Looking at a ls1
10-19-2006, 07:53 PM
#1
TECH Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mechanicsville, Va
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looking at a ls1 Well I have a 95 formula now and I love the car but Iam tired of this small miss on the lower rpms. I have a feeling it is the optispark and I just dont want to replace it. I have gotten tired of working on the car and I need something reliable. Today I ran across a great deal on a ls1 6speed, but it has 125,000 miles. Its a 99 and is a daily driver. It only has a flowmaster exhaust msd wires and k&n air filter. My question is this are ls1 all that great. Everywhere I go I hear ls1 this or ls1 that. I dont want to do engine mods to the car but suspension, is there enough power to start off with. And also with this many miles am I looking at rebuilding the engine soon or it completly giving up? I will drive it hard and it will go through some abuse.
-Thanks Brandon
-Thanks Brandon
10-19-2006, 08:10 PM
#2
find uot what type of miles they are first off and the condition its in and how well tis been kept up with. PERSONALLY ive enever seen in person an ls1 w/ over 180k. They come stock with anywhere from 320-345 crank HP so itsd a good bit to start with and they got a lot of advantages over the LT1/ opti-**** cough cough
10-19-2006, 08:11 PM
#3
Brandon, (it's hard to keep up with you with different screen names on each board)
The LS1 is a good engine. The LT1 is a good engine. The LS1 is a bit (a bit) easier to work on since it lacks the LT1's "odd" exhaust manifold layout (that blocks a lot of stuff, at least in my opinion) and LS1's don't have Opti's. Other than Opti issues, it seems that LT1's are generally pretty reliable. LS1's are pretty reliable. The earlier LS1's sometimes had oil pump problems and many autocrossers/open track guys claim that in the 99 and eariler cars (or was it 2000 and earlier?) that many of them "lost" engines at 80,000 miles or so (not all cars, but some of the track cars). I suspect the car you're looking at would be reliable, as long as it's been taken care of properly (oil changes, not over-revved, etc.
It's a tough call....
The LS1 is a good engine. The LT1 is a good engine. The LS1 is a bit (a bit) easier to work on since it lacks the LT1's "odd" exhaust manifold layout (that blocks a lot of stuff, at least in my opinion) and LS1's don't have Opti's. Other than Opti issues, it seems that LT1's are generally pretty reliable. LS1's are pretty reliable. The earlier LS1's sometimes had oil pump problems and many autocrossers/open track guys claim that in the 99 and eariler cars (or was it 2000 and earlier?) that many of them "lost" engines at 80,000 miles or so (not all cars, but some of the track cars). I suspect the car you're looking at would be reliable, as long as it's been taken care of properly (oil changes, not over-revved, etc.
It's a tough call....
10-19-2006, 08:19 PM
#4
TECH Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mechanicsville, Va
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, I dont know. See the guy said he has changed the oil every 3000 miles with mobil one and is his daily driver. I think I might wait a few months and see what pops up closer to my area. I guess I just tired of messing with the ignition on the lt1 for this miss. It seems like everything I touch on the car cost me another 200-300 dollars easy.
-Brandon
lol trackbird I try to keep my names kinda close together but sometimes it doesnt work.
-Brandon
lol trackbird I try to keep my names kinda close together but sometimes it doesnt work.
10-19-2006, 08:37 PM
#5
well "brandon" I really would look for a car with less miles. like yur friend said its a good engine, but not quite as good as the LT1 in terms of longetivity but its pros are more than enough to surpass the LT1. however for thsoe 125k miles im sure the guy has stomped on it some, i would write this one down and keep looking for some other ones.
