Im really disappointed with my ZL1 performance

[BPG]

For what it's worth, I sold my car over basically this same issue. I'm sure I'm going to get bashed like crazy here, but it is what it is. My GTR went 11.3 with just a $500 tuner and a very basic tune on stock tires. I spent $5k+ on my '12 ZL1 and barely broke 11s. Could be my driving, or my builder, the track prep, tires, star alignment or any other laundry list of reasons (M6 car). But for a 620 rwhp car, it was complete garbage. The ZL1 looks good, and that's about where it ends. At the drag strip, it gets out performed by pretty much everything there with 4 wheels. There are about 8 people in the entire ZL1 forum that are not going to get skull drug by a bone stock hellcat in a few months. Check out the "fast list" on here. The fastest ZL1 on there went 9.8 @142 and was built to the gills. That's pathetic. Stock internal GT500s are easily doing that. Hell, a full bolt on and E85 GTR is good for 9.9xs. If your priority is going fast at a strip, sell you car as soon as you can. The prices are sinking like the titanic and it's only going to get worse. As soon as I was able to buy a brand new ZL1 for the price I paid for my used one, that was signal enough. Buy a hellcat...you'll regularly see them in the low 10s or high 9s within the next year.

[BPG]

I'm not sure where in Virginia you are, but I'm happy to let you take a ride in my slow V6 anytime

[BPG]

Originally Posted by Supaslw

Would clearing the computer actually do anything?

Aside from make you feel better, no.

[BPG]

Originally Posted by Camero5

Have you done a fuse pull yet? Most dealers put low octane gas in their cars. I had a similar issue and my baseline dyno was at 419 and should have been around 470. I had ended up modding mine after numerous complaints to the dealer about the car being sluggish and slow but they all argued the car was fine. I decided to mod thinking they were right but they weren't. Car had bad gas and detonation putting it in the low octane table for safety.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If "bad gas" causes a 10 year old LS1 car to beat up an LSA car, there are bigger issues.

[BPG]

Originally Posted by 2ss-booya

Why does everyone assume fuse pull? OP...dumb question but are you putting 91 or 93 octane in the car?

There is no 91 octane in Virginia.

[jon6.0]

Heat soak is also a mothersmurfer on these cars. You could be down 100hp if it's pulling a bunch of timing for hot IAT's. One reason I like running the Palmer Performance DashLogic is I can see how much total timing the engine is getting when I go wide open. 23-23.5* is usually what I see. ZL1 is also a bad choice for a drag car since they are heavy as heck. I do love it for what it is though. Comfy for daily driving, pretty quick in a straight line, and can get with it on a twisty road.

[BPG]

Originally Posted by jon6.0

Heat soak is also a mothersmurfer on these cars. You could be down 100hp if it's pulling a bunch of timing for hot IAT's. One reason I like running the Palmer Performance DashLogic is I can see how much total timing the engine is getting when I go wide open. 23-23.5* is usually what I see. ZL1 is also a bad choice for a drag car since they are heavy as heck. I do love it for what it is though. Comfy for daily driving, pretty quick in a straight line, and can get with it on a twisty road.

Awesome. You absolutely bought the car for the right reason then. I always liked the dash logic product, and had I of kept the car, would have bought one .

[hognutz]

Originally Posted by Supaslw

2013 ZL1 auto 4,700 miles on it. I took it out to run with My 13.17 sec LS1 SS M6 on the street. The ZL1 was in sport mode and that was it. My SS walked the dog on this car. Even with traction control on from a 30 roll this car should have left my SS in the dust. What is the best mode to have this car in for running on the street? to me it shouldn't matter.

I would turn the traction control off honestly. it makes these cars a good .5 seconds slower usually.


also do the fuse pull. it woke my car up when I did. it sounds like snake oil bs but even my wife who notices nothing was like "did you do something to the car"


if you cant run mid to low 12's with tranction control off and computer reset datalog the car. make sure you making the right boost (ie bypass valve is adjusted right) or there is no timing or knock.

[JackalopeZL1]

I have seen personally more than one new get 500's pulling high 12's, you can go online and see people testing the hellcat and not be able to get any better than a 4.7 zero to 60 even with the SRT pro driver driving it.. auto tranny and all.. point being that the optimal times you see posted are not the norm for any make or model, yes AWD does increase consistent times but in general do to a lot of factors you hardly ever see all these cars running as fast as they are supposed to.. There are plenty of ZL1'S doing just what they should do.. it comes down to power to weight, set up, DRIVER ability, weather, and a little luck..

Original poster, you may have a issue, you may have it starting in second gear and shifting early being in "D" who knows, and I hope you figure it out quickly.. for me mine is a bone stock auto car and so far I have had multiple high 11 second quarters with mine. Not even as much as a tire pressure adjustment.. The first couple runs though it took me a little bit to figure out where I needed everything and how to launch it good.. good luck

[Oddvious]

Originally Posted by BPG

For what it's worth, I sold my car over basically this same issue. I'm sure I'm going to get bashed like crazy here, but it is what it is. My GTR went 11.3 with just a $500 tuner and a very basic tune on stock tires. I spent $5k+ on my '12 ZL1 and barely broke 11s. Could be my driving, or my builder, the track prep, tires, star alignment or any other laundry list of reasons (M6 car). But for a 620 rwhp car, it was complete garbage. The ZL1 looks good, and that's about where it ends. At the drag strip, it gets out performed by pretty much everything there with 4 wheels. There are about 8 people in the entire ZL1 forum that are not going to get skull drug by a bone stock hellcat in a few months. Check out the "fast list" on here. The fastest ZL1 on there went 9.8 @142 and was built to the gills. That's pathetic. Stock internal GT500s are easily doing that. Hell, a full bolt on and E85 GTR is good for 9.9xs. If your priority is going fast at a strip, sell you car as soon as you can. The prices are sinking like the titanic and it's only going to get worse. As soon as I was able to buy a brand new ZL1 for the price I paid for my used one, that was signal enough. Buy a hellcat...you'll regularly see them in the low 10s or high 9s within the next year.

I totally get a lot of this above but if their's 1 thing the GTR isn't

"AN AMERICAN MUSCLE CAR" Period.

I have been very close to getting a GTR yes I can afford it too no problem! IMO the looks just kill it for me big time. It looks like a dam 370Z Hybrid of sorts. Yea their quick as S**T and I love what their about but It has to have some good looks too ya know?

So 100K plus for a GTR I just can't do it. I know most fist pump their 1/4 mile times but their is a lot more to it (At lease for me) and I would say 98% of people who buy cars too.

The 1/4 is all the HellCats and GTR seem to talk about and it's like everything else is Poop just starts to feel like the mustang forums where noting is faster (And I've Owned a few so I'm not a hater of those either).

I just don't care enough about 1/10 in a 1/4 here or their honestly. Lets say I put into my ZL what a GTR costs (Which would be stupid) hypethetical BS right? Would It would perform just as good as everything else compared to it? It sure would and I'm sure the person who dumps that coin would be happy right? Again not for everyone. In fact 1/4 mile time does 0 for my ego ya know why their are too many situations and who really cares about who's the fasted seems like a bunch of egotistical fist pumping honestly.

No way the Hellcat will not do 9's in a year because tuning will not be their and that's a fact we are still waiting on full tuning for our 2012+ SRT's and who really cares if it does LOL.

I like the ZL for now and when I drive something that puts more of a smile on my face or looks as good I will dump it for now I'm happy with a few mods the car is a beast and super fun to daily drive.

[el ess A]

Hahaha! Keep the stupid bullcrap coming folks! I love where these threads end up. Comparison BS that means absolutely NOTHING to the OP nor anyone else.

I'm in line with an ECU reset, but if it's still coming up sluggish, then maybe there's another reason, so a trip to the dealer may be in order.

[Todd in Vancouver]

The fuel mapping is really an issue and I do notice a definite difference in mine when I fuse pull and go 93 octain in my ZL. BPG, I'm glad you like your GTR but the ZL1 is nowhere near as bad as you are making it out to be. My friends bone stock ZL auto turns 11.8's in the quarter on stock GY F1's so, uhm, not sure what was up with yours. And what's the fast time for a bolt on only ZL, 10.8?

To each their own but the driver makes a difference in any car. I understand in drag racing it's not as big a deal but small errors have a way of adding up. There was a GTR at the AutoX this weekend and by the numbers a stock BRZ/FRS is WAY faster and it's 200hp. The OP just needs to get it sorted out and I agree my first guess would be fuel and ECM reset.

Also, not sure about down south but a GTR is double the cost of a ZL1 here. Pretty sure if I took the price differences spanking a GTR wouldn't be to hard to achieve.

[BPG]

I'm not "making" the car out to be anything. Comparatively speaking, for the price of a ZL1, it's slow at the 1/4. Period, end of story. The OP is dissatisfied with the performance of his car. So was I. I never said the GTR was winning beauty contests, because it certainly isn't.

I hope the OP gets his issue fixed, I really do. However, who here really thinks pulling a fuse is going to solve his problems? Really?

[Todd in Vancouver]

Originally Posted by BPG

I'm not "making" the car out to be anything. Comparatively speaking, for the price of a ZL1, it's slow at the 1/4. Period, end of story. The OP is dissatisfied with the performance of his car. So was I. I never said the GTR was winning beauty contests, because it certainly isn't.

I hope the OP gets his issue fixed, I really do. However, who here really thinks pulling a fuse is going to solve his problems? Really?

In one word, Yes. The car has two maps in the ECM for a reason. Put low octane crappy fuel in and it will NEVER reach it's potential. I use my car for work and DD and when I'm going to be racing I run the tank down and fill with 94 and pull the fuse overnight. It is a completely different monster in the morning, and I'm not making up this crap. Just like computers, garbage in garbage out. Add to that a slower shift, delayed reaction starting, etc. etc. etc and it's easy to lose a second or two.