[Eric10905]

Originally Posted by sr71bb

Ok track day yesterday at Motorsports Ranch Cresson Texas on the 1.7 CCW. Temperatures are 100+ degrees and turnout was relatively LIGHT because of it. Anyway there were ten of us in the ADVANCED group and I was booking it pretty good for the conditions in the second session and I got the dreaded REDUCED POWER MODE

So my first reaction is WTF??? This EXACT issue is why I am NA and not running a supercharged engine like I had in my ZL1 1LE. Anyhow, I quickly checked the water temp and that was just slightly above normal so that was OK. The car at MOST runs only about 10 degrees normal when NOT racing it and that was where I was at.

So I pull the car into the pits and I take it over to GSPEED which is a race shop at MSR and they try to clear the codes with NO SUCCESS. So upon further investigation we found that apparently what happened is my DAMN AC belt broke and in the process wrapped itself around harness that is attached to the timing cover and literally tore the wires out of the VVT and CAM Position sensors. I guess it also affected the oil pressure sensor as well.

So with the car in REDUCED POWER mode I was able to drive the car home after I determined that AAA was going to NOT come out to TOW me after saying they would (this has happened THREE other times, HORRIBLE service).

A word here about reduced power mode. The best thing to do is to manually shift the car keeping the RPMs between 2000-2500 RPM. The track is about 47 miles away and MOST of the time I was in M7 at about 60MPH. Car was happy here.

On a side note, why the hell GM would have a harness close enough to the AC belt that breakage MIGHT entangle the harness is beyond me. Afterwards I went on-line and found that this type of thing while uncommon is not unheard of. I guess it also depends on how fast the belt is spinning when it breaks (LOL).

The MORALE of this little story is to occasionally change the belts out on your car even if they look like they DONT need it. From now on, I am changing these things out at least once a year.

Hey Greg, I had the same thing happen with the belt at Harris Hill earlier this year, but luckily for me it didn't take out the wiring. Hearing that this has happened to others, think I'm going to replace the belt once a season. For me, it was just driving a short distance home with no ac. LOL
Who knew that spinning it at about 5k+ engine rpms for several 20-30 min sets takes its toll. LOL

[sr71bb]

Originally Posted by Eric10905

Hey Greg, I had the same thing happen with the belt at Harris Hill earlier this year, but luckily for me it didn't take out the wiring. Hearing that this has happened to others, think I'm going to replace the belt once a season. For me, it was just driving a short distance home with no ac. LOL
Who knew that spinning it at about 5k+ engine rpms for several 20-30 min sets takes its toll. LOL

ERIC, Well you were much luckier than me then!!! I will tell you something else that take its toll is on the brakes. I just rebuilt my ZL1 calipers on my car because the piston boots had deteriorated from all that heat to the point where the brake pistons were not moving freely back and forth. This resulted is some excessive drag of the brake pads against the rotors.

I switched out the STOCK brake pistons with the VENTED brake pistons that came with J57 option on the Z06 (part number 19207043). I used the STOCK rubber boots (part number 19207044). While I was at it, I changed out stock rotors with GIRODISC rotors. GM Part number 19207044 is VERY HARD to get BTW so be prepared for that.

I had the rotors powder coated. ON my FIRST track day after this, I noticed the brakes were running considerably cooler even though it was 105 degrees outside temperture.

[Eric10905]

Originally Posted by sr71bb

ERIC, Well you were much luckier than me then!!! I will tell you something else that take its toll is on the brakes. I just rebuilt my ZL1 calipers on my car because the piston boots had deteriorated from all that heat to the point where the brake pistons were not moving freely back and forth. This resulted is some excessive drag of the brake pads against the rotors.

I switched out the STOCK brake pistons with the VENTED brake pistons that came with J57 option on the Z06 (part number 19207043). I used the STOCK rubber boots (part number 19207044). While I was at it, I changed out stock rotors with GIRODISC rotors. GM Part number 19207044 is VERY HARD to get BTW so be prepared for that.

I had the rotors powder coated. ON my FIRST track day after this, I noticed the brakes were running considerably cooler even though it was 105 degrees outside temperture.

I just switched over to some lightly used ZL1 1LE brakes and rotors. I am SLOW so I am not as hard on them as you are, lol. Saw your new pics and they look good, and will likely work better. I was following/tagged your notes on the rebuild and vented pistons. Will do that once I see they need it.

[koolkat68]

This is what happened to the wiring on my LT1. AC belt rubbed through and broke some of the wires. Car went into reduced power mode.

[Roostie]

Originally Posted by kropscamaro16

lol my buddy totalled his old car at autoclub speedway in cali and they came all the way into the paddock put it on a flatbed and towed it back to his home and left is in his driveway who knows anymore its weird

When my car broke down at Willow Springs Raceway, AAA came and got my car form the cold pits and towed it almost 200 miles back to my house. Then the next week they did another tow to my mechanic. No charge for either tow, since I have the Premier membership that provides towing up to 200 miles (only once per year).


To OP: thanks for the warning. I wonder if this has happened with any of the V6 cars. That's what I'm running, and I haven't heard of this.