2013 427 motor issues
07-29-2014, 10:51 PM
#81
Race Director
Everyone thinks their car is reliable until they have a serious problem with it. It is very important you let a car warm up properly. That is why I keep the oil temp gauge in the HUD on mine.
I know one 427 owner that was stock but had a engine failure at around 12k miles. GM didn't tell the dealer to change the oil tank system also so the 2nd motor failed 1500 miles later. I much rather have the engine fail under warranty than out of warranty. What will most owners do if their 427 engine fails at say the 61 month mark? At that point the car will be at least 5 years old and needing a $14k or more repair.
Some LS3 owners have had issues with harmonic balancers. I never heard of one failing taking out the motor though. The one 427 mentioned here had both heads have problems with the rods. That should give you a clue that there is an issue since the heads are not connected. If they are bad rods then GM should just replace them before the engine blows. That would save them money unless they are trying to use up all the LS7s that are left.
I know one 427 owner that was stock but had a engine failure at around 12k miles. GM didn't tell the dealer to change the oil tank system also so the 2nd motor failed 1500 miles later. I much rather have the engine fail under warranty than out of warranty. What will most owners do if their 427 engine fails at say the 61 month mark? At that point the car will be at least 5 years old and needing a $14k or more repair.
Some LS3 owners have had issues with harmonic balancers. I never heard of one failing taking out the motor though. The one 427 mentioned here had both heads have problems with the rods. That should give you a clue that there is an issue since the heads are not connected. If they are bad rods then GM should just replace them before the engine blows. That would save them money unless they are trying to use up all the LS7s that are left.
07-30-2014, 11:35 AM
#82
Drifting
I posted the following on another LS7 engine thread some time ago. It still applies. My post: "According to the Chevy engineers, at the height of the problem from 2008-2011, the failure rate was 6.5 units out of 1000. That is .0065%! If you read every Chicken Little post that chimes in on CF you would indeed swear that all are bound to fail. GM still provides a 100,000 mile five year warranty on the entire drivetrain. That includes the engine. Kind of like the LS2/3 crankshaft harmonic balancer/pulley. Do they really all fail? If you follow the posts on CF you would think so."
All I can say is mine is just about at 10K miles and I have had no problem whatsoever. I am very deliberate on how I warm the engine up. I monitor the oil temperature and do not go over 1500 RPM until the engine gets to 150 degrees. I never put the hammer down unless she is fully warm which for mine is around 195 degrees and up. I think it is fully feasible that some of the valve guide problems could be from lack of proper lubrication when the engine is cold. Some people just drive completely normal even when first starting off. I could be wasting my time but it doesn't take that long and when the temp is up I know the lubrication system is working as it should throughout the engine.
All I can say is mine is just about at 10K miles and I have had no problem whatsoever. I am very deliberate on how I warm the engine up. I monitor the oil temperature and do not go over 1500 RPM until the engine gets to 150 degrees. I never put the hammer down unless she is fully warm which for mine is around 195 degrees and up. I think it is fully feasible that some of the valve guide problems could be from lack of proper lubrication when the engine is cold. Some people just drive completely normal even when first starting off. I could be wasting my time but it doesn't take that long and when the temp is up I know the lubrication system is working as it should throughout the engine.
07-30-2014, 07:34 PM
#83
Racer
07-31-2014, 10:13 PM
#84
OK, I can't stand it, 6.5 out of 1000 is .65% not .0065%. It's 100 times .0065%. Even at that I personally think it's better than 10% have valve issues after 20K miles. I know chicken little but I've personally had 2 out of 2 Z06s with bad valves and I think that there's a problem now with one of the replacement engines. So maybe I'm just paranoid
05-31-2021, 12:42 PM
#85
Heel & Toe
Excessive valve to valve guide clearance
[The head problem continued after 2011 because I'm in the process of sending my 2013 heads for refurbising. One of the intake valves clearance is 20 thousandths - spec is 2.5 to 3.5. Didn't bother to check the other head.
QUOTE=funz06;1587399632]I am curious------were all of the above four cars you alluded to 427's? And if so, were any of them either modified or tracked at all? Would your tuner be able to ask the 427 owners to post their experiences on the Forum, especially in the 427 threads in the 'sticky' section? Thanks.[/QUOTE]
QUOTE=funz06;1587399632]I am curious------were all of the above four cars you alluded to 427's? And if so, were any of them either modified or tracked at all? Would your tuner be able to ask the 427 owners to post their experiences on the Forum, especially in the 427 threads in the 'sticky' section? Thanks.[/QUOTE]
05-31-2021, 01:09 PM
#86
Heel & Toe
MY 2013 is completely stock and never tracked or raced. As far a I know none of the other ones were ever raced. Check out You tube - there is a plethora of videos of LS7s with valve clearance issue that were pretty much babied!!!! ......"talk about a hand grenade with the pin pulled"!!!!!
06-01-2021, 01:30 PM
#87
Safety Car
The comments about value and collectable, etc are rather humorous. Value is in the eye of the beholder! The value of vettes seems to go up the longer a post keeps going. It is like a comedy club routine to me. These are cars not people or works of art. I had a 2003 C5 for 10 years I got a good trade in price for my 2013 C6. I ordered both cars and have the paper work, build sheets window sticker dealer order form etc. Nothing made the value any higher.
I am the original and only owner of my 1968 Camaro 327, 4 bl, 4 sp, Delco AM/FM radio. I have the window sticker, hand written dealer order, etc. etc. I paid $2835 for a $3200 car. It is now 53 years old and restored totally stock, with 206K on it. It is a true collectable, but I could not retire and live off the sale money, any how it is not for sale. One does not make money off of cars increasing in value, except maybe a 87 Buick GNX, or a Yenko chevy, or a hemi cuda.
I say have the dealer pit a new engine in. Drive it enjoy it live a happy life and quit worrying about the questionable decrease in value!
I am the original and only owner of my 1968 Camaro 327, 4 bl, 4 sp, Delco AM/FM radio. I have the window sticker, hand written dealer order, etc. etc. I paid $2835 for a $3200 car. It is now 53 years old and restored totally stock, with 206K on it. It is a true collectable, but I could not retire and live off the sale money, any how it is not for sale. One does not make money off of cars increasing in value, except maybe a 87 Buick GNX, or a Yenko chevy, or a hemi cuda.
I say have the dealer pit a new engine in. Drive it enjoy it live a happy life and quit worrying about the questionable decrease in value!
06-03-2021, 12:37 AM
#88
Heel & Toe
It was my understanding these engine, LS7 427 were hand built and I was real upset after finding out I was driving a time bomb that I had previously consider bullet proof.
The LS7 seems to have a plethora of issues the lay dormant until they decide to show their hand!!!!.
The LS7 seems to have a plethora of issues the lay dormant until they decide to show their hand!!!!.
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norton63 (07-09-2021)
06-03-2021, 06:57 AM
#89
Burning Brakes
It was my understanding these engine, LS7 427 were hand built and I was real upset after finding out I was driving a time bomb that I had previously consider bullet proof.
The LS7 seems to have a plethora of issues the lay dormant until they decide to show their hand!!!!.
The LS7 seems to have a plethora of issues the lay dormant until they decide to show their hand!!!!.
It’s a high-revving powerful motor with a great deal of torque and hp. I absolutely love it.
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USA1 427 (07-09-2021)
06-03-2021, 03:57 PM
#91
Heel & Toe
It just seem real disturbing that we as customers have to be financially responsible to redesign the LS7, 427 when GM knew about the mediocre hand builders and parts. Not much to say in support of 'made in the USA' !
07-08-2021, 02:17 PM
#92
Not so amazing given the title of the thread and the fact there are still plenty of 427s out there.
Frankly I was considering exactly this car; the Anniversary Arctic white version.
I can just imagine paying almost a 50% premium for the privilege and shortly thereafter having to pay $20K for a new engine.
Given this thread I'll now take a hard pass. Thanks to the original posters.
And yes, I understand the thread would have still been accessible but it's nice to hear some current posts about the car anyway.
Frankly I was considering exactly this car; the Anniversary Arctic white version.
I can just imagine paying almost a 50% premium for the privilege and shortly thereafter having to pay $20K for a new engine.
Given this thread I'll now take a hard pass. Thanks to the original posters.
And yes, I understand the thread would have still been accessible but it's nice to hear some current posts about the car anyway.
07-08-2021, 07:31 PM
#93
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Not so amazing given the title of the thread and the fact there are still plenty of 427s out there.
Frankly I was considering exactly this car; the Anniversary Arctic white version.
I can just imagine paying almost a 50% premium for the privilege and shortly thereafter having to pay $20K for a new engine.
Given this thread I'll now take a hard pass. Thanks to the original posters.
And yes, I understand the thread would have still been accessible but it's nice to hear some current posts about the car anyway.
Frankly I was considering exactly this car; the Anniversary Arctic white version.
I can just imagine paying almost a 50% premium for the privilege and shortly thereafter having to pay $20K for a new engine.
Given this thread I'll now take a hard pass. Thanks to the original posters.
And yes, I understand the thread would have still been accessible but it's nice to hear some current posts about the car anyway.
Just like the LS1 & LS6 burned oil (that GM denied), the LS7 has issues with valve guides and rods, the LT4 had overheating issues, the C8 has DCT and over the air software update issues. At least with the C5 & C7 GM worked to correct the problem and in the final year of that gen appeared to fix it, but they just kept denying the LS7 issues and never came up with a solution.
Last edited by JABCAT; 07-08-2021 at 07:32 PM.
07-09-2021, 06:12 PM
#94
Safety Car
Original owner of my 427 Anniversary (white one). So far, not one issue. Legacy, if you're basing your decision on forum posts by half a dozen guys out of all the thousands that were built, then good luck. ANY car can have issues. Even brand new ones. It's a crap shoot every time you get behind the wheel of any car. But hey, it's your $$.
07-09-2021, 08:23 PM
#95
Drifting
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Original owner of my 427 Anniversary (white one). So far, not one issue. Legacy, if you're basing your decision on forum posts by half a dozen guys out of all the thousands that were built, then good luck. ANY car can have issues. Even brand new ones. It's a crap shoot every time you get behind the wheel of any car. But hey, it's your $$.
07-10-2021, 07:00 PM
#96
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Id buy an engine with a warranty replacement, heck its newer.
in 20 yrs if there is a vette its going to make any current late model appear as a covered wagon in tech speed etc.
I think your wasting your time looking at it as an investment. Its a mass produced Chevy..yeah a neat one but still.
What a joke the problems they have had with SO many yr vettes going back generations. Engines...valve springs, bearings electronics etc.
Why is it chevys flagship sports car has more issues than any other model made?
in 20 yrs if there is a vette its going to make any current late model appear as a covered wagon in tech speed etc.
I think your wasting your time looking at it as an investment. Its a mass produced Chevy..yeah a neat one but still.
What a joke the problems they have had with SO many yr vettes going back generations. Engines...valve springs, bearings electronics etc.
Why is it chevys flagship sports car has more issues than any other model made?
07-11-2021, 07:18 PM
#97
Melting Slicks
Id buy an engine with a warranty replacement, heck its newer.
in 20 yrs if there is a vette its going to make any current late model appear as a covered wagon in tech speed etc.
I think your wasting your time looking at it as an investment. Its a mass produced Chevy..yeah a neat one but still.
What a joke the problems they have had with SO many yr vettes going back generations. Engines...valve springs, bearings electronics etc.
Why is it chevys flagship sports car has more issues than any other model made?
in 20 yrs if there is a vette its going to make any current late model appear as a covered wagon in tech speed etc.
I think your wasting your time looking at it as an investment. Its a mass produced Chevy..yeah a neat one but still.
What a joke the problems they have had with SO many yr vettes going back generations. Engines...valve springs, bearings electronics etc.
Why is it chevys flagship sports car has more issues than any other model made?
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Jason71 (07-11-2021)
10-06-2021, 01:00 PM
#98
Original owner of my 427 Anniversary (white one). So far, not one issue. Legacy, if you're basing your decision on forum posts by half a dozen guys out of all the thousands that were built, then good luck. ANY car can have issues. Even brand new ones. It's a crap shoot every time you get behind the wheel of any car. But hey, it's your $$.
I called a premium shop here in SoFla to get their opinion and the guy immediately knew what I was referring to. There's been class action suits against GM about it. That certainly involves far more than a "half dozen guys".
Within the warranty period it would be replaced under warranty. That period is now long gone. But I sure love the look of the 2013 White/Blue Anniversary Vert.
I have a 2020 Audi RS3. Never read anything about problems with that engine. The car itself ? Sure, the driver's side window squeaks a little going up and down.
My car ? Sure enough, after awhile the driver's window squeaks a little going up or down.
Never owned a Vette and I've got the bug as if I don't get one soon I never will.
Maybe I'll just shoot for the 2013 GS ? Or a GS with some warranty left ?
Or maybe the "mini-R8", an Audi TT-RS.
10-07-2021, 04:47 AM
#99
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No one posts how great their LS7 is, you only see " my engine ate a valve & destroyed my engine" The million dollar question is what percentage of LS7 engines have the valve guide issue? Is it 5%, 10%, 15% ? who knows but I own one & love it...it's the bad boy of small blocks
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corvettekent (10-07-2021)
10-07-2021, 10:53 AM
#100
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No one posts how great their LS7 is, you only see " my engine ate a valve & destroyed my engine" The million dollar question is what percentage of LS7 engines have the valve guide issue? Is it 5%, 10%, 15% ? who knows but I own one & love it...it's the bad boy of small blocks
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