Question: Owning and operating a ZR-1

[killain]

I was just wondering about all of you folks who own a 1990-95 ZR-1. The engine is a marvel of enginerring and design. But I read that getting replacement parts was a real challenge. I can understand this, as I owned a 95 Monte Carlo with the Z-34 V6. Get engine and powerful, but it was an engine that was hated by Chevy techs to work on and parts were always a problem to find as the engine was a limited production model and the supplies were only kept for ten years. So the best thing you could do was make sure the thing never had a accident, like braking a timing belt. I changed mine every four years just to be safe. I wondered how you all make out maintaining a ZR-1 ?

 

[jonszr1]

i have 2 my 90 i have own for 6 years and put 90k miles on it . when i first git it had to replace the vac sec lines and pvc lines , the clutch and trans rebuilt . have put in 410 gears ported inj housings and plenum, headers withacustom 21/2 in spin tec exhaust with dr gas x pipe. i take her to the drag strip every other week. vids on u tube of the car last weel under bradley taylors zr`1. car has 150k miles on her and runs as strong as the day i bought her. she is my daily driver and never has stranded me . never had too much bother getting parts sometimes the price hurts . but when i shift her a 7100 rpms i am just thank full that i have 2 of them to enjoy . this is the most addicting car i have ever owned . it a very solid engine that loves to be beat on .

 

[90 Corvette ZR-1]

I've never had any problems finding parts for my car...of course I haven't needed to find that many parts for it. Most of the stuff that goes wrong is normal C4 stuff and it's easy to find. the biggest problem I've had is two injectors go bad on me.

 

[jonszr1]

not sure if you know ,but the 90-93 injectors will fail eventally due to the fuel now . i just relaced the injectors in my 92 with rebuilts bosch injectors from fic injectors. the price was very resonable 380 to my door . they come with a 3 year replacement warrenty and are flow matched also

 

[90 Corvette ZR-1]

ya I know about the ethnol. the next set of injectors i get will be from RC

 

[killain]

not sure if you know ,but the 90-93 injectors will fail eventally due to the fuel now . i just relaced the injectors in my 92 with rebuilts bosch injectors from fic injectors. the price was very resonable 380 to my door . they come with a 3 year replacement warrenty and are flow matched also

Well I am quite sure that the ZR-1 is as solid a engine as can be built. I don't believe GM built too many engines that were designed with any major flaws(Yes I know the Vaga engine was one) But my Z-34 was a grest engine, but it was a engine called a zero clearence engine, which means the valves must be closed when the piston comes to TDC. I had a timing belt break, luckily I was only moving at 5 MPH, but it still bent two valves and bend a balancing shaft. It took the dealership four weeks to do the work, but once done it never gave me a minutes trouble. But I always kept a eye on when things were done and needed to be replaced. As far as fuel goes, I was told by my Chevy Master Machanic at the dealership which works on both of my Corvettes, that you must use "Top Tier' fuel in todays cars. He said that gasoline has changed over the last few years and some of it is real junk. Here in Pennsylvania we have a lot of gas stations, but like most places in America, the oil companies have sold the stations off allowing them to buy anybodys gas. Russian, Venezuelian and so on. But that most of these fuels have a lot of missing ingredients and that some fuels like Sunoco, have WAY too much Sulfur which eats away at things like the metal parts in fuels pumps and fuel injectors. He recommended using Shell, ExxonMobil, Quikmart fuels Ect. But just like using the right motor oil, we have to watch what kind of Gasoline we use. I really admire you guys who use the ZR-1 on a daily basis and even race them. The ZR-1 is a legend !

 

[Z51JEFF]

Im not worried about parts.ZR-1 owners are a pretty tight group with alot of parts sources.

 

[jonszr1]

your right about the fuel . i only use chevron or shell

 

[topless82vette]

your right about the fuel . i only use chevron or shell

Gas is gas comes from the same refinery. Shell, Mobile, Unocal no better then Arco gas LOL not like the refinery has a special entry for chevron with techron or I'm getting gas for shell station so it can't be mobile gas.

Hell I've had gas stations ask me to put regular in the premium tanks LOL

only things I have ever seen at refineries are codes for regular/premium/super unleaded/clear diesel/red diesel .... It's been sometime since I have hauled fuel but like I said I pulled the same fuel for different stations so no companies gas is better then the other simple as that.

 

[killain]

Gas is gas comes from the same refinery. Shell, Mobile, Unocal no better then Arco gas LOL not like the refinery has a special entry for chevron with techron or I'm getting gas for shell station so it can't be mobile gas.

Hell I've had gas stations ask me to put regular in the premium tanks LOL

only things I have ever seen at refineries are codes for regular/premium/super unleaded/clear diesel/red diesel .... It's been sometime since I have hauled fuel but like I said I pulled the same fuel for different stations so no companies gas is better then the other simple as that.

Well I don't doubt you past experiences, but there has been a lot of research on gasoline and some clearly are better fuels that others produced. There is a website that clearly shows "Top Tier" fuels and these fuels are proven to both act chemically and preformance wise differently. Shell is a superior fuel over say 'Lukoil" a Russian oil company which uses what's called "bottom of the barrel feedstocks' Using fuel which does meet 'top tier' fuel specifications CAN, but not always cause fuel system and combustion problems.

 

[Norsky4360]

We have had "The Beast" for just about 2 years now. The first thing we had to do was buy new tires as the originals were full of checks and cracks (even though they just had 7,500 miles on them). Replaced all of the injectors after one failed and had to replace the A/C condenser (had the system converted to R-134 as part of the repair). Also had the oil pressure sender fail while on road trip. Other than that it has been a joy to own and drive.

 

[Aurora40]

FYI, the LT5 does not have timing belts, it has duplex chains. It's not likely to break on a stock motor.

I wouldn't be concerned about the LT5 based on concerns about the 3.4L Dual Twin-Cam.

 

[Wegone]

I've had two Zr-1's now put 25k miles on the 90 I had only replaced the water pump, injectors and normal maint. I think the issue with the water pump and injectors was from sitting the car had not been started in 5 plus years when I got it.

I have had my 91 for 6 years and put 40k miles on it wioth no issues.. only plugs, gas, oil, tires. I do have a few spare parts.. like Alt. water pump, and some other things.

 

[killain]

FYI, the LT5 does not have timing belts, it has duplex chains. It's not likely to break on a stock motor.

I wouldn't be concerned about the LT5 based on concerns about the 3.4L Dual Twin-Cam.

The chevy Z-34 engine had a single rubber timing belt which was stated in the owners manual as being good for 100K miles, but most folks change the belt at around 80K to be on the safe side.