hopes of getting good information about the Z06. And for the most part I think thats what I get.

There are some here that tell me to fix the car, that it has been abused and to sell it. The only problem with that is the fact that I just don't have the money to unload this car after I dump 5k into it to fix it.
I spent a good bit of money when the car arrived just getting it right for the road. If I could buy a lower mile Z when would these problems start again. The real problem right now is the fact that I don't have confidence in the car. There's something in the back of my mind that tells me that if I don't address this valve issue I'll be kicking myself in the a$$ down the road and the car will be laid up for months while I make payments and save money for a new motor.

JwT

gandalf1969

<ahem> Rocker Arm <cough> needle bearings <cough>........

G.

jimbob8915

I think most of the valve issues are related to the shabby rocker arm bearings. I had my heads rebuilt at RPM at 28k miles an exhaust guides were shot, intakes were in great shape. The rockers had alot of play in them. I never measured it but seemed way too much IMHO. While heads were being redone I bought the Comp Cams trunnion kit an replaced the needle bearings in the rockers. I am willing to bet if a new motor had these bearings in the rockers the stock valves would be great. Many different opinions in here about the factory exhaust valves. If piece of mind can be put on a scale vs dollars I would most certainly say a head rebuild is worth it. Stainless ex valves with appropriate springs or factory parts with trunnion upgrade. Its up to you.

ANGRY Z

Call Richard at WCCH.