Reason(s) why LS1's like 40wt

[EmbarkChief]

kevm14,

The B body did get the L98 but it wasn't until 1991.

1991-1993 9C1:
The 1991-1993 TBI 9C1 came with an L98 powered 350. It had L98 cam, Larger #68 injectors, a different PROM Chip, and the SEO 3 inch out Y-Pipe to a 3 inch cat convertor. This is Bible when it comes to the 1991-1993 9C1 TBI powered Caprice. It was this design that made way for the LT1 Powered MPFI Imp SS...hence... the Vette engine in a B-Body idea was born.


XS650,

Yep, opti's are not cheap ($250) but the fact that they last so long makes that seem insignificant to me. I agree, putting the waterpump right over the distributor seems like a poor choice

Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, when cleaning my engine bay I spray it with a water hose

No problems yet, not even when the water pump died. On good thing about that pump though, its cam driven. So when your serp belt breaks, you can still drive it without overheating. BTW a WP from O'Reily's is $37 bucks, don't get the one from AutoWrong, others have had too many problems with them. In a B-Body all it takes to remove the pump is 6 bolts.

 

[EmbarkChief]

Kevm14,

Have you tried naisso.net ? There is a TBI specific forum there with some interesting reading.

 

[kevm14]

quote:

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Originally posted by OffOrWFO:
Choosing a wt on operating temp has always made sense to me.

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My Caprice came with the police package oil cooling, which was an external cooler in front of the radiator. There was no in-radiator cooler. With that installed, and an overachieving mechanical fan, I suspect oil temps remained below 215* pretty much regardless of how hard the engine was abused. However, my car is no longer stock. I have removed the mechanical fan and installed dual electrics, and I've removed oil cooling entirely to make room for a cat under there. I think it would be in my L05's best interest for me to run something thicker like GC or Mobil 1 0W-40, since the oil probably runs quite a bit warmer than it used to. Of course, this is good in the winter, but bad when I set the cruise on 109mph in northern Maine for a while.

My Camaro has a coolant-to-oil cooler, though it's a style I've never seen. Instead of oil running from the oil filter adapter to the radiator and back, coolant is actually pumped into the adapter and the heat exchange is done in there. Definitely different, but in any case, oil temps are probably kept within 10-20* above coolant temps most of the time, but I still think I'd like to run something like GC or 0W-40 in it.

 

[OffOrWFO]

Cool. Thanks kevm14. You made sense, I guess I should read and reread so I get it.

Could we all drop the thread highjacking with is the Lxx a POS or not and get back to answering the guys question.

 

[kevm14]

quote:

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Originally posted by EmbarkChief:
The B body did get the L98 but it wasn't until 1991.

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B-body never had an L98. L98 was TPI. The Caprice got the L03 and L05 starting in 1989. L03 was a TBI 305 (170hp, same as the f-bodies) and the L05 had a few versions through the years, varying from 180-205hp. All were TBI, not TPI. These were replacements for the LG4 (305 4bbl) and LM1 (350 4bbl).

quote:

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Originally posted by EmbarkChief:
1991-1993 9C1:
The 1991-1993 TBI 9C1 came with an L98 powered 350. It had L98 cam, Larger #68 injectors, a different PROM Chip, and the SEO 3 inch out Y-Pipe to a 3 inch cat convertor. This is Bible when it comes to the 1991-1993 9C1 TBI powered Caprice.

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91 9C1 L05 was only 195hp and did NOT receive the exhaust upgrades you mention. Only the 92-93 9C1 L05s did. And a civilian L05 was also only 180hp (LTZ, roadmaster, etc). Did you know the 93 looks exactly like the 94 from the outside? I can't tell you how many people think the 93 had the half rear wheel well openings and early 90s tail lights. Plus I get a cool gauge cluster with voltage, temp, oil pressure, fuel and an analog tach.

quote:

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Originally posted by EmbarkChief:
Yep, opti's are not cheap ($250) but the fact that they last so long...On good thing about that pump though, its cam driven. So when your serp belt breaks, you can still drive it without overheating.

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A couple things. First, it may have a very accurate optical sensing, but it's still a mechanical distributor with a cap and rotor and that means it is prone to fail in the exact same way any dist of the past fails. Plus, it has a new way of failing, the electronics. AND it's below the WP. A lot of marks against it.

The funny part about that marketing BS with the cam gear drive - it was marketed as being more robust yet I think that area is known for eating either seals or bearings because it's driven that way. I always found that ironic, since the chance of that happening is greater than the chance of my car chucking a serpentine belt.

So how about that 40 weight oil!

 

[Vuarra]

Thanks, guys, making me feel so much more comfortable about my '92 Roadmaster. I'm beginning to think that I should have just gotten a minivan with the 3100 engine, which would have been more reliable, right?

Anyway, the SBC in the Roadmaster really likes the GC I put in there a while ago, without losing any (via dipstick level test). It also registers a hair higher pressure.

 

[EmbarkChief]

quote:

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Originally posted by OffOrWFO:
Cool. Thanks kevm14. You made sense, I guess I should read and reread so I get it.

Could we all drop the thread highjacking with is the Lxx a POS or not and get back to answering the guys question.

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I probably started it, my bad

 

[kevm14]

quote:

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Originally posted by Vuarra:
Thanks, guys, making me feel so much more comfortable about my '92 Roadmaster. I'm beginning to think that I should have just gotten a minivan with the 3100 engine, which would have been more reliable, right?

Anyway, the SBC in the Roadmaster really likes the GC I put in there a while ago, without losing any (via dipstick level test). It also registers a hair higher pressure.

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3100? You are waaaaaay better off with the Roadmaster!
I'm glad to hear you like the GC. Can anybody in the CT area direct me toward an autozone that seems to carry it regularly? How much is it anyway? I think I can get 0W-40 for $4.77/quart. Not that I'd back down if it was a dollar more, just curious.

 

[kevm14]

quote:

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Originally posted by EmbarkChief:
Ever owned an LT1?

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I bought a 95 Z28 in July of this year. 152k on the clock as I type this. I've had my 93 9C1 since March of 2001 and I bought it, like I said, to avoid the LT1. It has proven itself to me in the years I've owned it. The Z28, on the other hand, appears to be quite fragile (not just the engine). I will say that f-body LT1s seem to be less reliable than LT1s in b-bodies. I don't know why. As we speak, I am still chasing down a small drivability issue and bad mileage. My Caprice is hands down more reliable, cheaper to own and easier to work on, but, in fairness, an LT1 b-body would probably be most of those things, too. I just don't like how any tiny problem leads to very noticable drivability hiccups in the Z28. Not to mention most of them don't even seem to get the rated highway mileage (26mpg). My Caprice gets exactly the mileage it should with TBI and 3.42 gears (18-20). The Z28? It gets the same, but it requires premium fuel!

quote:

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I always thought the trucks never got this engine because it was too expensive. That might not be the case, but it seemed to make sense. The L98 was a good plant, but its no LT1 when it comes to performance which is why the LT1 was made available for the 9C1 which led to the Impala SS.

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All I'm saying is the same reason the b-body never got an L98 (that would have changed history if the 89 9C1 came with an L98 instead of an L05) is why I wouldn't have expected the b-body to get an LT1.

Let's see, to bring this back on topic...uh, L05s and LT1s also like an xW-40 oil.

[ December 16, 2004, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: kevm14 ]

 

[wileyE]

My employer has a fleet of 6.0 and 8.1, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks that they bought last year. They are maintained by two different shops. Company policy on all our vehicles, cars and trucks, is 5000 mile lube and oil. The north shop boss feeds everything bulk delo 400, south shop bought cases of quarts and tried to stay with manufactures recomendation. Guess who's trucks have the "knock" worse? Most the guys at work who own personal gm trucks are now running delo in them and the south shop is now putting delo in all the trucks, and using the qt.'s up in the cars.