Recent content by hawk02

Has anyone been able to get in touch with the GM Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, KY? I recently purchased a second OEM supercharger lid for my CT5-V Blackwing and had it powder coated. Unfortunately, the engine builder plaque was damaged when transferring it from the original lid. My...

Thank you. Your post helped me determine what plastic cover to pop off and yes it is a T40 Torx. I had to give both Torx bolts one heck of a yank to break them loose.

How did you access the bolts the for the cargo latches? If I pull up the top of the plastic trunk cover I can see the bolt but there doesn't seem to be an easy way to get a socket wrench in there unless I'm missing something.

One big challenge with home or independents is that neither is typically connected electronically to GM. For warranty work, GM relies on documented service history, so unless you’re meticulous about saving receipts and records, it can get tricky. If I were the OP, I’d definitely show the video...

What are your goals with the car? Are you shooting for 9s at the track, or is it more about flexing around your buddies? Pretty expensive way to show off if that’s the case.

Glad to know I’m not the only one who never felt a real connection with the C8. Lord knows I gave it a fair shot—four and a half years’ worth. I don’t have a ton of new-owner tips, but here are a few things I’ve learned: Break-in: Stick with the recommended process—it’s worth it. PPF: If you...

I learned that lesson the hard way with a 2013 Camaro ZL1. I got caught up in the forum hype around mods and thought a cold air intake and bigger crank pulley would be my ticket to muscle car nirvana. Well, one thing led to another—bigger injectors, labor, tuning, dyno time—and nearly $10K...

The 500-mile break-in isn’t just a random number. That first phase is mainly to let the bearings properly polish and seat. If you watch the Chevy MyWay video on the Z06 LT6 (link here), the engineers go into detail on how the break-in works and why it’s critical. Even though the video is about...

Your advisor is correct. Cadillacs don’t require an early oil change—the first one is scheduled at around 5,000 miles. The 500-mile oil change was specific to the LT1 and LT4 engines in the C7 Corvettes with the dry sump oiling system. That system was more complex and carried a higher risk of...

I highly doubt GM has a stockpile of LT4 long blocks. The C7 Z06 and CTS-V v3 were done back in 2019, and Camaro production wrapped in December 2023. That leaves the 5BW as the only GM platform running the LT4 for the past 18 months or so. With Cadillac moving around 2,000 5BWs per year, there’s...

Wow! I’m actually more shocked that the dealer had an LT4 block sitting in stock than the fact that the engine failed. That’s a serious chunk of money to have tied up in inventory. Most dealers don’t keep something like that on the shelf—it’s usually ordered in as needed or shipped directly from...

I traded a 2017 Camaro ZL1 M6 that I owned for almost seven years for my 2023 5BW. The first thing I noticed about the BW was that it had a bit more giddy-up than the ZL1—more than could be explained by just 18 extra horsepower. I’ve seen reports that timing can be in the neighborhood of 30...

On the L87 truck engines, the culprit ended up being crankshafts that were out of spec, which trashed the main bearings. Different deal with the LT4 though—the LT4 uses a forged steel crank, while the L87 is running a cast nodular iron crank. Two very different parts. If I had to guess what’s...

With numbers matching no longer a major factor, a warranty replacement won’t diminish the car’s value. As the second owner, this will simply be your first opportunity to complete a proper break-in.