Corvette C6 NPP Retro-Fit for Multi Mode Exhaust

NPP in a box, a set of NPP mufflers and a M2W switch will give you an incredibly easy way to have just the sound you want, when you want, if you have a pre-2008 C6. In my case, throw in a set of LG headers, and you have rolling thunder at the flick of a switch. The combo of the headers and the NPP in Wild gives you AMAZING sound and “HEY, LOOK AT ME!!!” volume…the tonality and sound is that of a NASCAR stock car at WOT outside the car, yet quieter and less drone inside the car than the GHL exhaust I was so fond of. The install is very straight forward, easier with a lift, but as Ed has shown with his car, you can do it on jack stands. Here are some pics and descriptions of the step by step process; you will receive complete illustrated instructions with your purchase.

NPP Mufflers waiting for Install

Factory Exhaust Removed

Run the Vacuum tubes through existing frame locations

After dropping the rear sway bar, snake the NPP mufflers up and over

Attach the pipes to the mufflers

Connect the vacuum hoses to the NPP mufflers

Make sure your muffler pipes are straight and level

Muffler hardware done and vacuum tubing run

And of course, a quick run with Ed’s Polishing kit

That’s all there is to it…..All that’s left is to go out there and have a blast with your new found customized sound.

Corvette C5 Output Shaft Seal Leak Fix

Prelude

Okay, let me quit it! Here’s the scenario. You pull your baby out of the garage and notice that something has leaked out of the rear of the car. The odd thing is that the leak is not dead center of the rear, it’s more to the left (or right if you’re really having a bad day). What you are probably experiencing is the failure of the output shaft seal (normally the driver’s side in the C5). I say probably because doing a little “wide open throttle” (or WOT as it is known here) can also cause you to wake up to a wet spot. In the case of WOT, this is a normal occurrence, as the differential has a exhaust outlet in which differential fluid will leak out of in order to relieve case pressure.

If you’re more of a cruiser, then you probably just have a leaking output shaft seal. You have 2 ways of identifying the source of the leak.

The professional way if the leaking source is not obvious is to add some Black Light Oil Dye to the differential and then check the area with a black light after some normal driving. The fluid will glow either a bright yellow or bright green. This allows you to identify the leak without doing unnecessary and costly repairs. If you want the GM dye, one place you can order it from the GM Special Parts website (this site only works with Internet Explorer). The part number is J-28431, which can be used in engine, transmission, and rear axle oils, as well as power steering fluids. (Note: part number J-29545 is only for use in engine coolants)

The second way if the leak is obvious enough, is to do a visual inspection. Look at the picture below.

You can clearly see how the leak is confined to about a 180 degree area of the seal. The differential side covers have been known to leak due to a design flaw although in this situation, this is not the case (just be aware of that possibility). We know that this is not the case here as oil does not leak in a upward direction.

Now that we have identified the leaking source, let’s get that baby fixed!

The first thing you should do is get some replacement differential fluid. Now would be a good time to replace that old, stinky stuff. The service manual calls for SAE 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lubricant or equivalent. The manual also states to add 4 ounces of Limited-Slip Differential Lubricant Additive. Today, you can buy this gear oil already mixed. Mobile one and Red Line are two brands that I found with the limited-slip additive already built in.

NOTE! After replacing the differential gear oil, do not go WOT for a minimum of 300 miles. Doing so may result in scoring of the ring and pinion gears leading to differential noise!!!

Some of the tools that were not in my “shade tree” collection that you may have to get, or that will make the job easier are:

Torque Wrenches – the nuts and bolts in this repair have specific torque settings. Since your life is depending on the tightness of these nuts and bolts, it would be smart to spend a few dollars and make sure that you torque them to the GM specifications. You can view a PDF document of the fastener tightening specifications by clicking here. You can view those settings for the brake components here.

A 21mm wrench for the lower arm ball joint nut, a short set of Hex sockets (notice the sizes in the picture – that 10mm is for the differential drain and fill plugs), and a 33mm deep-socket for the axle bolt. If you don’t screw up your parking brake assembly and do not have to separate the stabilizer from the upper and lower control arms, then you will not need the 21mm wrench. Ask me how I know…:rolleyes:

A drift punch or something equivalent.

Last of all, you’ll need the replacement seal.

Notice the grease that is inside the interior lining of the seal. Do not wipe that off!

Here’s something you should consider. The differential has 2 output shaft seals. The right seal is not known for leaking but you never know. I bought 2 seals for a couple of reasons. One, because the differential has two of these seals. Two, the seals were dirt cheap; they were something like $12 each. Lastly, knowing how much of a shade tree mechanic I am, I wanted to have an ace in the hole just in case I screwed up one of those seals. Well guess what happened. I screwed up one of the seals when installing it. This is something you may want to consider if your mechanic skills are anything like mine.

My method of doing this repair differs from Cajun Dude’s in that I actually removed the drive shaft. The reason I did so was because of the limited amount of space that I had to work in while trying to seat the seal. Look at this picture:

Even after I removed the drive shaft, it was still somewhat awkward to get up in there and figure out how to swing my hammer to seat the seal. One thing that Cajun Dude said that was right on target was tap, tap, taparoo… :yesnod:

As some of you may know, I bought the J-46405 tool that the TSB concerning this repair calls for. I have mixed emotions about its effectiveness when doing the repair the way I did. If I had taken the entire differential out of the car, the tool would have been a must have for me. However, using it in this situation was helpful, but what probably would have worked best was if this tool had a 3-foot shaft. That way, I could have stood back from the wheel well and whacked away on that seal. I did use it to do the install so I guess it ended up paying for itself.

The Repair

Okay, let’s get started! I’m going to keep this as close to the manual as possible. Note: One thing that I did when removing nuts and bolts was to put them back where they originally went so that they would not get lost, and so that I would know where they went when it was time to reassemble everything. Good rule to follow for a shade tree mechanic!

1. Shift the transmission into PARK (A/T) or NEUTRAL (M/T).

2. Work the parking brake a whole bunch of times and then apply it. This will loosen the shoes up from the rotors. If you don’t do this, your rotors may be a PITA to get off. They may also rip the parking brake shoes!.

3. Raise and suitably support the vehicle.

4. Remove the tire and wheel assembly.

5. Insert a drift or punch into the brake rotor cooling fins and against the brake caliper to prevent the wheel hub and bearing from turning.

6. Loosen (do not remove) the spindle nut retaining the rear wheel drive shaft to the hub.

7. Remove the drift or punch.

8. Release the parking brake.

9. Using a 15mm socket, remove the caliper bolts. You’ll need to hold the caliper pin still using a 5/8″ wrench. Be careful not to stress the brake line going to the caliper.

10. At this point, use your jack to support the lower control arm.

11. Remove the 2 bolts at the top of the shock absorber.

12. Remove the 2 bolts that hold the upper control arm to the frame.

13. Separate the outer tie rod end from the knuckle and reposition the tie rod toward the rear of the vehicle.

Here’s the way I removed mine before I got smart enough to go buy some Hex sockets:

14. Disconnect the wheel speed sensor electrical connector.

15. Disconnect the parking brake cable from the parking brake lever. Now here comes the fun part. First of all, if you skipped step 8, you’ll never get this cable off so make sure that you performed step 8.

You’re also going to have to free the parking brake cable from the bracket that holds it in place. This is a real PITA. Do not get frustrated and break those tabs off. A new parking brake cable is not cheap! Look at the picture below:

Here’s a trick that JDaniel over at CF used to get his cable off. I quote: “After I unhooked it from the hook and needed a way to get the prongs collapsed to get it out of the bracket, this is what I did. I grabbed a 1/2 combo wrench and used the boxed end. Its a tight fit but you slide the end of the cable theough the wrench and up to where the prongs are. Just push it up around the prongs and to the bracket and they all collapse and pops right out. Then you just slide the cable through the wrench and out of the bracket! Easy as 1-2-3!”. That may be of some use when you get to this step.

If you get frustrated and decide to remove the bracket bolts, here they are:

At this point, you are ready to take a break and have the Junkman Special “Dagwood” Pizza!

For those of you on a budget, please substitute a bologna sandwich and get back to work.

Shaft Removal

16. At this point, the service manual calls for part number J-42129 to separate the axle from the stabilizer, and J-29794 to separate the axle from the differential. Here’s what we’re going to do.

First, jack the lower control arm up so that the axle is somewhat straight (not hanging down). Loosen the spindle nut up about a half-inch. Grab the top of the stabilizer. You’re going to use it like a slide hammer to “bump” the drive shaft out of the differential. Just bump it firmly toward you and the drive shaft will eventually work its way out of the differential. At the same time (if you’re lucky), the bumping will loosen up the axle at the stabilizer too. If not, you may have to give it a slight whack to disengage it from the stabilizer.

Note: Do not whack the end of the shaft while it is still seated inside the differential. There’s no telling what damage that could cause. Also, if you get the shaft out of the differential and have to give it a whack to dislodge it from the stabilizer, pay particular attention to the end of the shaft by the differential as to not allow it to bang up against anything – especially the differential!

Be careful not to whack the wheel studs also.

Whatever you do, do not make the mistake of removing the stabilizer with the axle attached to it like this:

If you do, you’ve just created a lot more work which is now why I’m so good at removing the entire shaft and control arms. In 3 days, I must have put that thing in and pulled it out of the car at least 5 times. Like Michael (Mike94ZLT1) said in one of my other post, you get real good and quick at this after you’ve done it a few times. I couldn’t believe how fast I put it back together the last time I did it.

Once you have the axle loose at both the differential and the stabilizer, you will need to bend the end of the shaft and simultaneously rotate the stabilizer out of the way in order to remove the axle. Check out the picture:

17. Now that you have the shaft out of the way, clean up the differential. You want to be able to see any new leaks if you don’t install the seal correctly.

18. Now you’re ready to remove the old seal and replace it with the new one. The old seal does not come out easily. It does however have a slight lip around the outside edge of it that you can feel and I used a seal removal tool to grab that lip and pull out the old seal. Be careful around this area. You don’t want to gouge the differential and create a permanent leak.

19. Seating the new seal will be the fun you get to have. Whatever you do, you don’t want to start tapping the edge of the seal and working your way around. You want to use something that will allow you to seat the seal evenly as you tap it in. Again, I used the tool that I bought that the TSB called for. I heard a block of wood works well and I’ve heard that they make universal seal installing tools. Whatever you decide to use, make sure you keep these tips in mind or make sure you buy a bunch of seals. :willy:

20. After you get the seal installed, you want to physically and visually inspect your work. Run your fingers around the edges of the seal. You should not feel any gap between the edge of the seal and the differential. If you do, you still need to tap, tap, tap-a-roo.

One thing that you want to inspect is the wiring harness back here. The factory electrical tape that was on mine had began to come unraveled. Thus, I re-wrapped it with one piece of tape and zipped tied the ends. I didn’t have a black tie wrap but at least it doesn’t show with the wheel on!

21. Now you are ready to put everything back together. Just reverse these steps and you should be fine. Remember to use the torque settings that I provided here for everything but the brakes bolts and here for the brake bolts. You need to take the car for a ride in order to check for leaks and heat up the differential fluid. The fluid needs to be changed while it is hot and care needs to be taken so that you don’t burn yourself.

22. Once you get back in the garage, draining the differential is no major undertaking. The drain bolt is located directly on the bottom. Remember, you want to drain the fluid while it is hot. Make sure that the car is level when you drain and fill the differential. Here’s where a 4 post lift would come in handy.

23. After you have drained the fluid and replaced the drain plug, you’ll need to fill the differential with new fluid. As you can see by the location of the fill plug, this is a tad bit difficult.

Fill the differential up to the bottom of the fill hole. It holds about 2 quarts of fluid.

You can drop by you local auto store and buy a siphon to fill the differential. This is what I bought, although its crappy design is why I have to clean up the garage floor now:

If you get one of these (I think it was $10), make sure that when you are using it to siphon any type of thick fluid that you hold on tightly to the output side hose! Not doing so will cause it to blow away from the siphon pump and shoot a healthy wad of whatever you are pumping all over the place. As you can see by my garage floor, it was not a pretty sight!

Once you get the differential fluid in, make sure that you do not go WOT for a minimum of 300 miles. Doing so may result in scoring of the ring and pinion gears leading to differential noise!!!

I will probably be updating this over the next few days if I see any mistakes so give me a few days before printing it.

Here she is, all assembled and cleaned up:

Alrighty then! You now have the knowledge necessary to tackle this job. I will have Rosie O’Donnell inspecting your butts for leaks at the next gathering and I hear she hates wearing gloves!

Racemesh Installation Instructions

Installation Instructions  Complete, fully illustrated instructions are provided below for specific models and generic applications.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have installation questions!  Email:  racemesh@sbcglobal.net     Phone:  925.628.7502  ( Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 5:00PM PST )     NOTE:  For some, it may be necessary to contact a local restyler or a body shop to complete the installation. General installation note about Lower Intake RaceMesh™ Grilles – To ensure a complete “fill” of the RaceMesh Grille in the bumper opening, the trim gasket can be pressed outward around the entire perimeter of the unit so that it forms a glove like fit against the surrounding bumper opening. This can best be accomplished by taking two screwdrivers and placing them through the RaceMesh and against the inside edges of the trim gasket, and beginning at the center of the bumper (top and bottom) begin pressing outward (up and down) and continue along the edges in one direction and repeat in the other direction. This same process should be done on the ends or sides as well.                 Generic  (all models) -  RaceMesh™ Grille Lower Intake installation instructions (Including Pop-Off Sleeve use) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. NOTE:   Place the RaceMesh unit into the opening, select a location to thread the zip-tie through where the RaceMesh wire and the OEM plastic grid best lines up. Thread the zip-tie through and around both the RaceMesh and OEM grille as pictured, then pull both ends of the zip-tie until the Pop-Off Sleeve pops off, then secure the zip-tie. Repeat for each zip-tie location that you have selected. Cut off zip-tie leaders, tuck each knuckle behind RaceMesh so only the thin zip-tie is showing. Optional: Using a Silver Sharpie permanent marker or silver touchup paint, by applying a dab on the zip-tie where it overlaps the RaceMesh wire will completely conceal the zip-tie.               E39 5-Series specific  -  RaceMesh™ Grille Lower Intake installation instructions 1. 2. 3. 4.  6. 7. 8. 9. 10.  11. 12. 13. 14. 15.         Specific E60 5-Series 3-piece RaceMesh™ Grille Lower Intake installation instructions -     1) Remove the Center OEM black plastic grid – simply remove by hand by unclipping the unit from the two center vertical supports and the left and right tabs. 2) Position the center RaceMesh grille in the opening to test fit/position the unit. Drill a 1/8″ hole in the left and right tabs and thread a zip tie through the RaceMesh, through the hole and back through the RaceMesh, then secure the zip tie, cut off leader, tuck the knuckle behind RaceMesh. 3) Using the zip ties with Pop-Off Sleeves, thread through RaceMesh and around vertical supports (there are two, so repeat process for each) of OEM bumper, and back through RaceMesh,  then secure the zip tie, cut off leader, tuck the knuckle behind RaceMesh. 4) Left and Right Fog Light housings – Using a letter opener or similar thin flat tool, slide tool between bumper and fog light housing where tabs are located (reference the supplied RaceMesh fog light housings for tab locations) to release tabs and work your way around until the OEM fog light housing releases and remove them and set aside. 5) Snap in the left and right RaceMesh fog light housings.         CORVETTE     C6 Corvette -  RaceMesh™ Grille Lower Intake installation instructions ( 3 options ) (Option 1) 1.    2.    3.    4.    5.    6.   7.    8.    9.    10.    11.    12.  NOTE:   Place the RaceMesh unit into the opening, select a location to thread the zip-tie through where the RaceMesh wire and the OEM plastic grid best line up. Thread the zip-tie w/Pop-Off Sleeve through and around both the RaceMesh and OEM grille spoke as pictured, then pull both ends of the zip-tie until the Pop-Off Sleeve pops off, then secure the zip-tie. Repeat for each zip-tie location that you have selected. Cut off zip-tie leaders, tuck each knuckle behind RaceMesh so only the thin zip-tie is showing. Optional: A dab of silver touchup paint on the zip-tie where it overlaps the RaceMesh will completely conceal the zip-tie. NOTE: Due to the width of the OEM grille spokes, the zip-tie w/Pop-off Sleeve may not thread easily. An option is to drill a small 1/8″ hole through the OEM plastic spoke at the leading edge and simply thread the zip-tie through the RaceMesh, and through the small hole(s) and back through the RaceMesh.     (Option 2)   OPTIONAL ( Preferred ) ATTACHMENT Method 1.    2.    3.    4.    5.    6.   7.    8.          (Option 3)   OPTIONAL ATTACHMENT Method – recommended for our PC Black model  ( also applies to the C6 Z06 ) 11-01-2006, 12:46 PM   #12   CF Senior Member            I sawed and Dremeled off the horizontal eggcrate piece completely and did the same to the vertical teeth pieces EXCEPT for saving about 3/8″ top and bottom so to make attachment points to the Racemesh. I then drilled holes through these so to attach the zip ties. Then the stock grill was re-installed (sans eggcrate) and voila, I now had a stiff frame again to attach the Racemesh grill. Pics below show the steps and for the final installed pics taken outdoors you wont see any of the stock eggcrate grill showing through!! I would like to thank the owner of Racemesh who was kind enough to spend some time with me on the phone over this custom install….and the Racemesh Grill is a very high quality item.   Hi…a number of folks have asked me through other threads or PM’s on this mod I did. I really cant help on actual removal and reinstall of the stock grill, that’s up to you but basically its: 1.You’ll remove the spoiler, brake cooling duct inlet covers and front inner wheel well panels. Drop the lower part of the bumper fascia which you’ll pull down to access some of the grille screws and push pins. You’ll use your hand through the wheel well openings to take out the remaining side push pins. Work the grille back and slightly down at an angle and to one of the side openings and it will come out. Make sure that your front fascia extension is secure as it also uses the side grille push pins. For more info, there is an excellent C6 OEM stock grill removal/install instructions at: http://www.c4dhr.com/C6%20Grille%20Install%20Inst.htm 2, Once out, its hacking time on the horizontal and vertical bars of the OEM grill. Remove completely the horizontal bars EXCEPT for leaving about 3/8″ horizontal bar at each end of the frame. This will lend a bit of support for that small curved cutout on the sides of the painted intake. Basically, you just want it flush. 3. You can use a hacksaw to get most of the bars out but I left about 1/2″ of material on the vertical bar ends and horizontal ends and then used a Dremel cutting wheel to do the finer cutting. You want no less than 1/4″ and no more than 3/8″ on each bottom and top side of the vertical bars. Why? A) you need enough thickness as you are going to drill a hole through it to thread the zip ties as an attachment point. B) You don’t want too much as you don’t want it going higher than the RaceMesh trim. The whole point here is you don’t want to see any egg crate 4. Some tips if your going to use the method I used to attach the RaceMesh using zip ties to the now hacked stock grill. a) Make sure the holes in what is left of the vertical bars (baby teeth?) that the zip tie goes through is big enough for the tie to easily slide/move through it, otherwise you are in big trouble when you are ready to really tighten it and need to swivel it. Luckily, I thought about that possibility at the last minute and drilled the holes a bit bigger – 1/8″ bit will do just fine. b) When attaching the RaceMesh, I put the tie ends through the grill and just tightened the tie enough to hold them but with LOTS of slack and started with the bottom ones first. Then the tops. Once accomplished, then I started the actual zip tie tightening process. You will use a total of 10 ties…5 bottom and 5 top. c) Make sure you have the RaceMesh grill ends exactly and evenly spaced at each end of the painted intake opening before you start tying down the zip ties. d) When zip tied up, use a screwdriver to push the zip tie knuckle back into the back of the grill, ala like the RaceMesh install instructions say. Also, I used an artist brush and flat black rustoleum to paint over the glossy zip ties that are hooked around the mesh.                                                    C6 Corvette -  RaceMesh™ Grille Fender Ducts installation instructions  1.    2.   3.   4.   5.   6.  Step One: (optional – remove wheel) Remove fasteners with forked screwdriver, and 3 screws from bottom of wheel well panel. NOTE: Removing the wheel is recommended, as it creates a much more comfortable work environment and easy access to the application area.  Step Two: Detach two contact points (bonded by double sided tape) of inner fender liner and push toward engine and secure it with masking tape to keep it out of the way while working on the application area. We used blue painters tape for this purpose as seen in pictures 5 & 6.  Step Three: ( VERY IMPORTANT STEP ) Clean the inner fender around the duct and then go over the area with rubbing alcohol to insure a clean surface so the 3M tape/epoxy has a clean surface to adhere to. NOTE: As you probably noticed, the mesh material is flexible and can also be un-woven with a little effort as it has no weld points (which is the nature of the material). Given the flexibility of the mesh material, it can be contoured / bent to lay flat against the opening in preparation of the attachment step.  Step Four:  Place the appropriate (notice that each is labeled) RaceMesh Grille Fender Duct insert over the application area and secure or preferably “tack or position” the RaceMesh with the supplied double sided 3M tape as shown, and use RTV Clear Silicone in addition to the 3M double sided tape. NOTE: We prefer a combination of a few small 3M tape contact points (to position and tack the RaceMesh in place), and RTV Silicone for secure permanent fabrication. Included in each kit: 3M Tape & RTV Silicone         Optional attachment method - Purchase VHB (two-sided) tape from an auto parts store, 1/2″ wide tape is preferred, and apply it on both sides of the inside fender side vent opening (cleaning this area prior to VHB tape application is vital for proper adhesion). Next, press the RaceMesh Fender Duct Grilles onto the tape. Next, use two additional pieces of tape on the outside edges of the RaceMesh to secure it to the fender. Next, cover both sides with duct tape to protect the VHB tape from water.         C6 Z06 Corvette -  RaceMesh™ Grille Lower Intake installation instructions NOTE:   See C6 RaceMesh instructions above for general reference. Place the C6 Z06 RaceMesh unit into the opening, (reference the C6 Z06 pictures below) beginning in the center, thread a zip-tie around the center rib of the OEM plastic grille and through and around a single wire of the RaceMesh Grille and loosely secure the zip-tie. Move to the side ribs and repeat, and finally the end points as pictured. Once all zip-ties are in place, begin at the center by tightening the zip-tie, but do not over tighten. Once all zip-ties are secured, cut off the leaders, and tuck each knuckle behind the RaceMesh Grille.  NOTE: Zip-Ties w/Pop-Off Sleeves do not work very well for this application. 1.   2.   3.   4.   5.   6.   7.     C6 Z06 Corvette -  RaceMesh™ Grille Fender Ducts installation instructions NOTE:   See C6 RaceMesh instructions above for general reference – wheel and fender liner removal. Each of the 4 Fender Duct Inserts are two-piece elements that snap together from inside and outside the fender. The inner sections will be reused, while the outer sections are replaced with the pre-fabricated RaceMesh Fender Ducts Inserts. See photos (Rear Brake Ducts are shown here) for illustrations of how to separate the inner / outer sections as well as what the pieces look like. Start from the bottom and work your way around the perimeter until all the clips release, while pulling the inner section away from the outer section. Reassembly is simple, just place the outer RaceMesh Fender Duct Insert in the outer opening and press/snap the inner section around the outer section. 1.   2.   3.   4.   5. 6.   7.   8.   9. 10.     C6 Z06 Corvette -  RaceMesh™ Grille Air Inductions nose scoop installation instructions NOTE:   The C6 Z06 nose scoop has 4 small tabs, two very small ones on the top edge about 1 1/2″ from each end and two slightly larger ones on the bottom edge about 1 1/2″ from the ends. We suggest taping off (blue painters tape works well) the painted area around the nose scoop prior to removing the stock unit and replacing it with the RaceMesh unit. Using a letter opener or similar flat tool, slide the letter opener between the body and stock nose scoop where the tab is located at either end of the bottom edge. While pressing downward on the body and gently lifting up an the nose scoop releasing the bottom edge of the nose scoop. Continue gently lifting the bottom edge while pressing down on the body from one side to the other until both tabs release. Then, pulling toward you and upward until both bottom tabs release and the top edge tabs release – your done. Reverse the process when installing the RaceMesh unit into the opening. Start by placing the RaceMesh unit top edge into the opening then gently press the bottom edge down into the opening while pressing down on the body. The bottom two tabs will snap into place. Remove protective tape and your done.              C5 Corvette -  RaceMesh™ Grilles installation instructions Front Brake Duct Installation The grilles are appropriately marked for left and right installation. Please note the top is the straight edge. The RaceMesh is shaped to fit inside the flow tube and against the inner rib or lip.    NOTE:  You SHOULD remove the lower fender panel to access the tube.   The ducts are installed from the front buy pushing back the tube end and pressing the RaceMesh into the tube end and into the first rib (see picture), then using a pair of needle nose pliers, pull the RaceMesh / tube back into its original position.     Front Fender Ducts Installation   Remove the wheels so you can get a better view of the panels, however, it is not necessary to remove the wheels. With a 7mm socket wrench remove the panel from the inner fender. There you will find 2 more 7mm screws that hold in the inside fender plastic. IMPORTANT: After you remove this piece clean the inner fender around the fender vent thoroughly and then go over the same area with rubbing alcohol to insure there is no dirt or grease.   Place the appropriate RaceMesh Fender Duct into the opening and use the 3M tape to “tack” the piece into the desired position. Use the RTV Clear Silicone to secure the unit into place – allow approx 30 minutes for it to set. It may be required to shape or form the RaceMesh to fit flush in the opening so don’t be afraid to manipulate the RaceMesh to suit your taste.     Rear Muffler Ducts Installation IMPORTANT: After you remove this piece clean the inner fender around the fender vent thoroughly and then go over the same area with rubbing alcohol to insure there is no dirt or grease. Place the appropriate RaceMesh Fender Duct into the opening and use the 3M tape to “tack” the piece into the desired position. Use the RTV Clear Silicone to secure the unit into place – allow approx 30 minutes for it to set.     TIP:  You can also use zip-ties wrapped around the center bar to hold the parts in place while the RTV Silicone Adhesive cures, them remove them when done. It may be required to shape or form the RaceMesh to fit flush in the opening so don’t be afraid to manipulate the RaceMesh to suit your taste.           BMW   RaceMesh™ Kidney Grille installation instructions Since the OEM Hood Catch release arm protrudes forward between the vertical slats of the OEM grill, it needs to be modified since this path is gone once the RaceMesh kidneys are installed. This is accomplished by cutting a portion of the OEM release arm length and drilling a 1/8″ hole where the RaceMesh hood catch release wire is secured. The wire path is from this pivot point through the RaceMesh. A 90 degree bend in the wire just outside the surface of the RaceMesh Kidney is the pull lever, where the final catch point is released by pulling the lever toward you while simultaneously lifting the hood. NOTE:  Some OEM Kidney units are two part (inside or backing and outside or surround) assemblies and the hood is sandwiched between the two parts and are secured with clips. Other kidney units are two parts but don’t require the two parts to be separated to remove/install. Please check your individual make/model to see how they are removed and replaced. You may also contact your local BMW service department for telephone support assistance if unsure how your OEM Kidney’s are removed / installed. CAUTION: Hood release lever MUST be modified before installation of RaceMesh Kidney’s, specifically before closing the hood! You won’t be able to open the hood!  TIP: Thread the release lever through an opening to allow for the best leverage angle to fully release the hood release catch – i.e. the highest possible square opening, while maintaining a 90 degree or horizontal travel path.  E39 5-Series / M5 Shown 1.   2.   3.   4.   5. 6. 7. 8.  9.         E46 M3, E65 7-Series Shown  1.    2.    3.    4.    5.      6.    7. NOTE:   E46 M3 kidney’s do not need to be separated to install, simply press the entire unit in from the front. Begin with the left (passenger side) unit. Next, do the right (driver side) – Line up the RaceMesh hood release catch through the mesh opening as you position the kidney grille then press in the RaceMesh kidney unit.         2007 GMC Yukon Denali -  RaceMesh™ Grilles     Installation:  1) Remove stock upper grille by 1st removing the 6 screws along the top edge of the assembly and the 2 in the lower left and right area of the grille face. Next reach behind the grille surface from the top with a stubby slot screwdriver and depress the plastic clips around the chrome frame edges (see the RaceMesh grille for location of these clips for reference) beginning at the top left and right ends working your way around to the bottom. You are working blind somewhat, so be patient as you work to release the clips.  2) Install the RaceMesh upper grille by placing the bottom edges / clips into the slots around the perimeter working your way toward the top ends of the chrome frame. Replace the 6 top edge screws (note: the two bottom screws are not accessible due to the small mesh weave openings) and your done.  3) Remove the stock lower grille by releasing the clips, with a stubby slot screwdriver, around the perimeter of the grille (see the RaceMesh grille for location of these clips for reference).  4) Install the RaceMesh lower grille by placing it into the opening lining up the clips with the slots they snap into. The ends of the RaceMesh have mounting blocks with double sided tape attached, remove the red liner tape to expose the adhesive tape and press into the opening to meet the bumper surface where appropriate, and your done.             2007 Chevy Tahoe/Avalanche/Suburban -  RaceMesh™ Grilles     Installation – RaceMesh Tow Hook Inserts 1)  Test fit each Tow Hook Insert – Place the designated RaceMesh inserts into the opening as marked, they should be approx 1/2″ deep into the opening. NOTE: Some bending / flexing may be required to get a flush / uniform fit along all four sides. IMPORTANT: CLEAN (Simple Green works well) the areas where the rubberized trim will contact the bumper, and prep with rubbing alcohol to promote 3M tape and RTV Silicone adhesion. Use the supplied 3M tape along the 4 backside / top edges (approx 2″ pieces) of the inserts and RTV silicone to the remaining areas and attach the RaceMesh inserts into the openings. NOTE: The 3M tape is more to “tack” the inserts into position to allow the RTV silicone to cure and bond securely to the surfaces. Please allow approx 1 hour for the RTV Silicone to cure before driving the vehicle.             2006-current Lexus GS -  RaceMesh™ Grilles     Suggested attachment points for both Upper & Lower RaceMesh Grilles             The RaceMesh Brake Duct Inserts are inserted from underneath the bumper, and are a friction fit into the space with the duct tube pressing against the back face of the RaceMesh Brake Duct insert. The use of a single zip-tie attached (or two) from the bottom of the center bar will prevent the piece from shifting. Drill a 1/8″ hole and thread a Zip-Tie through the hole (from behind brake duct opening) and then come back through the mesh at an appropriate point and secure the Zip-Tie, cut off leader. You can also use an RTV Silcone around the perimeter at a few locations if desired. The RaceMesh Lower Intake (see Generic instructions at top of page) is secured with as many Zip-Ties w/Pop-Off Sleeves as you wish, but 3 or 4 will secure it sufficiently. The RaceMesh Upper Grille is as simple as removing your stock grille and attaching the OEM modified RaceMesh Grille.                     Chevy Trailblazer SS Each of the RaceMesh OEM modified parts are direct replacements for the OEM stock parts. Simply remove the OEM stock parts and replace with the RaceMesh OEM modified parts. Contact your local dealership if any questions. The two small inserts located under the headlights require removal and are replaced with the RaceMesh inserts. See picture.         Pontiac    Pontiac GTO RaceMesh Kidney Grilles     Remove the stock grilles. Use the 3M Tape, cut into a few 1″ (approx) strips, to “tack” the kidneys into place, and between the 1″ strips, apply the RTV Silicone to make a permanent bond. Allow approx 1 hour for the RTV Silicone to set before driving the vehicle. NOTE: The RaceMesh Kidney Grilles may need to be test fit and reshaped prior to final installation. ( VERY IMPORTANT STEP ) Clean the surface areas where the RaceMesh Kidneys will contact the fascia around the edges, then go over these areas with rubbing alcohol to insure a clean surface so the 3M tape / RTV Silicone has a clean basis to adhere to.       Pontiac G8 RaceMesh Grilles KIDNEYS                   REAR DIFFUSER Place RaceMesh Rear Diffuser into opening, locate at least 4 spots to loop the supplied 20 gauge wire attachment hardware, drill two 1/6″ holes, one on each side of one RaceMesh wire, thread the 20 gauge wire through the two holes, and secure from the backside of the rear diffuser.     LOWER VALANCE - see Generic instructions at top of page     HOOD SCOOPS From under the hood, locate the tabs that hold the stock Hood Scoops in place to remove the parts. Align the tabs with the slots and press the RaceMesh Hood Scoops into the hood.              Dodge Charger RaceMesh Grilles Hood Scoop – Remove the stock hood scoop by releasing the two tabs on the bottom and sliding the part out of the hood housing. Install the RaceMesh Grille Hood Scoop by sliding it into the hood housing and snapping the two tabs into position.     Upper Grille – Remove the stock grille by removing the 4 screws that hold the stock grille in place. 2 screws are located in the center vertical rib, and one each are located at each end of the center horizontal rib. Next, there are 4 tabs (two top and two bottom) around the edges of the grille assembly that need to be flexed to release the stock grille from the fascia. Install the RaceMesh Grille by placing it into the fascia opening and securing it with the 4 screws removed in the previous step.     Lower Valance – NOTE: RaceMesh Grilles highly recommends that a professional body shop or your mechanic who has experience with this type of installation do the Lower Valance installation. Raise the front of vehicle for easier access.   Remove the lower engine cover to gain access to the lower valance / stock grille area.  Remove the lower stock grille.  The tabs that held the stock grille will need to be remove in order for the RaceMesh Grille to be attached flush against the lip of the opening.  Use a masking tape to mark the lines to follow when removing the tabs. The tape also reduces the possibility of chipping the paint as you remove the tabs.   Use a cutting tool (a Dremel tool is preferred) to remove the tabs and create a flush lip all the way around the opening. ( VERY IMPORTANT STEP )  Clean (Simple Green or similar product) the surface areas and surrounding areas behind the opening where the RaceMesh Grille will contact the lip, and around the edges of the lip. Next, go over these areas with rubbing alcohol to insure a clean surface so the adhesive of choice has a clean basis to adhere to.             Copyright © 2009 RaceMesh™ Grilles Powered by RaceMesh     RaceMesh™ Grilles    Brentwood, CA 94513   USA. – Office: (925) 628-7502 – Email

 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

Corvette C6 Z06 Oil Change

This is the correct procedure to change the oil in the Corvette C6 ZO6.

Remove the two drain plugs from the engine oil pan. One is located on the left side of the oil pan near the oil filter. This plug drains the small amount of residual oil from engine oil pan, approximately 1 quart.

The other drain plug is located on the front of the oil pan. This plug drains the external reservoir and hose assembly. No go ahead and remove the oil filter.

Once the oil has been drained from the engine and the reservoir, replace the engine oil filter with a new PF48 oil filter and tighten to 25Nm (18lb. ft.)

Replace both oil drain plugs and tighten to 25Nm (18lb. ft.)

Fill the oil through the oil fill cap in the top of the dry sump reservoir. The total service fill, with a dry filter is 8 quarts of 5W30 Mobil 1 synthetic oil.

Replace the oil fill cap and start the engine. Let it run at idle for at least 15 seconds to circulate the fresh engine oil through the lubrication system.

Check the oil as follows:

The engine must be warmed up. Cold oil will not give a correct oil level reading. After the engine is warmed up to at least 175 F, shut off the engine.
Wait 5 minutes to allow the oil to drain and settle. Pull the dipstick from the reservoir and clean it with a lint free cloth. Then push it back all the way until it stops. Remove again keeping the tip down and note the oil level on the crosshatched area. An oil level within the crosshatched area is normal.
NOTE: Do not overfill the reservoir. Oil levels above the crosshatched area may degrade lubrication system performance, and result in excessive oil consumption.

TIP: The owner’s manual may contain a slightly different procedure which calls for filling 7 quarts, turning the engine then shutting off, and finally filling 1 additional quart. This procedure may be used, although NOT necessary.

TIP 2: There is a cap on the right valve cover under the decorative cover. Attempting to remove this cap can break the retaining tabs, requiring removal of the valve cover to retrieve broken pieces. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANES SHOULD YOU ATTEMPT TO FILL THE OIL SYSTEM THROUGH THIS CAR