 |
11-25-2012, 11:42 AM
|
#1
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In my apartment
Posts: 66
|
Should I rebuild/build up my LT1 or buy another one. Details inside...
I just bought a 94 Formula with 221,xxx miles on the body.
But I was told the motor/trans are newer, and have less miles. But they dont know exactly how many miles they have.
I bought the car from it's second owner. The first owner had it until 219,xxx miles. He supposedly replaced the motor/trans, but the second owners dont know exactly when.
The motor runs STRONG for a stock LT1 and it idles really smooth. And the oil, coolant, and trans fluid all look super clean.
And on a Cold Start the Oil Pressure is at 40.
When I put the VIN at Carfax it says 23 records were found, but I dont want to spend $40 to read them. It might say when the motor was replaced, though.
I want to buy a Rebuild Kit just to be safe, I saw one at Summit for $500.
Then I want to do Heads/Cam/Intake/Tune.
Should I rebuild and build up my LT1, or should I buy another one with lower miles, and build it up?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks! 
__________________
4th Gen F-Bodies are the BEST cars ever made!
|
|
|
|
Sponsored Links
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
11-25-2012, 11:55 AM
|
#2
|
|
Whistles go Whoooooooooo
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 15,493
|
Buy another, and start fresh.
|
|
|
|
|
11-25-2012, 12:16 PM
|
#3
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In my apartment
Posts: 66
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShowNoMercy
Buy another, and start fresh.
|
Wouldnt it be cheaper to build up the one I got? What if I buy another one, and it has problems?
Also, I might want to go 383 stroker. 
__________________
4th Gen F-Bodies are the BEST cars ever made!
|
|
|
|
|
11-25-2012, 12:33 PM
|
#4
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In my apartment
Posts: 66
|
Or, would it be cheaper to find a motor already built or even a 383 and just drop it in?
I am just trying to look for the cheapest/best options.
__________________
4th Gen F-Bodies are the BEST cars ever made!
|
|
|
|
|
11-25-2012, 07:53 PM
|
#5
|
|
Whistles go Whoooooooooo
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 15,493
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT1v8
Wouldnt it be cheaper to build up the one I got? What if I buy another one, and it has problems?
Also, I might want to go 383 stroker. |
I meant buy a block, have it machined and build a 355/383 etc.
Saves you from having a lot of downtime etc.
Cheap and 383 do not belong in the same sentence.
|
|
|
|
|
11-25-2012, 08:31 PM
|
#6
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The Fiesta City
Posts: 1,903
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT1v8
.....When I put the VIN at Carfax it says 23 records were found, but I dont want to spend $40 to read them. It might say when the motor was replaced, though.......
|
PM me the VIN and I'll check the CarFax for ya.....
KW
__________________
Black 1996 Impala SS, MTI 396ci, Ported AFR 210 Heads,
Competition Cam 236/242 Custom Grind
58mm TB, Clear Image 1 3/4" Quad-1 Headers with 3" Cut-outs, DynoMax 2.5" Cat-back
Yank 3600 stall TC, 4.10 gears
Bryan Herter tuning = 419 rwHP @ 6250 and 450 rwTQ @ 3750
SR 398ci in the works
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2012, 12:47 AM
|
#7
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In my apartment
Posts: 66
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by KW Baraka
PM me the VIN and I'll check the CarFax for ya.....
KW
|
PM sent! Thanks!
__________________
4th Gen F-Bodies are the BEST cars ever made!
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2012, 05:28 AM
|
#8
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 743
|
It's almost always cheaper to buy somebodies used 383, but the chances of it having problems are good since it is used
__________________
95 Trans Am A4, factory 3.23s, Ram air, Phab catback, shift kit, BMR front and rear sway bars, Lakewood LCA's, UMI subframe connectors, Random Tech TA, Founder's Performance strut tower brace and PHR
99 Saturn sl2 M5, 92 header-daily driver
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2012, 10:39 AM
|
#9
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The Fiesta City
Posts: 1,903
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2cat95TA
It's almost always cheaper to buy somebodies used 383, but the chances of it having problems are good since it is used
|
Unless it's a freshly rebuilt engine ( like mine  ), because then it's like buying an engine from a vender.
But like you stated, used engines can be problematic. You really have no idea what you're getting if the engine hadn't even been freshened up. That's just a bad way to go  !
KW
__________________
Black 1996 Impala SS, MTI 396ci, Ported AFR 210 Heads,
Competition Cam 236/242 Custom Grind
58mm TB, Clear Image 1 3/4" Quad-1 Headers with 3" Cut-outs, DynoMax 2.5" Cat-back
Yank 3600 stall TC, 4.10 gears
Bryan Herter tuning = 419 rwHP @ 6250 and 450 rwTQ @ 3750
SR 398ci in the works
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2012, 11:59 AM
|
#10
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: East TN
Posts: 66
|
New motor + less down time = more fun + a few races = more motivation to build better 
__________________
94 Z-28 Camaro 6 Speed, 4:10 richmond, ultimate girdle, k&n cai, msd rotor and cap , 8mm wires, Flowmaster, 160 thermostat, m55A oil pump, cat, air, and egr delete
94 toyota pickup DD
"Its not a hot rod if its got payments" 
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2012, 12:56 PM
|
#11
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In my apartment
Posts: 66
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by KW Baraka
Unless it's a freshly rebuilt engine ( like mine ), because then it's like buying an engine from a vender.
But like you stated, used engines can be problematic. You really have no idea what you're getting if the engine hadn't even been freshened up. That's just a bad way to go !
KW |
Since it didnt say anything about the engine being replaced/rebuilt in my carfax, does that mean it probably was not?
It runs really strong and smooth, but could it really have 221,xxx miles on the motor too?
__________________
4th Gen F-Bodies are the BEST cars ever made!
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2012, 02:01 PM
|
#12
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Kansas City MO
Posts: 22
|
If it only had one owner for the first 219k miles it was most likely taken good care of. So yes, with no proof I would assume its original. My first camaro (95Z) had 200k miles when I sold it and still ran smooth and didn't so much as burn a drop of oil (and averaged 20mpg while driving the crap out of it).
Right after I sold it I got another call from a guy saying his buddy was trying sell him my car and told him the motor was rebuilt, he wanted to verify. I told him the same truth I told the other guy, all original. So when theres no proof on a used car I always treat a car as original.
|
|
|
|
|
11-26-2012, 03:03 PM
|
#13
|
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The Fiesta City
Posts: 1,903
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT1v8
Since it didnt say anything about the engine being replaced/rebuilt in my carfax, does that mean it probably was not.....
|
Impossible to say. Only the dealerships and a few shops would report an engine swap.
Neither of my Impalas will come back with a engine swap.....because the shops that I've used would not be inclined to report it......and the insurance companies normally won't have that information either unless the engine was swapped pursuent to vandalism, accident or fire.
KW
__________________
Black 1996 Impala SS, MTI 396ci, Ported AFR 210 Heads,
Competition Cam 236/242 Custom Grind
58mm TB, Clear Image 1 3/4" Quad-1 Headers with 3" Cut-outs, DynoMax 2.5" Cat-back
Yank 3600 stall TC, 4.10 gears
Bryan Herter tuning = 419 rwHP @ 6250 and 450 rwTQ @ 3750
SR 398ci in the works
|
|
|
|
| Sponsored Links |
Advertisement
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Sponsors |
|
|
|
» Network Links |
|
|
|
