wanabez Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I am new to the forums here and wondering if any of the members here daily drive their ls1 swapped z's? If any of you do, whats your experience with it and is it realistic to think that i could put together or buy a reliable ls1 z? thanks, wanabez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cable Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 When I started this Z project (my second S30) I did it with the simple goal of the car being able to daily drive this carb if I needed to. I bought the car in July 2009 and it running a month later. In April 2010 I was laid off. Last month I sold our extra car (Jeep) and motorcycle. Now my wife continues to drive our Escalade and I drive my Z. I did upgrade the brakes with parts I already had. Otherwise the car is pretty much the same when I finished the LSx swap a year ago. I get pretty decent mileage, mid to upper 20's on 50/50 mixed city and highway driving. If I had a decent stereo and functioning HVAC system I would be happy as a clam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc052685 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 What would make you think a Ls1 would be anything but reliable regardless of what it is installed into? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 spend your money in the correct places and it will be as reliable as any car with an Ls1 in it. (assuming the car itself is in decent shape) If you don't spend money in the correct area's of the swap, then you need to know the ins and outs of the car/motor and keep a small set of tools/spares for when the car breaks down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cable Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 spend your money in the correct places and it will be as reliable as any car with an Ls1 in it. (assuming the car itself is in decent shape) If you don't spend money in the correct area's of the swap, then you need to know the ins and outs of the car/motor and keep a small set of tools/spares for when the car breaks down. Agreed. Although I ALWAYS have a small set of tools in my Z, regardless if it ever breaks down on the side of the road. Just like my mobile phone, I don't leave home without either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage42 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 The LSX swap will make for a better driver, IMHO. More torque, better mileage and if it will make for a good daily driver really doesn't have to do with the drivetrain. If it's a good driver with the 6 cylinder, then it will be good with the LSX. If it's a "bucket of bolts" and not nice to drive, it really doesn't matter what is powering it. It's a matter of if you can see driving a Z every day and if it suits your needs. Just my simplistic view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phocion Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 2nd Savage. If the car was good with the Z motor, then it should be good with the LSX, assuming you don't beef it up to the limits of the block and run the hell out of it. I the few bad LSX stories that I have heard started with "so I added a second turbo". I don't see any real "track" car being a good daily, because you sacrifice a lot of comfort for weight, but if you just want a car to drive with more of everything when you push the loud pedal, then the Z/LSX seems like a reasonable choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanabez Posted September 7, 2010 Author Share Posted September 7, 2010 i know the ls1's are great motors. im only 18 and i dont have any experience with swapped cars but i have owned ls1 and lt1 camaros and still own an lt1 camaro. i was just seeing if people have run into lots of problems trying to drive a swapped car like this on the regular. thanks for all of the responses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 I have been daily driving my LS1 280Z since late 2003. That would be 7 years and over 30,000 miles now. In that time my total problems have been: 1) Both of the cooling fan relays failed - but one at a time - and the car ran with just fan in 100 degree Texas heat with the AC on - yes the car has functional AC. 2) Burned through a starter wire that had been routed too close to the exhaust manifold. I have had no problems in the past 5 years. Love it as a daily driver. I'm getting about 18 MPG in combined city/highway and it gets looks wherever it goes. I will say that it only goes out in the "warmer" months now. When I moved to Washington state I started garaging it in the winter months becasue they use a deicing fluid on the roads here that will literally dissolve a Z's frame rails. I keep it on a battery tender in the garage Nov-Feb and then start bringing it out in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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