I'm the happy owner of a new (2018) Z06.

I've read quite a bit about the A8 transmission (torque converter) problems and the association with the car going into V4 mode. That said, there doesn't seem to be a lot of info specifically as to whether the 2018 model has this issue.

I'm wondering if the V4 mode has been altered for 2018, as my car doesn't go into V4 unless I'm deaccelerating or going downhill. If driving on a flat road, cruise control on, at say 60 mph, the car almost never enters v4 (regardless on whether I'm in eco, tour, or sport mode). My area is hilly for the most part, and it transitions into V4 going down hills, and out again going up them. I believe I'm getting very minimal gas mileage help out of this system because it's engaged in V4 for such short times and never when simply cruising on flat highway. Again, maybe this is a software change for 2018?

I can barely detect the car going into or out of V4 mode, and that's mostly based on exhaust note. No shuddering or thumping as some have described.

So, given that info, do you guys think the Range device would be an improvement to this car's overall longevity and durability? Anyone have any problems associated with it's use?

 

Def sounds diff then my 2015 auto was. It was jumping in V4 mode on a normal flat road every time and it drove me nuts!!! If you aren't being bothered by V4 mode then I wouldn't change anything. Most likely there is some sort of change that has been made.

 

I am driving my 2017 Z51 A8 the way it was built to be driven. Being a retired mechanic If the torque converter is going to have a problem it will happen before the power train warranty expires.

 

My understanding is that the Z06 isn't programmed to be nearly as aggressive for going in and out of V4 mode as Stingrays are. In fact I can't recall reading about a Z06 with the shudder or hard shift in the morning first thing issues.

 

I agree with the guys above the Z06 was not as aggressively programmed as the Base . My 2015 base , while it never shudder , it would jump in and out of v4 mode , I bought a range device just to head off any problems ...

Dave

 

I had the Range device in hand the day after I got my new 2017 Z06 home. It's plugged in every time I drive the car. I am not taking any chances. My biggest concern is that I will forget it is there when I take it to the dealer. I did see it going into and out of V4 on the drive home, and it seemed that it would go into V4 and then right back to V8 within seconds, even on flat Florida roads. Range is connected full time now, no more V4.

 

2016 Stingray build date- July 2015. Chose not to have range device. 24,000 miles. Smooth as silk transitions from v8 to v4 and vice versa. Happy with transmission.

 

Funny you say that lol , i just had my 500 mile oil change done after I had to have a new engine installed ....I I completely forgot about the range .....

Dave

 

Yes.

Perhaps the question could be phrased, Did GM eliminate the AFM in the ZR1, (with same cubic inch displacement motor and A8 as the C7, Z51, GS, Z06), because they want the ZR1 motor/transmission to fail sooner? Or did GM learn something over the long term that prompted a running design change in the production of these cars when a new modification of the motor was already planned? Remember, GM also reinstated port injection (in conjunction with direct injection) for the ZR1. At least ZR1 owners won't have to worry about carbon deposit buildup on the back of their valves, as long as they use detergent gasoline. And carbon deposit buildup is a long term issue for all Direct injection engined cars from all makers.

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

The Z06 is far less aggressive about going into V4 mode than other AFM equipped models. The lower compression ratio of the engine coupled with wider tires and greater air drag reduces the conditions under which V4 is useful. To keep weight down the Z06 has a carbon fiber instead of steel torque tube; the steel torque tube was used on the non-supercharged models because it is better at absorbing V4 mode vibrations than the aluminum torque tube of previous models. Base models have additional sound control valves in the exhaust to make V4 mode sound less bad but it was found that these fail due to exhaust heat in heavily tracked vehicles and would never have survived the exhaust heat of a Z06 running on the track so the Z06 was never equipped with them.

I let my Z06 go into V4 one time in warranty to make sure it could do so without a glitch and then it has had either the Range module in place or has been used in manual mode. The Z06 will mainly go into V4 mode when decelerating and is unlikely to experience the horrible shudder that results from converter clutch wear in LT1 equipped models until it is well up in miles but it isn't worth the risk to me. Fuel economy gains with V4 mode in the Z06 are very marginal and would likely be even less if the LT4 were optimized for full time V8 mode instead of being saddled with the extra weight and complexity of the added AFM hardware along with the reduced functionality of VVT brought about by constraints of the special lifters used for the 4 cylinders that are shut off.