[1]Image Source: BangShift [2]
Via our friends at BangShift [2], we get to see the process of tearing down a brand new C7 Corvette [3] to replace the LT1 powerplant that was grenaded during a dyno run after a supercharger system was installed.
We’ve seen plenty of supercharger and turbo systems on C7 Corvettes over the last few months, and one thing we’ve learned is that the new LT1 engines need to be really fine-tuned. That is due to the direct-injection fuel system, which differs significantly from conventional electronic fuel injection. In order to unleash a lot of power from these engines, the tuning needs to be tinkered with quite a bit, and the limits of what’s safe and what isn’t aren’t well-defined.
[4]Getting down to the nitty gritty, the C7 on the operating table had an ECS [5] Novi 1500 kit and some Kooks headers installed recently, and was detonated on the dyno when it was undergoing tuning to find the combination’s limits. BangShift’s article gives a nice look into the teardown of a brand new C7 in great detail.
Reporting for Bangshift is Dave Matyjasik, who has been documenting the process with pictures and great explanations of some of the new technology Chevrolet has implemented into the C7. There are also very detailed pictures of the oil that collected in the intake – approximately a quart of oil was poured out of the intercooler’s charge pipe and more oil was found on the intake manifold ports as well as the exhaust ports – not good at all. [6]
[6]
In regards to what caused the engine to give, there is no answer yet, as the engine has only been pulled out of the car, so be sure to check back with BangShift [2] for more installments of their blown C7 teardown. While this LT-1 may have given its all, its death will not be in vain – the knowledge gained from the teardown will help keep future tuners out of trouble.