LT4 first time in an lt4

[tomls1]

test drove an lt4 today...96 ce. awesome car!!! and fast too...eric, you know what i'm talking about:eek. thanks to rob and eric for coming out to look at the car with me. i think i'm gonna buy it, the only problem is an oil leak. anyone know of any known issues with lt4's and oil leaks???

tom

 

[Springer's LT4]

It can be leaking from a lot of places... the intake is a very typical problem on the LT cars... oil filter adpter housing, low oil level sending unit, front seal, oil pressure switch to name a few... this isn't only on the LT4 cars... LT1's also have the same typical problems.

 

[twiget]

Congrats on the new LT4 Sig. They are awesome cars.

As Springer said, there is a variety of places for the LT4 to develop an oil leak. My GS's got a leak arround the optispark drive shaft, that will be fixed durring the winter.

Properly maintained, these cars will run very well for a very long time.

Jason

 

[Eric]

WOW! That car blew me away, sorry if I skeered you Tom but I couldn't resist . The condition of the paint and interior was far better than I expected. I really hope the owner is able to take car of those leaks cause I can't wait to see that car in action again.

LT4 guys, the rear oil leak was dropping onto the exhaust sytem, just about where the pipe meets the front of the cat. Does that zero in on anythig?

Here's a pic of the post test drive inspection. That's Tom and our fearless leader Rob. That's the tip of Rob's ZR-1 in the pic.

 

[Springer's LT4]

I'd guess that either the rear of the intake leaking or if it's on just the driver side... it sounds like the oil filter housing adapter. I just had to replace the gasket on mine.. was leaking very badly... after a few minute drive it would be smoking up into the engine compartment.

 

[lt4 gs]

First......how long has the car been sitting...........or doing limited duty...........w/o an owner..........here's why: when mine sits for a while.........the seals dry out and when its driven daily they soak up and expand reducing the leak to an occasional drip........which is normal .....and I am a perfectionist. Since, this is my umpteenth vette.........it's normal to drip a little..........v

 

[Vettelt193]

Mine drips on the exhaust... The oil burn off really stinks, but, I have lived with it so far... I think mine is leaking from the back of the intake

 

[Rob]

Considering that the car had 75,000 miles on it, it looked like it was in great shape and well taken care of.

From what I could tell, it appeared that the oil was dripping underneath the engine and on to the top of the driver's side cat, but that was looking down through the engine. Eric climbed underneath and got a better view.

Since the engine, transmission and radiator were all replaced within a year, I think for the price, it would be a decent buy. If you end up buying it and have money left over afterwards, I would consider replacing the acrylic roof panel and more importantly, the weather stripping.

 

[Springer's LT4]

rom what I could tell, it appeared that the oil was dripping underneath the engine and on to the top of the driver's side cat, but that was looking down through the engine. Eric climbed underneath and got a better view.

That is almost certainly the oil filter housing adapter... very easy/cheap fix. If the cats' wern't so big it wouldn't even need to be there.

 

[CKA_Racing]

Mine was leaking at the same spot. It ended up being the rear side of the intake leaking. Fixing the leak is pretty easy to do. I repaired my 1991 and now my LT4. I did a better job than a dealership mechanic. Had to fix his work, the intake leaked again 6 months later after they repaired it.

 

[Springer's LT4]

Reason why the dealerships leak again is the don't let the gasket maker setup long enough on the ends of the intake before they start the car up. Need to let it cure a good 24-48 hours before you start the car.

 

[CKA_Racing]

Mine was leaking at the same spot. It ended up being the rear side of the intake leaking. Fixing the leak is pretty easy to do. I repaired my 1991 and now my LT4. I did a better job than a dealership mechanic. Had to fix his work, the intake leaked again 6 months later after they repaired it.

It was my 1991. And the leak was between the head and the intake. Leaking antifreeze like crazy on both sides. That has nothing to do with letting the car sit for 48 hrs but the intake bolts not being torq'ed properly or no RTV around the water jackets. I tried to re-torq the bolts but it still leaked. Also had oil coming up through the intake bolts.

That was not clear in my post.

 

[tomls1]

i recently heard from the guy who's selling the 96 ce. he says he took it to the dealer and they are saying that it's leaking around the timing chain cover and it'll cost in excess of 800 bucks. he's currently got it back at the people who did the engine rebuild hoping to get it taken care of under warrenty. i'm waiting to hear more from him...thanks for all the advice:s

 

[sothpaw]

why rebuild?

sigshooter,
Just out of curiousity, why did he rebuild the engine and trans?
And radiatior? I'm not as sure on the radiatior, but the engine&
trans. should not go on that car under normal wear--maybe not
for 200,000 miles.

 

[CKA_Racing]

$800. wow
That's why I thank god i can do all my own work. Too bad people are not willing to let me fix there cars for a much lower price.

 

[UB2 SLOW]

I'd guess that either the rear of the intake leaking or if it's on just the driver side... it sounds like the oil filter housing adapter. I just had to replace the gasket on mine.. was leaking very badly... after a few minute drive it would be smoking up into the engine compartment.

Intake! Yep, sounds like the same spot mine was too. Took me forever to find the damn thing.

 

[Justin_cv87]

Im glad you found a great vette such as the LT4! hope that you can fix that leak.

:cool

 

[tomls1]

sothpaw -- when i asked the seller about the rebuild when we first started dealing, he says that it spun a bearing after he'd had it just a few months...about 3k ago. he didn't give me anymore info like the way it was being driven or other mechanical issues at the time. he says he had the clutch done since the engine was out anyway. it's really hard to tell what's gone on with the car, since it's had at least two previous owners. i think for the right price (and no leaks), i'll probably by the car, since it looked and ran so great...hopefully we'll agree on the "right price".


cka racing -- i live in manassas, i may take you up on the engine work offer someday

 

[Eric]

...he says he had the clutch done since the engine was out anyway. it's really hard to tell what's gone on with the car, since it's had ...

And that was evident. Granted, it had been a while since I had driven a stick, but that thing was about as crisp as I had ever felt.

BTW Tom, good to see you back online, I was beginning to worry you were crying in a corner somewhere about this car.

- Eric

 

[tomls1]

nahh, no crying in a corner...just a whole lotta waiting. the seller's been on travel/vacation/out of town, etc...

he tells me that it went into kearney's on monday...i just need to wait and see. i hope we can agree on a price.

eric -- the last few days have been great weather for that convertible...what da ya say, let's go for a joy ride:cool