Buying a 98 vs. 99+
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Launching!
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Maple Grove, MN
Buying a 98 vs. 99+ Hey all , im looking to buy an f-bod and am wondering if I shouldn't have to worry about 98 motors versus later years. Ive heard both sides of the story.... virtually everything is interchangeable, same quality as later years and such. Ive heard some slamming of the 98's too saying that they can be buggy and dont perform the same. But the main reason i would say "i" am being wary of them is because they use their own wiring harness different form the 99+'s. Please inform me of my misinterpretations! 
I wish I didn't have a 98 for the sole reason of the pcm/wiring harness. The 98 pcm is a totally different animal than the 99+, and because of this many of the cool tuning features (such as HPTuners real time tuning and autotuning) will never be available for 98 cars. Not to say you can't tune a 98 to run just as strong as 99+, it just takes more work because you have to do things the hard way. If I had my choice of years it would be an 01-02....
i believe Moates has a real-time tuneable 98 PCM now. i saw it at Green-Light Motorsports, they have a 99+ model and a 98 model. i think it works with EFILive or something like that and can connect via Bluetooth...
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
There is nothing wrong with buying a '98, I don't consider them inferior at all (and I've owned a '98, '99, and '00 so I have a good basis to compare). Actually in some ways I like my '98 better than the other years. I'd buy another '98 in a heartbeat if everything else about it was what I wanted.
There have been some minor changes over the '98-'02 years. Some were improvements, but not all were good changes though (some were a step backward). Only issue that might cause you some extra hassle with a '98 if you plan big mods is the tuning situation mentioned above.
Check out this link for more info if you haven't already:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/new-ls1-owners-newbie-tech/213148-jrp-s-faq-commonly-asked-questions.html
There have been some minor changes over the '98-'02 years. Some were improvements, but not all were good changes though (some were a step backward). Only issue that might cause you some extra hassle with a '98 if you plan big mods is the tuning situation mentioned above.
Check out this link for more info if you haven't already:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/new-ls1-owners-newbie-tech/213148-jrp-s-faq-commonly-asked-questions.html
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Maple Grove, MN
Thanks for the link. I guess my biggest concern for getting a 98 would be my ability to find replacement motors. My reasoning is you'd be bound to 97 vette and 98 ls1 engines....truck motors and later ls1s would be off limits because of the different harness, correct? (unless you were a wiring guru unlike myself)
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by PaulC
Thanks for the link. I guess my biggest concern for getting a 98 would be my ability to find replacement motors.
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you could put a 2002 ls1 in a 98 with no problems. hell you can put an ls6 from an 04 Z06 in a 98 with no problems, you'd have to put your existing accessory drive on the new motor because the alt and stuff mount different.
really if you go through the list, the biggest difference of changes 98-02 is that 01-02 cars have an ls6 intake, and 98-99s have a smaller gas tank by about a gallon.
the own downside of a 98 in my eyes, is that they do tend to blow up AC compressors at WOT, i finally found the TSB after a year of searching (or not searching)...
really if you go through the list, the biggest difference of changes 98-02 is that 01-02 cars have an ls6 intake, and 98-99s have a smaller gas tank by about a gallon.
the own downside of a 98 in my eyes, is that they do tend to blow up AC compressors at WOT, i finally found the TSB after a year of searching (or not searching)...
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Verdad Gallardo Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by spy2520
the own downside of a 98 in my eyes, is that they do tend to blow up AC compressors at WOT, i finally found the TSB after a year of searching (or not searching)...
Launching!
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From: Seven Nation Army
i have a 98... i have upgraded my car through its life w ls6 or 02 parts namely heads intake clutch....... dont let anyone fool you its very upgradeale and tunable... i have 400 rwhp..... and the only thing 98 left on my car is the pcm and the harness..... the 98 97 speedo and the cool tinted blue side view mirrors..... i also have a real eng temp guage..... nicer buttons on the steering wheel..... and i dont have that nasty black box gm has...... do a search and look at f bodies difference.... like other poster have said some parts were a step back and other a step foward.... just pick your parts carefully and do you research
Teching In
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I had a 2002, now I have a 1998.
2002 had a lot more rattles and squeaks and the T-tops leaked.(bought new)
1998 seems to run harder(stock cam for 1998 has higher lift? I heard), tight as a drum. The seat belts on the 1998 seem to get hung up twisted all the time, like the bracket does'nt let the seat belt retract right.
When I buy my next one, I'm shooting for 2002 only because it is newer.
2002 had a lot more rattles and squeaks and the T-tops leaked.(bought new)
1998 seems to run harder(stock cam for 1998 has higher lift? I heard), tight as a drum. The seat belts on the 1998 seem to get hung up twisted all the time, like the bracket does'nt let the seat belt retract right.
When I buy my next one, I'm shooting for 2002 only because it is newer.
Originally Posted by RPM WS6
Can't you avoid that issue by just turning off the A/C before going WOT? I don't think the high rpms will hurt the compressor any if the A/C clutch is disengaged, because at that point the pulley is just spinning freely.
you are correct it will freewheel if you turn it off. but 99-02s turn off by themselves after a target rpm has been reached, 98s frequently miss the target rpm, they dont tell you that though...
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by briansshop
the 98 has the biggest injectors of all the years
The '99-'00 injectors are the smaller 26lb.
Banned
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My friend ran 12.9@107 w/ 1.9 60' with a 98 WS6 M6 car with stock EVERYTHING down to stock replacement Goodyear F1 tires. Car had 45K miles on it and was owned by an old man who babied the hell out of it all its life. 'nuff said. He has no ticking, oil consumption, pistonslap, NOTHING.
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by BLKWS.6
He has no ticking, oil consumption, pistonslap, NOTHING.
