Now the wait begins. The wait sucks.
Finally decided to mod the Vette.
- Thread starter Uncle Meat
- Start date
Well it looks like I may have avoided a major catastrophe with my Z. I just got a call from Jason at Katech and he stated that all of my exhaust valves were below spec and need replacing. I can only imagine how "out-of-whack" the valve guides must have been to cause the excessive wear on the valve stems. I'm waiting for them to send me the valve guide measurements next...
U.M.
U.M.
Are you going with their titanium valves (super expensive) or going with the hollow stem stainless valves?
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I opted to go with a set of OEM exhaust valves (stainless steel sodium filled). Really no need to step up to the titanium exhaust valves since I don't track the car. Once the new valve guides are installed and the non-concentricity issue with the stock heads is addressed there shouldn't be any more concern as far as the wear on the exhaust valves are concerned. However the intake valves will all be replaced with Katech Ti/Mo valves as part of the stage 2 package.
U.M.
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The factory exhaust valves are titanium already. When I need to get heads refreshed again I will go with the same intake valves you did.
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This is a common misconception.
"Ultra-light weight titanium intake valves and hollow sodium filled exhaust valves".
While that statement makes it kind of sound like the exhaust valves are titanium just like the intakes, they are not. They're stainless steel.
U.M.
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Damn it! I was wrong!
None the less...excited for your build. I went from a whipple'd 03 Cobra that I had for years to the C6Z 2 years ago. Mine already had ported and fixed heads (LME), Katech 116 cam, ARH long tubes, innovators west crank pulley, BTR valve springs, etc., so for me the transition from car to car wasn't tough at all. Absolutely fell in love with the LS7 within seconds of test driving it with the prior owner.
My car was supposed to have the upgraded C5R timing chain in it and the prior owner paid for it, but the shop that did the work must have forgot to put it in. So in short, not long after I had the car (6 months) I was on a road course when the factory timing chain broke. Needless to say I bent a bunch of valves and that took me into a complete tear down of the car. Luckily it didn't damage the bottom end, but man it was a pain to fix. Did some additional mods while I was at it (Mamo Ported MSD, BTR stage III cam, and a RPS twin disk). Cost me a chunk of money and a lot of my time, but this is hands down the fastest car I have ever driven.
None the less...excited for your build. I went from a whipple'd 03 Cobra that I had for years to the C6Z 2 years ago. Mine already had ported and fixed heads (LME), Katech 116 cam, ARH long tubes, innovators west crank pulley, BTR valve springs, etc., so for me the transition from car to car wasn't tough at all. Absolutely fell in love with the LS7 within seconds of test driving it with the prior owner.
My car was supposed to have the upgraded C5R timing chain in it and the prior owner paid for it, but the shop that did the work must have forgot to put it in. So in short, not long after I had the car (6 months) I was on a road course when the factory timing chain broke. Needless to say I bent a bunch of valves and that took me into a complete tear down of the car. Luckily it didn't damage the bottom end, but man it was a pain to fix. Did some additional mods while I was at it (Mamo Ported MSD, BTR stage III cam, and a RPS twin disk). Cost me a chunk of money and a lot of my time, but this is hands down the fastest car I have ever driven.
Sounds like my build is going to be almost identical to how your Z was when you initially got it. My '03 was @ 465/460 on the stock Eaton before I finally sold it in '08. Looking back I should have just put in storage instead. That won't happen with the Z though. I ordered & optioned this car and then did the factory tour and watched them assemble it at BG. She's a keeper. This will be the car I give/will to my 1st grandson who was born just a couple weeks ago.
I'm pretty excited about these upgrades because after 10 years of owning/driving this car without any significant changes I'm needing something to widen my smile a bit.
U.M.
Looks like I was possibly on borrowed time!
U.M.
Results from the tear-down of the heads on my ZO6.
U.M.
Results from the tear-down of the heads on my ZO6.
I upgraded to a set of billet fuel rails.
For all of you that were asking.... this was just posted to the Katech Facebook page. This is how my engine bay looks now.
U.M.
Looks great! You will be all smiles when you get her home and take it for your first drive
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Beau
TI
Ful
Those fuel rails make a visual difference, so much cleaner than the stockers.
Greetings UM, been following your adventures with your C7. I don't want to hijack your thread, so please don't feel the need to let it go that way.
I am considering letting my 03 go that is basically exactly where yours was when you sold it. I am possibly going to get into a C8. My question is why would you look back and consider putting the 03 in storage and holding on to it?
Ive had mine since I bought it new in Sept 2003. Its hard to consider letting it go, but, that new C8 has really caught my eye. as much as the 03 did back in the day.
Thanks
Steve
Looks absolutely sick. Very nice build.
So Katech called and said the car is ready, but I am still in the UK visiting my new grandson. Won't get back to Detroit to pick up the car until th 18th. They did send me the dyno sheet though. I'm happy with the numbers considering the cam I'm using.
U.M.
U.M.
Seems a little low to me give you have all the bolt on’s. I would have expected you would have been around 550/490’s. With my BTR3 cam and ported MSD I landed at 575/520. I know it’s a bigger cam, but with 116 cam I should have given up around 20 rwhp.
But...if you are happy then that’s all that matters!
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But...if you are happy then that’s all that matters!
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Those numbers look really low, I made 495/465 with long tubes, cai and tune, 600/525 after heads cam and ported fast
I heard the first must do mods are new jorts and some New Balances.
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