2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

ENGINE IS MAKING A LOUD TICKING NOISE. SHOP RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE VALVE GUIDES AND REMACHINE CYLINDER HEADS. THIS IS TO PREVENT A VALVE DROPPING INTO THE ENGINE DUE TO OUT OF SPEC CYLINDER HEADS FROM THE OEM SUPPLIER. THIS IS A HIGH OCCURRENCE PROBLEM THAT HAS LOW OR REMOTE DETECTION METHODS. THE SEVERITY PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY/FIRE HAZARD.

I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT EXCESSIVE VALVE TRAIN NOISE AND AFTER READING SEVERAL CORVETTE FORUM THREADS ABOUT IMPROPERLY MACHINED HEADS BY GM'S SUPPLIER LINAMAR, AND THAT NUMEROUS VEHICLES HAVE HAD VALVES DROP AND RUIN THE ENGINES, I TOOK MY CAR WITH 9500 MILES ON IT TO A CORVETTE SPECIALTY SHOP TO HAVE MY VALVE GUIDE CLEARANCE TESTED. I HAD (2) INTAKE VALVE GUIDES OUTSIDE OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS, (4) EXHAUST VALVE GUIDES OUTSIDE OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS, AND A COMBINATION OF (10) OTHER INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE GUIDES AT OR NEAR THE MAXIMUM OUTSIDE OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS. THE CAR IS BEING REPAIRED WITH PROPER RE-MACHINING OF THE HEADS TO MAKE THE VALVE GUIDES CONCENTRIC, NEW INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE GUIDES INSTALLED, AS WELL AS NEW SEALS, VALVES, SPRINGS, ETC. 88% OF THE CORVETTE FORUM MEMBERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR CYLINDER HEADS TESTED FOR EXCESSIVE VALVE GUIDE WEAR, WERE OUT OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS. SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.CORVETTEFORUM.COM/FORUMS/...-REGISTRY.HTML GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ENGINE FAILURES AS A RESULT OF A DROPPED VALVE INTO A CYLINDER WHICH CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND FIRES. GM IS VERY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS HUGE SAFETY RISK TO DRIVERS, PASSENGERS, AND NEARBY VEHICLES IF THE ENGINE FAILS GOING DOWN THE ROAD.

THE 7L 427 ENGINE HAS A VALVE FAILURE PROBLEM. THE VALVE HEADS BREAK OFF INSIDE THE ENGINE WHILE RUNNING. THIS HAPPENED TO ME AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG A HIGHWAY AT 60 MILES PER HOUR NOT ACCELERATING BRAKING OR TURNING, IN A VERY REMOTE PART OF TEXAS. THE ENGINE SEIZED UP. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY GM WITH A MUCH HIGHER THAN EXPECTED FAILURE RATE YET HAS NEVER HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN NOR RECALL. THE CAR HAD 18,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND HAD NEVER BEEN TO THE TRACK OR ABUSED IN ANY WAY. OIL WAS CHANGED AT 3,000 MILE INTERVALS BY A CERTIFIED SHOP. BETWEEN TOWING AND REPAIR THE TOTAL BILL WAS OVER $ 16,000. BECAUSE THE CAR HAD BEEN IN SERVICE OVER 5 YEARS DESPITE THE LOW MILEAGE, GM PICKED UP ONLY 45% OF THE COSTS LEAVING ME WITH OVER A $ 10,000 BILL. THIS IS A HIGH PERFORMANCE VERY EXPENSIVE SPORTS CAR THAT HAD A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT 18,000 MILES. *TR

FUEL SMELL COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN FUELED ABOVE 3/4 OF A TANK. CHEVROLET DEALER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM DURING AN OIL CHANGE AND TRIED TO GET GM TO CORRECT THE ISSUE BUT THEY WOULD NOT CITING THAT THE VEHICLE PASSED ALL FUEL PRESSURE AN LEAK TESTS. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO PARK IN A GARAGE OR CLOSED AREA DUE TO THE VERY GOOD CHANCE OF IGNITION FROM STRONG FUMES. JUST AS DISTURBING IS THE FACT THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS BY THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK AND COULD IGNITE AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING. MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS ISSUE WITHOUT A RESOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR IF GM HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART (FUEL PUMP) THEY DO SO WITH THE SAME TYPE THAT HAS ALREADY FAILED. EVENTUALLY ONE OF THESE CARS IS GOING TO EXPLODE OR CATCH FIRE AN I GUESS THAT ONLY THEN WILL THE MANUFACTURER AND THE GOVERNMENT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE ATTACHED THE SERVICE REPORT WHERE THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THE SMELL AND THE NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES OR DEATHS BECAUSE OF THIS.

VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOCK WITH ONLY 18,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS NEVER BEEN ON A TRACK OR USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN A WEEKEND TOY. COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF A VALVE BREAKING OFF INSIDE THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING CASUALLY AT 50 MPH. AS A RESULT THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING TAKING WITH IT THE POWER STEERING AND POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. I WAS ON A COUNTRY ROAD APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES FROM THE NEAREST GAS STATION OR SERVICE FACILITY OF ANY KIND. THERE WAS ALSO NO CELL PHONE SERVICE AND WAS LEFT STRANDED. I HAVE SINCE HAD A BRAND NEW ENGINE PUT IN AT A TOTAL COST OF OVER $ 16,000.

RECENTLY MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD RANDOMLY STOP WORKING. AT FIRST THEY WOULD GO OFF AND COME BACK ON AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES BUT NOW I'L BE LUCKY IF THEY TURN ON AT ALL. THE PROBLEM COMES FROM THE FUSE BOX LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD. IN THE BEGINNING I WOULD GET OUT OF MY CAR AND PLAY AROUND WITH THE LOW BEAM RELAY UNTIL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON BUT NOW THAT DOES NOT EVEN HELP. ITS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM DUE TO THE FUSE BOX. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OTHER CORVETTE OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I HOPE GM WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM.