How long will an LS! last?
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 344
Likes: 0
How long will an LS! last? I have an opportunity to pick up a 99 corvette for relatively cheap, about 10 grand. It is a little rough, a lot of the work I can do myself. (oil sensor, a lot of cleaning) However the engine has 93,000 on it. I don't have a lot of money, and I would like to do the little things to it, Air intake cat back ect as time goes by. The engine does not blow any smoke or use any oil. I know it depends on how it was driven, but there has to be some kind of average. How long can I expect the internals of an LS1 to last? Is this car getting to a point where things are going to start breaking? Thank you for your advice.
Every car is different.. to say it will last 300,000 miles or 100,000 is wrong both ways.. car usually last dependent on the owner and how they are taken car of. If the outside of the car is trashed and needs tlc how do you think the previous owner took care of the motor?? My motor lasted to 160k and that was beating the hell out of it, racing at the track, street and numerous daily trips to 7000 rpm.. that was with a stock shortblock, just cam and bolt-ons.. its all realative. They are known to be a longer lasting motor but usually its a rod bearing or main that does them in.
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Westminster, Md
In theory, the LS1 was the start of a stout line of LS engines GM produced. I believe the LS1's are tough motors and take tremendous amounts of abuse. If a car has 93,000 miles this decision is not up to me, but you. If you want to keep the block...I'd start with freshening up the valvetrain; maybe some new pushrods, valvesprings and retainers (TSP PRC Dual Spring Kit), replacement lifters (LS1 or LS7), maybe rockers re-done by harland sharp if you don't wanna spend 400 on new aftermarket ones, LS6 pump, LS6 intake, new spark plugs, MSD spark plug wires, new timing chain, water pump and maybe some new gaskets and bearings. Other than these things...I think you'd be pretty safe. All in all, I don't think you have to worry to much about the internals as much as you do valvetrain wear.
Oh yeah, has the car been moded at all? If it hasn't, then I'd say you're pretty safe because teh stock rev limiter is set at 6200 I believe and these engines rev up to 7k no problem on stock internals.
Oh yeah, has the car been moded at all? If it hasn't, then I'd say you're pretty safe because teh stock rev limiter is set at 6200 I believe and these engines rev up to 7k no problem on stock internals.
Mine is an 02 SS with 88k on the clock. I bought it off my brother-in-law so I know that for the last 55k+ mi that he had it, he drove it nicely and it always had 5W-30 Synthetic oils. I run the same, and I dyno'd recently at 325WHP/ 335WTQ (SAE) with just the free ram air mod and K&N filter. Motor runs great and smooth, does not leak or burn oil.
Trending Topics
Don't be afraid. I have 158k and no worries. It will run 13.3's at the track all day too (lid, cat back, and tires only). If the motor has been taken care of it will be fine, I would worry more about the trans than the motor, I had to rebuild mine at 120k.
Josh
Josh
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
lets just say there is people camming there cars at 180k. Its dependant on how the car was taken care of. Mine has 106k on it and i beat the living snot out of it every chance I get. But I take care of it and fix anything that might start to go wrong. Its all dependant on the previous owners care.
How long it will last depends on how it was treated. My 99 engine lasted 84k miles Good oil was used anc changed regularly I drove it hard), heads and cam combo and hard driving took it out. There are some with over 200,000 and some guys spin a bearing at 38,000. Longevity is all dependant on how it was and is treated. Also IIRC the 99's had some oil pump failures and it was recommned to change them at 100k. Do some searching on that, my memory could wrong on that.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 344
Likes: 0
Thank you all for your help. The corvette was picked up by my brother about 6 years ago with 73000 miles on it, my dad took it over and drives it on occasion. He has a 69 427 that is his passion. Well the 99 just sits under a tree and collects bird droppings, I try and clean it every couple of weeks. The transmission was repaired under warranty, I don't know to what extent, but it shifts beautifully. He also had to have the headlightswitch replaced in the interior. That was 600 bucks by itself! We were thinking about swapping cars plus a little cash. (81 vette and a thousand or two).
Thank you all again
Zach
Thank you all again
Zach
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 0
From: Lexington, KY
If your brother and father put the last 20k on it and it doesn't use much oil, has good oil pressure, and is quiet (other than the typical valvetrain ticking), I wouldn't be afraid of it at all.
I just got '00 Camaro Ls1, run +200K miles
uzzling:. Motor looks fine but little rough idle and bad greasy/dust on. I ll put Seafoam to clean up at all (vaccum,oil,fuel).
If i have pix, I ll post at speedometer/miles....
Motor >>
uzzling:. Motor looks fine but little rough idle and bad greasy/dust on. I ll put Seafoam to clean up at all (vaccum,oil,fuel).If i have pix, I ll post at speedometer/miles....
Motor >>
Last edited by Jeff Smith; Apr 19, 2009 at 02:49 PM.
Mine 99 is bone stock and still starts instantly and runs awesome. No smoke and just a very small oil leak. I'm waiting for it to blow up, but it shows no signs of that soon. I sold my last one with around 171,000 and it ran the same.
you might want to put your air lid on right too before that rough idle gets worse!