LS1 reliability with mileage...oppinions needed

FedFbody · 11-23-2005, 05:11 PM

Right now im looking at a 00 ss with 84,000 miles on it. the price is good and the enterior is fine. the motor sounds good and everythin drives well. the only hesiatation i have is the milage. im going to use this car as a daily driver and might put anywhere from 15-20k miles a year on it. my question is how good are these motors once they hit 100k+ miles. help?

Necction · 11-23-2005, 05:47 PM

LS1's are extremly reliable, well unless you mod the hell out of them , then your on your own. But they'll go 150k and over easily. You just gotta take care of it.

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 11-24-2005, 10:11 AM

I have 81 on the clock...still runs strong, even though I bought it with 78

**GatorSS** · 11-24-2005, 07:00 PM

With proper maintenance and care an LS1 should have no problem reaching 200k.

**rotwiler** · 12-01-2005, 09:05 PM

I've heard over and over the LS1 was good for 150k. As long as regular oil changes are done and typical things I don't see why not. I only have 34k on my 02, but I have ran it hard and over 200 times down the track doing ET drags, plus it is my daily driver and I have never had anything break. Not even typical window motors or rear end. Never even seen a GM dealer yet. Stay away from nitros and major mods if you want reliabilty. You should even see about 24mpg easy and that is nice to have all that power and good gas mileage too.

**Z28Camaro010** · 12-02-2005, 09:04 AM

mine has 97000 and i bought it with 86000 it runs great

**Fran D** · 12-03-2005, 05:35 AM

80K on mine that I bought new. Never a lick of trouble.

**TheBowTieBear** · 12-04-2005, 05:39 AM

158k on the clock and it still turns 13's with MrsBear driving.

just be sure to use a good synthetic oil at a heavier weight than the factory recommendation....Castol Syntec or Syntec Blend in 20w/50 if you live in a warm climate

i do a filter cut at every oil change and i have yet to see ANY metal debris

**djvaly** · 03-06-2006, 11:45 PM

"rotwiler" why stay away from nitros? I am planning on installing nitros 100 shot at WOT and only use it every now and then. like once or twice a week,, when I need to flex some muscle.. what would that do to the reliability of my TA? I got 60k on it btw.

thanks...

**Capster78** · 03-07-2006, 04:23 PM

Depends on your driving habits. If you baby it and take good care of it youll have no problems at 100k miles. If your like most people who own these cars and drive them like they should be driven.. 100k miles is about time for a rebuild lol.

**rotwiler** · 03-18-2006, 04:47 PM

He was wondering if a 80k car is reliable since it will be a daily driver, I say yes as long as it was taken care of from past owner/s.. any time you add nitrous to any car, there is a chance of something going wrong. I am thinking about adding a 75-100 shot, no more than that to my daily driver, but will use it to get some better ET's at the track a few times a year and maybe once a month out on the street. I rarely ever get people with faster cars trying to race me anyway and on the street is too risky, either from stupid drivers or you never know. As long as a LS1 has minor mods like, stall, headers, intake, lid, pulleys, catback etc..I can't see any reason why a LS1 can't see 150k miles and still be running good. I see a lot of people put not needed problem mods on and is the cause for failure. Adding shift kits with really hard shifts is bad on the tranny, or hitting the nitrous through shifts also is one way to make the tranny go. Keeping a eye on oil level is important too, many Ls1 engines use more oil than most cars and many don't know that. I check my oil ever 500 miles even without any oil use issues, I also run top engine cleaner through the intake every 10k miles and really helps with pinging and cleans up the engine. Changing oil, flushing radiator ever few years, change gear oil(I do it once a year and use only Royal Purple), I also change the tranny fluid every 10k, use a good anti siphon filter when doing the engine oil and use some good sythetics(I use mobile 1 10w30 year round)..

**Duffster** · 03-19-2006, 04:34 AM

<<< 97350 miles on 2001. . .
pulled 319/340 and 320/340 on dyno 2 weeks ago with LIGHT
mods...
running great ;D

**astyles** · 03-28-2006, 07:34 PM

i just purchased a 2001 with 101000 on it and it runs real strong, recently took it on a road trip and got 25 mpg even with running it up to 120 for a short run against a 2006 ss impala!

**jimbo98z** · 03-31-2006, 03:23 PM

I've had a few problems, nothing major with the exception of breaking the rear

, and none of the problems have been with the motor. It's a 98Z with about 114k on the clock.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, motor was freshened up right before I got it at 96k miles. I think the motor was really beat on before I got the car though, because it's very rare (I've never seen it) to have an LS1 with almost no mods go south with less that 100,000 miles. The rest of the drivetrain was in A+ shape too.