The car has 39k on it, pretty low mileage... 6spd, t tops, pretty much mint. The only thing that I'm suspicous about is that the tailpipes seem to be aftermarket, and pretty cheap looking at that.
My question is, are there any problems this car seems to be prone to, ( leaky oilpans, headgaskets, bad clutches, etc... )
I'm not too familiar with the ls1, I own a LT1. I'm gonna throw it up on the lift and go through it with a fine tooth comb, but does anyone have any suggestions on what I should look for to avoid future problems?
TIA!!

 

My clutch went out at 46,000. I really don't know how the previous owner treated it as it did have 35,000 miles on it when I got it. I've never raced it. Other than that, common problem areas are power window motors and blown speakers (I've lost one and recently replaced 4 6.5's with aftermarket speakers).

 

The stock speakers blow! Other than that there isn't that much to look for. My clutch went for 69k before it gave up the ghost.

 

thanks for the replys.
Is there any way tell if a clutch is on is last legs?
Any trick as far as engagement or any such symptom such as vibration or high rpm slipping that I should be looking for?

Also, how much does it cost to have a clutch replaced (on average) and is it something a moderatly skilled DIY can do himself?

Just trying to cover all the bases because i hate getting caught with my pants down....

I had an 87 cherokee with over 280k on the original clutch and pugeot transmission, so I pretty much baby them. But as previously stated, who knows what he previous owner did to the clutches.. Thanks again for the replys!!

 

The stock speakers are fine as long as you don't give them more than 1/2 bass. They run at 1 ohm so too much bass blows the pretty quick. They handle treble just fine in my experience.

 

ok, got the advice on the speakers. I'd rather the clutch went than a speaker any day.

 

Clutch can last anywhere from 20k [me] to 50k.My guess is a DIY can do it but a lift is a must.Plan on about $500. and replace the slave.

 

thanks glenn.. I guess I budget for it.

 

clutch only lasting 20k??? do you pedal dump and powershift your way to work every day?

 

a lift is not neccessary by any means.

i did my clutch in the driveway by myself in a weekend.

it's not mechanically difficult, just tricky to manhandle the trans. but i did mine with a regular hydrolic car jack, with a rigged-up wooden cradle to support the trans.

2 people to muscle the trans back into place is helpful. and of course you need 2 people to bleed the clutch hydrolics (duh).

one thing related to the clutch is that 98-00 had a less than ideal hydrolic setup (GM fixed it in the 01+). the slave cylinder is inadequate, and can start to show signs of it in racing situations. i drove mine till mid-50K miles and never had any problems. but while i changed the clutch i spent the $140 on the upgraded hydrolics.

 

not to be hijacking the thread, but I did a clutch on my 02 at about 55k. I bought it used with several issues I found out about later... Anyway, should I have drained the clutch hydralics? I did not do this. I followed the directions off installuniversity.com.
Thanks

 

Clutch issues aside, keep a close watch on your waterpump. The WPs on the '02 model were prone to early failure . . . And I was lucky it was still under warranty. This may not apply to your '00, however.

 

When I bought mine in August, I asked the same question. I ended up with the following list, some of which is LS1/F-body specific, and some of which are just good things to check.

1. Condition/age of clutch/brakes/tires
2. Any accidents or other major repairs done?
3. Any mods or upgrades?
4. Ever drag raced? Autocrossed? Dyno'd?
5. Check the water pump for leaks (front of engine, up high on block face)
6. Check for proper serpentine belt tension
7. Listen for piston slap
8. Does the shifter pop out of any gears?
9. Does the clutch engage smoothly?
10. Is skip-shift ("CAGS") disabled?
11. Check for paint dings, chips, and scratches
12. Stored or driven during the winter? If driven, does he have a second set of wheels and tires?
13. Anything else you can think of.

Mine has 55K on the clock, and the stock clutch is still strong.

There's not really a good way to check how worn the clutch is without removing it.