I think the new GTO is the best thing Pontiac's done in 40 years. Being an old guy, I was around as a (very) young teenager when the '64 was introduced, and I'm as excited about the new one as I was about the original (even though I couldn't afford one back then). Based on everything I've read about the GTO in the various magazine road tests and in this forum, I'm going to get one (when they finally do start to be delivered). Because of everything I've seen on the web about a particular problem with GM engines, though, I was wondering if some of you LS-1 experts could set me straight on the so-called piston slap/high oil consumption problems that the LS-1 seems to have experienced in the last few years. There's a lot on the web about it - they even have a site devoted to it: www.pistonslap.com.
As I understand it, GM made a running change to the LS-1 in 2002 that decreased cylinder-to-bore clearance, changed the oil scraper ring, and added new pistons with coated skirts to prevent scoring due to the reduced clearance. Is this another one of those "urban legends"? If it's not, did GM's fixes really cure the problem? Should I worry about buying a new LS-1 (particularly in a $33,000 package) that will develop these kinds of problems in the future? Any further insight or additional info would be much appreciated.
As I understand it, GM made a running change to the LS-1 in 2002 that decreased cylinder-to-bore clearance, changed the oil scraper ring, and added new pistons with coated skirts to prevent scoring due to the reduced clearance. Is this another one of those "urban legends"? If it's not, did GM's fixes really cure the problem? Should I worry about buying a new LS-1 (particularly in a $33,000 package) that will develop these kinds of problems in the future? Any further insight or additional info would be much appreciated.