C6 Z06 Corvette Engine Fails, Valves Intact; Mystery Ensues

You wake up in the middle of the night, sweat pouring off your face. You hurriedly look around as you try to remember where you are. Oh yeah, you’re an LS7 owner, and you just had a dream that you dropped a valve and your lovely 505 horsepower slab of aluminum power and noise has been reduced to a coffee table. Thankfully, your ‘Vette is safe in the garage, you’re in bed, and it was just a terrible dream. But others haven’t been so lucky.

The valve drop issue has been a recurring demon for owners of the C6 Z06, but thanks to upgraded solid stem valves, the problem seems to have been remedied. Well, now it seems that just because you get the heads done and swap to solid valves, it doesn’t stop your motor from failing in a terrifyingly catastrophic way. 68Stang posted up a few photos from his Z06’s intake, which show it filled with chocolate milk and silver confetti. After a tear down, it seems that the piston in cylinder #6 disintegrated inside his engine.

Now I know that the words “confetti” and “disintegrated” paint a dramatic image, but just look at these photos. The piston is completely gone, and there is nothing left behind that has been found so far besides these tiny silver flakes. The rod looks fine, and even the wrist pin is still sitting inside, but the piston is just missing.

We still don’t know what happened, but there are few theories going around, including a detonation event. Based on the shrapnel, I’d say it was a nuclear level detonation. Head over to the thread to follow the carnage as we get updates, and be sure to offer your condolences for this fallen motor.

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>

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