How many have the original motor... - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

cuisinartvette · 08-31-2007

Any idea of how many of these things had the motors replaced under warranty...Think it really matters if you have the original in the car or not??

Opinions...

Corvette95 · 08-31-2007

I think it would matter in the less than 10k mile cars...otherwise no.

QB93Z · 08-31-2007

I agree with Corvette95 if you are an originality purist. But, it is possible that a really low miles early year car was never run enough to find the original defects. There may be problems that will appear that were never repaired by GM.

Aurora40 · 08-31-2007

Does it make your car less original if it's a factory repair? I mean, that was the procedure. Anything wrong with the motor, even small stuff, and it got swapped out and shipped back. I would think if you could show it was done under the new car warranty, maybe it wouldn't matter. But I don't know jack about collecting cars.

I never even checked that mine was original, I guess I'll take a look next time I'm under there.

cuisinartvette · 08-31-2007

I may take a look under mine this weekend, dont know how to tell if it has, only getting the #s. I can tell someone has had an impact on my crank bolt. Couple that along with a new rad. and some crusted black goo on the backside of my old water pump impeller tells me this thing may have been apart before....Or its on borrowed time, one or the other. Why else would someone mess with the crank bolt?

Im guessing if it was carbon or oil the problem was fixed (or someone added a lot of sealer in a can which never really works) or it would be acting real funny by now.

93RubyZ · 09-01-2007

I the study I did, about 140 owners responded and of those, only one engine had been replaced under warranty. All others had original engines with no major failures. On the car that did have the engine replaced, it was done by the previous owner, so little was known about it.

gbrtng · 09-02-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93RubyZ

I the study I did, about 140 owners responded and of those, only one engine had been replaced under warranty. All others had original engines with no major failures. On the car that did have the engine replaced, it was done by the previous owner, so little was known about it.

At "The Legend Lives" event at the NCM 4/28/95, Dave McLellan was asked about engine failure rate and he mentioned there were so few failures that there was no meaningful data. Engines under warrantee were pulled and shipped to Stillwater for analysis until LT5 production ceased in 1993. After that shops with certified LT5 mechanics did the warrantee work. I don't know if any factory statistics were kept; maybe Van Dorn can chime in ...

09-02-2007

my zr motor never been touched or repaird till the day i mod. it !
i mean my motor was virgin!

tf95ZR1 · 09-04-2007

I'm the one who had the motor replaced at about 25K miles while owned by the previous owner. Good- engine has 25K less miles on it than the odometer says.
Bad- not the original motor (BFD). Good - (2) Birmal heads (BFD).
Cuisin- I found out by doing a dealer service history search. Since it was done under
warranty, the history is available. I believe Tom Henry helped me find the info many years ago.
The dealer where the work was done (Thousand Oaks, CA ) and GM would not reveal the reason for engine replacement.

cuisinartvette · 09-04-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by tf95ZR1

I'm the one who had the motor replaced at about 25K miles while owned by the previous owner. Good- engine has 25K less miles on it than the odometer says.
Bad- not the original motor (BFD). Good - (2) Birmal heads (BFD).
Cuisin- I found out by doing a dealer service history search. Since it was done under
warranty, the history is available. I believe Tom Henry helped me find the info many years ago.
The dealer where the work was done (Thousand Oaks, CA ) and GM would not reveal the reason for engine replacement.

Thanks Ted...I have a freind who wrotes service over at Rydell, Ill see what he can find on it. Was that you I bumped into last week at Village Coffee Roasters?

08-31-2007	#1
cuisinartvette Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Fernando Valley, CA. Posts: 896	How many have the original motor... Any idea of how many of these things had the motors replaced under warranty...Think it really matters if you have the original in the car or not?? Opinions... __________________ 1990 ZR1, 142,000 miles-Black on black 4.09's Haibeck chip, 3"exh, K&N, meth inj.

08-31-2007	#2
Corvette95 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Decatur, AL Posts: 1,112	Re: How many have the original motor... I think it would matter in the less than 10k mile cars...otherwise no. __________________ Corvette95 Registry and Forum (*************) 1989 C4 Conv Wht/Gry Auto Hardtop Top Flight SOLD 1995 C4 Coupe Purple/Blk 6 Speed 1989 C4 Conv Wht/Red Auto SOLD 1996 C4 Conv Black/Tan Auto SOLD 1994 C4 Coupe Wht/Blk SOLD 1995 C4 ZR-1 White/Gry #278 Dual Dunn Head SOLD 1986 C4 Coupe Black/Red 4+3 SOLD 1990 C4 ZR-1 Red/Red #0454

08-31-2007	#3
QB93Z Join Date: May 2007 Location: Westminster, Maryland Posts: 3,687	Re: How many have the original motor... I agree with Corvette95 if you are an originality purist. But, it is possible that a really low miles early year car was never run enough to find the original defects. There may be problems that will appear that were never repaired by GM.

08-31-2007	#4
Aurora40 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Leesburg, VA Posts: 2,713	Re: How many have the original motor... Does it make your car less original if it's a factory repair? I mean, that was the procedure. Anything wrong with the motor, even small stuff, and it got swapped out and shipped back. I would think if you could show it was done under the new car warranty, maybe it wouldn't matter. But I don't know jack about collecting cars. I never even checked that mine was original, I guess I'll take a look next time I'm under there. __________________ Bob Saveland Former owner of #2517 [IMG]http://a.random-image.net/aurora40/vette.jpg[/img]

08-31-2007	#5
cuisinartvette Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Fernando Valley, CA. Posts: 896	Re: How many have the original motor... I may take a look under mine this weekend, dont know how to tell if it has, only getting the #s. I can tell someone has had an impact on my crank bolt. Couple that along with a new rad. and some crusted black goo on the backside of my old water pump impeller tells me this thing may have been apart before....Or its on borrowed time, one or the other. Why else would someone mess with the crank bolt? Im guessing if it was carbon or oil the problem was fixed (or someone added a lot of sealer in a can which never really works) or it would be acting real funny by now. __________________ 1990 ZR1, 142,000 miles-Black on black 4.09's Haibeck chip, 3"exh, K&N, meth inj.

09-01-2007	#6
93RubyZ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 307	Re: How many have the original motor... I the study I did, about 140 owners responded and of those, only one engine had been replaced under warranty. All others had original engines with no major failures. On the car that did have the engine replaced, it was done by the previous owner, so little was known about it.

09-02-2007	#8
HADI-ZR1 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: How many have the original motor... my zr motor never been touched or repaird till the day i mod. it ! i mean my motor was virgin!

09-04-2007	#9
tf95ZR1 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Northridge, CA Posts: 1,452	Re: How many have the original motor... I'm the one who had the motor replaced at about 25K miles while owned by the previous owner. Good- engine has 25K less miles on it than the odometer says. Bad- not the original motor (BFD). Good - (2) Birmal heads (BFD). Cuisin- I found out by doing a dealer service history search. Since it was done under warranty, the history is available. I believe Tom Henry helped me find the info many years ago. The dealer where the work was done (Thousand Oaks, CA ) and GM would not reveal the reason for engine replacement.