- Joined
- Mar 27, 2003
- Messages
- 3,682
- Location
- Mustang, OK
- Corvette
- '13 427 60th vert - '21 Silver Flare Coupe - CTS V Wagon(4-door Vette)
You need to become a Caravan Captain again. You have too much time on your hands!
:L
:L
Blue Bullet Blog-The C6 Ownership Experience
- Thread starter Hib Halverson
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #242
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
12 years. Three Caravans....I'm happy to be a "reserve Captain". Thank you very much.
The new Section Captain for SoCal/SoNev is likely going to be Tony Megowan. I'll help him out if he needs it, but it's his baby.
As for too much time on my hands...who you kidding, dude! Now I have time for all the stuff that didn't get done in the last 8 months before the 2014 Caravan.
- Thread starter
- #243
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
Got the "Special Coverage" letter in the mail a couple days ago. Had my '12 into Bunnin Chevrolet in Santa Barbara CA on Wednesday. Made an appointment. Showed up on time. Car was done in 45-min.
They also read a Ride Control code which had set a couple of days ago. C0615. Left front sensor invalid data.
I found the bracket for the sensor got bent when I was working on the left exhaust manifold. My bad. The bent bracket allowed the sensor to go over-center. Bent it back. Repositioned the sensor arm and the link. Code gone.
Great Chevy store that Bunnin!
They also read a Ride Control code which had set a couple of days ago. C0615. Left front sensor invalid data.
I found the bracket for the sensor got bent when I was working on the left exhaust manifold. My bad. The bent bracket allowed the sensor to go over-center. Bent it back. Repositioned the sensor arm and the link. Code gone.
Great Chevy store that Bunnin!
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2003
- Messages
- 3,682
- Location
- Mustang, OK
- Corvette
- '13 427 60th vert - '21 Silver Flare Coupe - CTS V Wagon(4-door Vette)
I hear you! Had similar problems myself.
1 March, I'm retiring from government service and I'll have to figure out what to do with myself.
- Thread starter
- #245
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
My latest challenge is learning how to calibrate an LS7.
Up to now, the latest cal work I'd done with with a 2004. Amazing how much more sophisticated ECM programs became in 8 years.
Up to now, the latest cal work I'd done with with a 2004. Amazing how much more sophisticated ECM programs became in 8 years.
- Thread starter
- #246
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
In the last few months, I've learned a lot about calibrating an LS7, but I have a heck of lot more to learn. I'd like to thank Justin Abbot, the Vice President of Zip Products and the guy who does all of Zips calibration work for being willing to share his experience with tuning LS7s. Also, thanks to HPTuners for its great software and thanks for Calibrated Success for it's great DVD-base home study classes on tuning which you can get from Summit Racing.
Most of my cal work on my LS7 has been to 1) get the air-fuel ratio during power enrichment more consistent...not right to the lean limit, mind you, but just a bit rich and more consistent and 2) tune the engine's mass air flow table to better match the Zip Products Mamba air filter asembly I have on the car. Now that I've got what I think is the right "tune" for the Mamba, In late April, I'm going to take the car into the Greater L.A. area to Westech Performance Group and run it on their chassis dyno. It will be interesting to see how the Mamba does.
Once I test the Mamba then I'm going to bring the car back to the shop and install one of MSD's new "Atomic Air Force" intake manifolds...don't you love the name? The "AAF" is one of two aftermarket intake manifolds on the market for LS7s and, early testing is that it beats the other unit, the FAST intake manifold, by a noticeable amount. That said, the AAF is brand new on the market and not a lot of testing has been done. What data is out there is from Atomic Air Force intakes on engines that are quite modified.
My test program for the MSD "AAF" intake manifold is going to be with an engine which, other than the Mamba, my 2011 exhaust retrofit, MSD coils and Denso plugs, is stock. It will be interesting to see how well the MSD manifold performs in that applcation when I go back to Westech in early May.
In the meantime, since the 2014 National Corvette Caravan last August, we haven't driven the car much other than for road testing for calibration work. It is time, however, for me to put the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires back on the car and get on the road for some sporting driving. We took Cup tires off and stored them prior to the Caravan because there always is rain on the Caravan and Cup tires are scary in anything more than drizzle. For the Caravan, we had full-tread-depth Pilot Sport 2s on the car. Now that Caravan is done, I'll put the Cups back on and run them until they are wore out. I love those tires because they are so freakin' sticky. It may never rain, again, in Southern California, so why worry with quasi-race tires on the car.
The Blue Bullet II is going to soon have one less stablemate as my Wife, the Fairest Sandra the Red gets a new car this year. We're going to sell our '95 ZR-1 along with our '07 HHR and use that money to order a '16 Cadillac ATS-V, the one with the BMW-busting 464-hp turbo V6. That little sedan with that much horsepower and an 8-spd automatic trans out to be almost as much fun as our Z06es.
Next week, Sandy and I are off to NYC for a sightseeing vacation to visit the 9/11 Memorial/Museum, the USS Intrepid Museum, go to a Yankees game and his some brewpubs. We'll be back on the 15th to get working on Corvettes.
Most of my cal work on my LS7 has been to 1) get the air-fuel ratio during power enrichment more consistent...not right to the lean limit, mind you, but just a bit rich and more consistent and 2) tune the engine's mass air flow table to better match the Zip Products Mamba air filter asembly I have on the car. Now that I've got what I think is the right "tune" for the Mamba, In late April, I'm going to take the car into the Greater L.A. area to Westech Performance Group and run it on their chassis dyno. It will be interesting to see how the Mamba does.
Once I test the Mamba then I'm going to bring the car back to the shop and install one of MSD's new "Atomic Air Force" intake manifolds...don't you love the name? The "AAF" is one of two aftermarket intake manifolds on the market for LS7s and, early testing is that it beats the other unit, the FAST intake manifold, by a noticeable amount. That said, the AAF is brand new on the market and not a lot of testing has been done. What data is out there is from Atomic Air Force intakes on engines that are quite modified.
My test program for the MSD "AAF" intake manifold is going to be with an engine which, other than the Mamba, my 2011 exhaust retrofit, MSD coils and Denso plugs, is stock. It will be interesting to see how well the MSD manifold performs in that applcation when I go back to Westech in early May.
In the meantime, since the 2014 National Corvette Caravan last August, we haven't driven the car much other than for road testing for calibration work. It is time, however, for me to put the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires back on the car and get on the road for some sporting driving. We took Cup tires off and stored them prior to the Caravan because there always is rain on the Caravan and Cup tires are scary in anything more than drizzle. For the Caravan, we had full-tread-depth Pilot Sport 2s on the car. Now that Caravan is done, I'll put the Cups back on and run them until they are wore out. I love those tires because they are so freakin' sticky. It may never rain, again, in Southern California, so why worry with quasi-race tires on the car.
The Blue Bullet II is going to soon have one less stablemate as my Wife, the Fairest Sandra the Red gets a new car this year. We're going to sell our '95 ZR-1 along with our '07 HHR and use that money to order a '16 Cadillac ATS-V, the one with the BMW-busting 464-hp turbo V6. That little sedan with that much horsepower and an 8-spd automatic trans out to be almost as much fun as our Z06es.
Next week, Sandy and I are off to NYC for a sightseeing vacation to visit the 9/11 Memorial/Museum, the USS Intrepid Museum, go to a Yankees game and his some brewpubs. We'll be back on the 15th to get working on Corvettes.
- Thread starter
- #247
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
This week, the Fairest Sandra the Red and I are in NYC for a vacation/sightseeing trip. We have seen only one Corvette, a white C7 coupe, in the whole six days we've been here. We seen a number of Porsches and two Maseratis. Looks like New Yorkers like foreign sports cars more than American ones. And taxis....the last time I was in NYC was so long ago that they still made Checkers. Nowadays they are either Toyota Camrys, Nissan NV200s (a small commercial van) or Ford Focuses.
We visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. We had beers at O'Hara's the famed bar adjacent to the WTC site. We went to a Yankees game (they lost), we went to the Brooklyn Brewery (a great brown ale, they have), we had shopportunities at Bloomingdale's and Tiffany's, we had dinner at PJ Clarke's and, finally, we visited an FDNY station on 8-Av., home to Engine 54, Ladder 4 and Battalion 9, to pay our respects to the brave firefighters of the FDNY. Fifteen firefighters from that station were killed on 9/11/01. It was very sobering to stand in front of the wall inside the station which had the pictures of all 15 of those guys. If that wasn't enough, there were plaques on the wall honoring the memory of five other firefighters from that station who had made the supreme sacrifice since 1973. Reminds all of us that firefighting is a very dangerous job no matter what the cause of the fire.
Today, we catch a jet home.
(sigh)
Back to reality.
We visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. We had beers at O'Hara's the famed bar adjacent to the WTC site. We went to a Yankees game (they lost), we went to the Brooklyn Brewery (a great brown ale, they have), we had shopportunities at Bloomingdale's and Tiffany's, we had dinner at PJ Clarke's and, finally, we visited an FDNY station on 8-Av., home to Engine 54, Ladder 4 and Battalion 9, to pay our respects to the brave firefighters of the FDNY. Fifteen firefighters from that station were killed on 9/11/01. It was very sobering to stand in front of the wall inside the station which had the pictures of all 15 of those guys. If that wasn't enough, there were plaques on the wall honoring the memory of five other firefighters from that station who had made the supreme sacrifice since 1973. Reminds all of us that firefighting is a very dangerous job no matter what the cause of the fire.
Today, we catch a jet home.
(sigh)
Back to reality.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #248
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
Once again, the Blue Bullet 2 has HVAC problems. The air conditioning quit again in a place were it's hotter than hell. A week ago, we were in Henderson NV. It was 113° out and we came out to get in the car to go down to Laughlin to join up with the Vettenet Southwest Tour and no A/C.
Today, I just got the BB2 back from my dealer, Bunnin Chevrolet in Santa Barbara CA. I rely on Bunnin for HVAC service because, currently, I do not own the proper tools to service air conditioning system. That may change fairly soon, but for now I need outside help. I’m lucky because the people in the Bunnin Service Department have a good HVAC technician and they are more than willing to share good information about how the system works.
Unfortunately, a weakness of our 2012 Z06 has been it’s A/C. It’s been the source of regular–but not frequent, thank goodness–trouble. We’ve had the system quit three times. Twice in places where it was really hot and once near our home where it’s cool.
As a result of this errant HVAC behavior, about 18-months after we bought the car, GM replaced the evaporator core under warranty based on use of an electronic refrigerant detector which detected a leak.
The problems have persisted and twice since the evaporator core was replaced the system has quit on us in hot weather, once a week after the warranty work in southern Texas with 98-102° ambient and a second time, just recently, in Las Vegas with 110-114° ambient. After the first hot weather failure, we took it into the Chevy Dealer in Corpus Christi TX. They diagnosed a failed A/C compressor but couldn’t do anything about it unless we wanted to stay there for several days waiting for parts. After we left Corpus to head home, the system began working again which sort of discredits the failed compressor diagnosis.
Once back home from Texas, I took the car into Bunnin Chevrolet and they could find no problems with the system. From that point. in early October of 2013, until last week in Henderson NV, the system worked properly. A week ago, we went out to the car to drive to breakfast and no A/C. After breakfast and after spending a little time looking around some forums for postings about similar problems, we decided to take the car to Henderson Chevrolet for service. They told us it would be 2 days before they could even look at the car. So, we headed back to my Sister’s place where we’d been staying. The outside air temp display read 113°.
With no air conditioning and needing a day at home to prepare for a speech to be given at Jim Van Dorn’s memorial the following Saturday, I decided to cancel the run down to Laughlin/Sedona with the VNSW and head back to Goleta early the next morning.
Late on Wednesday, I dropped the car at Bunnin Chevrolet. They found the system way low on refrigerant, only 0.38-lbs out of a required 1.1-lbs, so they evacuated the system then recharged it. They also told me that when the system is low in refrigerant it may or may not cool properly and it also may quit working intermittently as the refrigerant “sloshes” around the system as a result of acceleration or braking or parking on an incline.
They also agreed with my diagnosis that the system has a very slow leak in it somewhere. The leak is slow enough that only over a long period of time, in this case 18 months at a time, does the system get low enough to start acting up. The leak is too slow to find with a refrigerant “sniffer” and may be in a place where you can’t see the dye that’s in the system to find leaks using a UV lamp.
My big mistake was not taking the car in for a leak test just before the 3-yr/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty expired.
Oops.
Looks like I'd better acquire the tools to do HVAC service work.
In other news, it's coming up on 10,000 miles since I had the cylinder heads replaced under warranty. At the 10,000 mile point, my plan is to measure the valve-stem-to-guide clearance on the second set of heads.
Today, I just got the BB2 back from my dealer, Bunnin Chevrolet in Santa Barbara CA. I rely on Bunnin for HVAC service because, currently, I do not own the proper tools to service air conditioning system. That may change fairly soon, but for now I need outside help. I’m lucky because the people in the Bunnin Service Department have a good HVAC technician and they are more than willing to share good information about how the system works.
Unfortunately, a weakness of our 2012 Z06 has been it’s A/C. It’s been the source of regular–but not frequent, thank goodness–trouble. We’ve had the system quit three times. Twice in places where it was really hot and once near our home where it’s cool.
As a result of this errant HVAC behavior, about 18-months after we bought the car, GM replaced the evaporator core under warranty based on use of an electronic refrigerant detector which detected a leak.
The problems have persisted and twice since the evaporator core was replaced the system has quit on us in hot weather, once a week after the warranty work in southern Texas with 98-102° ambient and a second time, just recently, in Las Vegas with 110-114° ambient. After the first hot weather failure, we took it into the Chevy Dealer in Corpus Christi TX. They diagnosed a failed A/C compressor but couldn’t do anything about it unless we wanted to stay there for several days waiting for parts. After we left Corpus to head home, the system began working again which sort of discredits the failed compressor diagnosis.
Once back home from Texas, I took the car into Bunnin Chevrolet and they could find no problems with the system. From that point. in early October of 2013, until last week in Henderson NV, the system worked properly. A week ago, we went out to the car to drive to breakfast and no A/C. After breakfast and after spending a little time looking around some forums for postings about similar problems, we decided to take the car to Henderson Chevrolet for service. They told us it would be 2 days before they could even look at the car. So, we headed back to my Sister’s place where we’d been staying. The outside air temp display read 113°.
With no air conditioning and needing a day at home to prepare for a speech to be given at Jim Van Dorn’s memorial the following Saturday, I decided to cancel the run down to Laughlin/Sedona with the VNSW and head back to Goleta early the next morning.
Late on Wednesday, I dropped the car at Bunnin Chevrolet. They found the system way low on refrigerant, only 0.38-lbs out of a required 1.1-lbs, so they evacuated the system then recharged it. They also told me that when the system is low in refrigerant it may or may not cool properly and it also may quit working intermittently as the refrigerant “sloshes” around the system as a result of acceleration or braking or parking on an incline.
They also agreed with my diagnosis that the system has a very slow leak in it somewhere. The leak is slow enough that only over a long period of time, in this case 18 months at a time, does the system get low enough to start acting up. The leak is too slow to find with a refrigerant “sniffer” and may be in a place where you can’t see the dye that’s in the system to find leaks using a UV lamp.
My big mistake was not taking the car in for a leak test just before the 3-yr/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty expired.
Oops.
Looks like I'd better acquire the tools to do HVAC service work.
In other news, it's coming up on 10,000 miles since I had the cylinder heads replaced under warranty. At the 10,000 mile point, my plan is to measure the valve-stem-to-guide clearance on the second set of heads.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #250
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
Thanks for posting the c6z time line, sorry you have continuing issues. I'm still looking for one, have been advised it's not the best autox car, but I still need to have one.
You need a 2011 with 1LZ or 2LZ. Avoid 12s and 13s because of the four-cat exhaust.
- Thread starter
- #251
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
So, Alan Batey, President of GM North America, gets up in front of the press at the 2016 Chevy Cruze introduction and launches into this spiel about how Chevrolet wants to become emulate Apple in the way it markets and administrates after-sale support of its products.
Seriously, Alan?!
Apple doesn't decrease warranty coverage like Chevrolet will do for the 2016 model year. Powertrain warranties will decrease by 40,000 miles and is cutting the number of free maintenance visits from four to two per 24-month period.
Apple also takes care of most of its customers better than Chevrolet does. Witness Chevrolet's continuing to, for the most part, ignore the problem with valve guide wear in LS7 engines in 2006-2013 Corvette Z06es. Yes, Chevrolet has warrantied some LS7s with worn guides but some of the replacement heads are have valve seat run out as bad or worse then the heads being replaced.
What Chevrolet ought to do is reverse the decrease in powertrain warranty and recall all the LS7s with potential for valve seat runout and fix them.
While you're at it, find a way to address the problem direct injected engines, ie: LT1/LT4, may develop with "coked-up" intake valves.
If Chevy wants to emulate Apple, that's what it ought to do.
Are you listening, Alan?
Seriously, Alan?!
Apple doesn't decrease warranty coverage like Chevrolet will do for the 2016 model year. Powertrain warranties will decrease by 40,000 miles and is cutting the number of free maintenance visits from four to two per 24-month period.
Apple also takes care of most of its customers better than Chevrolet does. Witness Chevrolet's continuing to, for the most part, ignore the problem with valve guide wear in LS7 engines in 2006-2013 Corvette Z06es. Yes, Chevrolet has warrantied some LS7s with worn guides but some of the replacement heads are have valve seat run out as bad or worse then the heads being replaced.
What Chevrolet ought to do is reverse the decrease in powertrain warranty and recall all the LS7s with potential for valve seat runout and fix them.
While you're at it, find a way to address the problem direct injected engines, ie: LT1/LT4, may develop with "coked-up" intake valves.
If Chevy wants to emulate Apple, that's what it ought to do.
Are you listening, Alan?
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #252
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
Today my usual frugality and sensibility was nowhere to be found when I installed a set of Katech titanium lug nuts on the Blue Bullet 2.
Ok. While the main attraction of Ti lug nuts is weight reduction for racing applications, in this case, with a street car, the whole weight savings thing is a weak argument since I could stop drinking beer for a week and drop more than the 1.7-lbs. they save. Forget the fact that I don't track my car–at least I haven't yet.
The only reason for me to put Katech's Ti lugs on the car is they are just too darn cool. CNC-machined, forged titanium with a 17-mm 12-point head and weighing only 16-grams each, I just like the idea of having them on the car. Further rationalization is that they're only seven bucks each compared to some other Ti lugs which are upwards of $400 a set.
Maybe....(I sense my sensibility approaching)...I should take 140 bucks out of my beer money to pay for. Heck that's at least a month of no beer. We're talking my fat self dropping 10-lbs, plus another 1.7 for the ti lugs.
Nah.
Ok. While the main attraction of Ti lug nuts is weight reduction for racing applications, in this case, with a street car, the whole weight savings thing is a weak argument since I could stop drinking beer for a week and drop more than the 1.7-lbs. they save. Forget the fact that I don't track my car–at least I haven't yet.
The only reason for me to put Katech's Ti lugs on the car is they are just too darn cool. CNC-machined, forged titanium with a 17-mm 12-point head and weighing only 16-grams each, I just like the idea of having them on the car. Further rationalization is that they're only seven bucks each compared to some other Ti lugs which are upwards of $400 a set.
Maybe....(I sense my sensibility approaching)...I should take 140 bucks out of my beer money to pay for. Heck that's at least a month of no beer. We're talking my fat self dropping 10-lbs, plus another 1.7 for the ti lugs.
Nah.
Last edited:
froggy47
Well-known member
Today my usual frugality and sensibility was nowhere to be found when I installed a set of Katech titanium lug nuts on the Blue Bullet 2.
Ok. While the main attraction of Ti lug nuts is weight reduction for racing applications, in this case, the whole weight savings thing is a weak argument since I could stop drinking beer for a week and drop more than the 1.7-lbs. they save. Forget the fact that I don't track my car–at least I haven't yet.
The only reason for me to put Katech's Ti lugs on the car is they are just too darn cool. CNC-machined, forged titanium with a 17-mm 12-point head and weighing only 16-grams each, I just like the idea of having them on the car. Further rationalization is that they're only seven bucks each compared to some other Ti lugs which are upwards of $400 a set.
Maybe....(I sense my sensibility approaching)...I should take 140 bucks out of my beer money to pay for. Heck that's at least a month of no beer. We're talking my fat self dropping 10-lbs, plus another 1.7 for the ti lugs.
Nah.
What is the torque spec (with/without lube)? Same as stock?
- Thread starter
- #254
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
Jason Harding at Katech told me there are no differences from stock in how the Ti lug nuts are installed.
froggy47
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2003
- Messages
- 3,682
- Location
- Mustang, OK
- Corvette
- '13 427 60th vert - '21 Silver Flare Coupe - CTS V Wagon(4-door Vette)
Ti Lug nuts?
How about a before and after picture?
How about a before and after picture?
- Thread starter
- #257
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
How about a before and after picture?
I have "after" and some close-up shots of the parts. I put them on today and it was just like installing any other lug nut. Those who are looking for something that's eye candy might be a bit disappointed because the parts are more practical and weight-saving than they are cute looking.
There are a lot of Ti lug nuts on the web, especially at eBay, which have a much more standout looks, ranging from mildly in-your-face to just ridiculous.
There's more information on Katech Ti lug nuts in a CAC product review at: Titanium Lug Nut - Corvette Product Reviews
News flash: Katech announced on 30 Aug, that it now has a Tech DLA black-coated version of the titanium lug nuts. I wish I would have waited for those as black nuts would look much better with black wheels.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #258
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
Several weeks ago, In installed one of the new MSD Atomic Air Force intake manifolds onto my LS7. The installation was fairly easy but with a little bit of fabrication required to connect the stock PCV plumbing to the new manifold. Getting that right is very important to good crankcase venting at high rpm and for emissions.
I'm in the process of using EFI Live to recalibrate the ECM to work with the better intake manifold.
When I get that done, I'll take the car to the chassis dyno, again, to see what the difference in performance might be.
I'm in the process of using EFI Live to recalibrate the ECM to work with the better intake manifold.
When I get that done, I'll take the car to the chassis dyno, again, to see what the difference in performance might be.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #259
Hib Halverson
Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
All of the calibration work for the Atomic Air Force intake manifold has been completed. In fact, I have worked-up two separate cals, one for the produciton air filter assembly, and the other for the Zip Products Mamba.
Finishing the calibration work also completed my first tuning experience with EFI Live. While EFI Live's scanning and editing software has a steep learning curve, once I "got my bearings" with the software, I found EFI Live's scanner able all of the tasks HPTuners scanner can do. EFI Live's editing software, while not having as nice an GUI as HPTuners, it is a more powerful editing tool because it supports the intake manifold volume parameter which HPTuners does not and you need to change that because the volume of the MSD intake is so much greater than the stock manifold. Also, EFI Live makes available the E38 cooling fan operating system patch for free whereas you have to pay for that to get it from HPTuners. Both software suites can be used to tune LS7s but EFI Live can do more than can HPTuners.
My problem, now, is that the facility is always use for chassis dyno testing, Westech Performance Group in Mira Loma CA is booked up for three weeks, so, it's not going to be until the end of the month when I'm going to be able to test the MSD AAF intake manifold.
In the meantime, the Blue Bullet 2 sits in the shop under a cover.
Finally, I got a letter from GM discussing a potential durability issue with the car's clutch. GM has decided to extend the warranty on the clutch assembly in the car to 120,000 miles or ten years, whichever comes first. I'm hearing from other Z06 owners with various model years, who also got the same letter.
Finishing the calibration work also completed my first tuning experience with EFI Live. While EFI Live's scanning and editing software has a steep learning curve, once I "got my bearings" with the software, I found EFI Live's scanner able all of the tasks HPTuners scanner can do. EFI Live's editing software, while not having as nice an GUI as HPTuners, it is a more powerful editing tool because it supports the intake manifold volume parameter which HPTuners does not and you need to change that because the volume of the MSD intake is so much greater than the stock manifold. Also, EFI Live makes available the E38 cooling fan operating system patch for free whereas you have to pay for that to get it from HPTuners. Both software suites can be used to tune LS7s but EFI Live can do more than can HPTuners.
My problem, now, is that the facility is always use for chassis dyno testing, Westech Performance Group in Mira Loma CA is booked up for three weeks, so, it's not going to be until the end of the month when I'm going to be able to test the MSD AAF intake manifold.
In the meantime, the Blue Bullet 2 sits in the shop under a cover.
Finally, I got a letter from GM discussing a potential durability issue with the car's clutch. GM has decided to extend the warranty on the clutch assembly in the car to 120,000 miles or ten years, whichever comes first. I'm hearing from other Z06 owners with various model years, who also got the same letter.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2003
- Messages
- 3,682
- Location
- Mustang, OK
- Corvette
- '13 427 60th vert - '21 Silver Flare Coupe - CTS V Wagon(4-door Vette)
Got the same letter last week. About the time my 427 was a year old, a friend noticed the clutch fluid a little low at a show and pointed it out - he has a 427 Vert also.
I checked the fluid and it was getting gooey. I had the dealer clean and flush the clutch fluid and replace it. Haven't noticed any problem since.
Btw, my 2008 LS3 Vette experienced a similar problem about a year old only I didn't notice the clutch fluid going bad until the clutch pedal stuck to the floor on a 2-3 shift and never came back up. That required new master and slave cylinders, new clutch, new fluid and a week in the shop - plus a tow truck.
Check the level and quality of the clutch fluid regularly.
Similar threads
Corvette Forums
Supporting Vendors
Dealers:
