When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Sold my 92 and bought a 2000. haven't looked back, that c4 was nothing but problems......had it for 6 years...but i received alot of good info from you fellas, so here is a heads up from me......if you are considering a c5 - do know that a BIG TSB was recently issued that alot of dealers will make you work HARD for. it authorizes a required RING change due to high oil consumption & smoking(especially in the high reving six speeds) In ALL c5's built prior to 2002. Thank God i still had the factory warranty (26K). This is a factory problem In EVERY C5 that requires removal of the pistons and a special napier ring installed. if you get a c5 ask about this before purchase and if necc get the extended warranty if for nothing else to cover this BS repair !!
My roommate has a 2000 C5 that has 40K on it, it hasn't burned a drop. This is only a problem on some C5's not all of them, I recently put a heads/cam package on his car and the pistons and heads were extremely clean as well.
It is not a question of burning oil or not, they all will if driven moderatley hard this is due to ring flutter, hence the recent TSB on ALL models and the new napier ring fix on ALL new C5's....GM initially had some trouble identifying the problem....this is not info they wanted out until they fixed it and were forced to issue the tsb.....they have to pull the engine.
Some drivers will not have a problem at all, however most of the higher reving 6 spead drivers notice excessive consumption & sooty tips...my dealer has done about 50. It is not something GM advertises as a problem, since it really is contingent upon driving habits.......dealers have also been putting people through the rigamarole due to the time & expense.
I wonder if this applies to F-bodies I know of 2 people who found bits of ring in the oil pan. Although these would be well out of warantee. What happens if you let it go? :eek:
Re: if considering a C5 --Read This ! (blk90rdstr)
I wonder if this applies to F-bodies I know of 2 people who found bits of ring in the oil pan. Although these would be well out of warantee. What happens if you let it go? :eek:
If it was mine, and not raced, I would march over to a dealer and commence war.
that is beyond inexcusable to find ring material in the oil on a modern engine...
Hell, my LT1 has 106xxx miles on it and there is nothing mechanically wrong with it. except some oil leaks :D
Mirek: Thanks for the heads up info. Sorry to hear you had problems with your C4. My 91 L98 has 61k with no big problems and runs real strong. I never drove a C5 so I can't compare but I do :) my C4. Good luck with your C5.
Just one more reason to keep my LT4. I know I guy who dumped his GS for a '01 Z06 and started burning 1 qt every 500 miles from day one. Talk about buyer's remorse.
Yea, the C5 is great, if i can keep it out of the shop, it's been there quite a bit.
(muffler about fell off as well -- the OE weld snapped dealer says that is quite common as well)
The C4 was great but i went through 3 trannys and two opti's...and i couldn't stand any more, but i'll tell you what with 130k on the clock that LT1 was a horse and never had to be removed !! i also liked the smaller cockpit type interior the C5 seems alot like my buddys Z28...also the stock bose in my 92 is much better that the one in my hardtop (also 4 bose speakers/amps).....it is just so damn fast though.
I've never really liked the looks of the C5 (rear end of course) and I've never been real big on the LS series of engines. Yeah they can make good power but they just seem like a nightmare from the start. At least the LT1 shares a few common components with a standard SBC.
If you were gonna give me one I wouldn't turn it down but I can't see buying one. To each their own though :cheers: Thanks for the info
Re: if considering a C5 --Read This ! (Nathan Plemons)
it's a poor ring choice till 02 as someone mentioned. i never really had much of a concern with it. i'll buy a c5 one of these days. drive it for a year or two & blow up the stock engine. use the block and build a nice 382 with quality parts. stock engines all have issues. the L98 flys apart if the rpms go upward. the LT1's have opti issues. if you really try you can find flaws on any car. granted the ring issue in the LS is a BIG deal, but it's fixable.