01 WS6 - Now what?

[BlackHawk T/A]

Just got my dream car...now what can I do, maintenence wise to start off?

I don't know what the previous owner used but Mobil 1 is going in there the very first time I change the oil for sure. What about transmission fluid (its an auto)?

Anything anywhere around the car I should do now that I own one? Like things every LS1 or F-Body owner should do/fix. It's been a long time since I visited the site. I'm not really looking at doing mods yet, though I know a lot in that category already, just need the money.

TIA

[Zboner]

you should never have to change the tranny fluid for the life of the trans, and i use syn oil it runs about 10*-15* cooler then regular

[Eric @ DMS]

How many miles are on the car now?

[BlackHawk T/A]

73k

Feels like it could use a few things...just not sure what...

[third_shift|studios]

windows and head light motors-those things are prone to go, not sure how to prevent that though.

wow, 73k-that was like sooo long ago for me...and my car is only a year in my name!

[SuperSport]

you should never have to change the tranny fluid for the life of the trans, and i use syn oil it runs about 10*-15* cooler then regular


Interesting comment. According to the Owner's Manual, it says every 15K miles...

Change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven
under one or more of these conditions:
– In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly
reaches 90F (32C) or higher.
– In hilly or mountainous terrain.
– When doing frequent trailer towing.
– Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these conditions, change the fluid
and filter every 50,000 miles (83 000 km).

I'd have it changed, IMO.

[Zboner]

i looked in a 2000 model year and it says that it should never have to be changed?

[SuperSport]

Hmm... now I am curious as they are the same transmissions. I'll see if I can find an '00 owner's manual online. That quote came out of a pdf of the 2002 manual I have on my PC.

[SuperSport]

Here's a link to the online Owner's Manual for 2000:

https://www.mygmlink.com/pdf/go2content/manual/US/en/chevrolet/2000camaro.pdf

It's got the same quote on page 327, page 7-9 of the manual...

Change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these conditions:
– In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches
90F (32C) or higher.
– In hilly or mountainous terrain.
– When doing frequent trailer towing.
– Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these conditions, change the fluid
and filter every 50,000 miles (83 000 km).

Now there are a couple of passages in the manual where it states that if you have a Manual Transmission, it doesn't require changing. That's probably the mix-up.

Personally, I'd change it out anyway. Cheap insurance.

[blackSS01]

I have to go with everyone else and say don't run cheap gas (87) the couple bucks you save on fill ups will cost you 1000 times more when you blow your engine from detonation. Detonation or pinging is when the gas explodes early and can take a motor out in no time. From 87 to 93 is only maybe $5.00 more a fill up, that is not that bad.

[BlackHawk T/A]

I thought about using 87-89 on the cold days, but I'll always run the good stuff (91) when its even a little on the warm side (60-100).

Could I get away with cheaper gas through the winter since hotter temperatures require more octane to prevent detonation? Just a thought, maybe it won't ping during easy daily driving in the winter?

I've always run nothing but Premium though.

Headlight motors are good, real fast and strong, though really damn loud (errr clank, clank). Window motors are good, though a little on the slow side.

I need to find a clear corner light mod because I have one bulb dead on the drivers side anyway and I thought i'd take care of both at the same time.

Other notes - Power Antennae is really loud coming up, may try some WD-40 on it to lube it up?

Hatch is very tinted - Not sure if done by previous owner or a stock deal, but it makes it really hard, if not sometimes impossible to see cars behind me at night, especially when backing up and parking.

Air whooshing noise duing acceleration sometimes - probably the intake/TB sucking air? My old Monte Carlo had a similar noise so probably not an issue.

Possible problem with steering/suspension, posted in Suspension forum.

Any more comments are greatly appreciated. :yup:

[Zboner]

you only have 91? that sucks we got 93 :yup:

[BIG D's SS]

If you window motors are slow then that is a sign that they will be going out before 2 much longer. My brothers is slow and weak that you have to open the passenger door so it will roll all the way up. The t-top rubber keeps it from rolling all the up.

[BlackHawk T/A]

Gonna post this here, getting zero responses in the suspension forum:

Whenever one of my front wheels feels a bump in the road, I feel it through the wheel - it jerks to that side and I have to really hold it to keep the car straight on some roads and its highly annoying.

Is something broken? It feels like it http://ls1.com/forums/images/smilies/umm.gif

Car corners tight when I want it to...but also turns when I don't want it to...the car should be able to hold a fairly straight line right? Never had a car that did this before.

[SuperSport]

Well, the wide tires on our cars causes them to find worn spots on the road and "wonder" to them. Even on a smooth road, if it's crowned in the middle, it will make the car have a tendency to wonder left or right. Also being more tightly sprung than your average car, you'll feel more of the road and what's on it. It is something to get use to, if you are new to the car. I know I did. That might be part, if not all of what you are feeling. Maybe it's time for new sway bar bushings as well. Just some thoughts. If you are concerned, have it checked out.

[BlackHawk T/A]

Well, the wide tires on our cars causes them to find worn spots on the road and "wonder" to them. Even on a smooth road, if it's crowned in the middle, it will make the car have a tendency to wonder left or right.
You just described exactly how it behaves. I am just completely not used to having to hold the wheel firmly to keep the car going straight on some roads, makes me feel like something is loose in there. So I guess I shouldn't worry about it?

[kolkid]

Yeah if you can afford it run on 91 all the time, I myself alternate between 91 and 89 depending on how much cash i have in my wallet available for gas. Ive ran the car on 89 for 1 month and heard no pingin (like i usally do when i run 87) but I use 91 at every other fill up now just for my own psycological well being (i really dotn think ls1's really need it, i could be wrong tho) so i guess im runing 90 octane cause they mix since i always fill it up at about the 1/2 mark.

[2001nbma4]

The stock shocks are junk, get bilstiens. Whenever the tires get around 50% tread the car will follow every crack in the road whether you want it to or not. Check your gas mileage, mine was poor when I used a lower grade, and if you have done anything to the car I wouldnt suggest using regular, unless you are stock.

[BlackTAWS6]

Do a little bit of preventative maintence for your head lights. I hated the noise that they would make when I would put them down after the gear stipped on one of them. I am not sure exactly where I got them from anymore, but you can get some brass gears to replace the plastic ones for your lights. I would have done this long before my gear went out on one of mine, if I would have known.

Get you some good Sub Frame Connectors, too. To keep your body nice and straight. Heard of a lot of people without them that have their fender/door gaps all messed up now; some even say some things inside have cracked do to it as well.

If/when the motors for your windows go out, just swing on in to AutoZone or Oreilys and get a replacement with the lifetime warranty, just like $50.

Since you might not be too sure on the condition, I would change the radiator fluid, too. Check your plugs, just to be sure they aren't black or w/e.

[BlackHawk T/A]

Well I seem to be able to get 250 miles per tank with city driving, with getting on it maybe 3-4 times, and it runs real strong, strong enough to swing itself sideways from a 1000rpm launch and 1/2 throttle...:yup:


I will definetely work on the suspension when the money is available (the car does follow every crack and dip in the road like it has a mind of its own).

Thanks for all the replies.

[ice]

My car does the exact same thing on the road. Have to hold on with both hands or it feels like i am going to lose control (and would). I have fairly new tires and have an A4 so im not white smoking or anything. The tread life isnt bad but what Blackhawk said about it "steering for you" is describes it perfectly. Really annoying. I think mine is more suspension than anything though.