02-27-2023, 06:37 AM | #1 |
Drives: '94 Z28+ '15 Z/28 Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 1,303
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Wiggle test
Took my heads off Sunday. Put them on the bench to do the wiggle test. Literally had to put about 50lbs of force on them to get them to move a teensy bit. FWIW, you can do the same thing to a brand new set of heads with zero miles on them. I'm sending them out to Lingenfelter this week for their port job. I figured since I'm doing a cam swap I might as well get them looked at for piece of mind.
Car has 9900 miles on it, and has been autocrossed for the past 5 years. No sustained high-rpm stuff, but lots of hard cornering. Rockers, pushrods, pistons and bores look excellent. To clarify a "rumor" that I heard on a FB group that GM had a bunch of LS7 engines left over from the Z06 to put into the Z/28, that is false. There are stampings on my engine that say 02/04/15 at 09:23.
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1973 Mach 1, 351C cruiser
'15 Z/28 Red Hot, A/C 1980 Z28- resto-mod project 1979 Y84 Trans Am 1986 IROC-Z |
02-27-2023, 07:44 AM | #2 |
Give speed a chance
Drives: 2015 Camaro 2LS, 2015 Camaro Z/28 Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Mesa, Az
Posts: 2,370
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Very good info! Nice to see facts instead of just rumor and hearsay. What cam are you going with?
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2LS: a TREMENDOUS machine. Z/28: it's a BIT MORE POWERFUL, of course.
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02-27-2023, 11:32 AM | #3 | |
Drives: Z/28 Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Orange County CA
Posts: 318
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Quote:
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02-27-2023, 06:27 PM | #4 | |||
Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Mobile Al
Posts: 325
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9k miles, failed
25k miles failed There are hundreds of vids like this, doing the test with the valve springs on doesn't really tell you anything. Boom
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2013 ZL1 M6, 2.4 pulley and a few bolt ons. 590 wheel and 11.70@122 on a hard tire.
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02-27-2023, 07:02 PM | #5 | ||||
Drives: '94 Z28+ '15 Z/28 Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 1,303
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Quote:
My comment was more or less directed at the shops that say every LS7 is bad, even the Z/28 LS7's. Find me a YouTube video of a Z/28 engine that let go.
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1973 Mach 1, 351C cruiser
'15 Z/28 Red Hot, A/C 1980 Z28- resto-mod project 1979 Y84 Trans Am 1986 IROC-Z |
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02-27-2023, 08:29 PM | #6 |
Give speed a chance
Drives: 2015 Camaro 2LS, 2015 Camaro Z/28 Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Mesa, Az
Posts: 2,370
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__________________
2LS: a TREMENDOUS machine. Z/28: it's a BIT MORE POWERFUL, of course.
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02-28-2023, 05:36 AM | #7 |
Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Mobile Al
Posts: 325
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2013 ZL1 M6, 2.4 pulley and a few bolt ons. 590 wheel and 11.70@122 on a hard tire.
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02-28-2023, 05:43 AM | #8 | |
Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Mobile Al
Posts: 325
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Quote:
Every LS7 has this issue, every one. Whether they drop the valve or when they drop the valve is the gamble. I had a buddy with a stock C6 Z06 that had 100,000 miles on it and was still alive and I have seen cars with 9,000 miles drop a valve and destroy the block. He didn't have the 100,000 mile car long, he could hear the ticking bomb. I would bet that yours are out of GM spec, please report back. The last video I posted has a lot of info on this issue. Good on you to pull them.
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2013 ZL1 M6, 2.4 pulley and a few bolt ons. 590 wheel and 11.70@122 on a hard tire.
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02-28-2023, 06:25 PM | #9 | |
Drives: 1969 Z/28 + 2015 Z/28 Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Pittsburgh Area, Pa
Posts: 538
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Quote:
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You know you are having fun when you are getting 3.4 mpg !!
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02-28-2023, 06:36 PM | #10 | |
Drives: '94 Z28+ '15 Z/28 Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 1,303
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Quote:
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1973 Mach 1, 351C cruiser
'15 Z/28 Red Hot, A/C 1980 Z28- resto-mod project 1979 Y84 Trans Am 1986 IROC-Z |
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02-28-2023, 07:21 PM | #11 |
Big Crow
Drives: '13 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: California
Posts: 1,530
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https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showp...&postcount=111 Clearly you didn't read the comments below the video by professionals that have worked on hundreds of LS7 heads, at least two well known shops/mechanics I recognized posted comments. No one is forcing you to learn anything, but saying it doesn't exist isn't factual. It's like you are calling members here who have posted about their Z engines being ruined by this liars, that's interesting. I was deciding between the LS7 and LSA and decided I could live with a supercharger coupler replacement and weak intercooler brick but did not want to deal with heads unless an already done by a pro, used car presented itself at a good price. Not everyone does much research prior or post purchase. Edit: L99 AFM lifter problems and V6 timing chain issues had me rule those out too. |
02-28-2023, 09:56 PM | #12 |
Drives: 2015 Z28 Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Grant Minnesnota
Posts: 313
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I didn't get it on video...but:
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=419077 #918 got a replacment motor all under warranty @ 958 miles. Run the Carfax. It is there. Not sure what caused the issue but the #6 Piston was in the Intake Manifold. GM would not allow us to tear into the motor. And it was shipped back.
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"Resale value is my beneficiaries problem...unless they can bury my in my Z...problem solved."
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02-28-2023, 10:00 PM | #13 |
Drives: '16 Z06/Z07, '15 Z/28,1972 Stingray Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Drivers Seat
Posts: 842
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⚖️ I love my Z/28. Had a 2013 1LE and a 2015 ZL1, both great cars but Z/28 is the best! No problems! No fear hear!
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2015 Z/28 #642 Black Bad Ass
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03-01-2023, 06:26 AM | #14 |
Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Mobile Al
Posts: 325
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You think the LS7 is immune to this issue because it's sitting in a Camaro?
The Z28's sit, very few people drive them. A miniscule percentage actually beat on them the way Z06 drivers do. But, carry on....
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2013 ZL1 M6, 2.4 pulley and a few bolt ons. 590 wheel and 11.70@122 on a hard tire.
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