ZL1 Seems Slower Than SS
 

Hello, I have a 2012 2SS and a 2013 ZL1. You can see what build the 2SS has in my sig down below. ZL1 is bone stock. The ZL1 only has 17K miles on it.

Anyways I figure my 2SS cant be anymore than 450 HP and my ZL1 stock should be a lot more than that. When I drive the 2 the 2SS just seems to be a decent amount more powerful. IDK if its just me and its now the power is made between the 2. ZL1 makes smoother power vs the 2SS being more torquey?

These cars are both newer to me. Any insight on how they should compare to each other would be helpful. I just thought the ZL1 would be a totally different monster. Maybe I had to high of expectations. Thanks in advance!

it seems that either the butt dyno is off or the ZL-1 isnt making the power it should.the stopwatch doesnt lie,what does it say?

When my friend bought her ZL1, it felt slow. I put the HPTuners scanner on it. It was seeing 7 degrees of Knock retard and pulling a lot of timing. We changed the plugs and put some fresh fuel with octane booster in it. Flashed the maf curve back to stock, since it had a small adjustment from the PO having an intake on it, and it made a huge difference. Timing was 15degrees before and 21.5 after.

Converter and gears stock in the SS? Those will change how it hits

M6 or auto, if auto you are only 10 - 40 more horse than the SS if it’s running good. Also where are you running at, Loon Lake Mich it’s cold out the Z should be top of its game otherwise it will loose to heat soak as you climb above 65 degrees.

Is the SS louder than the ZL1? Noise can give the impression of speed.

Yea I hear what you are saying. I have a friend that has a 2014 ZL1 m6 Camaro, and when he goes for a ride in my modded 2011 SS he says it pulls a lot harder than his Zl1, and he'd rather ride in mine than take his out for a spin!! lol. Maybe it's just that the way the HP and TQ are applied between the 2 cars is the reason, plus mine is a lot louder than his, still stock. The fact that my stall lets me get way up into the power band where the ZL1's start coming on gives my car the feeling the same as his does up there in the mid range, plus tha fact I can wind mine out to 7400, and his drops off way below that makes mine feel stronger. Just a thought..

I have not timed it. Don’t have much access where I live to a track or straights without cops or deer. I can try to find something though.


I think so. I didn’t mod this car. I bought it this way and he gave me the build. I just reached out after you asked me this to see if those are different. I’m pretty sure its not though. Almost positive that is stock.

It’s way louder. But I drove the ZL1 yesterday for a few hours then the SS today again and there just feels like there is a big difference. Just feels like it pull harder.

Yup it literally feels like it pulls harder. And doesnt feel all that close. But again, like you said and I have been thinking, maybe its just how the power is made? And yes the SS is so much louder. It’s frustrating because I bought the ZL1 after the SS thinking it would be more of a monster and its not. Feel like the SS is a monster and the ZL1 is a luxury vehicle :faint:

Just confirmed it has stock converter and gears.

Ok, so would this be similar to doing the fuse pull I always read about when the computer adjusts to lower octane gas to prevent damage to the motor? With 17K on the car I wouldn’t think it would need new plugs but again I’m far from an expert. But I have thought, with it being such low miles and how much its probably sat over the years being its a 2013, of the computer adjusting and needed to do the fuse pull.

It’s an Auto. 10-40 with the build on the SS? Well that would make more sense. I didn’t realize the Auto was less HP than a Stick. I’m in Loon Lake WA. I drove the ZL1 for the first time yesterday and it was 65-70 degrees.

I drove the SS today since I had driven the ZL1 yesterday and it feels like a total difference driving the two. It’s frustrating.

Just make your SS a ZL1 killer. It’s fun. :thumbup:

find a stretch of road and time a zero to 80 mph or so with each car. Supercharged cars typically do not have a powerband hit or feel to them. My torque curve is pretty flat from 2k to redline.

This will all change once you start doing similar mods to the ZL1. Your SS is modded and tuned to be a street monster at the top of its game for an NA car, while the ZL1 is running a stock tune which was set up for driveability so it didn't scare people away from the dealership.

Just a tune and pulley swap would totally change that ZL1, let alone all the other mods your SS has.

I was always under the impression that a bolt on and cammed SS would easily hang with a stock ZL1? They are right around the same crank/rwhp, amirite?

:smiling1: For real!

Ok I’ll see what I can do. That’s sort of what I was wondering too is how much different the power they make feel from one to the other. Because I get what your saying. The ZL1 just feels flat and the same all the way through the RPM’s. Totally different than the SS.


Ya I guess everything that I was told is that the ZL1 should still be faster and more of a monster. But could have been bad info. When I bought the ZL1 I was hoping for more without having to Mod it. But I may want to now if thats the case. Just wanting to make sure there’s nothing wrong with it you know.

I appreciate the help!