New ZL1 owner questions.

[Beachguysc]

I just bought a 2013 ZL1 convertible with 9700 miles about 3-4 weeks ago. I was specifically looking for a non-modded car with low miles. I don’t plan on racing, tracking or heavily modding. I just want an awesome convertible in my garage when the weather is nice. It has plenty of power as-is, for my old ass. The car was 800 miles away and I was aware it had a rotofab cai, which is good with me. I had a mechanic look at it before I bought it, and asked him to look for major mods, tool marks, etc and all came back acceptable. After the car arrived, I found some reciepts for a new 2.55 lingfelter pulley and a tune with Dyno results. I don’t really plan on doing any major horsepower upgrades. But after studying this forum I figured I may upgrade the isolator at some point. And then I read that a 2.55 pulley May increase the pressure enough to damage to brick. So I guess it should have the brick re-enforced?. And probably go ahead and do the isolator while I’m in there?

The only issue I’ve noticed with the car is a slight coolant smell after I take it for a ride. There are no drips in my garage and I can’t see and moisture or drip streaks anywhere around the motor. I was hoping it was just something burning off from previous service, but after 400 miles, I still notice sometimes.

1. Is there anything else I should do while apart?
2. Do I need a catch can?
3. Do you recommend the solid isolator or the new oem isolator with spring and grease?
4. If I re-enforce brick, I saw another post with a link to a part on eBay. Should I just buy this and have a local aluminum welder do the work? Or send the whole thing to a specialty vendor that I’ve also seen on here? https://www.ebay.com/itm/13442687880...mis&media=COPY

Thanks for the help

[SIM GhostrdrZ]

Just my opinion.
Catch can: definitely
Isolator: I’d say do it if your in it anyway and I’d go solid(no cheap eBay crap)
Brick: I went all out but you can send yours in to experienced tech. You don’t want a leak inside your engine after you’ve put it all back together.

You already have the pulley and I’ll get blowback from this but I’d go aftermarket harmonic balancer with larger lower pulley.


The ZL1 vert is a very nice ride. Great catch!
First pic is aftermarket brick
Second pic is aftermarket HX
I don’t have many mods and don’t plan to. I even removed a McLeod clutch to go back stock and love my decision.

[Beachguysc]

Thanks for the tips. I had to google/YouTube harmonic balancer and HX.. I’d love to have more power, but my brain fogs over when looking at what all has to happen when I go down the rabbit hole of upgrades. At first glance, it seems simple to upgrade the lower pulley along with the other things I’ll be doing while the car is apart. But then I read that people upgrading pulleys also have to do things with e85, injectors, porting, tuning, etc. and then my brain overloads.
I may understand these things one day, but for now I’ll probably stick with the basics.

Do you have a recommendation on where to get a new brick? I’m a little worried the coolant I smell might be the brick leaking, since it’s not coming from anywhere else.

Originally Posted by SIM GhostrdrZ

Just my opinion.
Catch can: definitely
Isolator: I’d say do it if your in it anyway and I’d go solid(no cheap eBay crap)
Brick: I went all out but you can send yours in to experienced tech. You don’t want a leak inside your engine after you’ve put it all back together.

You already have the pulley and I’ll get blowback from this but I’d go aftermarket harmonic balancer with larger lower pulley.


The ZL1 vert is a very nice ride. Great catch!
First pic is aftermarket brick
Second pic is aftermarket HX
I don’t have many mods and don’t plan to. I even removed a McLeod clutch to go back stock and love my decision.

[tartagliazl1]

Post a pic of the engine bay. Does it have a coolant reservoir? Maybe it has the old rotofab reservoir that is known to leak.

[Beachguysc]

Whoa. I just checked coolant and there is none on the stick(temps on gauges have been fine) . Now I’ll have to check the intercooler level when I have time later this week. And every other fluid that I thought the mechanic had checked. I was reading another post in this forum about how hard it is to actually fill the intercooler fluid. Looks like I’m going to learn a lot real quick, the old fashioned way.

Originally Posted by tartagliazl1

Post a pic of the engine bay. Does it have a coolant reservoir? Maybe it has the old rotofab reservoir that is known to leak.

[ZL1_Chris]

Congratulations on the new ride. If you have the 2.55 upper it's very likely you've already got the solid isolator installed, most have already been changed. My 2 pennies is If you don't have plans or desires to modify the car any more than what's already done then drive, enjoy rinse n repeat. Im certain many will have differing opinions but assured the slight boost increase you see from just a 2.55 upper will not hurt the brick. If you are smelling coolant it's more likely you'll find your culprit in the heater core than the engine bay.

[tartagliazl1]

It’s easy to bleed the supercharger Coolant if you add a reservoir. At this point i would definitely check all the fluids. With your coolant levels so low you might have a leak. Grab yourself a Mighty Mouse or elite catch can too.

[bsn]

I agree if the upper pulley has been done. it probably had a solid isolator put in. Even if it hadn't been changed I wouldn't worry about it as long as you don't hear any knocking at idle. If you plan on running it hard a catch can is a must. Any good welder can tig it the plates on.

[Little Walter]

Originally Posted by SIM GhostrdrZ

Just my opinion.
Catch can: definitely
Isolator: I’d say do it if your in it anyway and I’d go solid(no cheap eBay crap)
Brick: I went all out but you can send yours in to experienced tech. You don’t want a leak inside your engine after you’ve put it all back together.

You already have the pulley and I’ll get blowback from this but I’d go aftermarket harmonic balancer with larger lower pulley.


The ZL1 vert is a very nice ride. Great catch!
First pic is aftermarket brick
Second pic is aftermarket HX
I don’t have many mods and don’t plan to. I even removed a McLeod clutch to go back stock and love my decision.

Did you notice any difference in horsepower, AFR or IAT2 after you changed your oem brick to the C&R brick? Just curious looking at the photo seems like the OEM brick passes more air.

[SIM GhostrdrZ]

Originally Posted by Little Walter

Did you notice any difference in horsepower, AFR or IAT2 after you changed your oem brick to the C&R brick? Just curious looking at the photo seems like the OEM brick passes more air.

I wanted top quality factory drop ins for brick/HX. The C&R’s flows significantly better than OEM. The tubes in the bricks are much larger and much better material/quality than OEM. I installed these just prior to parking it for the winter, so I’m looking forward to running it more in a month or so. I don’t expect more hp by installation per say but benefits of a bit cooler S/C coolant system. I don’t have a tune but run high flow drop in air filter, 10% OD lower pulley for my only hp mod. This engine has mucho potential but I enjoy it how it is. I also have a Dewitt’s radiator to put in someday as well. The plastic GM cooling devices are crap and the C&R brick will hold up to any boost level thrown at it. Not that I’ll ever go there.
I digress,

[JB'sZL1]

Hah. IAT's in OH winters. Just Wed am funnies. I know LW used past tense, but I only consider IAT's in these parts in July and August.

Pics of collapsed bricks are ugly. Good prevention.