I will be looking at a '95 Firebird belonging to another member of this forum. He sounds responsible and trustworthy (like every member here!) and describes the car as being in very good condition. However, it does have 165,000 miles on it, and I'm not too familiar with the LT1.

What should I look out for specifically? He says the Optispark was replaced around 120,000, so that's one thing. Beyond checking the fluids and taking it for a drive, what can I do to make sure it's not on its last leg?

In a larger sense, what is the typical service life of one of these engines? I know there are plenty of variables, namely how it was used and cared for, but is 165,000 near the end of the rope for even a "clean" example? I'm not looking for a daily driver, and expect I will need to spend some money on repairs, but don't want to spend $4000 on a soon-to-be paperweight.

On a slightly different note, are there any spots on fourth gens particularly vulnerable to rust?

 

Not doing so.

 

well i wished mine had 165k..lol..

all i can say is from my dealings of buying used.

first off you are buying somebody else's problem so make note to yourself that the car will have flaws..

mechanically just start it up and listen to it..listen for piston slap at start up or any odd noise..if it doesn't make any noise..don't expect it won't after you buy it and start it up the following morning...BTDT

smell the exhaust you smell oil you know the rings are going south..or it has excessive blow-bye

following that open the oil fill cap and see if or how much smoke is coming out..

bring a vacuum gauge with and see how much vacuum it's pulling

basically there is alot of stuff to test and check out,but what it really comes down to is

how bad do you want it? and if you feel it's going to be a paper weight in the near future before you are ready then just pass on it and move on..if the prior owner swears by it then he/she won't have a problem with taking it out on a back road and let her fly!

If they say no tire kickers! then their word isn't worth doo doo..

btw my 93 has 206k on it gets 26 mpg and still runs strong..and yes it's got some quirks..but i can live with them for now..

 

Is the car 6-speed or automatic?

It's from a member of this forum so I'm assuming it has substantial modifications?

Along with what grabbem posted some more specific LT1 things to look for are the waterpump and optispark (as you already know) one of the design flaws of the motor is that the seals on the waterpump can fail and water will leak onto and damage the optispark which is right under it. Also there is sometimes oil that leaks at the back of the intake manifold that is also common with these cars...

When you do take it for a drive, take it for a long drive (not just a few street corners, let it get up to nomal operating temperature) and keep an eye on engine temp. and oil pressure obviously. Also a few WOT blasts to make sure there are no hesitations or misses anywhere in the RPM range.

Note that if it is a 6-speed you may feel a slight "whirring" noise coming from the transmission when clutch pedal is not pushed in (in neutral)... This is actually normal. It's the pilot bearing and it makes alot of noise in neutral.

 

 

Thanks for the replies. This owner says he's only had the car a few months and is giving it up because of a new job that requires more driving. Also says the car looks to have never been modded. I'd like to believe him, but have been ripped off before by "nice guys," so it's good to have this info.

Now, assuming it's running reasonably well, any guesses as to what I MIGHT run into in the next, say, 20,000 miles? Valve job? Another Optispark? Busted connecting rod punching through the side of the block and a stream of black smoke wafting into the air spelling the words, "I give up"? I know this stuff is hard to predict, but I figure it's good to have some idea. And for what it's worth, I don't plan on any crazy engine mods, as I'm more of a suspension guy (I ultimately want to use it for autocross and the occasional track day. I'm just too stubborn to buy a Miata like everyone else, lol.)

Finally, is $4000 a fair enough price? KBB says it's worth less, but I find that site sometimes runs a bit low. Like, insultingly low. I'm not out to scalp anyone, but obviously don't want to be underwater with it right away -- that can wait until I dump a ton on money into mods.

 

i guess it depends on your area...Lt1's go for 2k to 3500 depending on condition and Ls1's go for the moon...you can go to florida and get a vert for thousands less than mid-states...

 

I agree with what the rest of the fellas are saying. I purchased a high mileage (160k) '97 LT1 Z28 back in october. The car is really clean and all stock, but had a blown head gasket. I picked it up for $1200 and did a complete engine rebuild. The cylinder bores looked exceptionally clean, these LT1's really are great, powerful engines. Like any car, it does have it's flaws but nothing that's too bad. If it runs good i'd offer him about $2800-3500 depending on condition. If it has an automatic and has never been rebuilt, you'll soon be replacing that at about a $1500 price tag. If it's M6, it will likely outlast the rest of the car. Also, ask him if the headlight motors have ever been replaced. They are several hundred dollars a piece and go bad constantly. If you get a good feeling and everything checks out, pick it up...if not, move on to something better.

 

It has a manual and new wheels and tires. I guess now it's a matter of driving it.

 

I bought my '97 with 220k on the clock, except for the opti the car has been fine. Before this I had an LT1 Caprice with around 200k on it, and it was the car that fell apart around the engine.

If an LT1 has been maintained and not beat on constantly, they are really reliable motors IMO (minus the usual opti stuff), but with time alot of the other stuff (emissions, electronics, etc) can have problems that will mess with your car's reliability besides engine failure.

 

Honestly man I would shop around. I bought my 93 z28 with 125,000 on it in nearly mint condition for 2500. My cousin has a 97 z28 with t-tops and 6 speed. Only mode are aftermarket clutch cai and edelbrock headers. His car also has 125000 on it and im sure he would sell it for 4 at most 4500 im from upstate ny. Btw his car is definitely a factory freak . I know a buddy of mine who did every bolton to 94 and this car still pulled him by 3 cars upto 120-130 from a dig. Let me know if your interested. It has a brand new opti az of last summer

 

A psychiatric evaluation. I love these cars and they are great fun to work on and drive but let's face it, the newest ones ae now 14 years old. Lots of parts have been discontinued making some repairs a little tough.

As much as I hate to say it, a LS1 car is a better idea....if you're jumping in now.

 

Consider getting a lower mileage LS1.

 

If he's on a budget though then it would be hard too find a ls1 for 4 to 5 thousand.

 

Better off waiting until he can afford something then....