[dreksnot]

I've been running a high HP 5th Gen but have scooped up a ZL1 1LE A10. I've tracked it once and it's a huge improvement over a heavily modified (motor and suspension) 5th Gen TT SS. Unfortunately, I like HP. So, if I start modifying my ZLE by adding power mods, will that totally mess up the road course performance by changing what GM programmed all their engineering into the car settings? I do run at higher altitude and lose about 20% of the HP with thinner air, so I had a thought of just adding back that lost HP with some mods, but if I get greedy and want to add more, will that just cause more trouble than it's worth at the road course? Thoughts?

[Osbornsm]

Originally Posted by dreksnot

I've been running a high HP 5th Gen but have scooped up a ZL1 1LE A10. I've tracked it once and it's a huge improvement over a heavily modified (motor and suspension) 5th Gen TT SS. Unfortunately, I like HP. So, if I start modifying my ZLE by adding power mods, will that totally mess up the road course performance by changing what GM programmed all their engineering into the car settings? I do run at higher altitude and lose about 20% of the HP with thinner air, so I had a thought of just adding back that lost HP with some mods, but if I get greedy and want to add more, will that just cause more trouble than it's worth at the road course? Thoughts?

The car is so well balanced, that as long as you respect the power (and have the right tires) you will be all good. Might upset the balance if you added 200+ ? Just spitballing here.


OH and stop using green

[GreenZLE]

I've talked to a few guys that focused on maximizing efficiency and upgraded the coolers and they havent complained about upsetting the cars balance. One guy that I talked to a couple of times at Putnam Park ported his blower, added a CAI, a 103mm t-body, and headers plus a tune. He said it woke the car up quite a bit. You can hear that the stock blower makes a lot more noise on the straights than my car does. I didnt ask him what his power increase was though. I'd guess about 60hp to the wheels maybe?

[N Camarolina]

Based on how the PTM works, I would expect that adding HP beyond the original output (sea level, not high altitude) would likely undermine the PTMs ability to keep the yaw under control (zero yaw to smaller amounts of yaw depending on the PTM mode selected). Effectively for a given RPM, you'd be putting more power to the wheels than the algorithm is expecting to see, which may increase yaw. So if you are the kind of person who prefers to stomp the pedal on corner exits and let the computer "sort it out," the computer won't be helping you nearly as much as stock power setup.

On the other hand, if you either drive with all nannies off or apply throttle slowly as you unwind the wheel (the latter approach as way to stay just below TC intervention), then you'll be just fine with extra power, as you aren't depending on the computer algorithms.

Added power won't have any impact on stability control.

[NG329]

IMHO, This is flawed thinking.

There is no 'one size fits all' for car settings. In racing, cars are set up for each track and no two track's settings are alike usually.

By adding power, you may have to drive it differently, and that's okay. If you start removing weight, you will need to corner balance the car again. At the end of the day, if you are tracking the car you really should be experimenting with setup and collecting the data. Changing tire brands even makes your car drive differently. Running Michelins instead of the Goodyears? Well then, you've already deviated from GMs original design. The car will behave very differently between the two tires.

Regarding the addition of power, sometimes it's not just about adding power in of itself, but more about where you're adding the power. .....have you thrashed the car with all the electronics completely off? If you have not, then as a suggestion, maybe hold off on adding power. 650hp is quite a handful with the TC completely off. You might find that the car has plenty of power.

I would recommend spending a considerable amount of time in the car. Get to know it well. What will eventually happen is you'll start to ask for things (Ex. I could use more drive out of turn 5. I should carry more speed thru 8 and 9. etc.). When your driving gets to that point on track, then look to make tweaks..... but only if you're towards the front of the pack. Otherwise, you still have more work to do.

These cars at stock power levels as delivered from GM are capable of running some very fast laps pretty much everywhere.

Just my $0.02. Take it with a grain of salt.

[dreksnot]

After seeing some of the replies and contemplating some more, I'm starting to think bumping the HP will just require driving the car appropriately where that added power is being applied. The car is tremendous in the corners and it doesn't take more power to carry the car through those. Exiting a corner and rolling into the throttle with max power with respect to traction is about fine. I've notice the car can definitely use more power in the straights, but on the road course, the faster lap times are found within the corners - the straightaways are just fun to be able to pass other cars with less effort. I am comparing this ZLE to my four-digit powered Gen 5 on the straights and I know it's apples-to-oranges with the platforms. I do want to run this ZLE at the drag strip too where applying more power will significantly improve times/speed. Autocross (haven't done that yet with this car) the car would seem very good with the right tires. First world problems...

[Thestormoverkrynn]

Originally Posted by dreksnot

After seeing some of the replies and contemplating some more, I'm starting to think bumping the HP will just require driving the car appropriately where that added power is being applied. The car is tremendous in the corners and it doesn't take more power to carry the car through those. Exiting a corner and rolling into the throttle with max power with respect to traction is about fine. I've notice the car can definitely use more power in the straights, but on the road course, the faster lap times are found within the corners - the straightaways are just fun to be able to pass other cars with less effort. I am comparing this ZLE to my four-digit powered Gen 5 on the straights and I know it's apples-to-oranges with the platforms. I do want to run this ZLE at the drag strip too where applying more power will significantly improve times/speed. Autocross (haven't done that yet with this car) the car would seem very good with the right tires. First world problems...

Let's be honest it was made as a track car and with a good set of hoosiers will always perform better as a track car. Having said that, when mine was stock fastest time, manual car, was 12.4 quarter mile ... Since i have done some upgrades headers, magnuson supercharger, big gulp cold air intake, added a heat exchanger and a tune now she generates about 729 to the wheel were as stock it was only about 570 to the wheel. Now to be fair the day i took it out to cayuga to test it, it was raining all day, and i really knew i shouldnt have even attempted the track when i saw the guy on the 4 wheel atv with the dryer trying to dry the track. LOL But i did.. I nearly crashed it. Car went sideways in about 3rd gear and looked like it was headed to the wall, a little last minute wheel correction and a little less throttle and she course corrected rather violently! Gave me some whiplash, almost a heartattack when i realized i could've smashed my 1 of a kind zl1 1le. In the end she was no worse for wear but on a wet day take example from my stupidity... Just don't do it.

1 More headache i want to talk about and impart before you go on your upgrading quest... And really this is most important... Research research research, all your upgrades, the install procedures for your upgrades. Research the shops you are considering doing these upgrades at.. Believe the google reviews!!! and act accordingly.. The last thing u want is to suffer like i did and find your mechanic installed your new magnusson supercharger without using locktite or observing sequence or even torque specs. Then you have to get it all redone and have ur blower bled for air... Not fun... Also when installing headers use stage 8 bolts, don't let someone tell you it isnt necessary. It is, do it right the first time, never do it again. Headers heat up, regular bolts back out.. It's that simple. Prevent this by using stage 8 bolts period. Don't expect the headers to even come with bolts at all!! LOL my AR headers came with no bolts. In a way i'm glad, it prompted me to research why and what bolts are best on headers.

Andrew