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.......yes and many that run full sessions as posted almost everyday here with no overheat issues, and some that have, hit or miss. Sales will STILL keep going as much as some in here hope sales wont. So no give away's to agree with
Wow, have to love that quality control - 'hit or miss', so when they finish assembly, run the cars at the end of the line and something is wrong - one line-worker to the other " oh well, hit and miss, keep it going "
I took my new C7 Z06 A8 for a Sunday drive at my local track yesterday, 9 June. The car was a museum delivery on 27 May and had 1400+ miles from the drive home. I did a warm-up lap and 2 timed laps before the engine overheat light and chime. Ambient temperature was high 80's. Lap times were 1:55 paddle shifting with the green or single yellow shift light. Lap times in my '13 ZL1 Camaro convertible, which has about 700 miles, are 1:50s with NO issues. My wife did 10 2:10 to 2:20 laps in Tour mode in Drive with A/C and radio and did not overheat. What a disappointment!!
Wow, have to love that quality control - 'hit or miss', so when they finish assembly, run the cars at the end of the line and something is wrong - one line-worker to the other " oh well, hit and miss, keep it going "
You mean track prep? Did you have a point about sales yet? also for the fact that you think the Z06 line works like that is even funnier. We all know the Z06 can do with better cooling for the track, so lets see what happens. Either way sales will still fly is the point seems most owners will never track their cars, much like well, any other performance car at this level.
It's not just in this thread, which has excellent documentation by the OP, b-t-w...
Reading about all of these reports of C7s with coolant, or oil, or power steering, or transmission (fewer) overheating issues
is certainly very disconcerting.
These cars should be able to maintain their performance for 20--30 min. HPDE sessions without fail. IMO the LT1/LT4
execution has been intentionally hampered by the production design of these critical "cooling" components.
I'm all for Corvettes and love the look of the new C7, but if the stock C7 power-train et al cannot perform as well as the
previous generations (stock) in HPDE conditions, than its "performance" is a failure. And I say that with the best of intentions...
Let's hope GM really steps-up and offers appropriate parts/solutions for those that desire the same.
Last edited by Gary '09 C6; 06-10-2015 at 06:52 PM.
Reason: sp
It's not just in this thread, which has excellent documentation by the OP, b-t-w...
Reading about all of these reports of C7s with coolant, or oil, or power steering, or transmission (fewer) overheating issues
is certainly very disconcerting.
These cars should be able to maintain their performance for 20--30 min. HPDE sessions without fail. IMO the LT1/LT4
execution has been intentionally hampered by the production design of these critical "cooling" components.
I'm all for Corvettes and love the look of the new C7, but if the stock C7 power-train et al cannot perform as well as the
previous generations (stock) in HPDE conditions, than its "performance" is a failure. And I say that with the best of intentions...
Let's hope GM really steps-up and offers appropriate parts/solutions for those that desire the same.
I agree, even though many have no issues, better cooling is always a good thing.
I took my new C7 Z06 A8 for a Sunday drive at my local track yesterday, 9 June. The car was a museum delivery on 27 May and had 1400+ miles from the drive home. I did a warm-up lap and 2 timed laps before the engine overheat light and chime. Ambient temperature was high 80's. Lap times were 1:55 paddle shifting with the green or single yellow shift light. Lap times in my '13 ZL1 Camaro convertible, which has about 700 miles, are 1:50s with NO issues. My wife did 10 2:10 to 2:20 laps in Tour mode in Drive with A/C and radio and did not overheat. What a disappointment!!
So what you are saying is that this car needs a woman's touch?
When the C7 Z06 continues to overheat (even before Summer has started) or have one of numerous maladies on the track - When the warning lights come up and it goes into limp mode just roll down the window and shout: "Sales figures, Bitches!" as a Miata and Civic pass you by. Truly the most Capable Track Corvette ever.
Also the #1 Best selling Corvette of all time 1979 with the craptastic wheezing 185hp engine.
1979 Corvette 53,000 sold - blowing away any single year of C4,C5, C6 and C7 numbers. Great Corvette or Greatest Corvette? Edmunds thinks neither naming it one of the worst Corvettes ever.
This is EXACTLY why I didn't supercharge my former Mustang Cobra and bought a n/a'd C5Z. I was tracking my Cobra for six years and with 305hp was tired of getting passed by newer cars. Another lesson learned here is that it is NEVER a good idea to open track your car on a day when it's going to be 90+ degrees all day. Not only do you risk overheating your car, especially a supercharged or turbo'd one, but you will also risk boiling your brakes, even with Motul fluid.
Being a C-6 Grand Sport owner I still drift over hear to hear the latest news on the C-7's. I know its not all C-7's but this Z06 performance news between over heating and blowing up motors makes me wonder what the heck is going on at GM.
One thing for sure is it makes me think I wouldn't buy one.
Thanks for letting me invade your space
NSF
There are at least 3 or 4 threads talking about the same guy, who's engine let go at 6 miles. While that is sad, and no doubt, GM will fix it, it's hardly an epidemic.
I took my new C7 Z06 A8 for a Sunday drive at my local track yesterday, 9 June. The car was a museum delivery on 27 May and had 1400+ miles from the drive home. I did a warm-up lap and 2 timed laps before the engine overheat light and chime. Ambient temperature was high 80's. Lap times were 1:55 paddle shifting with the green or single yellow shift light. Lap times in my '13 ZL1 Camaro convertible, which has about 700 miles, are 1:50s with NO issues. My wife did 10 2:10 to 2:20 laps in Tour mode in Drive with A/C and radio and did not overheat. What a disappointment!!
ur going to hate me.. i did track days with A/C on.. engine got hot.. oil got very hot but no chime no limp mode.. .
When it comes manual, with the V8 in the 918 or better, and with double wishbone or push-rod suspension. At that point I might overlook the body shape. A Viper would be my fall back plan, although I do love high revving engines.
What's not to like about the shape of the new 991 GT3? Personally, I like the way my white 991 GT3 "punchy-bug" looks.
When it comes to having a daily driver that turns into a proven, phenomenal track car, there's nothing better than a Porsche GT3/GT3 RS. A lot Porsche's success on the track is simple:
1. Naturally aspirated
2. Not TOO much horsepower (475hp).
3. Compact
*not to mention, refined, refined, refined.
There are at least 3 or 4 threads talking about the same guy, who's engine let go at 6 miles. While that is sad, and no doubt, GM will fix it, it's hardly an epidemic.
GOOD GRIEF, I SAID THAT EXACT THING!!!!! Back to the C-6 forum for me where you can have a conversation without being accused of things that you DIDNT SAY
NSF
Having previously tracked the car in 85* at Thunderhill 2 mile (West Course) I knew the three ways the Z06 Z07 breaks down in the heat:
1. Coolant overheat
2. Power steering overheat
3. Check engine light, low power mode (fuse 36 blown)
So this time I came prepared:
1. I would have changed the coolant mix to 80% water
2. I designed a scoop that grabs cold air from under the car and feeds it over the powersteering unit
3. I had the dealer inspect the check engine light, we found the fuse to be at fault, so I replaced it and got a spare one
Conditions:
92* to 100* ambient
Thunderhill 5 mile (includes the 2 mile and 3 mile tracks into one)
Advanced group (two cars noticeably faster, overall I felt like I was above average in the group, getting stuck behind much slower cars)
Z06 Z07 Coupe Manual with traction and stability control off
Passenger 100% of the time
No front plate
All the maintenance/track prep done
Results:
I. Session one 92*
Within 10 minutes of driving the coolant gets up to 257*. I get the warning that "A/C turned off, engine overheating." This warning shows up in the center display at 257* whether the A/C is on or not. For the record, I never track with the A/C on. 12 minutes of driving in I get up to 261* coolant, one degree from overheating. I get stuck behind a 997 GT3 that I don't want to risk passing. Car drops temps to 255*. 15 minutes in I get a check engine light, loud backfire, low power mode. The fuse has blown again.
Fault codes when the fuse #36 blows:
II. Session two 95*
Within 2 minutes I get the check engine light again, loud backfire, low power mode. The fuse has blown again. Coolant was only at *225, far from overheating.
Fault codes slightly different, but same culprit fuse #36 blows. This was my spare so I had to go to the dealer:
III. Session three. Missed. Couldn't get back from the dealer in time.
IV. Session four. 98* ambient. I would have changed the fuse to a 20 amp version. +5 amps.
15 minutes in the coolant gets up to 262*. This warning says "Engine overhated, idle engine." A chime gets my attention audibly, the tour mode temperature display is red. Power reduced. I retire the car to the pits.
V. Session five. 100* ambient.
15 minutes in the coolant gets up to 262*. This warning says "Engine overhated, idle engine." A chime gets my attention audibly, the tour mode temperature display is red. Power reduced.I cool it off for 2 minutes by trying to get to the exit. It drops to 255* so I step on the accelerator to get back up to speed. 17 minutes in I get a check engine light, loud backfire, the fuse blew again.
Conclusions
Good:
*The powersteering scoop seems to work. This suggests that we were correct in thinking the unit overheats. The warning says "Service unit" but really, it should say overheating. It could be that the 5 mile track is not as demanding on the PS as the 2 mile but we had 15* higher ambients too. The downside is there is more lift on the front end.
Bad:
*Standard tricks to keep the coolant in check are not sufficient. We need hardware to cool the car down.
*Fuse #36 continues to be a pain the ***. This is a circuit shared by a lot of sensors so I'm not quite sure what the deal is. Certainly the heat puts too much pressure on something in this circuit as the fuse is fine below 80* ambient.
Today I learned chevy built a fast street car not a track or race car...oh wait I knew that already
I hope Chevrolet can repair this car for 2016 and upgrade at least the radiator and oil cooler. I had a crazy experience with Bob Johnson Chevrolet in Rochester New York that speaks to the competency and ethics of some of their dealers. I was talking to their salesperson and told them that I was interested in buying a Z06 and have been testing several other cars including a Porsche GT3, Mercedes GTS, and Jaguar R Coupe. He mentions that his other dealership that is almost an hour away from me had a Z06, and he was going to arrange a test drive for the next day. I drive all the way to the dealership and notice the car is in the showroom. The salesman greets me at the door, and when I ask about driving the car, he told me it's against company policy. Mind you, I've already purchased a Corvette from this dealership and should have expected this underhanded and incompetent behavior from them. I have never had an issue with any foreign car dealerships. This is the same dealership that tried to sell me a tire rotation package for my Corvette. I was interested in the Z06, but the number of issues listed on the forum and GM's unwillingness to even acknowledge the problem has completely turned me off on the car. Additionally, I would never spend $100,000 on any car without test driving the car.
Hey, all! Sorry for the off-topic, but I haven't posted on this forum in about 4 yrs or so. I am excited to find out more about the C7Z and am glad to be back here! To the OP, I hope this gets sorted! Thanks for all your data and willingness to share the info and your experience with tracking Corvettes. But this post, and the incredible knowledge and insight I've read so far is the very reason I just had to come back. I had to reply, even if it was just OT drivel. Thanks everyone!
Last edited by 2KZ28CAM; 06-10-2015 at 11:15 PM.
Reason: auto correct
06-10-2015, 06:29 PM
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or wait for the 2016 ACR, those are real track weapons, it sad, but this C7 Z06 was just made for the waxers to brag about at car shows.
