Corvette ZR1 Returns to Nurburgring
New 2012 models eclipse previous-best lap times at Germany's famed testing ground
DETROIT, June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Corvette returned to the world's most-demanding testing ground – Germany's famed Nurburgring – and recorded lap times that rank among the fastest recorded for a production car.
As detailed on a recent Nurburgring video, the 2012 Corvette ZR1 recorded a lap time of 7:19.63, more than six seconds faster than the previous Corvette-best recorded in 2008. A lap video featuring the Corvette Z06 will be released soon.
"Testing at the Nurburgring is one of the important methods we have to validate our car in the toughest track conditions," says Tadge Juechter, Corvette vehicle line director and chief engineer.
Measuring 12.9 miles (20.8 km) and including some 154 turns, the Nurburgring's Nordschleife ("north loop") is widely considered the world's most-demanding course. As was the case at Corvette's last test in 2008, the car was driven by Corvette engineer Jim Mero and was a full production model with no performance modifications. This test was to validate the car's added performance technology coming to production later this summer for the 2012 model year.
Corvette's improved performance for 2012 begins with the new, optional Michelin® Pilot® Sport Cup Zero Pressure tires, which are available on the two highest-performing models, the lightweight, 505-hp (377 kW) Z06 and the maximum-performance, 638-hp (476 kW) supercharged ZR1. They are competition-oriented tires, optimized for warm, dry conditions to increase cornering and handling capability.
When combined with the Corvette's exclusive Performance Traction Management (PTM) technology – which manages torque delivery for maximum performance – the tires set new benchmarks for Corvette performance. Engineers estimate an 8-percent gain in maximum lateral acceleration, to more than 1.1g, and improved braking distance.
About Chevrolet
Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 140 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com
SOURCE General Motors
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Common Corvette C5 Problems and Solutions
Common Corvette C5 Problems that if addressed early can potentially save you some money and costly damage.
Leaking Battery
Many C5's came with AC Delco Freedom batteries that had a tendency to have it's case crack open near the battery posts. The leaking battery acid would drip down the side of the battery, down the funnel-like battery support, straight down onto the PCM and the wiring loom. It can also get onto the A/C lines. I believe they are the vacuum lines that control the movement of the interior vents, and usually the system will default to blowing out the defroster vent. Sometimes car crippling damage would occur, sometimes not. It worst it would mean replacing the battery, the PCM, the wiring harness, grinding the rust off the frame to repaint it, changing the A/C lines and possibly swapping out another computer as well. This mostly happened on early C5's because later C5's used a gel-type battery that cannot leak, but I believe the problem resurfaced on '04 or '05 models again.
Check this out on any car you look at. Use a 8 mm monkey wrench, preferably a ratcheting closed-end version, to removed the battery cables. You also remove a holding block on the front side of the battery. You will need a long extension to reach it. The battery basically lifts right out. Also remove the black plastic battery tray. Look beneath the tray for rust or white powder. Signs of both are evidence of battery acid damage. It would probably be best to move to the next Vette unless you don't mind possibly tackling this repair in the future. It's possible that the car will throw codes for no apparent reason.
No matter what Vette you buy, just make sure you replace the battery with a gel-type battery, like the Optima Redtop, sold at CostCo for $100.
Grounding Problems aka CRAZY electrical gremlins!
Bill Curlee has a great thread on the problems that corroded ground connections can create, and how to clean out the grounds. The most problematic ground connections are behind the headlights on both sides. Check out Bill's thread for detailed info: Go!
Here's where all the grounds are: Go!
Water Intrusion
Water leaks have several ways of getting in the car, and none of them AFAIK are very difficult to fix. Proper adjustments and maintenance will prevent most leaks.
Bill Curlee's thread abouting locating & cleaning the udders, and sealing the door hinges.
Here's a few TSB's from the CorvetteActionCenter.com:
1997-1998: Service Bulletin: Waterleak Above Door Glass (Reseal Blowout Clip)
1997-2002: Service Bulletin: General Waterleak Guide
1997: Service Bulletin: Water Drips into Rear Compartment After Hatch/Glass Has Been Opened
Seats
Corvette seats are delicate.
Sliding hard across the bolster can break it, causing it to flap side-to-side.
The leather is cheap, and there's little protection for it. It will wear out and form cracks, which is normal…for cheap leather.
The wire springs in the seat bottom, and the bars in the bolsters can also wear thru the foam and leather, but that can be fixed by placing layer of burlap between the springs and the foam.
Check the black plastic surround on the bottom of the seat to make sure it fits snugly against the leather, and isn't cracked. Older style plastic surrounds had a tendency to separate from the seat, but could be pushed back in. The newer style plastic surrounds can be used as a direct replacement, but one of the plastic studs may need to be ground off, or a hole will need to get punched into the leather.
The seats tend to rock back and forth by about a 1/4" during acceleration and braking. It can be fixed, but GM will not fix it. Some lucky owners can get the dealer to replace the frame under warranty. The seat backs swinging forward under braking is normal, and not considered a problem.
Here are a couple fixes:
Corvettemechanic.com --- must be a member
Rocking Seat Fix
Seat choice
Get the sport seats. The sport seats have a hole under the headrest. Some people put racing harness belts thru those loops. The seat frames and foam in both seats are interchangeable. Harness belt holes can be installed using Ford harness cutouts. Ask the dealership for them, they should know what it is without a part #. The foam in a standard seat will need to be cut, and sewing will have to be done, but it's an easy job.
Headlight bezel plugs
There are 1-1/2" plugs that are located on the headlight bezels that would fall off on the older Vette's. The new style plugs, have a twist-lock to prevent them from falling out, but also requires new bezels. Only the new bezels & plugs are available now, and they are compatible with older C5's.
Headlight gears
The gears in the headlight motor are plastic, and wear out over time. Ice, heavy Euro or projector headlights and twilight sentinal will cause the gears to wear out quickly. Fortunately a few years ago, Rodney started selling replacement brass gears, check out his website. Corvette America and probably a few other vendors now sell their own copy of his brass gears. Here's a thread that shows how to replace the gears.
Roof noises
If you buy a coupe with a removable roof, you can expect wind noise and some creaking. The wind noise will never totally go away, but if there's creaking, you can eliminate that by thinly applying dielectric silicone grease to the weather-stripping. It also prevents cracking, so do this to all weather-stripping, on any car.
Hood rattles
During cold weather the rubber hood stops can also rub and rattle against the hood. Adjust and lubricate the rubber stops so when you pull the corner of the hood up, it doesn't pull up, but the hood still closes.
Drivetrain rattling
The valvetrain makes a significant amount of noise at idle. It may sound like sewing machine. Converting the valve rockers to true shaft-mounted adjustable roller rockers with may help eliminate the valvetrain noise if adjusted properly. Installing a big cam and stiffer valve springs will make the noise louder.
On manual transmission cars (M6 or M12), the transmission sounds like it is rattling when leaving the line. It is normal. It is the clutch throwout bearing rattling around. Sometimes you'll hear a horrible rattle if you shut off the engine. If you press the clutch pedal in while shutting off the car, you won't hear it.
I verified this by lightly grinding my rotors with steel wool. Garnet paper is recommended, but I haven't tried it.
If you insist the problem is warping, don't turn the rotors since thinner rotors warp more easily. Resurfacing the rotors is only a temporary fix, one that is less effective each time your resurface the rotors due to the reduced thermal capacity of the rotors. Rotors are available for $25 at Napa and RockAuto.
Scraped front ends and rocker panels
Checking for scrapes is an easy way to tell if the car was treated well. It's almost impossible not to scrape the front end, but there are two metal crash bar loops that should prevent the bumper from scraping. The bumper itself should not have scrape marks on it. Check the underside of the tip of the bumper, and the bottom corners of the bumper. If the crash bar gets scraped enough, eventually it will wear down to the point where it needs to get replaced. It costs about $220 for the crash bar, nut-serts, bolts and insulators, and can be replaced in a couple of hours, just be sure to hook the hoses and electric connector back to the A.I.R. pump.
Here's a list of ALL the parts you'll need to replace the impact bar and the side air deflectors:
Part #------Qty---Description
10188023---001---Insulator (goes to bottom of radiator)
10278679---001---Insulator (goes to bottom of radiator)
10278679---005---Nut
10400765---001---Plate (the actual impact bar, unpainted)
10419312---001---Panel (air deflector)
10419313---001---Panel (air deflector)
11515638---010---Nut-speci
11515757---010---Bolt-Metr
10281487---010---Nut
Not all of these parts need to get replaced, and there will be a few leftovers, but it will get the job done.
The rocker panels tend to get scraped on lifts and big speed bumps.
A & A Corvettes invented two products to prevent damage from both kinds of scraping. They have wheels that attach to the crash bar, allowing the car to roll on driveways instead of wearing down the crash bar. It will still scrape the spoiler, but the spoiler is a cheap wear item that takes only 2 minutes to replace without a lift or jack. They also make two aluminum strips that attached the frame next to the rocker panels, and they take the scrapes themselves instead of the rockers panels. Neither of the devices are visible unless looking under the car, and they are discreet enough to possibly be missed anyway. If you see these devices installed, you can be pretty sure the owner took good care of the car. Without this extra protection, you can expect to replace the crash bar and repair the rockers several times over the life of the car. WARNING: It won't stop all scraping damage, just reduce the possibility of it happening, and reduce the damage when it does happen. Low hanging headers will probably still scrape.
Hood seal weather-strip
The sides and back of the hood compartment have weather-strip installed from the factory. The front is left open. Many owners install weather-strip along this front edge. You may not even notice it since it looks identical to rest of the weather-stripping. This extra weather-strip helps keep the engine compartment clean, and may also help the air intake system work better. This is another sign that the owner took good care of the car. The engine compartment stays pretty clean, but this the "extra step".
A/C System
There are two kinds of climate controls. One is manual with knobs, and the other is a dual-zone electronic system. The dual-zone system did cost more, but is not as reliable as the manual system. A leaking battery can affect both systems. A strong system is when the vents cannot be switched.
Over time, and especially in humid climates, the system can cause condensation to leak onto the passenger side carpet. There are three udders under the driver's side cowl. There are slits on the bottom, much like real udders. Vigorously squeeze and massage the udders until the debris has fallen out. Stop laughing!
If the vent settings cannot be changed, the vacuum line is probably loose, clogged or broken. Read more!
Squeaky steering wheel
When you turn the steering wheel, you may hear a squeak. It's just the plastic surfaces rubbing against each other. A shot of lubricant fixes this.
Squeaky/chirping/grinding wheel bearings
Drive slowly, better yet, coast along at low speeds with the windows open in a quiet location. Listen for a squeak from the wheels. Try turning in different directions. If you hear the rear wheels squeaking, you may have a worn wheel bearing. A replacement bearing costs $600 list, but you can usually find it for $400-450. I've heard that AutoZone has a better replacement for $126 by a company named Timken. The part is easy to replace if you can separate the ball joints. I had to buy a special Kent-Moore tool to do mine. This problem may persist safely for a few months, but eventually will become annoying. It seems to be a common problem, and more so for the rear wheel bearing. I've never heard of it happening twice to the same car, so if you fix it once, you're probably good for life. Several racers replace their wheel bearing every year.
A broken emergency drum clip may cause a false diagnosis. Be careful when removing & replacing the rear rotors.
Oil woes
Many late 2000 thru 2001 Vette's burn a lot of oil when the engine is kept constantly over 4,000 rpm's. This is caused by ring flutter, which allows extra oil to seep past the oil control rings, but doesn't seem to cause any extra wear to the engine. Chevrolet has rebuilt and replaced engines for owners that complained about excessive oil consumption. Their policy is that while the engine isn't normally operated like that outside of racing, it is the owner's prerogative to drive around in second gear all the time if they want to. It is covered under the warranty.
The PCV system also has a tendency to suck oil back into the intake at high rpm's. It doesn't seem to cause any problems, other than a slight mess inside the intake manifold. The newer style PCV system can be installed, but this requires removing all the components in the top of the engine valley. Usually only racer's bother with the hassle. Several generations of PCV systems have had the problem, and at this time, December 2004, the PCV system still sucks oil into the intake.
The oil-sucking problem will cause carbon buildup in the cylinders. The dealership sells GM Top End Cleaner, and Napa sells SeaFoam. The Top End Cleaner is not available in some smog states like California. Run a tube from the bottle into the hole for the PCV system behind the throttle body on the passenger side. Start the car, then start slowly sucking the solution into the engine. Don't go too fast or the engine could lockup. As soon as the solution is gone, stop the motor for >4 hours, but preferably 12 hours. Be aware that when the engine is restarted, there will be a LOT of smoke!
The oil-sucking can be prevented by installing a catch can. AMW and Greddy make catch cans, but a homebuilt catch can may be built using a Campbell-Hausfield air tool oil separator from most tool stores, including AutoZone. The AMW and Greddy cans are ~$100, but look great. The CH can is $15-25 for all the parts, and you can see how much oil is in it.
Overheating & burning smells
Even though the engine can heat up to 220, even 240 degrees Fahrenheit, this is normal. The radiator will keep the engine cool enough unless the radiator is blocked. Reprogramming the PCM can allow the fans to turn on earlier. If the fans also cool an aftermarket oil cooler, make sure the oil occasionally gets to 220 degrees to allow condensation and fuel to evaporate away. Fan settings and oil thermostats are two different ways to do this.
It's not uncommon for plastic bags to get sucked up under the front bumper, and cover the radiator, thus causing the car to truly overheat. If this happens, take a quick peek under the bumper, and remove anything under there. Sometimes bags get stuck to the exhaust pipes too, causing quite a stench as they burn away.
Locked steering column
All C5's, particularly manual transmission C5's, and early C6 steering columns have a tendency to lock and stay locked. Usually it can be unlocked once, but just once. Some owners claim that vigorously shaking the steering wheel can unlock the steering wheel. Dealer's are able to disable the locking mechanism with a modified locking plate. Currently this is the only real method to disable the locking mechanism. Basically the wheel will still try to lock, but there will be nothing for it to lock to. It's like a door dead bolt with a slot cut into the door jamb. There is a $100 kit that disables the steering column lock, and can be installed easily, but enough car vibrations can cause the lock to fall into the locking plate, even while driving!
GM has a part (#88952428 or 88952428) that has a harness wiring jumper and different lock plate. Not sure what the difference in the kits are.
After reading a few posts, manual transmission C5's & C6's are still in danger, even if the lock is disabled. The lock can vibrate out over time and get trapped in the locking plate. Auto transmission cars that have undergone the recall and new auto's will not have the locking plate at all, so they are safe. More information about COMPLETELY disabling the steering column lock will be forthcoming from other's on the forum, and by my own personal project. Until then, here are a few links about the topic:
Corvette Forum - Column Lock Harness K Installation
Corvettemechanic - A4 non locking column plate --- must be a member
Corvette Forum - Column-lock again even with CLB!
Corvette Forum - Has anyone ELSE beat column lock?
Faulty gas gauge
If you have bad gas (phew!), the fuel sender can be affected by the high sulfur content in the fuel, and cause the gauge to read empty. They car will still operate normally, and the gas gauge will work again if you use better gas, and will usually start again when you restart the car. It's just better to use good gas. Some people have had luck with running fuel filter cleaners thru the gas tank. New fuel senders sometimes fixes this problem. This thread has a LOT of ideas about what could be causing the problems, how to avoid problems, and how to fix it. It also points out how the late C5 fuel tanks and crossover tube is different.
Noisy fuel pump
There are two fuel tanks, and two fuel pumps. One fuel pump continually pumps gas from the passenger side tank into the driver side tank, and is quiet. The main fuel pump is directly behind the drivers seat, and can be annoying loud, especially on early C5's. It's normal, and not a sign of a failing fuel pump. Chevrolet does have a bulletin out instructing how to better insulate against the sound of the fuel pump. This is merely an annoyance. A newer, quieter pump can also be installed.
Extremely high oil pressure reading
The oil pressure sensor can fail, but it is still okay to drive. Turn the car off, but with the key in the "on" position and check the oil pressure gauge. It should read "0". If the oil pressure sensor is bad, it will show a positive reading. The oil pressure sender is located behind the intake manifold, and will require moving the intake manifold. The sender costs about $40 and part # 12573107 or 12562230.
How-to
Suspension squeaking
In cold weather you may hear the suspension creak when you go over speed bumps. To fix this, clean (optional) and lubricate the sway bar bushings. The adjustable metal sway bar end links on Hotchkis and T1 bars can also create loud clicking sounds. Most adjustable end links are quiet initially, but wear out and get noisy over time. Greasing and protecting the end links from dirt may prevent wear.
Tough shifting
The shifter in manually shifted Corvette's takes a strong arm to get it into gear. You really have to make sure that the shifter is fully in 1st and Reverse, or it will pop out of gear when you let the clutch out. This is not the fault of the car, but rather the fault of the driver.
Manual transmissions -- Replacing the transmission fluid often helps shifting. Early transmissions have paper blocker ring that require Dexron III compatible (usually organic) fluid because some synthetics will destroy the paper blocker rings and subsequently the transmission. Later transmissions, and all rebuilt transmissions, have Kevlar/carbon fiber parts that allow the use of synthetic fluids. I believe the 98-00 transmissions have the paper blocker rings. The safe transmission fluids seem to be: GM Synchromesh PN #12345349, Honda ATF-Z1, Royal Purple Synchromax, Amsoil ATF, O'Reilly Dexron III ATF. The following transmission fluids may be unsafe for early transmissions: Redline D4 ATF, Mobil 1 ATF, Royal Purple Max ATF.
Related threads:
LS1.com - Ending the speculation: Blocker rings, who's had them fail?
LS1Tech.com - Ending the speculation: Blocker rings, who's had them fail?
Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF for a M6?
If it is especially tough to shift into 2nd or 4th gear, it's possible that the synchro's are worn out or the forks are bent. Do NOT force it into gear. Abuse creates and aggravates this problem. You can still drive, even quite well, without synchro's....or a clutch for that matter if you know how to rev match.
Some aftermarket shifters make it easier to make sure you're fully in gear, and prevent gear grinding, but they also vibrate, and require more effort to shift. The stock shifter has a tuned weight damper that changes the vibrations to a non-audible frequency. The shaking doesn't annoy some people, and there are some fixes.
Leaky butt
The differential can leak from the side covers. The problem has to do with the design. The lip on the casing is not wide enough to create a proper seal with the cover. Resealing the covers can be successful, but many dealers do not use the correct sealant.
Inside/outside tire spinning
If one tire spins while turning, adjust the friction modifier ratio. Aftermarket gear fluid from Royal Purple, Amsoil and Redline do not require additional friction modifier. GM's friction modifier is PN #12377916. Too much friction modifier and the inside tire will spin/skip/hop. Too little friction modifier and the outside tire will spin/skip/hop. -- Thanks Russ!
Tire hop
Tire hop during hard acceleration in cold weather is common, even if the same tires don't hop in warmer weather. Tire rubber when viewed thru a microscope looks like a web. Normally parts of this web grabs onto objects on the ground and stretch until either the car moves forward, or the web breaks, resulting in tire spin. I believe in cold weather, the web is too stiff for either of these events to occur, so the tires hop. To find out more, read Racing & High Performance Tire: Using Tires to Tune for Grip and Balance. I haven't read it, but if you do, please let me know if my guess is correct. I found a couple stories on Google about people curing wheel hop with stiffer bushings and/or (jounce) shocks.
Interior rattles
The visors may rattle when they are put up, but if you flip them down, the rattle goes away. Squeezing the mirror lid down seems to take care of it. Try glueing a piece of felt or velcro between the mirror and lid to see if that fixes it. Caravaggio also makes replacement leather visors, but they go for $400.
The stereo is Bose, and to go along with the historically crappy build quality of Bose products, Bose has graced the Corvette with Bose emblems on the door speaker covers that rattle when you play music with bass. A Bose system doesn't exist that puts out good bass, but the system still manages to rattle the emblems when playing Country, Hip Hop, or Techno at moderate volumes. Check this problem by having a passenger and yourself putting a finger on the emblems with music playing. Glue the emblems down to fix it.
If the roof isn't tightened down enough, it will rattle. There are some adjustment screws in the roof to make this adjustment.
Belt Chirping
During cold weather, the belt can chirp. Goodyear Gatorback belts from AutoZone don't chirp.
Sticky Hatch
During cold weather, the hatch may pop up slowly, or not at all. Spray the latches with silicone grease until they come up properly. If the struts do not hold up the hatch, try lubing the strut bars.
1997: Service Bulletin: Hatch Will Not Pop Up When Activated in Cold Weather
Rocker failure
The needle bearings in the OEM rockers have been known to fail. Usually the problem is noticed with extra valvetrain noise and needle bearings stuck to a magnetic oil plug. Nasty Performance will rebuild OEM rockers with Harland Sharp bearings. This seems to be one of the better solutions since the stock rocker is very good at high rpms. Most aftermarket rockers are nose heavy and require grinding the heads and valve covers to fit. Currently Harland Sharp rockers are having problems with c-clip retainers falling off and causing problems on the way. I'll be following this issue since I have a set of HS rockers on my shelf waiting for this issue to be resolved. Here are some links:
LS1Tech - EMERGENCY!! ROCKERS! Help ASAP!
LS1Tech - Harland Sharp Rocker Failure
LS1Tech - Install or not install HS rockers?
Other Information
Active Stability Control
This allows you to keep some control of the car even when you do really stupid stunts. It doesn't bend the laws of physics, but will keep the car pointed where you are steering; you may still slide off the road, but at least the car will be pointed in the direction you were steering! One of the sensors is located around the passenger seat, and needs to be considered when installing a racing bucket. If you move that sensor, Active Stability will not know how to balance the car, and can be very dangerous. Active Stability came out around '99.
Jacking
The C5 was the first car to use hydroformed frame rails. Hydroformed rails are quickly becoming a common platform for new cars, but not many shops are prepared to lift these vehicles. The C5 requires an adapter for regular jacks and lifts to fit the jacking points. Make your own adapters with a hockey puck (or two) with a 1 1/2" eye bolt screwed thru the center. Stick the eye bolt thru the slit in the jacking point, turn 90 degrees, place jack under adapter and jack away....if you can get the jack under the car. You may have to use ramps. The C5 is so low that most people make their own wooden ramps....rhino ramps are too steep.
Key Fobs
There are basically two different kinds of key fobs, and they are not compatible with each other.
97-00, but 00 does not have the Passive Lock feature
01-04
Spark plugs
The OEM platinum plugs, along with other plugs have had problems with the pucks falling off. I have a picture of missing pucks in this thread. This thread outlines some of the problems with using platinum, and a recommendation for using silver tipped plugs. Basically, of all spark plug tips, platinum is the worst conductor, copper is good, iridium is even better and silver is the best. Don't take my word for it, do a little research, starting with this review. As for longevity, platinum, iridium and silver do have an advantage over copper, but plugs foul up after ~10K negating any difference corrosion would cause, and no plug will run well after 100K miles.
To make the spark plugs easier to change, get the Snap-On double-swivel sparkplug tool and remove the coil packs. Here's all you need to know about sparkplug changes: Go!
Blendmount Radar Detector Mount for C6 and C5 Corvette
We're all familiar with our cars, and how fast they CAN go. I'm not saying we all drive well above the posted speed limit but when your right foot feels a little heavy some added precaution goes a long way. There's an old saying in the car world that has sort of a double meaning, "Speed costs money—how fast do you want to go?" This not only applies to the exorbitant amount of money we could spend on our cars to get the results we desire, but it also applies to the risk you run when you drive, shall we say, less than how Johnny Law would like you to in your car. A speeding ticket not only costs you up front, but on the back end as well with higher insurance, etc. So, keeping that risk in mind—you can safely assess that if you speed, chances are you'll get tagged. So, you bought some peace of mind and snagged a top of the line radar detector.
Good call.
Now you have to mount that sucker so it stays put. Good luck. Many have tried, and many have failed and felt the pangs of frustration with the use of a suction cup mounting system. It never fails, eventually it will fall off. And if you bought a $300-$500 dollar radar detector, then the last thing you want to have happen is for it to come crashing down onto the dash, and then try and fool with getting it to re stick to your windshield while you're cruising down the road. Not cool. Not surprisingly, more than a few have attempted to come up with a solution. I've seen everything from superglueing the visor mount to the windshield, to drilling the detector into the mirror housing and screwing it in place, to duct-taping visors to roofs, and a hundred other terrible ideas. Your car deserves better and so does your radar detector. Blendmount, out of Cotati, California has come up with a great solution. Their mount has taken the multitude of bad ideas and come up with a combination that solves all of the common woes and mounts the detector cleanly and efficiently.
The Blendmount Corvette C6 detector mount, mounts to the mirror stem itself, and then the detector mounts to the clip stemming from the Blendmount. No wobbling, no falling suction cups, no constant hassle to get it situated just right. Once it's in, it's in—but still quick and easy to remove for security reasons or to transfer the detector to a different vehicle. The other great thing about this mount is it's compatible with an array of different equipment. The mounts are designed for Escort, Valentine One, ScanGauge II, even Bully Dogs for the diesel crowd. The fitment varies from make to make, but these are designed to work with the widest array of vehicle manufacturers possible. Due to the shape of some mirror stems, the Blendmount might not work but most vehicles are covered. For the Corvette however- the team at Blendmount have gone so far as to make sure we V8 loving folk have been well taken care of. The C6 Corvette mirror is shaped slightly differently than a regular rear-view mirror due to the technology (on mirrors equipped with the AutoDim function) inside of the mirror. However, Blendmount has decided that they weren't going to leave out the Corvette crowd due to its awkward mirror shape. In fact, they designed a mount specifically for the C6 Corvette. They have also come up with a Blendmount C5 Corvette solution for the C5 Corvette.
Youtube Greatness Unearthed (again)
I'm sure many of you frequent the virtual domiciles that many of us have come to love known as the forums, but I found this video at Corvette Blogger, and decided it put such a smile on my face it was worth a look-see for the masses as well. This video circulated the forums for a while and was appreciated for what it was, and still should be quite a treat for those who have never seen it.
There is a certain unadulterated draw to loud fast cars that some of us possess much in the same way that a 4 year old possesses excitement for Christmas around the month of December. Seeing how we are adults, we don't have to wait 11 months for the excitement to build, we can usually go out and find what we desire with a fair amount of ease, but then—once in a blue moon, the excitement falls into our laps. The lucky duo in this video happens to be behind a ZR1, with the claimed addition of Kooks headers and a Bassani exhaust in the description. The lucky pair seems to spark a bit of showmanship from the driver of the ZR1.
DISCLAIMER: TURN IT UP. Somewhere around the 0:35 second mark, if there are any small children in the room, they might be asked to leave if noise is a concern, also there is some coarse language at the end of the video that basically sums up what you were thinking anyway, but might not be suitable for all audiences. Enjoy.
We know. Utterly ridiculous, but at the same time, isn't there a $&!% eating grin on your face? It's hard not to after not only hearing the ZR1 and its LS9 completely stomp some pavement out, but the amateur director's reaction is pretty priceless too (and he wasn't even in the car!). We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. This is the original posters comments about the video:
I was driving behind this Corvette Zr1, with Bassani and kooks headers, through my city in Michigan. After a couple miles, the driver must have noticed us filming his car because, he then floors the loud peddle and launches, full throttle down a hill, moving at some incredible speeds. This is the most amazing noise I have ever heard, the loudest Corvette I have ever heard, and also one of the most amazing/ beautiful cars I have ever seen. And yes, I scream out of shock when the car accelerates, its kind of funny but its pretty much a fail!
Corvette C5 Curb Alert Installation
We finally had the chance to install a Curb Alert on the 2003 C5 Z06. The install took all of about 2 hours and the first hour was simply trying to find the best place to mount the sensor. We tried it in several places, including behind the mesh screens in the bumper (does not work well there because the device works of IR reflection and the mesh screen gets in the way a little too much). We did finally find the perfect location that not only works great on the C5 it is also going to be an awesome mounting location for the C6.
Installation is really quite simply especially if you run your cables the way we did and elect NOT to go through the firewall.
First thing we did was connect up the control module. You want to place this either inside the cabin or in the engine compartment where it will not get wet. We decided to install ours on the side of the battery tray. If you want to put it in the passenger compartment, it does not change the install much other than you just run the positive, negative, and sensor wire into the passenger compartment along the same path we recommend to run the audible wire.
The Curb Alert is internally fused, (like a GFI) no fuse to replace, so you can connect it direct to your battery and ground. It simply trips a breaker and then resets when power is removed (if there is a short condition present). We connected our positive lead direct to the positive lead into the fuse panel in the engine bay (see picture below) and then ground to an excellent ground point in the engine bay, see other picture.
Positive Connection
Ground Connection—Kind of hard to see, but easier in the second picture. Follow the screw driver.
We mounted the sensor up under the front fascia right adjacent to the one of the frame rail bars (you know the ones that is constantly getting torn to hell because you do not have a Curb Alert). We chose this location because the frame bar will actually serve to protect the sensor from road debris and is the perfect height so as to make calibration extremely easy. You cannot see it at all unless you get under the car and look for it.
We then ran our Sensor wire up to the control box in the battery tray, came up from the bottom of the tray. Very easy, just use common sense and route the wire along the frame and away from moving parts.
Getting into the passenger compartment for the audible alarm unit is the next trick. Of course you can try to go through the firewall but be prepared for a bit more work. If you want something that is professional and hidden, simply run the wire out the top of the battery tray, up and around the edge of the passenger quarter panel where it meets the window weather stripping. You can fish the wire right along and then under the weather stripping and then into and behind the dash trim plastic. It is amazingly simply and the wire is completely out of site and perfectly safe. From there you simply decide where you want to put the audible module in the car. We chose up under the dash out of site.
Routing the audible module wire under the hood hinge and around the quarter panel.
Finished product in the battery tray. Notice all you can see if the Audible wire coming out behind the fuse box.
We then calibrated the Curb alert and took it to the closest Curb to test it….Worked like a charm and stopped us 8 inches from the Curb every time.
PFADT Racing Corvette Competition Sway Bars
I have always heard about different suspension upgrades for Sports cars and Corvettes, but always figured that they were more aimed at folks who want to take their car to the track. They are usually pretty expensive and I figured that the installation would be a pain in the neck. Given the price, the perceived difficulty with the installation, and my thoughts that I would only notice the differences on the track, I have have always shy'ed away from upgrades such as this. Whelp, all that has changed........
I recently sold my 2006 Corvette Z06 and purchased an 2009 Corvette Z06. I offer all of the Pfadt racing products on my Corvette Parts website and figured I really need to give some of their products a try. I have had customers tell me how much they love the PFADT Sway Bars and PFADT Coilovers but always assumed they were taking their cars to the track. I called Pfadt and asked them if I would notice a difference with handling on the street for a weekend driver like myself an also what would be the most "bang for my buck" upgrade. I was thinking the Pfadt Corvette coilovers, but surprisingly enough, Pfadt's recommendation was the Pfadt Competition Sway bars. In disbelief, I went ahead and had them send me a set for installation on my new Corvette. I truly did not believe that I was going to notice much of a difference from the stock setup to the Pfadt setup.
About a week later my front/rear Pfadt Corvette Z06 sway bar kit arrived. I was really not dying to start what I thought would be a complicated installation, so the kit sat in my office for close to two weeks before I decided to take the plunge. Prior to taking everything apart, I had to take the Z06 for a spirited drive with the stock sway's so that I had something fresh in my mind to compare too. I drove for 30 mins or so on a two lane secondary road that has nice tight turns and switchbacks.
Armed with a six pack and my hodge podge of tools I began the PFADT Sway Bar Installation (see link for details on the install). Removing the stock sway bars was pretty easy and took maybe 45 mins tops. I will say, comparing the stock sway bars to the PFADT bars, you see an immediate difference in quality between the two. The PFADT system absolutely makes the OEM sway's look cheap and inadequate. The entire installation took maybe 4 hours (max). I will say that the PFADT instructions do assume a certain level of technical knowledge and are probably written more with an installation shop in mind, but are still adequate for a "shade tree mechanic". I also did create my own PFADT Sway Bar Installation for Dummy's write-up just in case you need some extra pictures or explanation.
PFADT Corvette Z06 Sway Bar
Roughly 4 hours and a six pack later, my installation was done. Time for the first drive (of course, after all the beer was out of my system) with the new PFADT Competition Sway Bars. At first I was not expecting much difference, but after comparing the quality of the OEM components to the PFADT setup, I was starting to think maybe there will be a slight noticeable difference.
PFADT Competition Corvette Sway Bars
Startup, and the car rolled out of the driveway without any grinding noises or clunking (whew car still rolls, could not a screwed up the install that bad). Drove gently out of the neighborhood just to make sure everything was ok, and then accelerated onto a side street (45 mph) two lane, tight winding road. Ok, not is it is time to see if there is a difference.First turn, took it carefully and controlled...hmmmmm, felt good, my confidence was starting to build. Next turn, little more speed, everything still good. No noise...Now I really am feeling confident in my installation. Hit the next turn with a bit more "spirited driving". Oh my god!!!!! I could feel a HUGE difference! I immediately understood what "Body Roll" is. When I hit a corner, the my butt slide laterally in the seat, but the top of my torso felt very little lateral movement (nothing like with the stock setup). Hitting another turn, I accelerated into it (loving the new feeling), same thing, absolutely amazing. It is very hard to explain, but you do not really feel your head getting pulled into the turn, all the G's feel like they are pulling harder at the lower part of your body than the top. It was a clear case of you do not know what you are missing until you try it. I thought the Z06 handled good stock, and never had experienced what top notch sway bars feel like. I will never be able to go back to stock and this is one of those Corvette Modifications I would rank right up there with the Intake and Exhaust. It makes THAT big of a difference in your day to day driving experience and for the price, is worth EVERY penny!!!! Now I am really wondering what I have been missing with the PFADT Corvette Coilovers?
Let's just say that I am not a sticker man when it comes to my cars...But I loved the PFADT sway bars so much, that I just had to put their sticker in my back window 
Actually looks pretty good on a Cyber Grey car.
New Lloyd Mat’s Signature Rubber Series Corvette Floor Mats
If you're like me, you love the idea of rubber mats. They're easy to clean (they hose right off), durable, protect your stock carpet better than other options, and efficient. In this way, they're almost ideal. I say almost, because most of the time they're hideous. I use them in my pick-up truck, but I'd never be caught dead putting Rubber mats in my Corvette. At least, not until now.
Lloyd Mats, who make some fantastic car floor mats, have started producing a new line of specialized rubber car floor mats, called their Signature Rubber Series. These mats finally offer up all of the benefits of rubber mats, with a nice, stylish look. I saw them, so, I decided to get myself a pair and check them out personally.
First off, they're heavy. The rubber that Lloyds is using is top notch in quality, and they don't skimp on it. They mats definitely offer a ton of protection. Secondly, they utilize my stock post mat holding system, which is a nice touch. Typically, only carpeted mats have been able to make use of that great OEM touch, and these new Signature Rubber mats change the game. Thirdly, and most importantly, they look good. They're simple in design--all black, deep lip, indented rubber--so that they're not distracting and keep any mess on your feet off the car, and also feature some of the best looking emblems I've seen on any mats, carpeted or rubber. These full color, Corvette flags and Corvette script double emblems look fantastic! They're officially GM licensed, so they're exact replicas of the C6 flags and script, and they look like they belong inside my Corvette. Also, they stand out enough to not draw attention away from the rest of the car, but to also ensure that when someone looks down at their feet they're impressed by what they see.
Admittedly, I'm keeping my Lloyd's carpeted Ultimats as well, for whenever I take my 'Vette somewhere to show it. These look good, and they're high quality, but they're not show mats. That being said, they are -PERFECT- every day mats. Since getting them, I've had less fear than ever taking my son out to play or to a baseball game inside of the Corvette--the car he always asks to ride in, of course. Heck, I don't even mind him wearing his cleats in the car (that much) anymore. The mats are so easy to clean, and offer so much protection since they cover every bit of carpet in that area, that when they get dirty I just take them out, hose them off, and don't worry. Again, too, they look great. I wouldn't use them if they didn't.
All in all, I love these new mats. They're a great product from one of my favorite companies (they've been mentioned on Speed channel, Top Gear, and even featured in Jay Leno's garage multiple times) that meet a lot of the needs and desires I've had for a while. I love having some that's stylish and on par with my Corvette Z06 in style and quality, and as easy and simple to clean as these are.
Latest Rumor: C7 with 3.0TT V8
Well, as we are all well aware—the likelihood of getting any kind of confirmation from the big guys up at Corvette HQ on any single rumor is pretty much null and void, but here we are again: another rumor. This one seems to be a recurring theme, and as Mr. Tadge Juechter pointed out in the video below (posted by Corvette Blogger) the journalism arena has been really scrubbing for information and news the past couple of years. The information that seems to have been flagrantly flying around the internet and throughout numerous automobile magazines and another couple hundred blogs are the run off ideas and speculations of a few of the bigger journalists in the industry. If those guys have had a rough month, then usually some of the most well received/most provocative ideas off of the forums get circulated heavily. The current hot ticket item is the concern over what powerplant will be used for the upcoming generation of Corvette.
The rumor falls like this: GM does away with the giant LS series for the vette, and gravitates towards a small displacement (3.0) V8—not unlike the Italian thoroughbreds that utilize the same idea—and then bolt on a twin turbocharger induction set up. Overall this is not a bad route to go if you're looking for high-revving power that exemplifies the capabilities of a small V8 and can scream around a track. However, if you believe in nothing but a seven liter ground shaking idle that has the deep rumbling voice of the Creator himself, then this is clearly the wrong venue to be attending. Where the difference lies—as Mr. Juechter explains in the video—is that the government has imposed the C.A.F.E. (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards which were revised in 2007. The non government funded, but mandated standards require a 35 mpg fleet average for the model year 2020. What this means is that GM has to find ways to improve fuel economy across the board. As much as we don't like to hear it that means we can't stay in the same comfortable place we find our Vettes in now. GM needs to re-engineer the vette to get better fuel economy.
However, this doesn't mean the Corvette gets watered down.
A fuel efficient car is just that: efficient. A race car is efficient. A jet propelled land speed car is efficient. There are many upsides to being efficient, for one- a more efficient drivetrain means less drivetrain power-loss, meaning more power to the ground. The more efficient an engine runs, the better gas mileage it gets, and the less "work" it has to do to get there. The lighter a vehicle is, the better it handles corners, stops and accelerates, which in turn means better gas mileage and more fun. Efficiency is the root of racing. When we graduated from the single speed bicycle (or at least most of us did, *cough* hipsters…) to a derailleur system and multiple gears, we wanted to be more efficient: we wanted to go faster with less work. This same idea applies to the transmission in a car—that's why we have overdrive (5th and 6th gears), or really why we have gears at all. Efficiency could be construed to be the result of the hard work of innovation and creativity. With an army of engineers, and the pressure of the Fed bearing down on them, I'm sure GM will come up with something.
Back to the question at hand however, would a 3.0 liter twin turbo V-8 be an outrage to the Corvette community? Most certainly. But then again, when has change ever gone smoothly? In reality, eventually we won't be able to have our cake and eat it too… the days of huge pushrod V8's are numbered, and everybody knows it. I don't want to see it happen, you don't want to see it happen, but eventually the gas guzzling dinosaurs of our fathers and grandfathers will be lost and gone forever. Without oil, we will be changing a lot in the world, and as much as we don't want to think about it—the time is coming whether we like it or not. Maybe not tomorrow, or next year, but eventually we will be out of dinosaur blood to pump through four barrel fun machines. I'm not here to rant and rave about the price of oil, or go environmentally crazy on you, but unfortunately there are realities that none of us can change. So, becoming more efficient is the only way to keep the Corvette alive.
A 3.0 liter V8 is no joke however. Ferrari produced a 3L V8 for the GT4 and Dino, and Formula One cars use 3.0L V8's and are some of the fastest cars on the planet. I know it will sound different, IF this is even what GM has planned, but it will still be fast. Bottom line however, this is just a rumor, and whatever Mr. Juechter and crew have planned, and eventually come out with—it's guaranteed to be new and different. Some will cringe, others will rejoice, but in the end we all still love the Corvette. Stay tuned for further updates as we track the new beast.
Food for thought on 3L V8 engines: don't be so hasty to judge…
http://www.h1v8.com/page/page/1562069.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_GT4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_Dino_engine#3.0
Nissan Leaf Ad Strikes at Chevy Volt
For those of us in the Chevy community quietly watching our beloved matriarch pull herself up from the ashes of bankruptcy, some of the others in the car community make it a point to point out some of her shortcomings…even when the shortcomings are worldwide problems. The makers of the Leaf- Nissan; in their latest advertisement for their 100% electric vehicle have taken it upon themselves to point out that the Volt still needs to be fueled with traditional gasoline. Although this is not an unknown fact to any consumer who has taken the time to research the Volt, it is not its primary selling point…Hence the name Volt. But before we go into a full on rant about why Nissan shouldn't have let that commercial air, and how Chevy is doing its best—let's take a look at the competition a little closer.
When we really break it down between the lower-end hybrid competition, who really wins? Is it the harshly marketed Nissan, the Americans, or another competitor? We decided to leave out the Lexus GS Hybrid, and the Tesla Roadster as the market for those cars is aimed at a higher income demographic than what we're examining. Keep in mind however, the average right now for gas in the US is $3.84 a gallon and if you drive 250 miles 
a week (assuming you get 22 mpg on average in your current vehicle), that's $177 spent a month on gas. If The Dude were to have anything to do with this analysis, he might say, "There's a lot of ins, a lot of outs, new stuff has come to light, man." The four we'll pick apart in the shorthand of online journalism are obviously the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf but then we'll stick them against the long time running Toyota Prius and Honda Insight.
First, let's take a look at Chevy's pride and joy—the Volt. The Volt has a 1.4L DOHC inline four, with a Lithium Ion (Li-ion) rechargeable battery system that operates two motors—a 111 Kw drive motor and a 54 Kw generator motor. The fully charged battery can take the Volt 25-50 miles depending on the terrain, driving habits and external (ambient air) temperature. So, the sum of this put together gets the occupant an estimated 370ish miles when combined with the gasoline engine; all said and done, a 38 mpg average. Not too shabby. The sticker for the Volt is $41,000 when it's "competitively equipped" according to Chevy.
Nissan's Leaf is a completely electric vehicle, with no gasoline engine. The range for the Leaf on a full charge is a claimed 92 miles, but in actuality it usually falls within the 60-70 mile range before being depleted especially if you run the A/C and live in an area with traffic—just like stop and go traffic burns significantly more gas in a traditional car/engine set up—it bears the same burden on a battery. The charge time of 7-8 hours for a full charge on 220 volt outlets is also somewhat of a hindrance, although there is a quick charge option that can be achieved in roughly 30 minutes to charge the battery to 80% but repetition of this process will harm the battery over time. While a great cause for promoting zero-emissions, it won't do you any good if you have to travel any great distance, but as an "around town" car it would be great. The price tag for this puppy clocks in at $33,720. For a zero-emission commuter it seems like an excellent option…but it does bear the question, how much would it cost to charge? My immediate thought went something like this, "If I ran the clothes dryer (also uses 220v outlet) for 7-8 hours a day, my electric bill would skyrocket!" Not so. In Atlanta, where a KwH is 11.3 cents an hour, the required 22 KwH's of charge the Leaf requires equates to $2.49. Even if you had to fully charge the car every night (meaning you had run the battery down to "Empty" every day), you're looking at adding $77 a month to your electricity bill. Considering this is your gas bill for the month, not too bad. In fact, that's $100 less than what the current average for gas costs per month are.
The Toyota Prius has a 1.8L DOHC inline four (a .4L increase over the Volt), with a Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery operating an electric motor/generator that puts out 60 Kw (80 HP), for a combined total of 134 horsepower. The Prius doesn't have the option of running on one or the other however- it is a constant combination of both. The Prius has an 11.9 gallon fuel tank and gets an EPA 
estimated 571 miles to the tank for an average of 48 miles to the gallon. The way the Prius works is like this: when pulling away from a stop or under a light load, only the electric motor powers the vehicle. In normal driving, power from the gasoline engine is divided by a power-split device between the wheels and the electric generator. The generator runs the electric motor to provide additional power to the wheels. Under full-throttle acceleration, the electric motor is supplemented by power from the batteries. During deceleration or braking, the motor functions as a generator to recharge the batteries. The batteries never need to be recharged from an external source. The gasoline engine also shuts down, creating zero exhaust emissions and using no fuel. The battery is regulated to maintain a constant charge. When the charge is low, the electric generator routes power to charge the battery. The Prius has a "competitively equipped" MSRP of $28,790 for the Prius 5—the top end model.
Last but not least, we have the Honda Insight. Clocking in right at $21,490—this is certainly the cheapest option for the crowd. It is powered by a 1.3L SOHC 8-Valve inline four that is coupled to an electric motor on the crankshaft of the engine. The motor acts as a generator during braking, steady cruising, gentle deceleration and coasting in order to recharge the battery. The motor also serves as the engine starter, quickly spinning the 
engine to idle speed after Idle Stop and during normal vehicle starting. The system will automatically switch to a back-up, conventional 12-volt starter to start the engine if the IMA (generator) system is disabled or if the car is started at extreme cold temperatures. As an additional safety feature, Honda's hybrid configuration allows the car to operate like a conventional, gas-engine vehicle even if the hybrid-electric motor system is completely disabled. The Insight has a 10.6 gallon fuel tank and its EPA estimated highway mileage is 456 miles to the tank, or 43 mpg.
So, let's break this whole thing down and list the cars by most efficient first, then take the list again and organize it by price. We can obviously say that the Leaf is the greenest car out of the bunch with zero emissions, but at the same time is severely limited by range and its recharging capabilities making it the least practical. In order to place the cars on the list by order of efficiency we'll (for arguments sake) place them with fuel economy as the highest priority.
With the Leaf not using standard fuel, and being fully electric—it takes number one, followed by the Toyota Prius @48 mpg, then the Honda Insight @ 43 mpg, and lastly putting the Chevy Volt @ 35 mpg at the bottom of the list. However, since the Chevy Volt can be driven roughly 35 miles on nothing except electric power that alters the standings and could place the Volt in second.
This is what The Dude was talking about.
However if we were to arrange the cars by distance that could be achieved on a single tank/charge the standings dramatically change. The Prius takes first with 571 miles to the tank, the Honda Insight takes second at 456 miles, the Volt third at 372 miles and lastly the Nissan Leaf which is limited at best to 92 miles before needing an outlet to recharge.
Once again though, if we take the price tag as the main point of concern and rank them from cheapest to most expensive the tables turn again. The Insight from Honda takes first with a tag at $21,490; the Prius takes second at $28,790; Nissan hails for third at $33,720; and clocking in with a price nearly double the Honda comes the Chevy Volt with a $41,000 sticker on it.
Obviously this is Chevy's first attempt at the Electric Vehicle market, and they're trying hard to fit in. They need the Volt to do well, as they have invested millions upon millions into the Volt, telling project managers that they could have as much manpower and resources as they saw fit. The "blank-check" that upper GM management gave the Volt project was obviously given with the assumption that they would make back a large chunk or more than what they put into it. GM has a lot riding on the Volt, and the competition has had a head start with over a decade to figure the game out and set the bar. So, can we expect Chevy to come out with a cheaper version? Almost certainly. Can we expect an improved version, or luxury version, perhaps even a different platform? Absolutely. The big guys upstairs at GM were really pushing to have the Volt released as soon as physically possible, and not that it wasn't an enormous feat, but they have room to improve—which is always a good thing. If an American car company can make a reliable, efficient, and viable EV competitor in the worldwide market, then they might have just found a ticket to financial freedom. If however they don't pull the Volt off, and if it proves to be a flop, then GM has some big issues that they'll have to figure out how to sort out. Regardless of the competition, the Volt is a great looking car and deserves a special place in GM's collection. The Volt is a milestone for GM and proves they're incredibly serious about its production and improvement. Good on ya GM.