[Robjan123]

Originally Posted by cre8fun

good to know.

I've always heard as long as you don 't modify it and do fluid changes as noted in the manual, it will be fine. but always nice to hear real life warranted repairs rather than paper promises.


As for the guy I mentioned at VIR - no other details than, it was on Monday, it was a '21, had about 6K on it, said it was not modified and blew toward the end of the back straight. He said he felt it lose power, he looked in the rear view and saw flames. he stopped and got out before the roller coaster. Video from a few cars back showed a plume of white smoke come from the car towards the end of the braking zone (top of the hill).

Any chance you could post that video?

[TrackClub]

A few posts here on our Forum over the years of folks grenading the motors, but not too many. Never heard of a warranty being contested in any way even after folks posted vids which clearly showed over revved conditions. As another poster has mentioned above: competitive events are off limits.

[speedracernc]

Originally Posted by cre8fun

Just wondering if anyone has any real world results for how GM handles powertrain breakage on track. I heard through the grapevine that one of the GM engineers lost his personal 1LE motor on track and GM covered it. Glad to hear it but would like some reassurance how it has worked/will work with real world people.

I know a guy with an '18 that lost motor on track and it was replaced but it was done under the known issue with the oil pump. that seems out of the scope of the general warranty.

similarly, Does anyone know the guy who's '21 1LE blew at VIR and caught fire this week? (for those that don't know, motor blew, oil caused fire under car, rear bumper melted, driver was fine). I'm wondering if GM will replace the motor and wondering how they handled the resulting body damage. if someone knows him, I'd love some update as he moves through the process. would like to know that GM handles it admirably.

thanks

That car was mine that blew at VIR. Dealer said a rod went through the block. GM has opened an investigation. That's all the info I have at this time. They said the investigation can take 30 days.
Car was unmodified except brake pads and brake fluid changes. Its an automatic so no over rev. Oil was changed just prior to 500 miles. Oil and diff changed at just before 1500 miles per owners manual. I'm hopeful that GM will do the right thing. I believe the investigation is secondary to the fire damage and safety concerns. Fire was likely from oil that got on the exhaust and ignited. I know there was someone with a video but they never sent it to me.

[5.M0NSTER]

Originally Posted by speedracernc

That car was mine that blew at VIR. Dealer said a rod went through the block. GM has opened an investigation. That's all the info I have at this time. They said the investigation can take 30 days.
Car was unmodified except brake pads and brake fluid changes. Its an automatic so no over rev. Oil was changed just prior to 500 miles. Oil and diff changed at just before 1500 miles per owners manual. I'm hopeful that GM will do the right thing. I believe the investigation is secondary to the fire damage and safety concerns. Fire was likely from oil that got on the exhaust and ignited. I know there was someone with a video but they never sent it to me.

Glad you're ok. Let's hope GM steps up here. I'm glad they launched an investigation, as this should not happen. I'm sure they are asking themselves what went wrong to cause a fireball. Rod through the block is an uncontained failure, which are and should be rare.

[cre8fun]

just as a side note, or point of experience, after that VIR weekend, I was up at Watkins with Chin and another '21 blew its motor. it was an auto, so no RPM overrun. All fluid changes up to date. owner had already had the motor in his '18 replaced by his dealer, so the dealer got straight to work. They believe it was a bottom end failure - not sure of cause yet. GM agreed to replace the motor and it should be back on track by early august.

I was glad to see GM step up (of course the way the dealer handled it could easily have helped with how quickly they got the go ahead)

[davidwarren]

I blew my motor at Road America last fall. Towed it to a local dealer and flew back two weeks later to pick it up with a new motor. I told them I was doing a NLS from 4th to 5th on the front straight at Road America at 140 and something let go. No issues. Completely stock drivetrain.

[Beescuz]

Originally Posted by speedracernc

That car was mine that blew at VIR. Dealer said a rod went through the block. GM has opened an investigation. That's all the info I have at this time. They said the investigation can take 30 days.
Car was unmodified except brake pads and brake fluid changes. Its an automatic so no over rev. Oil was changed just prior to 500 miles. Oil and diff changed at just before 1500 miles per owners manual. I'm hopeful that GM will do the right thing. I believe the investigation is secondary to the fire damage and safety concerns. Fire was likely from oil that got on the exhaust and ignited. I know there was someone with a video but they never sent it to me.

Any update from Chevy on replacing your motor?
I was at VIR on the track behind you when it happened. By the way you did a great job getting the car off line/track so the oil down didn't ruin the day for everyone!
Glad you made it out safely.

[Kmeleon]

As we're now starting to get cars off the 3/36 warranty, how long does the "track" portion of the warranty run for? I have an 18 SS 1LE that I'm tracking half a dozen times a year the 3/36 runs out 10/21. I'm really looking at going e85 and an intake manifold this fall but I have to say, maybe I should rethink that. With only 6k on the car maybe I should hold out for another year?

[Beescuz]

Originally Posted by Kmeleon

As we're now starting to get cars off the 3/36 warranty, how long does the "track" portion of the warranty run for? I have an 18 SS 1LE that I'm tracking half a dozen times a year the 3/36 runs out 10/21. I'm really looking at going e85 and an intake manifold this fall but I have to say, maybe I should rethink that. With only 6k on the car maybe I should hold out for another year?

Powertrain warranty is 5yr or 60,000 miles. I would wait until the powertrain warranty was gone first in my opinion.

[Kmeleon]

Originally Posted by Beescuz

Powertrain warranty is 5yr or 60,000 miles. I would wait until the powertrain warranty was gone first in my opinion.

Yeah I wasn't thinking about the power train warranty when thinking about the track warranty and the possibility of engine failure,but obviously that is exactly the case. Hmmm, i have some real thinking to do here. An engine failure would be super expensive to my pocket and I need to weigh that.

[cre8fun]

somewhat related - another Gen6 SS 1LE blew at Watkins this week, although I believe that motor was tuned. don't have details on what failed and whether it will be warranted yet.

update - spoke to the guy afterwards. it was tuned, so no warranty

[IntegraR0064]

My motor blew at NJMP on the straight at 135mph a couple months ago. Rod went through the block.

They covered it. They did specifically check for overrevs and didn't find any. They also asked for oil change records and luckily I had been lazy and they had done the last oil change at that dealer so that part was no questions.

Worst part is having to do the 1500 mile break in even though I work from home before being able to take it on track again!

[carguy55]

A track buddy is getting his motor replaced under warranty

[SloCal]

Originally Posted by IntegraR0064

My motor blew at NJMP on the straight at 135mph a couple months ago. Rod went through the block.

They covered it. They did specifically check for overrevs and didn't find any. They also asked for oil change records and luckily I had been lazy and they had done the last oil change at that dealer so that part was no questions.

Worst part is having to do the 1500 mile break in even though I work from home before being able to take it on track again!

How far back do/did they check for overrevs? If you buy a used car and 10k miles later your motor blows on track are you out the 10k for a new motor?