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  1. #1
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Black & Blue
    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    What kills our cars?

    Still new to the LS engine series and after reading a few recent threads I am curious as to what all has historically "killed" our engines. Please take this to mean both "temporarily inoperable" and "turned it into a boat anchor" kind of killed. No, I am not talking about running your car into a large immovable object either.

    Rather, I understand that missed shifts for the M6 crowd can bend rods in the stock valve train; oil pumps appear to be an issue; clogged cats are common; dirty throttle bodies happen; and others. Just looking for the other common fail points that are out there, what has happened, and how some may be avoided by steps over and above routine maintenance.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Zboner's Avatar
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    Black
    99 SS

    i think all that is due to the fact that people just beat the hell out of them honestly.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Z28_Driver's Avatar
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    Sunset Orange Metallic
    2002 Z28 Hardtop

    yeah that pretty much sums it up.

    water pump at about 50k is the only problem with my current LS1

    main bearing, rods, warped heads with the previous car
    16 year old drivers will do that!

    most people i know have had very few problems if they dont beat it to death.

  4. #4
    Detailing + Design third_shift|studios's Avatar
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    My life is a
    Ben Stiller movie.

    where is joshie doom? he's basically written the book on high milage maintenence.

  5. #5
    Member ksstamp09's Avatar
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    388 rwhp & 370 rwtq
    2001 Camaro SS #847

    dont drive through water.



    fuckin hydrolock.

  6. #6
    Senior Member JaycenK's Avatar
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    Green
    1997 Camaro Z-28

    Early LS motors in F-bods had a problem with some type of Bore deforming. Read it years ago and it only happens on the 2 inboard cylinders. It is not major either. It only causes a little oil blow by on the rings. The cylinders do where more but not bad enough to require more than a .030 bore after 100k so other than that the LS motors are proving to be one of the best building platforms people have seen since the early gen 1's. Every other motor out there is modular except mopar but it's mopar and no one makes parts for them still to this day!!! LOL I have to laugh cuz my bud hates the fact that there are more head choices for my LT1 than his 70 mopar 360. and mine are still cheaper. lol gota love a chevy

  7. #7
    Veteran 0rion's Avatar
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    98 Formula
    06 duramax

    the lsx motors are pretty indestructable if you're basing that on a stock unmodified motor. They will last a loooooong time usually. Rod bolts have been an issue on the early engines but even with the old rod bolts mine has been fine for 94k miles but my shift points are a conservative 6500. Injector seals have been an issue. An oil pump here and there. Lots of fuel pumps. In general though it's my feeling that the LSx is the best small block ever made when you consider the power they make right off the shelf the the longevity most people see with them. Go to any drag strip and there are 100k+mileage cars running 11's with them.

  8. #8
    Member zmg00camaross's Avatar
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    pewter
    2000 camaro ss

    Well rpm and heat kill any engine. Maintence is key to any vehicle life.

  9. #9
    Member 02WS6dream's Avatar
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    08 Mustang GT/CS Blue
    2002 Trans Am WS6 traded

    for me it wasn't the motor that gave me fits...had a trouble free 90000miles out of it with many smiles.... it was the rest of the damn thing that caused the hate part of our hate/love relationship...particularly the A4 tranny--the bitch that ultimately forced me to trade the car in... miss that damn thing!!

  10. #10
    Member vikingramair's Avatar
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    BLACK
    1999 Trans Am WS-6

    Every car without proper maintenance and TLC will fail at the end. Our car is no exception.

  11. #11
    Impounded
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    79 T/A -91 Firebird
    1998 Trans Am -Oynx Black

    Quote Originally Posted by third_shift|studios View Post
    where is joshie doom? he's basically written the book on high milage maintenence.
    Dam fucking everything falls apart... lol.. eh not really. Here is my full outlook on things

    Mostly from my PO not taking the time to change coolant, that screwed the water pump and the heater core.

    I didnt throw a TPS code for a long time and i checked it like everyday and my torque converter would shudder and I think that is what killed the TC and the tranny fluid was never changed. It was sludgy black..

    Headlight motors go bad because of turning them on in ICE or while driving. I pull over to turn on my headlights.

    I keep fluid in my rear end. It doesnt drip but it does eat fluid..... somehow. It whines like none other but I does stand daily WOT romps to work.

    Headliner is toast. Sunvisors are toast.

    Everything is is beat and with a good cleaning everything can look new again.

    I dont roll my windows all the way down either because that puts stress on the door panel and the regulator. I leave them 1 inch to 1/2 inch up. I do not slam the door.

    Lemme see.....

    Jealous Girlfriends are best dumped. Either find one who doesnt care about cars or one who has one.. even if they are kinda slutty.. Mine said she wasnt happy and the past two years have sucked so I said GTFO.



    I change my oil and filter often, I put a tranny cooler on regardless of stall converter or not. I am installing an oil cooler as well.

    I do a full detailed regardless of weather about twice a month. I will go to the wash place in town in 20 degree weather. Take two buckets and fill them up with their warm water and start working...

    My car eats bulbs. I drive basically only at night.

    Suspension components suck on these cars...

    Get some tubular with poly ends and say F it if possible.

    When you tear into something. Replace everything. Hell I bought ARP torque converter bolts. If you can see a flaw.. wait.. save money, think out EVERYTHING at least 3 times before you buy or mod.

    I still havent bought SFCs.. I need to... im a fucking idiot because of it.

    I plan on driving mine till it rolls over or gas isnt availible or till i get the other project birds DDable for a while..

    and dont buy 02 extensions honestly.. just go for the new corvette 02 sensors..

  12. #12
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    Good info. Thanks for the extra effort Joshie D. I did notice the door panel flexing when the window bottoms out, so I also do not let it "auto down".

    For the most part it sounds like the water pump and fuel pump would be the most likely things to suddenly give out and strand us. Just wait for the inevitable, or bite the bullet and swap them out at some point? Our '02 has 72,000 miles -- recommendations?

  13. #13
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    Blue
    2000 TA

    Swaybar endlinks and upper shock nut rusted so badly they couldn't be unscrewed.

    Speaker blew.

    6 speed tranny had to be rebuilt under warranty.

    Inner edge front tire wear(not as bad as as a Mustang though).

    Other than those issues no real problems.

  14. #14
    Veteran Firebirdjones's Avatar
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    Bought our 97 Z28 convertable new. Wife drove it for 110,000 miles with no issues. Ran great, no mechanical failures. Other than general maintainance I never had to turn a wrench on it.
    Then someone rearended it and totalled it

    Replaced it with a 2000 SS, it's been a great car so far. Again no real issues. I had to replace a few things from a previous owner but that's to be expected with any car this age, and the abuse they see from the younger generation.

    I've had my 02 SS for 3 years now. It was stock and lady owned when new. I'm second owner. Car is near perfect and runs great.
    My only issue with this car,,,and it's a strange one,,,because most LS1's don't have this problem.
    Can't keep a rear main seal in it. It was replaced once under warranty. When I bought it,,,the seal was already leaking badly again.
    I pulled the trainy and found the seal installed backwards What GM tech did that??? UGH!!!
    I have since installed another rear main seal, it's been going on 3 years and it is starting to seep now. It also seeps out of the valve covers so I put a pair of gasket up there.
    For some reason this engine just wants to seep oil from every orifice possible. Obviously a crankcase breathing problem,,,but extra valve cover beathers have not seemed to help.
    It has had a couple other normal things done while the car was still under manufacture warranty,,,a pair of cat converters, and one window motor.

  15. #15
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    black
    2000 camaro ss

    window regulators-10bolt-brakes-rear hatch release-3rd gear-and of course tires!

  16. #16
    Yo Da Lin The Valley..... astyles's Avatar
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    2001

    mine is a love hate thing too....i got it with 100k on the clock and the stealership replaced the motor with in 3 months under warantee.......other than that 2 fuel pumps(one was defective) a waterpump,tranny mount,torque arm mount, front seats need redoing and im getting ready to get the tranny redone just cause....

  17. #17
    Member hoosierSS02's Avatar
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    Onyx Black, M6
    2002 Berger Camaro SS #86

    98's will almost always have the fuel pump issue (losing line pressure when the car sits), pretty much any year will have the window motor thing. I've had to replace window motors on all three of my ls1s (98,99,02), so expect that. other than that, change the belts, do regular maintenance, and keep an watchful eye on things. The LS1 will reward you.

  18. #18
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    Quote Originally Posted by hoosierSS02 View Post
    The LS1 will reward you.
    No doubt about that. I am rewarded every time I press the go pedal.

  19. #19
    Senior Member ss~zoso~ss's Avatar
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    SS: NBM, tan top
    1998-SS, 2010 Jetta TDI

    high revving deaths (bearings), miss-shift valve-train damage

  20. #20
    Senior Member 00LS12LS6Z28's Avatar
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    Black
    2000 Camaro Z28 (sold)

    I say the things that tend to go first are nothing engine wise (as long as you do regular maintenance), but the window motors and the radio speakers. At least based on my experience. But I have had my car for almost 9 years and only a little over 46,000 miles.

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