ZL1 Engine Failure - Page 8 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Unreal · 02-26-2013, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastvee

There's this thing people use called carfax.

Carfax wouldn't show this and it doesn't list engine serial numbers.

If a buyer was serious they could run a GM service report and see any warranty work.

mrvenicess · 02-26-2013, 03:54 PM

Thats the problem, he never beat on it!! I find it funny how people think of these cars as collectables when Gm is making as many of them as dealers will order. Original ZL1s yes, collectable, they only made 69 of them and from what Im told, most of them have warranty replacement blocks. Im sure GM will want that engine back to examine it and a new LSa will be on its way soon.

fastvee · 02-26-2013, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unreal

Carfax wouldn't show this and it doesn't list engine serial numbers.

If a buyer was serious they could run a GM service report and see any warranty work.

Carfax wouldn't show a warranty engine replacement?

Mouse6.2 · 02-26-2013, 04:07 PM

Any pictures of the carnage? Would like to see the hole in the block where the piston went through. It is something you just don't see every day.

LeanPocket · 02-26-2013, 04:22 PM

The thing about the zl1,

Is we just don't know wether it will be or not considered collectable.

Who would've thought the chevelle or any matching# 440 mopar would be worth 4000%(total guesstimate percentage) more than original msrp today?

It might be, or it might not, but the documentation will never go away.

OP, in regards to the present, I hope GM does NOT screw you in getting your car fixed with some bogus excuse. Ive been there and its happened before with higher dollar cars, (mercedes ring a bell anyone?) There is a warranty for a reason so stuff like this can be resolved, but it just breaks my heart to see this happen to a zl1. Hence my rant.

simon.w · 02-26-2013, 04:25 PM

It happens ... less often these days with improved quality control and consistency in manufacturing processes, however it does still happen.

Every single thing any manufacturer does comes down to risk management vs. cost; which ultimately comes down to profitability. They carefully calculate their failures per thousand and weigh up the cost of repair and bad PR vs. making their product more expensive or reducing their contribution margin. Otherwise every auto company would have all forged internals in all of their engines.

Notice how the LS9 runs forged pistons and titanium rods (amongst other things) and yet the LSA doesn't. GM's engineers through their testing and computer modelling obviously determined that with the extra HP the risk of failure outweighed the extra cost of the parts and the ability to on-charge that to the customer with an increased vehicle cost. With the LSA they would build in "insurance" in the cost of every car that would provide a balance of return against their per-determined failure rate.

Back to the topic at hand ... this looks like a con rod bolt failure to me ... that explains why the piston started slapping around inside the block and punched its way out.

Back in the late 80's my brother had a Holden '68 HK "ute" ... (ElCamino for you non-Aussies) that was running a very tough 327. He was half way down the 1/4 mile when it bellowed a cloud of smoke and stopped suddenly. When he got towed back to the pits I said "what happened?" ... he said "ignition failure" ... I said "really?" ... he said "yeah ... con rod or rod bolt broke ... pushed the piston through the side of the block ... snapped off the distributor ... so it lost spark". At least he still had his sense of humor! Mind you he didn't have such a sense of humor less than a year later when his $35,000 replacement 350 dropped a valve at over 7500rpm while sitting in an engine stand being tuned! Ouch!

SolomonAKOO · 02-26-2013, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDRDTD

It was Haggerty, not Barrett Jackson that said they thought the ZL1 Vert and the Corvette 427 Vert would be collectible in the future.

That's right. That's who it was!

Unreal · 02-26-2013, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mouse6.2

Any pictures of the carnage? Would like to see the hole in the block where the piston went through. It is something you just don't see every day.

Not my car. Sooch should have taken more pictures at the scene. Maybe we can go visit the dealer once the motor is out to get pictures of the carnage.

Thrillz · 02-26-2013, 05:05 PM

Hope in the end the owner has his ZL1 back on the road ready for spring.

Shifty11 · 02-26-2013, 05:15 PM

That really sucks.. Hope to see it fixed soon! Would like to see some pictures though..

Shifty

Vette TPI · 02-26-2013, 05:59 PM

I wouldn't worry about the resale value of the car with the new motor as long as he keeps the receipts ect. I was watching barret jackson a couple months ago and an old Cuda sold for the same price as an all original would sell for. Because he had the papers documenting engine failure and replacement, the car was worth just as much.

swizlstik · 02-26-2013, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tramtwo

This could have been catastrophic at highway speeds glad no one was hurt.

SSOOCH · 02-26-2013, 06:05 PM

I wasn't thinking about taking pictures on the side of the road. It was like 20 degrees. My hands were around my testicals trying to keep warm!

SSOOCH · 02-26-2013, 06:31 PM

I just heard from Trevor. The dealer reported that the ECM was clean, new motor is on order!!

02-26-2013, 05:05 PM	#107
Thrillz Drives: 2019 Dodge Daytona R/T Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 2,572	Hope in the end the owner has his ZL1 back on the road ready for spring. __________________ Quote of the year, from 6.1hemi: "I just wanted to type some junk cause I am having some beers and I really like cars." Last edited by Thrillz; 02-28-2013 at 04:19 AM.

02-26-2013, 05:15 PM	#108
Shifty11 Proud Challenger Owner Drives: Black '11 Challenger. Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Fredericton, Canada, New Brunswick Posts: 56	That really sucks.. Hope to see it fixed soon! Would like to see some pictures though.. Shifty __________________ -Fredericton, New Brunswick "The North Side" I make Youtube Videos. Challenger's, Camaro's, Video Games, and the occasional randomness. Please go check out my channel! Please Subscribe, Thumbs Up & Comment!! It'd really help me out! http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJackedGamer?feature=mhee

02-26-2013, 05:59 PM	#109
Vette TPI Drives: 1987 Corvette TPI Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Littleton Posts: 549	I wouldn't worry about the resale value of the car with the new motor as long as he keeps the receipts ect. I was watching barret jackson a couple months ago and an old Cuda sold for the same price as an all original would sell for. Because he had the papers documenting engine failure and replacement, the car was worth just as much. __________________

02-26-2013, 06:05 PM	#111
SSOOCH Camaro SL,UTs Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS #16429 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Jordan, UT Posts: 7,358 View My Garage	I wasn't thinking about taking pictures on the side of the road. It was like 20 degrees. My hands were around my testicals trying to keep warm! __________________

02-26-2013, 06:31 PM	#112
SSOOCH Camaro SL,UTs Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS #16429 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Jordan, UT Posts: 7,358 View My Garage	I just heard from Trevor. The dealer reported that the ECM was clean, new motor is on order!! __________________

02-26-2013, 03:54 PM	#100
mrvenicess Drives: 2013 CRT ZL1 auto Join Date: May 2010 Location: Venice Fl Posts: 1,443 View My Garage	Thats the problem, he never beat on it!! I find it funny how people think of these cars as collectables when Gm is making as many of them as dealers will order. Original ZL1s yes, collectable, they only made 69 of them and from what Im told, most of them have warranty replacement blocks. Im sure GM will want that engine back to examine it and a new LSa will be on its way soon.

02-26-2013, 04:07 PM	#102
Mouse6.2 Drives: 2013 2SS/RS M6 NPP Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 340	Any pictures of the carnage? Would like to see the hole in the block where the piston went through. It is something you just don't see every day.

02-26-2013, 04:22 PM	#103
LeanPocket Drives: 2010 2SS Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 634	The thing about the zl1, Is we just don't know wether it will be or not considered collectable. Who would've thought the chevelle or any matching# 440 mopar would be worth 4000%(total guesstimate percentage) more than original msrp today? It might be, or it might not, but the documentation will never go away. OP, in regards to the present, I hope GM does NOT screw you in getting your car fixed with some bogus excuse. Ive been there and its happened before with higher dollar cars, (mercedes ring a bell anyone?) There is a warranty for a reason so stuff like this can be resolved, but it just breaks my heart to see this happen to a zl1. Hence my rant.

02-26-2013, 04:25 PM	#104
simon.w Account Suspended Drives: 2011 2SS RS 6M Inferno Orange Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Clemente CA Posts: 309	It happens ... less often these days with improved quality control and consistency in manufacturing processes, however it does still happen. Every single thing any manufacturer does comes down to risk management vs. cost; which ultimately comes down to profitability. They carefully calculate their failures per thousand and weigh up the cost of repair and bad PR vs. making their product more expensive or reducing their contribution margin. Otherwise every auto company would have all forged internals in all of their engines. Notice how the LS9 runs forged pistons and titanium rods (amongst other things) and yet the LSA doesn't. GM's engineers through their testing and computer modelling obviously determined that with the extra HP the risk of failure outweighed the extra cost of the parts and the ability to on-charge that to the customer with an increased vehicle cost. With the LSA they would build in "insurance" in the cost of every car that would provide a balance of return against their per-determined failure rate. Back to the topic at hand ... this looks like a con rod bolt failure to me ... that explains why the piston started slapping around inside the block and punched its way out. Back in the late 80's my brother had a Holden '68 HK "ute" ... (ElCamino for you non-Aussies) that was running a very tough 327. He was half way down the 1/4 mile when it bellowed a cloud of smoke and stopped suddenly. When he got towed back to the pits I said "what happened?" ... he said "ignition failure" ... I said "really?" ... he said "yeah ... con rod or rod bolt broke ... pushed the piston through the side of the block ... snapped off the distributor ... so it lost spark". At least he still had his sense of humor! Mind you he didn't have such a sense of humor less than a year later when his $35,000 replacement 350 dropped a valve at over 7500rpm while sitting in an engine stand being tuned! Ouch!