Does this sound healthy to you??
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2020
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Does this sound healthy to you?? New member, but not a new LS owner. Previously owned a 99 SS, a 98 Corvette FRC, and most recently a 2016 Camaro 2SS.
I have a deposit down on this car, plan to settle up the difference tomorrow but I want to get some expert opinions on the engine sound. I think it sounds normal or maybe has a noisy accesory but i just dont have a lot of experience with cammed up LS engines.
https://youtu.be/AUPdTJhb-N0
I appreciate input from anyone who would like to help! If it works out, i would like to share the inevitable further work I will do on suspension, braking etc. on this neat old car
Thanks all!
I have a deposit down on this car, plan to settle up the difference tomorrow but I want to get some expert opinions on the engine sound. I think it sounds normal or maybe has a noisy accesory but i just dont have a lot of experience with cammed up LS engines.
https://youtu.be/AUPdTJhb-N0
I appreciate input from anyone who would like to help! If it works out, i would like to share the inevitable further work I will do on suspension, braking etc. on this neat old car
Thanks all!
It's not easy to say one way or the other by just listening to a video and while the engine is just idling, It looks like a high dollar purchase and probably worth finding a mechanic to look it over before you buy it.
The engine is the cheapest thing to replace in that car so if the price is right even if it does have a knock I wouldnt be to concerned.
Although it could have been the camera, exhaust leak, or a number of other things.
Like the others said, check it out in person or have someone else go look at it in person.
Also check the sellers reputation..
If there good they will send you any video or photos you want, especially if you have a deposit down on the car.
If not, get your deposit back (if you can) and look elsewhere.
Although it could have been the camera, exhaust leak, or a number of other things.
Like the others said, check it out in person or have someone else go look at it in person.
Also check the sellers reputation..
If there good they will send you any video or photos you want, especially if you have a deposit down on the car.
If not, get your deposit back (if you can) and look elsewhere.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2020
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Thank everyone so much for the help! I am going to try and get a local mechanic over there to take a listen. I can get my deposit back if I take issue with the car before I settle the balance up. I welcome ANY further advice or opinion on what you hear. I could also request a longer running engine video if you guys think it would be worthwhile.
I agree an engine rebuild on that LS1 (especially considering how easy it probably is to yank) is not prohibitively expensive but... wife and 30k spent on a car with a bad engine won't be pretty.
As far as the dealer rep, it seems pretty strong. the usual salt on Yelp but likely a lot more happy customers who never bothered to review. But still a used car dealership and you can't trust them any farther than you can throw them so I will have a mechanic go take a look.
Thanks again everyone! Look forward to any other input or insight you may want to provide!
I agree an engine rebuild on that LS1 (especially considering how easy it probably is to yank) is not prohibitively expensive but... wife and 30k spent on a car with a bad engine won't be pretty.
As far as the dealer rep, it seems pretty strong. the usual salt on Yelp but likely a lot more happy customers who never bothered to review. But still a used car dealership and you can't trust them any farther than you can throw them so I will have a mechanic go take a look.
Thanks again everyone! Look forward to any other input or insight you may want to provide!
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Joined: Mar 2018
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Most ls1's aren't quiet. I had my 2002 SS in the dealer at 21,000 miles and they replaced the lifters, power steering pulley, belt. Five different visits and nothing helped.
They finally told me it was normal. Sounded the same as it always did. Still sounds the same today. But today it's more well known that these engines make noise.
They finally told me it was normal. Sounded the same as it always did. Still sounds the same today. But today it's more well known that these engines make noise.
Sweet looking car.
With that video its really impossible to tell if that engine is healthy or not in my opinion. Definitely have a reputable mechanic check that car out before buying it.
FWIW - my 02 Z28 with a 250,000 miles has a nasty case of piston slap on cold start and it sounds much healthier than that 2nd Gen Camaro. My TA had a lot of lifter noise and ticks with an XER cam. That noise sounds more like a rod knock to me as previously mentioned.
I
With that video its really impossible to tell if that engine is healthy or not in my opinion. Definitely have a reputable mechanic check that car out before buying it.
FWIW - my 02 Z28 with a 250,000 miles has a nasty case of piston slap on cold start and it sounds much healthier than that 2nd Gen Camaro. My TA had a lot of lifter noise and ticks with an XER cam. That noise sounds more like a rod knock to me as previously mentioned.
I
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2018
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From: Michigan
Kinda sounds like piston slap to me. I bought my car with 40k on the clock and it would do that every time it started up, more so when it was cold. It rarely does that anymore though, and it's probably because I changed the oil I use. I've driven the absolute hell out of it for the last 23k miles, shifting above 6000 rpm thousands of times even before I cammed it.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Update: The dealer said "well we need to take it to our shop for a quick tune up anyway; want us to provide some details from the mechanic at our shop (i.e. the shop owned by the dealership owner?).
I said "sure I would be GLAD to hear what he has to say, and then take it to the independent shop afterwards. Thanks!"
So we shall see what kind of tune up it receives and what happens from that point at the independent shop. Will keep you lads and lassies posted if you are interested!
I said "sure I would be GLAD to hear what he has to say, and then take it to the independent shop afterwards. Thanks!"
So we shall see what kind of tune up it receives and what happens from that point at the independent shop. Will keep you lads and lassies posted if you are interested!
Is the engine at operating temperature? The ls1’s are notorious for piston slap on cold start. I’ve had 6 f body’s with ls1’s and they all sounded last this at start up. Once they warmed up they quieted down. Still not the quietest engines.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2020
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Updatex2: Their mechanic went over the car what sounds like pretty hard (said they did a compression test, block test, cooling sys pressure test, even told me the gap on the plugs). A few old car issues like worn out suspension parts which I don't care about anyway, but said the engine and trans checked out great.
Still sending to the independent shop on Monday.
they drop right in and only need tuned once installed. As I always recommend, TRAILER it to the tuner, DO NOT DRIVE IT! a bad tune can destroy a brand new engine in no time.