I rewrote the trannie cooler project webpage on team website at
Writeup and Photos so that you can see the images and content.
In short, I had Weldon test and repair the cooler pump.
I got it back today and re-designed the mounting location and
cooler lines to get them lower, less gravity issues and away from exhaust heat.
You'll notice in the new position it is a much cleaner install then what G.M had.
I had a long phone talk with someone deep within G.M ( I call deep throat for they do not want their name and
phone number on bathroom walls :-)) who had been on vacation.
From that call conclusions is :
1. MN6 is a crapper, makes metal shavings, thus pump was eating it and shown in testing since they reported
heavy wear even though pump only had about 2 hours on it.
2. G.M found this out but not telling us, the public.
You will notice on the 2001 trannie cooler version it now comes with a oil filter !,
thus the unit I bought was an old version that means they did not purge out their stock even knowing of pump
failures.
3. The reason the pump was located where it was that caused gravity issues was G.M was afraid some
dude calling himself a wrencher would drill holes and hit the gas tank on right side.
As you can see in bottom images on website, I not only installed it low but also used the tank metal gaurd to
protect the cooler lines. My contact says he may change the location since I showed it can be done safely.
4. G.M install saying shove in 9 quarts is totally wrong, it's about 6 and my contact agreed.
5. He highly suggests us real Corvette'rs also install a cooler on the rearend of these C5s.
( though any Corvette doing racing can use coolers)
6. We talked about how the C5's electronic steering stuff is a trouble maker, we talked about it and the best
path is to replace the steering pump pulley to a LARGER one to slow down that electronic gaget.
For racing at high speeds, you do not need a false sense of security it gives.
7. We then discussed the rear wing I just bought and asked why it is called a C5R wing, I pointed him to
the vendors website and when he looked at the image, he laughed and said some other things .. like it's S*&T.
In short, he does not trust it and pointed to me to the people making the rear wings for the C5R racing
program.
8. We then talked about the front chin under the front fasca that is spring loaded so that when you run
over things it bends, rather then breaking and then springs back to proper position.
I'll give ya one free tip, under high speed that chin piece due to air movement, bends inward,
thus the top part is now cutting down the airflow into the radiator area.
If your going to be going fast ( Like all good Corvette'rs ;-) make some clips up that prevent that chin from
moving at all.
Have more but, you gotta buy me a pepsi for me to talk...
Rebel projects, next is finally installing the Accusump,
working with this Hypertech programmer,
and then the hood with air extractor.
Let's Go a Racing . . .
John