Motor trend had some spy shots of the 2014 ZL1. is the ZL1 getting a new engine too? Any news?

 

Got a link?

 

Hello,

Yes I found it here,

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Spied in ZL1, 1LE, RS Forms - WOT on Motor Trend

It's the burgundy car in the picture gallery at the bottom.

GM said they weren't going to update the front but they were going to change the rear of it for 2014.

 

I haven't heard about it getting a new engine,

 

Can the LSA take a substantial power increase without compromising OE reliability demands? Seems to me that 662 hp shouldn't go unanswered. The Camaro's chassis should be able to handle that and much more power given the performance numbers printed in the media.

 

Oh wow, the ZL1 looks good with the new rear and keeping the same front. I think it's the best looking of the bunch to be honest.

 

There are some guys with some worked over CTS-V's and ZL1's putting down good numbers. Reliabilty? Harder to tell. The pistons are the big issue as they are not forged. LS series rods and crank have proved pretty reliable past what the LSA is making.

 

When Ford went with the 5.8 @ 662hp in the 2013 car a lot of changes were made to the motor ( 5.0 Mustang and Super Fords article ) in the name of reliability when making the jump from 500 and 550hp.

I wonder then what GM would be required to do if say they bumped power from 580 to 670 or 700hp.

 

LS9 has piston squirters, forged pistons, Ti rods, and forged crankshaft 638 hp. I would imagine an LSA would be able to get up to the levels with an updated rotating assembly (Ti rods not need, just forged). Don't hold to the LSA rods. I know they are specific to that application. I do not know their limit.

 

As long as RPM is held at a reasonable limit the rods won't be an issue. In compression the rods are plenty strong, its the stretching that kills them.

Ford upgraded the exhaust valve and exhaust valve seat due to higher temps, the piston because combustion pressure was high enough that the standard GT500 piston would flatten out, the rods received some attention at the little end I believe to help them cope with the over rev feature and revised head gaskets as well and of course piston squirters with the new block.

Hameedi has said while the 2013 engine is rated for 662, it takes 100hp to drive the TVS at peak boost so they really had to build an engine that was suitable for around 800hp

 

Agreed. I was just trying to list the parts in the LSA rotating assembly not up to GT500 standard. The LSA also using the 1.9 instead of 2.3 supercharger. I would bet if GM went to a good forged piston and the 2.3, they could turn the wick up quite a bit. I cant remeber what peak boost levels are in the LSA/LS9/GT500. YOu would think (hypothetically) that the LS9 should be able to outdistance the GT-500 all things being equal.

 

To bring the ZL1 up to that kind of power they would also have to make upgrades to the rest of the drivetrain and cooling systems. This would all have to happen while maintaining its track abilities which the GT500 can't match. Then you have to figure the cost. I don't think its worth it. The GT500 is Ford's halo car right now. GM has/had the ZR1, and for the Camaro the spotlight is now on the Z/28.

 

I think I remember them saying that ZL1 would not get a new engine for 2014.

They didn't say this part, but I'd bet on it getting a new engine (presumably a supercharged variant of the new LT1) in the next year or two.

 

It is not getting a new engine for 2014. The ZL1 is not getting the new nose as well, as the refinemen process they did for the high top speed would have been prohibitively expensive on the new nose. Tha leads to a short duration. New Camaro is due soon. This leads me to believe you will not see any LT1's in the F5 Camaro. Unless something has changed ATS based F6 will be ready for 2015.