Blackdevil77

I just spent the last hour looking at youtube videos of the ZL1 racing other cars on the street and drag strip. Out of the dozens of videos I have seen, the ZL1 only won maybe twice. Why in the hell does this car loose every single race!!?? I even saw videos of it loosing to stock CTS-V's which supposedly weigh more, have less power and have the same engine!!! What the hell is that about!? Is it really a dog like that? I would think a car that runs 12 flat at 117 stock is a pretty quick starting point! Not to mention with bolt ons, I've seen a few passes deep into the 10's trapping up to 130, or even a little better!

Is it the weight of these cars? Is it due to heat soak? I read heat soak is a very big problem with these cars. I didn't think it would loose constantly like that.

camarovigoa

I guess I gotta start making more VS videos LOL! I got alot more video of passes with different cars!


ZL1 Bolt-Ons VS SLR McLaren

ZL1 Bolt-Ons VS McLaren MP4-12C

ZL1 Bolt-Ons VS Supercharged Grand Sport Vette

ZL1 Bolt-Ons VS Bolt-On 5.0 Mustang

ZL1 Stock VS GT500 Stock

Blackdevil77

Now THAT'S more like it! Yes, you need to post as many videos as possible lol. Yesterday I watched a video of a ZL1 with an intake race a bone stock CTS-V from a roll, and the CTS-V pulled on it every time. I can't figure out how that's possible.

beardWS6

iTrader: (1)

How much power you pushing bro? I`m making 705rwhp and 694trq at the wheels with my auto and wonder what I would do at the track. I have 315/35R20`s nittos on stock 20x11 wheels.

Awesome runs bro!

camarovigoa

On pump gas 592rwhp and it runs high 10s all day and on race gas 649rwhp and runs 10.5 hot lapping and low 10.4s if i let it sit for about an hour! Thanks buddy! I was running hoosier slicks before but i needed a DOT approved tire to run at king of the streets so i switched to th Mickey Thompson ET Streets 2! And those thing DEAD HOOK!!!! Hook better than my slicks did! Even got a better 60ft! https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1395004380
https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1395004651
https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1395004651

Blackdevil77

Just watched a whole bunch more videos of the ZL1 on youtube racing random cars on the street and strip. Shouldn't of done that, now I have a stomach ache. How in the hell does this damn car loose to everything it races!!!??? Do all ZL1 drivers suck that much? Does the car get lazy? I don't get it! I saw one run of a stock ZL1 running against a stock SS, and they were pretty much side by side the whole time, the ZL1 was an auto, guy got a 2.01 60' yet the car ran a 13.00 flat at 112mph while the SS ran a 13.2 at 109 mph. Can someone explain that one to me please???

Another street racing video of a pullied ZL1 with intake and tune running against a bolt on 5.0 mustang (headers, intake, tune). 5.0 took the ZL1 every time and pretty dramatically to. One run the ZL1 actually jumped ahead and the 5.0 reeled it in, caught it, and passed it. Again, how in Gods name is that possible!?? The ZL1 is supposed to trap 117 in stock form, so I'm guessing maybe 120-ish with it's mods. So that must mean a bolt on 5.0 traps over 120 mph in the 1/4….

Saw another video of a pullied ZL1 with headers intake and tune run against a LS2 GTO with intake, headers, cam and tune, and the GTO won, pretty nicely to….

Then I scroll down to the comments on the dozens of videos I've just watched and everyone is saying the same thing. "Wow, the ZL1 is such a disappointment." "Chevy dropped the ball on this one." "That fat turd is too heavy." "I beat a bolt on ZL1 in my stock 392 charger SRT8 3 times in a row." "My stock ford pinto with 650,000 miles rapes the ZL1 all day" (last one was a joke) Etc etc...

I'm sorry, I guess I'm what the youtube commenters call "butt hurt" about the ZL1. I can't stand to see it loose in every single video, then read comments after comments of people hating on it. I like and want the car, but whenever I watch these videos, it makes me think maybe just about any of these other cars that are whooping it would be a better option.

SICK WS 6

iTrader: (7)

Sounds like you've talked yourself out of buying one because of some YouTube videos?
Move on.

Blackdevil77

I didn't talk myself out of it, I just can't make sense of it. Okay, one or two videos of a car running poorly, you think meh, could be anything. But when nearly every single video posted shows the car running obscenely slow, I can't help but wonder why that is. No reason the ZL1 with 580 hp, with a 2.0 60', and with an automatic (removes driver error) should be running a 13 flat at 112 mph. Unless of course, the guy wasn't full throttle through the whole pass. I'm not talking myself out of it, just can't make sense of it is all.

SICK WS 6

iTrader: (7)

ZL1's will typically run 8-10mph quicker than an SS with the same trans, on the same track on the same day. Mine did, stock for stock. My SS went 105-106 and the ZL1 goes 114-116.
And they're a couple hundred pounds heavier too. Sounds right to me?

Blackdevil77

Yeah, that sounds about right, which is exactly my point. I'm guessing the only conclusion to all of these videos are, 90% of ZL1 drivers either suck at driving, or are afraid to actually go WOT when racing. Video I saw showed a stock SS trapping only 2 mph slower than an automatic ZL1.

Bolt on 5.0's don't trap over 118-120, right? Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know, I thought bolt on 5.0's were more like 115-ish.

Blackdevil77

Here's another example. I hope I post this vid right. Another one I don't understand. ZL1 690RWHP, CTS-V 600RWHP, and we all know the CTS-V weighs more and has the same engine, yet look at the results of this race.

SICK WS 6

iTrader: (7)

I don't pay attention to what bolt-on 5.0's run, I don't care.
I wouldn't say other owners suck, but drag racing experience levels vary with any group of enthusiasts. I live 8 miles from the local 1/4 mile track and see it all the time. I don't doubt that there are a lot of ZL1 owners out there that aren't "hard core" drag racers and don't care to be.
Remember what GM's intent was with this car, fast on the strip, fast on a road course, stone reliable, and with enough creature comforts to make it a great daily.
Add in $1500 in aftermarket parts, plus drag radials, and you've got and easy mid to low 11 second car than will still perform great turning both left and right.

There are too many variables in your example of a ZL1 only frapping 2mph faster than an SS. Experience of the drivers/owners is huge, and yes the ZL1 can be finicky about temps and "heat soak" and that could have a huge affect.
Let me give you an example:
A few years ago I was at the track with some other 5th gen owners and there was a kid there with a bone stock auto SS. He came over to us and told us he kept running like 13.5 and 13.6 and couldn't figure out why his car wasn't faster. So we helped him air up his front tires for less rolling resistance, had him drop the rear tire pressure a bit, explained to him what to do with the traction control and stabilitrak, told him to leave it in M and quit playing with the paddles, and told him to bring the rpms up to 1000 and then mat it when the light turned green.
13.2@107.
He came over all excited, thanked us for helping him, and he left. That was it. That's all he wanted. And it was that simple.
Your buying into the YouTube videos way too hard. Your reading too many threads on C5 and your overanalyzing the heat soak issue, hell your even caught up in thinking about the heartbeat blower.
Stop it.
Decide what you want from the car and what your goals are and there are people here with the experience and knowledge to help point you the right direction the first time.

SICK WS 6

iTrader: (7)

HUGE variable in that video! M6 vs A6. Know what I see? A ZL1 that the driver shifts just as it starts pulling real hard. You can see it twice. Maybe he was short shifting it, I don't know.

mrvenicess

Im no great drag racer, only been playing at the track for a few years, but my first pass down the track in my ZL1, only had it two weeks and was stock was a 12.5 so it wasnt exactly a turd! Now, with a few grand in add ons it runs consistant 11.1s-11.2s. I dont own a go pro to take vids of it but have a whole bunch of time slips. With good air and track prep it should run high 10s.

Blackdevil77

Okay fair enough lol. I want to be able to trap AT LEAST what a stock GT500 does (126 or so). 130+ would be real nice. So I was thinking long tubes, intake 8.6 lower pulley, LS9 cam with LS9 valve train and valves, and heart beat blower. I was thinking about just the stock blower with a 2.55 pulley accompanied by the 8.6 lower, but If the heartbeat won't get as heat soaked and would be able to run 14 psi or so just as easily/reliably as the stocker does at stock boost levels.

SICK WS 6

iTrader: (7)

Again, I think you're overthinking this heat soaked thing.
What do you plan to do with the car? Just a daily? Drag race occasionally? Road course or autox for fun? Or do you plan on this being primarily used as a race car?
126-130 or so is doable on the stock blower without much hassle, and I'm looking for the same thing out of my car. It goes in next week to do a cold air, 8.6 lower, and tune and I'm pretty confident that I can get 122-123 out of it pretty consistently.
I'm going to toy with it like that for a bit, then do longtubes and speed up the blower and I'm sure it'll go 126+.

mrvenicess

Ill let you know what my car does next time down the track. Right now my Z is at FSP getting a torque converter, 10% lower pulley and a cam with all the assorted hardware. Should be in the mid 10s if I can drive it worth a ****! Last year I installed a cooler logic HX and a D3 resevoir and that has really helped to keep my car consistant all day.

Blackdevil77

It won't be a daily, but I want it to be able to be. I'll be using it for cruising, spirited drives, road trips and drag strip visits. I won't be road racing it most likely, but I want it to be able to. My understanding is 23,000 rpms is the most recommended for the stock blower and the pulley combo will put it right at that. I know the stock blower can get me to my goals but if the heartbeat makes it more consistent and reliable, it's worth it to me.

Blackdevil77

So basically my full mod list when all said and done should be.
1. Roto-fab intake
2. ARH long tubes with high flow cats
3. LS9 cam
4. Vmax ported TB
5. 14-15 pounds of boost, whether it be the stocker, heartbeat, whatever pulley combo is need for that boost level (stock blower 8.6 lower, 2.55 upper)
6.Tune

With these mods, what should my RWHP be about? What do you think my trap speeds would be with these mods?

Exidous

iTrader: (11)

I find the "In Mexico" quite funny. For some odd reason there was an offramp sign that said "Exit here for Tampa Mexico".