Z06 engine/drivetrain life??

[hebertjb]

I just read Zed's excellent synopsis on his stock quarter mile times. I'm a new vette owner (my first vette) and recently purchased a 2003 TR/Z06. After I broke mine in as recommended by the owners manual, I made three pretty hard launches. On one of them I smoked the tires through 1st, second, and part of third gear before finally hooking up the tires. I accidentally hit the rev limiter a couple of times on one of the launches (I won't do that again)! I use the car as a daily driver and do drive it like a normal car most of the time. I guess my only excuse for really getting into it was to see what the Z06 could do.

For all of you gearheads, how much horsing can the Z06 really take before you begin to seriously impact the useful service life of the car? Can I really "drive it like I stole it", as the saying goes?

Thanks for reading

[agentf1]

I think some of the guys on here have hundreds of 1/4 mile runs with no problems. It seems like if you are launching it real hard all the time the clutch is the first to go. I baby mine some maybe some of the drag racers can tell us how many runs before they start to have problems.

[Z06ified]

The Z06 has a tough drivetrain overall. The engine is extremely durable and hitting the rev limiter occasionally won't harm it. The weakest link in the drive train is probably the clutch and transmission, however at stock power levels they can take quite a beating before failing. Its when you modify the engine to significantly more power that you need to be concerned about the clutch and tranny failing.

So, bottom line is go out and enjoy your car to the fullest and don't worry about 'hurting' it from driving it hard. It was built to be driven very hard on a road course, so it can take the punishment.

BTW I've bumped into the rev limiter several times and done many full throttle runs going sideways through second, etc., autocrossed it 4 times (spinning it probably 3 times), and none of this has even phased the car at all.

[JustinG]

I accidentally hit the rev limiter a couple of times on one of the launches (I won't do that again)!

You might say you won't hit the limiter again. But, you will, it pulls so hard all the way to the limiter there is no warning of it like on most other cars were the power drops off before you hit it!!!Just drive it and enjoy it, if you hit the limiter every now and then it's no big deal. Just don't mechanically over-rev the car and you'll be ok!!!


Justin

[dbvettez061]

There are some guys and a gal that have flogged the Z at the drags for 200-300 passes or more...they are tough, as mentioned the weakest link being the clutch, and the nut behind the wheel

[MikesZ06]

I definately agree with the above posts. I think the Z was built with performance driving in mind. The weakest link in the Z would be the clutch and tranny, especially if a lot of drag racing is done, but quite frankly I think that weakness is shared by most performance cars if driven in that fashion.

[OmahaZ06]

Mike is right.

- Mike

[hebertjb]

Thanks for the replies. I won't feel reluctant to give it a hard run now and then!!