Chevrolet Explains How to Properly Break in 2023 Corvette Z06's LT6 Engine

The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was the most anticipated launch in 2022, culminating an impressive career for the C8 Corvette. The first-ever mid-engine Vette proved to be a hit with customers, bringing so many cutting-edge technologies to the table while still keeping the prices in check. There’s a reason why we at autoevolution named it “the most improved car for 2022.”

The C8 Corvette had only one major problem: GM’s inability to produce enough of them. The demand was so high that the backlog stretched for more than a year. Adverse events kept piling up throughout most of 2022, adding more waiting time for the reservation holders. This was the atmosphere when the Corvette Z06 finally started production in September 2022. Even before that, GM stopped accepting orders for the sportscar because it was becoming clear that it would not be able to fulfill them.

The Chevy Corvette Z06 relies on a naturally-aspirated 5.5-liter V8 engine to deliver top-notch performance. The LT6 powerplant does not disappoint, with 670 horsepower on tap and a redline that starts at 8,600 rpm. But to achieve its impressive performance, the engine needs a proper break-in, something owners rarely bother with in modern vehicles. The procedure is described in the user manual, but the engine management has its own checks in place to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.

For instance, the torque is limited in low gears during the first 500 miles, and the tachometer’s redline starts at 4,500 rpm. After the 500-mile threshold, the redline moves to 6,500 rpm, while GM still recommends not pushing the engine’s limits. This means no track events, full-throttle launches, or hard braking. These recommendations and limitations are not always enough, and sometimes bad things happen, as one Corvette Z06 owner discovered right after driving off the dealer’s lot.

General Motors thought having engine experts explaining all these steps was a great bonus. People might overlook a small passage in a lengthy user manual, but a video always sticks. It’s not only the engine that needs a break-in period but also the transmission, and Chevrolet experts describe all the steps in detail. In the video, Assistant Global Chief Engineer, Small Block V8 Engines, Dustin Gardner, explains why this is necessary.

“You need to give the bearings that first critical five hundred miles,” Gardner says. “So there’s actually some material in the bearing that moves around. The top layer of the bearing is about 20 microns thick; a human hair is about 70, so we’re talking fractions of a human hair.”

The video also talks about GM’s dyno testing procedure for the Corvette Z06 engine and other details that might prove critical for a great ownership experience. Check out the video below to see what’s so special about the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 break-in procedure.