1le 150k miles, engine might be toast, car is rusty, what now?

[cawj87]

2013 Camaro 2SS 1le with 150k miles had been running strong up until last week sudden and significant power decrease, dash lights on, running rough, pulled over shut it down right away, had it towed to a shop. Diagnosis is miss fires 6 and 7, swapping coils/plugs didn't help, no compression cylinder 6, scope showing gouging to cylinder wall, likely bad rings I'm told.

Can this be anything other than needing an engine swap or engine rebuild? Head gasket, valve, anything less expensive than an engine?

If it is going to need an engine, am I looking at $7-10k or more?

The car is high mileage and has been my daily for 9 years including snowy salty winters and the car was wrecked and repaired in 2017. There are paint issues including bubbling and flaking with a few spots of visible rust. This became my winter beater so the new car doesn't have to do snow/salt duty.

I figured the value as a whole car was pretty low due to the visible condition and mileage but it ran and drove so I kept with it. I do not think I am looking to put thousands into at this point.

What was my car worth before it broke down? $8-10K? Or less?

What is a rusty Camaro with an LS3 needing a rebuild worth as a whole car? The interior is good and the rest of the driveline, suspension, brakes, etc. were fine.

I am looking at the price of some parts for sale and seeing rebuildable LS3 cores for a couple thousand. It's not like it threw a rod through the block or dropped a valve. It still starts and moves, just rough, no major mechanical noises, knocking, clanging, etc.

I am seeing the Tremec TR6060 used for a few thousand.

1le/ZL1 wheels and tires for a couple thousand. I have new tires on them too.

Are those prices real? Is my rusty broken down car more valuable if I part it out? Parts above plus interior bits, exterior trim, glass, differential, suspension, brakes, etc.

I also have a 63 Chevy C10 with an old 350 and TH400 that maybe someday I would want to swap an LS3 and Tremec into anyways. Thinking of the value of putting the engine/tranny aside and rebuilding them for that down the road and not having to buy them then. I think I would save not buying rebuildable cores or buying newly built stuff if I started with what I have and rebuilt them.

Just not sure where to go from here but would hate to sell the car whole at a huge discount if I could sell parts for more and/or keep some valuable parts for myself.

What would the shell/suspension/brakes be worth if I kept the engine/trans?

[acutron42]

In my opinion it has been neglected & too far gone. Don't throw bad money on bad money at this point. You might get some cash for the 3.91 diff as they are hard to find, but 150k might be a tough sell. Too bad to see a 1LE like this. Maybe other members will have better ideas for you.

[cawj87]

Thanks for the input on the differential and advice to not put anything back into it.

It hasn't been neglected, it has been used and thoroughly enjoyed year round. All scheduled maintenance was performed by the book and it was running healthy and strong until all of a sudden it wasn't. Wasn't a steady decline or neglected maintenance, one minute fine, the next not. I hear you on the 1le part. if I had it to do over again, I would have got a regular SS knowing I was going to drive it year round.

Thanks again!

[Wizard1183]

Junk yard

[CamaroDreams76]

The car isnt worth much if you decided to sell and any motor is going to be a more money than the car is probably worth. Figure a clean 5th gen with similar mileage is probably 12-15k. Hell, my car with 85k says it's 18-20.

Salvage yard? Auction? Part it out? Could definitely get a few grand out of parts. Cylinder heads, steering wheel, seats, electronic steering rack, wheels, brakes, diff, axles, sway bars.

Can you PM me. Id be interested in your front splitter since we both have 13s.

[FASTFATBOY]

Did the shop do a leak down test?

Did the shop check for a broken valve spring or bent push rod?

Was the car using oil?

I doubt very seriously this car needs a new engine, 150K on a LS is not "high mileage" 300K is.

[detamble13]

As Fastfatboy just said have them check the valve springs. I had the same thing happen to my LS3 years ago and it was a valve spring. One replaced under warranty and when the second one went (out of warranty) I replaced them all. Not crazy expensive. Find a mechanic or dealership you trust and have them diagnose. It sounds like the car is repairable.

I also DD my SS through the winter and have rustproofed it every year. Not sure if you have Krown rustproofing there but I swear by it.

[acutron42]

Post some pics of your car & see if you can get the bore scope pics. I would also get a 2nd opinion.

[70T/A400]

You should look into a leak down and compression test on all cylinders. That will tell you the health of the engine. The LS lifters have known issues with the check valves.

[joshnmn]

You can tear it down, get it rebuilt, and add speed parts for under $5k.

Long live 5th gens

[FASTFATBOY]

Originally Posted by joshnmn

You can tear it down, get it rebuilt, and add speed parts for under $5k.

Long live 5th gens

On what planet?

Maybe 10 years ago doing the labor yourself.

[CamaroCracka]

Down here LS3 cores are maybe a grand, diff is worth a grand, but it's high mileage and anybody looking to swap to a 3.91 probably wants to beat on it. I see TR6060s all the time for $1500. The 1LE is a more rare unit with different gearing, but given the mileage, you are probably not going to get much more than that.

It is probably worth the most to someone who wants to build a 1E, but you are years away from that being common thing.

If you turned your own wrenches, it would be worth pulling and rebuilding, but I assume you pay to get your cars worked on. However, that begs the question of who is dissambling it for the part out?

[Mhoelzel]

Just how rusty is rusty? Like holes in sub frames?

[myold88]

Move on !