C5 Break in Procedure and drivetrain rattle

[8t7vette]

A buddy of mine had some sort of mishap with his 01 red auto vert and has upgraded to an 04 red 6-spd vert.
We were talking and the topic of where to find break in procedures arose. Where can I find something written up on this? Is it in the manual?

The topic of the annoying CAGS skip shift came up too and I told him they have plugins to eliminate that or the dealer can turn it off in he ECM.

Car covers also came up. I recommended the Noah cover which is what I have used, but the SilverGuard seems appealing too. Anyone had experience with the SilverGuard? I wonder how well it will stand up to the FL sun?

On another note, my buddy said he noticed a "rattle" when he shut off the engine in neutral. The 04 has 700 miles and the dealer has it back today changing the oil and checking the cd changer. The dealer says a "rattle" in the drivetrain is "normal" when you turn off the engine in neutral. What do you guys think?
thanks

Toby

 

[atmmac]

Thats normal he shouldnt worry!

-Andy

 

[DRTH VTR]

The six speed is noisy, especially in neutral with the clutch out. There are previous threads that discuss this.

 

[vettepilot]

The drive train will rattle if the engine is shut off while in neutral and the clutch is out. That's the nature of having the long drive train to the transmission, more spinning mass, and any place there is a "link" collar, sleeve, splined shaft, there is always going to be small clearances, mutiplied by each additional component, causing increased movement and subsequent noise.

There are recommended "procedures" in the owner's manual, but they are not in a checklist format. The manual just gives recommended max engine speeds, driving techniques, and talks about how the parts must work together for the first time in the early few hundred miles. Also, how hard braking in the early miles can lead to premature brake wear and or other problems that may arise from this.

Other than that it's pretty much the way you would drive any vehicle for the first few hundred miles.
I used to tell people, when asked this question many years ago, treat your car like you would your body in the morning when first getting out of bed.
Not many people I know of jump up out of a dead sleep, run immediately outside in the cold, sprint 2 miles, then return to eat a huge breakfast, and expect to keep that up for many years. Your vehicle is the same way, it needs to start up, get things to operating temperature, and then it can perform feats, and it can do it in that manner for many trouble free years.

vettepilot

 

[Blade]

The topic of the annoying CAGS skip shift came up too and I told him they have plugins to eliminate that or the dealer can turn it off in he ECM.

Do not know about the ECM but here is a how to "Gag" the CAGS!

http://www.97vette.com/howto/cags/index.html

 

[8t7vette]

Great, glad to hear the noise is normal. Thanks for the break in advice!

 

[c5vetter]

always have driven every car I have ever owned hard from the get-go! had my 2001 Z06 on the track day after I bought it and have not had any problems what-so-ever with the car mechanically engine wise, etc.