dsharkman

I was driving my 2007 Z06 today. I was carrying a lot of speed through a turn, then accelerated even more through a straight and then hit my brakes. After I hit the brakes, I saw white smoke billowing out of the back of the car and the car "shut down". The DIC flashed "Reduced Engine Power". The car wasn't able to be started again and hence towed to a Dealership.

I thought the smoke came from the brakes since I pushed the pedal pretty hard, but when the car died, I realized it wasn't the brakes.

I have been told I could have damaged a valve or even the heads. The back of the car is plastered with oil while the engine compartment is completely clean. There wasn't any black smoke - just white.

I had the car at the Dealership 2 days ago for routine service, so all my fluids were checked, the oil was replaced and tires and brakes were perfect.

The Dealership won't diagnosis the car until Monday, but I can't wait that long. Any comments/diagnosis is greatly appreciated.....no matter how bad and discouraging.

The car is completely stock except for a Billy Boat Exhaust and a Halltech Killer Bee intake. These mods have been in place for 3-5 years.

Dirty Howie

Did you check the oil level your self? Wouldn't be the first time a dealer over or under filled.
Is it still in warranty?
Do you track your car?
Could you have missed a shift and over revved during this spirited drive?
What size oil tank, what is your oil capacity?

Best of luck with this. Please keep us updated !!


DH

hoefi

My '07 went thru the EXACT same thing back in 2009. All the same symptoms and the same exact message from the DIC. Dropped an exhaust valve. Pretty sure yours did the same thing. Pull all the spark plugs, I bet one of them will have a bashed up tip.

RedZ4me

White is coolant. Oil is blue'ish in color

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Hopefully they will do a good will repair. Your dealership, that is

May have cracked a piston sleeve of blown a head gasket.

What's the motor oil look like?

The fact that the rear end is covered in motor oil, it probably is a dropped valve in light of what hoefi points out above.

At any rate, it's looking like motor time.

Damn, we're dropping like flies in here fellas.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...e-blew-up.html

ByByBMW

This really saddens me. You know my story Quick and fortunately, it looks like I made the right decision for me. But it is sad to see all these failures. The Z06 should have been the greatest vette ever.

Hoping for the best for the OP.

Chonger

nolimits

White smoke usually means water, but I have seen brake fluid do this. As others mention its probably water, blown head gasket, maybe more.

On an old Triumph TR6 of mine once had a problem in the brake master unit. Had to do with the assist and vacuum. Master or assist went bad, fluid got sucked into the vacuum and wow what a bunch of white smoke out the rear. This was idling with lots of vacuum and right during the middle of a discussion with a potential buyer !

Anyway, all depends on vehicle configuration... Yours is likely as has been mentioned by others though, water, head gasket at least. I doubt newer cars even have the potential to get brake fluid in the combustion chamber.

Sorry to hear, looks like an opportunity to do some engine upgrades though.

Minkster

Sounds like it could be a head gasket, which is a lot cheaper than a dropped valve .

'06 Quicksilver Z06

I hope that's what it is, a blown head gasket.

Madsen

Sorry to hear of yor loss. Quick is more than likely correct, as some of the others. White smoke, oil, dic reading= valve, piston heads ect. I am not the doomsayers, but seeing it has happened 2 times to me I know the drill.
Others who say to get a repair from the best of the best are correct. I went with value the first time and was so sorry for being frugal.
The car is worth the best, that way we won't worry as we drive ome of the great machines made by GM. To bad they unknowingly engineered a problem for the most powerful small block engine on the planet.

2StrikeHtr

How many miles on your engine ?

dsharkman

17,775

briancb1

Probably because you didn't do any spintron testing before racing your car... JK


But seriously white is coolant. Your engine is probably fragged. Do you have a warranty still?

If not I would start investigating sleeved LS2 blocks and make a short block with your existing crank, new rods and pistons.

Make a 440" bad boy.

propain

By his description it blew up on the track.... The turn... The straight... I'm sure if its under warranty he was nowhere near a track...

Most likely another dropped exhaust valve from the description. Windowed the block.

Most likely another tracked Z06 with a dropped exhaust valve. Those seem to be quite common around here lately.

If you road course your car... get your damn heads inspected. They don't last forever with abuse.

Ohh yeah and... (Insert Katech cheapshot here)

Gary '09 C6

could be both...does not sound good at all.

Chevy Cust Svc

Hey dsharkman,

Sorry to hear about your Z! Keep me posted on your visit to the dealer today. If there is anything I can do please keep me posted. I can call them on your behalf as well. Easiest way to get into contact with me is through PM.

Kelly J.
Chevrolet Customer Care

dsharkman

I just heard from the Dealership. There is a hole in the block. I guess the valve went right through it. Fortunately, I purchased an Extended Warranty which doesn't expire until the end of December. I will know in 2-3 days whether the Warranty Company covers the cost of a new engine, parts and labor (approximately $15k).

I asked if there was anything I could do to avoid this. I ONLY take the car to the dealership for maintenance and the car is maintained to a tee! They said it just happens.

Lawdogg

Make sure you get a new intake manifold, oil lines, oil cooler, dry sump tank, etc. Cost done at a dealership, parts and labor should be closer to $20,000 if done right.

dsharkman

Dealership said they are going to use as many good parts off the existing motor to put on the new motor. I can keep, of course, the signature plate from the guy who built my engine, who passed away a number of years ago