Gold Z

iTrader: (3)

My car had the same problem. Tear down revealed two cylinder bores out of specs. They wanted to bore my engine .010 and put in oversize pistons which is what I suspect they are wanting to do to yours as undersized factory pistons have never been a problem but oversized and/or out of round cylinders have been. They ended up installing a new longblock in my car as a shortblock is not available as a warranty item nor is a bare block. Good luck!

XuhQshinR

The more I thought about it I would rather have a new engine especially due to the fact the GM Original Manufacturers Warranty runs out May 16th 2004 and doesn't a NEW GM Engine come with a 2 Year Warranty?

From what I have read most that have had these probs and if/when GM did anything they received a new engine. According to what I could research on the web.

It is not that I do not trust my GM Tech as I really do, but I do not trust an engine that has just turned 17K having to have this type of work done on it unless you are doing it for performance enhancements. This is a defect and should be replaced as the best bet to remedy the problem and minmize it coming back.

Don't want it to one day go boom!
Thanks

Magred2001vette

iTrader: (2)

WANT NEW MOTOR......
1.Go 70mph
2.Put in first gear
3.Let clutch out
.....now you have more problems than just piston slap!

I have heard many local stories about people who do this right before warranty goes out to get a new motor, even though I am personally not agreeing w/ this method.

silverTA

well i did it cose the dealership replaced just the pistons in my 02ws6 and i didn't like that and the car was smoking oil,,piston slap when i got it back ,,the same day i went to my house drain all the oil from the engine take it to the HW doing 100MPH UNTIL blows up took it back the same day ,,,i got new motor in the car after 5 days from the same dealership with no Q

2001CamaroGuy

iTrader: (6)

The LS1 block is no longer produced. In 03 the LS1 block was completely fazed out and all LS_ series 5.7 motors are built on the LS6 block. It didn't really change anything but cut costs for GM (only need to produce 1 block vs. 2 which means less inventory). The crank, rods, pistons, lifters, pushrods, rockers, etc. have always been the same between LS1s and LS6s. The only differences were the heads (with valves and valve springs) and the cam.

So now, if you buy a new 04 C5 (non Z06) with an "LS1", swap the heads and cam, and return, you have the EXACT same motor as the Z06.

2001CamaroGuy

iTrader: (6)

bitch, scream, and raise hell so you can get a new motor.......then you get 0 miles on the clock and an extended warranty

XuhQshinR

Thanks... Hopefully I won't have to.

Whistler

iTrader: (46)

I wouldn't want an engine rebuilt under warranty, especially when I've heard so many stories of people getting new engines. The techs are paid less per hour for warranty work than regular service work, and some feel "hassled" by it.

Scott Turvey

I'm curious where the info on LS1 blocks still being used, or at least as recently as 2003. Since we've all seen posts about some 16K-odd F-bodies getting LS6 blocks back in '02 because the weren't any more LS1's. This creates a quandry. If anyone with a 2002 or newer car has a block that's NOT marked 12561168 on the back, chime in and let us know.

I'm also interested in the comments on LS6 blocks being stronger than LS1's. What is that view based on? Not attacking, just intriqued.

2001CamaroGuy

iTrader: (6)

I didn't think they were. The LS6 has better bay to bay breathing and thus is better suited for high RPM but I think people assume that since GM replaced the LS1 with the LS6, it must be stronger.

jrivera04

I had a similar problem with my LS1. It had slap and was burning oil 1 quart about ever 3K miles. They say it was within tolerances. One day I was checking out my lid, filter, and MAF housing to make sure everything was clean. But when I look into the elbow I noticed oil had built up. When I looked into my throttle body there was oil all over the place. I drove that car straight to GM and told the guy to bring a screwdriver and we cracked it open right there and then. Turns out that GM either put bad rings on my car or they didn't stagger the slot in the ring correctly. I ended up getting new rings on all of the pistons and they even replaced my bearings.

Scott Turvey

This is cool. I figured there would be some suggestions/anectdotes that hadn't come to mind. Some of these posts are things you just wouldn't think of unless you had it happen to you.

Guess that's why these forums are so popular, eh?

XuhQshinR

Yepper...That is exactly why these forums are Great!

I guess the Piston Slap issue is growing in popularity. There is a site called www.pistonslap.com that states that there are several differet GM engine builds with this known defect. I just read some of the news coverage links from the site. Major issues have existed for the past few years I guess.

I am still a GM fan though but not as much today as I was when the F-Body was available. They offer nothing in todays product line that I want now.

Even the new GTO and its performance numbers do not interest me because I do not like the looks of the car.

XuhQshinR

Correction: I should have said "They offer nothing in todays product line (in my price range) that I want now. I would love to have a Z06!

XuhQshinR

Wow! Maybe that is where all everyones oil is going that have the excessive oil consumption problem?

I take it that the new rings and bearings fixed your problem? They didnt replace the pistons or do anything to the cylinders?

XuhQshinR

Well the pistons and rings have arrived at the dealer. I talked to the service manager on the phone when they called and told him my concerns of the people I have heard that had pistons replaced only to have the problems return in a very short period of time and he replied "I can only do the steps that GM tells me to do" I asked What if there is a difference in the bore specs when you get it apart? He said that will be up to GM but they may decide to go with the piston replacement anyway.

I said That is not the answer I am looking for. If anything is even the slightest bit out of spec on that engine I want GM to replace it.

He said it will be up to GM. This is somewhat different than what I was told last week from the service advisor who stated "if it was out of specs they would replace the entire engine."

I guess we will see what happens. It goes in Monday morning.

SSInnovations

iTrader: (8)

Not sure if this would do the trick but on a cold *** day start the thing up and redline it, if you can break its *** you will definitely get a new motor.

distortion_69

iTrader: (20)

If I know GM dealerships.. I'd say they'll tear it down.. claim you abused it, and then try to charge you to fix it, or for their time tearing it down..

Good Luck,

XuhQshinR

Now wouldn't they be able to tell if that happened?

I wonder if there are any GM Techs here that can tell us why on the cars that have the loud and prolonged cold start pistonslap that only fades when warm Why exactly do they do it? What is it exactly that causes it to be so common?

I have heard several different reasons but would love to hear from a GM tech what they find when they tear these down and why GM turns many people away when they complain about it. Anyone know the full details of this?

I know compaired to a lot of others I am lucky that they are at least admitting the problem with my car, as many have been told it is normal.

So if 20% of the cars that have bad PSlap are normal then the friends of mine and the rest that do not are Not Normal and need repaired?

Also since my car uses synthetic oil even if they only replace pistons and rings will I have to run regular dino oil in it for the 1st 500 miles like is recommended in a new engine for the break-in period?

If they do replace pistons, I only wish I had $ and then I would just have them put in a new cam, springs, etc... on it while they have it torn apart!

Thanks for all of your replies.

pushinfreight

I had only 9k on mine when the oil pump went and after 33 days and 15 phone calls the dealership received a new LS6 engine to put back in my car. They told me that no LS1 blocks were left and it was going to be more cost effective for them to use the LS6. Everything looks the same to me so I am not sure. I did get to speak to the regional rep and after pounding on him they replaced the motor over the rebuild. keep bitching we pay too much to have it done half assed.