Z51 improved cooling
11-18-2019, 10:29 AM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Z51 improved cooling
If you are not going to drive your C8 on the track, is there any advantage to the additional cooling of the motor that comes with the Z51 for the longevity of the motor?
Popular Reply
11-18-2019, 11:42 AM
Le Mans Master
The only advantage I see of extra cooling for a car driven on the street is it sounds better when you say my C8 has the extra cooling.
11-18-2019, 10:43 AM
#2
Plenty of cooling is a good thing. Even if you're not tracking it you'll likely experience high temps at some point.
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ramos1969 (02-12-2020)
11-18-2019, 10:48 AM
#3
The same goes with the convertible’s seemingly complicated hard top mechanical system of motors, gears and geometry, etc. I’m still considering a convertible, but I like the lines of the coupe better and I might just wait a few years to see how that system holds up reliability wise, how frequent and/or costly post warranty repairs might become and if they make changes because of issues. I’m watching the C8 Z51 long-term track reliability too, then maybe upgrade my 2020 base coupe to Z51 convertible in 2022-23 if all goes well.
Last edited by Panfish; 11-18-2019 at 10:52 AM.
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Vette5905 (02-18-2020)
11-18-2019, 11:42 AM
#4
No... the extra radiator is for summer HPDE use with an advanced driver. The base car is validated to all "real world" use conditions.
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11-18-2019, 11:42 AM
#5
Le Mans Master
The only advantage I see of extra cooling for a car driven on the street is it sounds better when you say my C8 has the extra cooling.
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11-18-2019, 04:17 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
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No. Just extra weight to carry around.
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11-18-2019, 04:24 PM
#7
Improve cooling = worsening drag coefficient
11-18-2019, 05:09 PM
#8
Banned Scam/Spammer
Not trying to sound like a smart *** but why do you think even if you don't track your car you will experience high temps? The only times during street driving I have ever experienced high temps in any of the vehicles I have owned has been from some kind of malfunction.
11-18-2019, 05:17 PM
#9
Not trying to sound like a smart *** but why do you think even if you don't track your car you will experience high temps? The only times during street driving I have ever experienced high temps in any of the vehicles I have owned has been from some kind of malfunction.
11-18-2019, 07:25 PM
#10
Not trying to sound like a smart *** but why do you think even if you don't track your car you will experience high temps? The only times during street driving I have ever experienced high temps in any of the vehicles I have owned has been from some kind of malfunction.
We took the C7 and ended up in our "Road Rally" where we Drive Quite Spirited.
The C7 was Running Pretty Hot all around by the end of that Drive. Coolant Temp, Oil Temp & Trans Temp.
So yeah, extra Cooling could be a good thing for a non-tracked car, if you are driving Aggressively for a long period of time around some twisting turning roads where there is a lot of Acceleration & Braking.
Last edited by Kruegmeister; 11-18-2019 at 07:25 PM.
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11-18-2019, 08:19 PM
#12
As long as you don’t have heat issues after “spirited” driving. The 2015-16 Shelby GT350’s had this issue resulting in cars going into limp mode. Did the C7 Z06 have a similar issue at first?
You can’t have too much cooling.
You can’t have too much cooling.
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ATC (11-18-2019)
11-18-2019, 09:44 PM
#13
Melting Slicks
Best description I've found of the Z51 improved cooling via 3rd radiator.
I had a chance to speak with Rich Quinn, Cooling System and Thermal Lead Development Engineer, about how the Corvette’s cooling system works, and it’s quite interesting.
“There’s a separate dedicate coolant loop on the Z51 that runs through the third radiator in the rear so that third radiator has a dedicated airflow path, a dedicated cooling fan, Quinn said, “That adds bulk cooling, but it also cools the coolant that’s running into the trans oil liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger.”
In other words, this heat exchanger further cools the liquid coming from the radiators up front, and then sends that extra cold water to the transmission. “It’s just like an addition to the front two radiators in terms of its total capacity. Since it’s cooler coolant coming out of that [rear heat exchanger], we use that, run it directly to the trans cooler stack heat exchanger,” Quinn said over the phone.
“It’s a really effective way of getting good capacity and also not over-cooling in cold weather,” he told me about the design, which—like many old-school “in-tank coolers,” uses the engine’s radiator outlet coolant to keep the transmission cool.
I had a chance to speak with Rich Quinn, Cooling System and Thermal Lead Development Engineer, about how the Corvette’s cooling system works, and it’s quite interesting.
“There’s a separate dedicate coolant loop on the Z51 that runs through the third radiator in the rear so that third radiator has a dedicated airflow path, a dedicated cooling fan, Quinn said, “That adds bulk cooling, but it also cools the coolant that’s running into the trans oil liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger.”
In other words, this heat exchanger further cools the liquid coming from the radiators up front, and then sends that extra cold water to the transmission. “It’s just like an addition to the front two radiators in terms of its total capacity. Since it’s cooler coolant coming out of that [rear heat exchanger], we use that, run it directly to the trans cooler stack heat exchanger,” Quinn said over the phone.
“It’s a really effective way of getting good capacity and also not over-cooling in cold weather,” he told me about the design, which—like many old-school “in-tank coolers,” uses the engine’s radiator outlet coolant to keep the transmission cool.
Last edited by Poorhousenext; 11-18-2019 at 09:53 PM. Reason: Edited to add GM Source
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02-12-2020, 02:40 AM
#14
Best description I've found of the Z51 improved cooling via 3rd radiator.
I had a chance to speak with Rich Quinn, Cooling System and Thermal Lead Development Engineer, about how the Corvette’s cooling system works, and it’s quite interesting.
“There’s a separate dedicate coolant loop on the Z51 that runs through the third radiator in the rear so that third radiator has a dedicated airflow path, a dedicated cooling fan, Quinn said, “That adds bulk cooling, but it also cools the coolant that’s running into the trans oil liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger.”
In other words, this heat exchanger further cools the liquid coming from the radiators up front, and then sends that extra cold water to the transmission. “It’s just like an addition to the front two radiators in terms of its total capacity. Since it’s cooler coolant coming out of that [rear heat exchanger], we use that, run it directly to the trans cooler stack heat exchanger,” Quinn said over the phone.
“It’s a really effective way of getting good capacity and also not over-cooling in cold weather,” he told me about the design, which—like many old-school “in-tank coolers,” uses the engine’s radiator outlet coolant to keep the transmission cool.
I had a chance to speak with Rich Quinn, Cooling System and Thermal Lead Development Engineer, about how the Corvette’s cooling system works, and it’s quite interesting.
“There’s a separate dedicate coolant loop on the Z51 that runs through the third radiator in the rear so that third radiator has a dedicated airflow path, a dedicated cooling fan, Quinn said, “That adds bulk cooling, but it also cools the coolant that’s running into the trans oil liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger.”
In other words, this heat exchanger further cools the liquid coming from the radiators up front, and then sends that extra cold water to the transmission. “It’s just like an addition to the front two radiators in terms of its total capacity. Since it’s cooler coolant coming out of that [rear heat exchanger], we use that, run it directly to the trans cooler stack heat exchanger,” Quinn said over the phone.
“It’s a really effective way of getting good capacity and also not over-cooling in cold weather,” he told me about the design, which—like many old-school “in-tank coolers,” uses the engine’s radiator outlet coolant to keep the transmission cool.
02-12-2020, 07:15 AM
#15
Advanced
02-12-2020, 07:23 AM
#16
Race Director
02-12-2020, 08:27 AM
#18
It's not the extra cooling that is the big benefit of the Z51. It's the gearing , brakes, standard NPP exhaust, and the E-diff. Plus, you can't get the FE4 mag ride and the PTM (which only comes with FE4) without Z51...
So, cooling is way down the list of reasons to get Z51.
So, cooling is way down the list of reasons to get Z51.
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