jccz28

i been looking to buy a new daily driver i already have two ls vehicles a 98 z28 and an 09 tbss so i figured i will try the lt1s out plus there in the price range that i am willing to spend can anybody tell me what are the major problems besides the opti that i can look for im looking at a 93 formula right now is there any years that i should stay awey from any info i can get would be appreciated thanks

Jcl_96TA

iTrader: (1)

95 is the best year in my opinion. Mostly because its easier to mod because of emissions and obdII tho. They also have the vented opti. Look for severe oil leaks, and drive it if you can. The rear tranny mount breaks a lot, so check that out. 96 and 97 Have to comply with emissions standards so if u live in a state where they test that you have a hard time getting around the rules. I would check the 10 bolt as well cause they are weak and prone to breaking. The rest is just the usual stuff u look for when buying a used car.

fleetmgr

Look for abuse related stuff, like:
water in the oil
signs of overheating
low oil pressure
funny/unusual sounds, especially when driving really slow...turn the radio off and LISTEN. Go over speed bumps, etc.
make sure the fans work (both of them), and if they are manual, make sure you know where the switch is! I overheated the **** out of my car because of that little item. Fortunately, I didn't blow a head gasket because of it.
If you see ANY signs of electrical butchery, anywhere in the car, PASS!!!!!!! This would be most apparent in an aftermarket stereo install.

jccz28

ok thanks for the replys i been reading the lt1s run a little hot also what is there normal operating temp for them

fleetmgr

In normal operation, the fans don't come on until 215 degrees or so I think.

slomarao

iTrader: (6)

and the ele. ****. If you find that some dude fucked with it walk away. Not worth the problem even if hes giving it away because you can dump endless loot into it and never get it right.

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

Check for the rear intake gasket leaking. Oil will be all over the firewall. Easy fix but a pain in the *** when I couldn't find it. I dunno if anyone else has had the problem with the radiator cracking but mine and my sister's both cracked at the filler neck down about 4 inches.

LT1

iTrader: (1)

How many miles does this 93 Formula have?

If something seems bad to you and not willing to fix it pass it up. Most leaks can be fixed for cheap, matter of replacing gasket. For something that old you wont find one that's in perfect condition unless the guy took good care of it.

Id like to add, if you aren't the type that like to work on opti spark, pass it up because its none vented and if it has high mileage it will eventually go bad! Lot of folks on here buy a LT1 then whine about there opti spark and how they are pissed off. Its better to know about it before getting into a car this old.

fex77k

iTrader: (2)

I would try to look for stock cars. I bought mine with a few mods but nothing was done to the motor internals. Like what was said before, if the wiring has been hacked up RUN AWAY.

tspence45

iTrader: (30)

You mean because 95's aren't OBDII? They're still OBDI, but have an OBDII diagnostic port. But, I would have to agree that 95's are the best year, since they have the vented opti and are still OBDI for easier tuning. The fact that 93's are speed density is a plus though, so you don't have to worry about a MAF sensor.

OneBadTA

Two biggest things I've found to be probems is a water leak, which can f up the optispark. And if you can try to pull a valve cover. I pulled mine after I got it and found it to be pretty sludged up even though the car itself is in decent shape.

jccz28

i been looking at a bunch of them they all seem to run rough and are beat to crap i think i might stick whit ls1 cars i figure most people here i wichita are overpricng the crap out of these cars i went to look at one today guy said great shape hardly anything wrong whit it i get there dents spiderwebbed paint and really shity touch up on some huge chips has to rev it up to put in reverse and a cracked dash looked like it was going to collapse in 105kmi he wanted 7k for it he said ill knock down 180 there must be something in the water here cuz people think there cars are the only ones ever made or something now i remember y i bought my last three cars out of state thanks for all the replys everyone very helpfull

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

95 LT1 FTW!

3 best years IMO would be:

93, due to the speed density(not a fan of the 700r4 and the oddball parts tho)
95, due to the OB1 pcm, easy to tune, newer style steering wheel & more of a "timeless" interior (HATE the 93 and 94 buttons! but I also prefer the non digital odometer which was still in the '95s), vented opti, and a lot less things to trip yur Check engine light
and 97 due to the newest style interior and that 10 extra HP from the dual cats

gregrob

iTrader: (8)

Everybody knows red 94's are the fasest, period

fex77k

iTrader: (2)

No the black 94's had viper engines.

Johnny-LT1-runner

iTrader: (15)

I agree. They beat LS1's the easiest.

defaultexistence

iTrader: (11)

Yea and the 93' halogen fluid is servicable ,and it has fluxcapasitor tuning
93'S FTW!