Rock36

That's about the best thing about this situation, GM for the most part is doing a pretty good job honoring warranties while the engine is stock. I'm glad no one tried to say your ZR1 x-pipe and borla stingers were too much for the LS7 ha ha ha.

boost2na

Thanks for all the condolences and well wishes guys. Definitely going to have the guides checked and I know what to do when the warranty runs out!

DON T.

My first reaction was, Oh No! I read every thread on this subject and try to put all the info in some kind of order. Is it 09s to 011s? Is it 06s to 08s? Is is all or is it none? One thing said here was that his LS7 was a loud ticking motor. Short-throws Thread dated 08/2012 titled, Gm response to LS7 valve guide issue(117089 views to date) mentions loud valve train noise before%@#&^%%@#$$$$$.. My LS7 is very mild mannered in the noise dept. Very little valve train noise. So i cruise on. congrats on your new motor!! Also a 09 Z owner...

boost2na

Sadly I was ready for that. The ZR1 x pipe became standard on 2011 Z06s (link 1 below). And Borla touring and stinger systems are sold as official factory accessories for pre-09 LS2 and LS3 cars; relabeled GM Performance (link 2).

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1583965195-post2.html

http://www.gmaccessorieszone.com/Che...%20Off%20Road/

boost2na

Thanks. The engineer in me knew something was wrong. The kid in me wanted to think that my toy wouldn't break.

NHRA95

Glad to see GM stepped up to the plate.

As we have seen, LS7 engines are NOT reliable, and if more and more hear about this, these cars will be hard to sell. I thought these were great engines, hand built, built strong to take the power, with no problems, WRONG!

How do you know, or anyone knows, if this new engine won't have the same problem down the road? We don't know. These LS7 motors are like Russian Roulette!!! You never know when it's going to let go.

Anyway, best of luck!

Mark2009

Great insight

DON T.

Damn, i was afraid your response would say that. Smartly worded. Grown men buckle into one of these machines and become hormone crazed teenagers all over again...

OnPoint

OP - glad you're back together (and with a whole new engine). Sorry you had to go thru that, tho.

I've just resigned myself to the fact that I'm going to see/read about multiple new LS7 failures per month.

Sucks.

jbs02somws6

boost2na, please tell me your car sounded like mine does. My 09 Z sometimes is quiet, but half the time it sounds like it does in the vid, horrible.

ibleedgreen

OP, glad you are getting fixed up!


BS statement...mine has been perfect, along with plenty of others. And mine has new heads now, killer cam and a lot more power. Thanks GM for forcing me to make my car much faster lol.

boost2na

Thanks guys. This is my second day with the car back. I'm taking it easy for 500 miles since this is a new engine but I definitely noticed that I'm more obsessive now; kind of fixated on RPM and noises. Hopefully this is temporary.

boost2na

About 7 seconds in near the wheel well that definitely sounds like my old one. It's that's TAP TAP TAP noise; exactly the same spot where I used to listen so that made it easy. I'd take it in.

clogan

"LS7 engines are not reliable..."
That's because the QC on the LS7 is handled by a team of blind chimpanzees...and they're union, at that!

They ought to be ashamed, but they're probably not.

jbs02somws6

I did take it in to a local dealer and was told it was carbon buildup, lol. Has powertrain warranty until dec. 2014 though. Thanks for the heads-up.

H82BFST

ha... so what was their plan to fix the carbon buildup?

If that's a bad lifter/messed up cam lobe tapping away eventually something will give... mmmmaaaaaayyyyybbbbbeeeeeee a valve?

And yes, I know, its blasphemy on this forum to not blame it solely on the valve.

BTW, where are all the engine builders on the forum that could diagnose this based on ear and experience?

1985 Corvette

Listened to your vid.....how did they get carbon build up from that?

wolf8218

This is what my engine sounded like before AND after getting my heads replaced by the warranty.

Also, before and after this replacement, I am experiencing what seems to be a random hesitation (or misfire) at idle.

And a whirring noise at anything higher than 1400 RPMs.

wjnjr

Any post mortem done on the old motor, like checking valve stem-to-guide clearances maybe??

boost2na

Must be from the DI . Only thing I can think of is to ask around and find another dealership or throw the valve guide TSB at them. It does say if there is excessive wear they'll fix it, if not though on you.

Mine is definitely a lot more quiet now. The cooling fan came on today and I could barely hear any ticking or tapping above it. Before it was really noticeable.

I have to go back in tomorrow for my other chevy. If my guys are working I'll ask.