[laynlo15]

The A10 is pretty stellar for sure, love my A8. If you've watched a Zl1 on a road course with the A10 it music to your ears. You've made the right choice.

[esm]

Originally Posted by laynlo15

The A10 is pretty stellar for sure, love my A8. If you've watched a Zl1 on a road course with the A10 it music to your ears. You've made the right choice.

I'm looking forward to it! And yes, I've watched videos of ZL1's at COTA several times and they were on pace or better than the lap times I was doing in the Viper.

[esm]

I'm working on a deal for a Black ZL1! I'll be driving it home about 1,000 miles home. How big a deal is it to miss the 500 mile oil change?

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by esm

I'm working on a deal for a Black ZL1! I'll be driving it home about 1,000 miles home. How big a deal is it to miss the 500 mile oil change?

It's not. It is NOT a required service. It is not like they are running a mineral break-in oil.

I am doing my first oil change on Friday, I am at 5K miles now.

[Markoz28]

I can’t imagine it’s that bad but I wouldn’t be pounding on the car. I’d keep the rpms under 4K until the oil change.

[Aliveguy5]

Originally Posted by Markoz28

I can’t imagine it’s that bad but I wouldn’t be pounding on the car. I’d keep the rpms under 4K until the oil change.

Also make sure you use the entire RPM band under 4k and don't let it sit at one RPM for a while when you are driving home. Work those gears to get a good break in!

[Gunkk]

<paraphrased from the crate engine break-in guide>

A couple low-engine-load spins to 5k rpms within the first 250 miles is good for seating the rings.

</paraphrased from the crate engine break-in guide>

[edit: found it]

[esm]

Thanks guys! Should be picking it up next weekend.

[1hprush]

Viper had always been my dream car, I owned a Gen 3 for 4 years and loved it. There is a huge Viper community where I live. However, I did most of my own maintenance work, but if I did need too take it in, I had to wait on a Viper tech, which came in twice a year. Parts were becoming another problem too. I sold the car with 12K on it, 15K an any Viper is considered high mileage. I absolutely loved the looks and performance of the ZL1 1LE when it made it's debut. I never thought I would really own one. Although I thought about going into a Gen 5 Viper in the near future, a ZL1 1LE w/750 miles on it came available, I took it for a test drive and it now sits in my garage. This car is truly amazing!

[Can'tHave2MuchHP]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

It's not. It is NOT a required service. It is not like they are running a mineral break-in oil.

I am doing my first oil change on Friday, I am at 5K miles now.

Ouch.

Had a few low mileage LT4s in that I compared oil with and sent a few out for testing. At ~500-600 miles, they were averaging about 50-60% life gone, plenty of shavings and grease. So yes, not paramount by 500 but certainly wouldn't recommend pushing it past 1500. The rear diff will be quite dirty as well, my tech estimated also about 60% gone. This car had only been on the road for 1-2 weeks.

Changing both at 500 and 1500 is babying it. But IMO changing it at 5000 is borderline abusing it. 5000 would be max life out of the 3rd oil change by the rulebook (Say after both 500/1500, you could then stretch the next one 3000-5000 tops).

Obviously, usage is going to dictate a lot here. A normal road trip with VARYING RPM (key point) won't be that bad. Obviously high performance driving or extended spirited driving is going to be a big no-no.

You'll notice that the manuals for dealers on crate engine states 500/1500 changes with proper engine RPM break in procedure. Why do you think that is? Nobody wants to replace a replacement engine again - that looks really bad on all fronts. So when rubber must meet the road, they urge no corner cutting.

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by Can'tHave2MuchHP

Ouch.

Had a few low mileage LT4s in that I compared oil with and sent a few out for testing. At ~500-600 miles, they were averaging about 50-60% life gone, plenty of shavings and grease. So yes, not paramount by 500 but certainly wouldn't recommend pushing it past 1500. The rear diff will be quite dirty as well, my tech estimated also about 60% gone. This car had only been on the road for 1-2 weeks.

Changing both at 500 and 1500 is babying it. But IMO changing it at 5000 is borderline abusing it. 5000 would be max life out of the 3rd oil change by the rulebook (Say after both 500/1500, you could then stretch the next one 3000-5000 tops).

Obviously, usage is going to dictate a lot here. A normal road trip with VARYING RPM (key point) won't be that bad. Obviously high performance driving or extended spirited driving is going to be a big no-no.

You'll notice that the manuals for dealers on crate engine states 500/1500 changes with proper engine RPM break in procedure. Why do you think that is? Nobody wants to replace a replacement engine again - that looks really bad on all fronts. So when rubber must meet the road, they urge no corner cutting.

I am following GM's procedures. Nowhere does it state to change oil before, unless you are tracking it.

This is not the 1960's, motor oil today not that fragile

[Can'tHave2MuchHP]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

I am following GM's procedures. Nowhere does it state to change oil before, unless you are tracking it.

This is not the 1960's, motor oil today not that fragile

Actually, the 500/1500 mile people are following GM's engine break-in procedure for LT4 engines. I think someone linked it in a recent thread. Too tired to dig it up now but it's there.

Also, the evidence that I presented above and that's backed by many members that can attest to very dirty oil and diff fluid even when sub 1000 miles should say something. Types who look to cut, ditch, and discount as much as they can, $150 for engine reliability seems like a bad trade.

There's no reason not to do the oil change sooner than later. None. Other than the cost. There's NO other negative. It takes as much time as a trim and hot shave.

[esm]

Originally Posted by 1hprush

Viper had always been my dream car, I owned a Gen 3 for 4 years and loved it. There is a huge Viper community where I live. However, I did most of my own maintenance work, but if I did need too take it in, I had to wait on a Viper tech, which came in twice a year. Parts were becoming another problem too. I sold the car with 12K on it, 15K an any Viper is considered high mileage. I absolutely loved the looks and performance of the ZL1 1LE when it made it's debut. I never thought I would really own one. Although I thought about going into a Gen 5 Viper in the near future, a ZL1 1LE w/750 miles on it came available, I took it for a test drive and it now sits in my garage. This car is truly amazing!

I loved the Viper, I got to live a dream for 3 years and drive it on the track! But for me, it's just not practical to drive everyday. I did most of the regular maintenance and the car was just as easy as any Corvette to work on. If I needed something major or warranty work, I had to drive 3 hours to Houston. I'm going from 3 cars to 2 because I think the ZL1 will be the perfect combo of performance and daily drive ability. If money and space weren't an issue, I'd have both! I think if the Gen 6 ZL1 was out in 2015 when I was shopping the Viper and Z06, I might have ended up with the ZL1.

[ChickenPoop]

I have owned a few Vettes and 2 Vipers. Test drove a new Vette before I bought the latest Camaro. Couldn't do it. Getting older, I had to have that extra room. Things don't move quite as well as they use to.