Oil Starvation Question: 06 w/ Baffle, Stock Sump
 

Hey everyone,

I'm about to store my 2006 C6Z for the winter here in Toronto and plan to run it at Mosport GP track in the spring, with BMWCCA (just HPDE schools, nothing competitive). Doing my pre-storage oil change soon and am faced with an issue I'd like your feedback on.

To help insure against oil starvation, I purchased the aviaid oil baffle. I know most guys pair this with the LPE 9qt tank, but I am wondering if I should be fine running Mosport with the baffle in the stock 8qt tank (running on PSS tires, no R comps). The track does have a left hander that is downhill and slightly off camber, and will last 4+ seconds.

My reason for trying to avoid the big tank is because the car already takes a long time to get up to operating temp on the street (also have 160* tstat) so I feel that the big tank would add to this. Also want to add that I only plan on doing 3 HPDE weekends per year, so another reason why I'm hesitant to make changes that may only benefit that small amount of driving time.

And the FX rate from CAD/USD is bad so I'd rather put those funds elsewhere, but only if you agree that I should be pretty safe without it.

So in short, does anyone have experience running the 8qt tank with just the baffle on the track? Do you think I should be okay in doing so, or strongly recommend I pony up for the big tank as well?

Thanks
Anthony

I wouldn't risk it. The downsides suck, but that is trade offs for racing/tracking the car. A good track car isn't a good street car. Maybe just take it easy through the left hand turns if you really want to risk it.

put the stock degree tstat back in it and that will help get the temps up quicker

:iagree:

It doesn't do any good on the track as coolant temps go higher than the stock thermostat opening point anyways. I used to see around 230 degree coolant temps on the track in hot weather with a stock thermostat. No sense setting a floor on the temp if the temp always runs well above the floor.

The early C6Zs had an oil to air cooler in the front of the car. In cooler temps it became hard to get the oil up to temperature. The 09 and newer cars had an oil to coolant cooler and it kept the oil warmer but I don't know if it cooled as well as the earlier cooler.

Bill

What is a pre storage oil change?

Bill, as was pointed out in the past week, the 2011's have the ZR1 oil/water cooler. The 09's (mine) and 10's had the old style air/oil cooler that overcooled on the street and under cooled on the track.

OP, your best bet is to get the tank enlarged to ~10Qts or more> I think lingenfelter and LG motorsports and others may have that or you may be able to pick one up over this winter on the C6 parts wanted/for sale part of the Corvette forum.

On the overcooling on the street, since you will be doing only 2-3 HPDE's a year, others have put a cover over the oil cooler and that helps get the oil warm.

Turn 2 at Mosport would definitely put your engine at risk with the small dry sump tank, and you really don't want to pedal easy through the signature turn on the track. When I ran my Supra TT in time trials there I cut so hard at the bottom of T2 2nd apex that I put rubber down, and got my first ever FTD. Back then it was considered the most dangerous corner in North America, that was before they paved all the area outside the corner. Mosport is such a great track that you don't want to have to back off on parts of a lap for the car to survive. If you have to back off after 4-5 hard laps that is different, at least you had a good go at experiencing what it is like to go after it hard at a demanding track.

:lurk:

I'm in the same situation as the op. 06 needing to upgrade oil capacity. I visited lingenfelter's website and couldn't find the link for the upgraded tank. Not sure if they offer it anymore. Also have the issue with oil cooling. Thinking about trying to add a tstat but open to other easier options

ARE offers a pan that would address a lot of the issues where the stock pan fails. it just isnt cheap.

opinions on this vs aviaid pan insert?

Hey guys, thanks for the input.

@Nater, they still sell it but the URL has changed. Click through the menus for parts by vehicle and you'll see it.

Good call on covering the cooler for street use - I hadn't thought of that and it sounds like a great solution, especially for spring/fall up here in Canada.

I agree that the pan insert is a great mod, but for the cost/labour involved (I wouldn't DIY that while I will DIY the other mods), I favour the LPE tank and tank baffle insert.

Currently I'm leaning towards getting the LPE tank, just waiting to hear back from them about if they'll sell me the whole tank and deduct the core charge afterwards. Having to send in my core and wait for the new tank means a lot more downtime.

On their site they list a refundable core charge if they ship the unit to you first then you shio yours back.

I am in the same boat as you right now.

Thanks for the heads up Anthony. Let me know what they say. Looks like they'll be getting some good business soon.

apparently the cores are no longer sold by GM so LPE requires us to send in our cores first.

Crap. Might be able to find one to use as a core but looks like we are sol.

Did some digging around - for anyone with concerns about the overcooled oil on the street (esp. with the LPE tank), check this out:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...h-dollars.html

Seems like a good idea. Even just using the cover linked in that post would be a foolproof way to yield some improvement.

Better off to just block the stock cooler in the colder weather with cardboard or the like and remove when going to track events.

How well does the oil tank baffle work with the factory 8 quart tank?

That's what I was initially trying to find out with this thread. Seems to be an unpopular option thus far.

PM me, I have my original '06 tank. :thumbs: