NofakeJake

Track car...what track car?

It's an amazing street car that can venture out onto the track. Why does it have NAV, Bluetooth, Pandora, HEATED seats, BOSE, leather interior, extensive carpeting, On Star, Sirius and power seats even for the passenger.

And ECO mode

GM doesn't offer it like it was a COPO Camaro or something. GM offers options to make the Z06 more track capable, but it's still a luxury sports car. That's why there is no outrage

If it was a track car, the Z06 wouldn't have NAV, Bluetooth, Pandora, HEATED seats, BOSE, leather interior, extensive carpeting, On Star, Sirius and power seats even for the passenger. It would have a HEAVY DUTY RADIATOR, OIL COOLER and ROLL CAGE

Paulchristian

Now you are putting words in my mouth. I've never said the car is an "absolute failure" or "GM can't engineer it right at all." In fact, I've defended it many times. Just pointing out that an issue as simple and ridiculous as a radiator should be address by GM under warrenty...owners who bought this $100k car for track duty should not have to go aftermarket and pay more money of pocket for this solution when doing so may ALSO void their GM warranty. I think there is enough evidence for GM to step up to the plate here.

I care because I love vettes and because this is a vette forum. Sometimes I get bored and love to chime in. I think GM is getting away with another low blow here (C6Z heads)...that's all.
Enjoy your Z, it's bea-utiful

Dabigsnake

add another part or two and you get a ton of laps.

Nothing really comes close to the car for the price - so if it takes a bit more cash to be fully track capable, I'm OK with that.[/QUOTE]

OK, I'm in, just somebody show me the proof!! I'll spend $$, and add parts, only after the proof is there. I have no huge problem spending more, because GM screwed up. But, let's face it, GM DID screw up by selling the A8 as "the most trackable car we've ever built" no caveat, "just don't drive it too hard at over 60 degrees" THAT is my problem. They fessed up to the A8 trans cooling issue before selling it, but? They had cars testing down in Fla for months to make sure they had that right. I'm so damn happy with the "good" of the car, but so damn sad about the "bad". If I wanted a fast daily driver, I would have settled for a Z51 and stayed on the street. My owners manual has TRACK setup and "TRACK" everywhere, so ???? Now, I sit with a car covered in the garage, with worn out tires that have slow leaks waiting for tire availability. Tire Rack now says Sept 8th on the SS tires. GM painted me into a corner with this deal. Good thing I don't depend on it as a daily driver. How does a company build a car with size specific tires that have limited availability? Guess I should have taken out stock in Michelin. AND, how is it we have a track car that will not display coolant temp, oil temp and oil pressure on the same screen. These are vital to anyone on the track, regardless of your safeguards in engine management and DIC.

schaibaa

You can do this - no problem. Put coolant in the middle gauge (info panel) and put the other 2 in pocket gauges.

SBC_and_a_stick

I'll bet you $100 the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V with an IDENTICAL engine will run cool enough to run 30 minute sessions in anyone's hands, pros and amateurs alike. How do i know that? Because it has a 200% increase in cooling capacity. Is the CTS-V a track car while the Z06 is not? You will overheat in a Z06 trying to keep up with the CTS-V.

So no, it's not about luxury features for Cadillac is way more luxurious. It's about engineering sufficient cooling in the platform. Do you honestly believe Bluetooth will overheat your car? Nonsense. Everything you list is merely 50 lbs of curb weight at most. It doesn't make or brake a track car.

It's about engineering a cooling system, pure and simple.

four0nefive

Sorry if I came off as rude. I understand what you mean and hopefully we can get along. As for the Z06 that's my avi, I don't own a Z, the car in picture is Davenport Motorsports' car, but I liked the picture so I used it as my avi.

four0nefive

Mike made a good point that some people apparently have trouble understanding. He's right, this isn't a track car. Chevy has never said it's a pure track car, they have just said it's the most track capable Corvette ever built. Does it need a bit of an upgrade to the cooling system, yes, but the fact that a $1200 radiator can essentially solve the overheating issue isn't bad.

Also, when did anyone say that Bluetooth would overheat the car? The point was just that the car is a street car that is very capable on the track.

WzUpDoc

I like the idea of a dual pass radiator. I assume a dual core would be too thick to fit the OEM space? Did you consider a dual pass radiator with integrated oil cooler(kill two birds with one stone? Perhaps you already have other plans for an oil cooler. I personally would like to get it all done while I have the car apart

SBC_and_a_stick

Ok, I'm not going to define a track car. At least for the sole reason that it's getting terribly off topic and an insult to the data that has been posted to trash this thread over definitions.

...so I will adopt your defintion and add... cooling is paramount to having a good "street car that is very capable on the track." Some here will pat themselves on the back for having a car that can turn fast track times in magazines and looks good after getting waxed. But for those that buy it to drive it hard the car will only be as good as the weakest link. If the car tells you to idle engine to cool off it won't matter that it's a carbon fiber bombshell car. While idling it's only as good as a Geo Metro at the track.

four0nefive

Well if a $1200 radiator fixes that issue, is it really that bad? If you're dropping $78k + why not spend that extra $1k for a radiator so you can run the car for a longer time?

0Autoplicity

Very true! There were 3 Vettes at the track running the RD radiator setup and all were about 20 degrees below the factory GM radiators. One was even an A8.

nhpln

And what if you still blow your engine and because of that $1200 aftermarket radiator GM will not warranty your $20k motor.

four0nefive

It's probably safer to run the RD radiator than the stock one of you're going to drive the car hard. The engine is definitely less likely to blow if it's running cooler.

golden2husky

Rest assured the engineers did know. The bean counters probably ran an analysis that showed so few would track their car and have the problem that they chose to ignore it. As usual with "value engineering" the performance suffers. One would think a track cooling package as an option would have made sense. Unless the marketers figured that folks would take that to mean that the base cooling sucked...

ryan0

So a factory option for cooling you would pay for, but an aftermarket product from a proven race part builder is out of line. Pretty sure I could have bought better side skirts and splitter for less than $4k, but no one has said anything about those.

Sounds like most people in these 'overheat' discussions are:

1. listening to internet anecdotes
2. don't own the car
3. don't know the difference between a street car and a race car
4. cant drive
5. expect to pay $100k and get a GT3
6. expect to pay $100k and get perfection from the factory

idjits

Again, my car is bone stock and didn't overheat after 8 hot laps.

Will a Ron Davis help, yes. Will it let you run an enduro? no.

Gary '09 C6

GM's engineers are just as good as those at the other automobile manufacturers. Other decision makers trumped them...

MavsAK

The problem is a great deal of it has to do with parts supply contracts. When their Rad supplier sends out a Radiator fit for a Chevy Cruze, rather than a Corvette, it is what it is.

This ain't the first gen, and I doubt it's going to be the last one with this particular problem.

It's also likely saving them 200 dollars a radiator or more, to put those worthless radiators in their car. (imo no car with a V8 should EVER have a single pass rad in it in the first place)

Remember what GM did with ignition switches...all in the name of saving 57 cents a switch. Of course they're going to cheap out, and save a few hundred per radiator.

NofakeJake

You're kidding, right. I know for a fact Bluetooth will overheat the car Is that what was implied

Newsflash, Its not identical. The CTS-V engine is 640 HP and 630 TQ. The Z06 is 650/650. Ooops......

If all you guys are so smart, why did you buy a first year car anyway. Ever hear of a ring problem on the 2001 Z06; Vibration issue on the 2009 ZR1 rotors; 1957 Rochester FI; Intercooler bricks on the LS9. There are dozens of examples going back 60 years. lf you are so proud of Cadillacs, how about the 1978 Cadillac 350 CI Diesel engine

It's not like these issues are GM specific. Every manufacturer has them. How do you think Lemon Laws came about?

Everyone should quit whining and put on their big boy pants. Sell your car, make the mod, quit tracking it so aggressively, apply the lemon law if you can or sue GM. Whats easiest and cheapest.

rsilver

The bad: On thursday got my third track PS overheat and was approaching an engine overheat, went to manual and backed it down. Getting old and just not right IMO and I am not pushing the car. I am happy to do radiator and any other cooler upgrades necessary , but still concerned about GM warranty. Any new info on that?
The good: Got home, pulled the cup 2's off and put on the MPSS's and set up the tpms learn. Now on a road trip with my son. No problem on the canyon roads in 90 plus temps and a joy to drive. Nice to go from the track to a road trip over night. New radiator or whatever the solution is makes is all good. Just need to protect the warranty IF that can be accomplished, ..............bob noob

Destrukt

You can change the radiator without warranty issues, but don't add a 160/170 thermostat because apparently that WILL void your warranty per GM.