Yeah, avoid modding a 98... lol

the only thing you'll run into is if you plan on doing heads with a 98, different bolt pattern, and its not hard to order a set of heads for 98 style.

 

You don't have to be an ***.

My point is it's a lot easier to find parts that come from 4 model years (99-02) than it is for one model year (98). You're much more likely to come across some used parts from those years. Heads is one thing. Gas tank is different too, and I think that limits options on fuel pumps. 98/99 throttle bodies are a little different too. Cylinder sleeves on 98's were thinner...

 

All year LS1's including the truck motors are equally prone to piston slap. The only factor that makes a difference was how well the machining was done to the block for the cylinders. GM set too lenient of tolerances of machining the block. Most LS1's I have test driven didn't seem to have any piston slap, but then again the times I had driven LS1's several years before I got mine, I didn't know what piston slap sounded like. I knew mine had slap before I bought it, but it wasn't/isnn't bad and the car was well maintained and hasn't been ragged on. It was hard enough just finding a 6spd car that wasn't ragged on for my price range.

Jason

 

blah blah blah, it doesnt matter what year. there all the same. what you have to check is the day it was made. monday and fridays are bad(hung over or looking at the weekend) so get one that was built on a wednesday. mid-week should be good

 

The only differences I know of are the 2001 and 2002 have ls6 intake manifolds. And supposedly in 2002 they changes the pistons with some type of ceramic coating for less frictions then they tightened up the tolerences in the sleeves to help reduce piston slap. They say the pistons are short or do not have a very long skirts. This lets the piston tip side to side more than a taller piston causing a ticking noise.
I say drive the hell out of it and if there would ever be a problem you would probably have well over 100,000 miles maybe over 150,000. Then take it out and bore it. Maybe turn it into a 383 or 427.

 

Doesn't the 01-02 LS1 have the EGR system deleted?

I want to get a set of headers for my Z28... and it seems like I have 2 options: with AIR & EGR and without.

Which would be more beneficial and why?

 

1998, 2001-02 LS1s have 28.8lb injectors
1999 and 2000 have 26.8lb injectors
1998-99 have tubular exhaust manifolds
2000-02 have cast exhaust manifolds
2001-02 have LS6 intake (no EGR) and "truck cam". Some 2001-02s have LS6 block
1998s have functional temp gauge, different bolt pattern on valve covers, different coil-pack arrangement and metal gas tanks.
1998-99s have Borg-Warner T56s (mostly)
200-02 have Tremec T56s
There's more, but I can't think of it right now...

 

This is an outright myth, I'm sorry. Z28's were built on assembly lines just like the rest of GM's machines. It's rather hard to believe that an entire assembly line's worth of workers are all either "hung over or looking at the weekend" every week. It's just statistically not possible.