Generic questions about engine.

[blueorb]

My "Dream car" has always been a camaro SS. Well, I finally got one several months ago and, to say the least, I baby the car. I don't get on her to much and when I do it's not very hard.
Anyway, I am being told by the dealership and my friends that the Z28/SS is a car that is designed to be driven hard. To not do so would somehow "ruin" the car (ruin is probably the wrong word but you get my point).
For example I have a black stain on the bottom tip of my tail pipes (that rubs off when washed). The dealer and my friend say that this is carbon residue due to carbon buildup in the engine. They tell me I need to run the engine like it was designed to be run in order to keep it clean of such things.

Anyone agree with this? I don't see what difference it makes. I occassionally have the car at relatively high speeds and high rpm's. Shouldn't that be enough?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[PBogdanoZ28]

Dude, Drive it like you Stole it... hahahha


You'll appreciate the car more.
Just be safe.

Take care.

[hot_wheels21]

Dude your friends and that are full of bs you don't have to drive the car like you stole it.

[02VTZ]

Wow! Carbon in the exhaust! What are the odds! And when your friends are Hey, why is my rear end end exploding every 3000 miles, you can as you drive by. It is your baby, drive it the way you want!

[mr._bowtie]

If a car (or anyother internal combustion engine) is broken in to easy, it will never perform to its potential. Once its broken in however, it wont make any differance how you drive it. Personally I tend to agree that it needs to be run harder then a normal car, but thats just the nature of these cars. Do you have to ring its guts out every time you get in it... NO But I do think that its good to get on it relativley regular. Even if its not "better" for the engine.... Its better for the soul!

[d-z28]

i must say that i drive it like i stole it but thats my choice and my wallet lets me drive it like that. drive the way you want but dont forget that once in a while you have to cut it loose to remember why they call it a muscle car

[SOMSS]

A good run thru the gears once in a while will help keep the carbon deposits blown out. Otherwise drive it as you please, you are not going to hurt the car.

[SScoulter]

Lisa takes care of keeping my LS1 carbon free.

[blueorb]

Lisa is your wife I assume? Man, my wife won't even drive my car. She is only 4'11'' and she is scared to death to drive it because she can't see over the dash well enough. The car feels like a 40 foot boat to her!!! haha.

[mr._bowtie]

Originally Posted by Scoulter

Lisa takes care of keeping my LS1 carbon free.

LOL Sam I think that she should have signed up on the site with the user name :Lisa Lead Foot" hahaha.

[TylerDurden28]

I wouldnt know, i have turndowns in my exhaust. I like to lay a little rubber every now and then as well as floor it a couple of times a week. Thats about all, i never run her that hard.

[justinakajuice]

I live on my post here at Fort Meade. We have 25mph signs everywhere and it's enforced a lot. Needless to say, as soon as I leave one of the gates, it's on! Oh yeah, it likes to see 100+ at least once a week.