New memeber, with a couple ???

[Blake78]

OK im pretty new to Ls's Im looking to buy in a couple of weeks here...i was wondering what years should i stay away from ...and what option are a plus to have...also this may sound dumb but whats the big diff. between a LSE and an LS ...by the way I for sure want the v-8. ANy help would be appreciated.

Thanx.

 

[itsnotmydaddys]

1. Welcome aboard
2. Stay away from the 00-02 (especially the 00)
3. Option that are a plus, cooled seats, sport package, anything else is pretty common in all ls', and navigation.
4. The only diff. between the ls and lse is just an apperance package.
5. If u want a v8 id recommend getting the sport model.
6. If u do a search at the top of the page youll find several threads breaking down all the models.

 

[Mysterio505]

WOW he pretty much broke it all down the only thing i can add is, well, good chioce on the V8 youll be very disappointed if you get stuck wit a v6, and also get very low mileage as low as you can find because even thougth the 00-02 models have some more problems, all LS's get bad and EXPENSIVE problems with high mileage around and above 60-70k.

Also any preventative measures will be good so read up on these threads about problems LS's have so you can catch and fix them before a big problem accurs.

 

[Quik LS]

not sure I agree with all the doom and gloom advice....

remember - people post problems, looking for answers and sometimes just to vent - so it can kinda give a funny slant to a board like this.

I for one have had very few problems - the least of any car I have owned - and I am fairly hard on it.

there were a few documented issues
- 00-01 leaky valve cover gaskets (replacement corrects the problem)
- 03 transmission valve body
- 00-01 foggy headlights (but these are desireable to modify)
- early 00 had a ball joint recall

I personally would stay away from 00 and 03 as they were the first in the model year design

I have driven many LSes - the 03+ has 28hp more - but lacks the some of the connection to the road that the pre-03 have.

 

[Blake78]

ok so the 02's are good but have less hp then the 03's.. i was looking at an 02 im just not sure if it has the sport package is there an easy way to tell?? it has the v-8 but that doesnt mean it is the sport package correct?

 

[lexdiamondz10304]

Yes, plz get an 02 or an 04+.... those usually came with no major problems. The sport version of the LS has NO chrome on the bumpers, while the others do have chrome on the bumpers. Hope this helps.

 

[Crying Birch]

Yes, plz get an 02 or an 04+.... those usually came with no major problems. The sport version of the LS has NO chrome on the bumpers, while the others do have chrome on the bumpers. Hope this helps.

None of the 03+ have chrome on the bumpers. As far as the V8s go after 03 there are pretty much only 2 versions a Base and Sport. There are a couple of trim levels, but it really breaks down into the 2 major versions. It can be a little problematic to figure out which is which with the options you can add to the Base. From what I found around here 90% were Sports.

Good luck...I've only had mine for a couple of weeks and I love it. Picked it over a used S-Type, new Fusion/Milan/6 or 500.

 

[Blake78]

ok so no big diff. in hp over the years ...02 sounds like a good fit so far....

 

[lexmarkz00]

Hmm... well, your best bet would be to avoid 00-05 models. Hope that helps!

 

[GWL]

None of the 03+ have chrome on the bumpers. As far as the V8s go after 03 there are pretty much only 2 versions a Base and Sport. There are a couple of trim levels, but it really breaks down into the 2 major versions. It can be a little problematic to figure out which is which with the options you can add to the Base. From what I found around here 90% were Sports.

Good luck...I've only had mine for a couple of weeks and I love it. Picked it over a used S-Type, new Fusion/Milan/6 or 500.

The 04 LSE was only available in the sport model and you could not get HIDs with the LSE package. I had to add them as a dealer/owner instalation.

 

[Crying Birch]

ok so no big diff. in hp over the years ...02 sounds like a good fit so far....

00-02 v8 are listed as 252hp

I have heard that there was a minor unpublished increase of 5-7hp in 02.

03+ is listed as 280hp

 

[Blake78]

was the increase in power in the 03's due to engine mods. ??? i would like to mod. my ls..its a bad habit no matter what i own i try to make it faster.

 

[Quik LS]

was the increase in power in the 03's due to engine mods. ??? i would like to mod. my ls..its a bad habit no matter what i own i try to make it faster.

the increase was due to:
- improved (shorter) intake
- improved exhaust
- VVT
- drive-by-wire throttle

A modded 00-02 can beat the 03+ (stock) on the dyno

adding the VVT and drive-by-wire cannot be added to the pre-03.

 

[GWL]

A modded 00-02 can beat the 03+ (stock) on the dyno

Ah, but the modded 03+ is something to experience. Don't forget the lower differential gears:dancefool

 

[Quik LS]

Well George - you know this as well as I do - there is not nearly the same improvement with the mods on a 03+ as there is on a pre-03.

Intake, Exhaust, SCT - none of them post the same gains on a 03+ the pre-03s are seeing.

don't forget - the 03+ got 65 - 82 pounds heavier....
and their weight distribution slipped to 53/47....

 

[GWL]

Well George - you know this as well as I do - there is not nearly the same improvement with the mods on a 03+ as there is on a pre-03.

Intake, Exhaust, SCT - none of them post the same gains on a 03+ the pre-03s are seeing.

don't forget - the 03+ got 65 - 82 pounds heavier....
and their weight distribution slipped to 53/47....

I am curious as to why the weight distrubution changed that much. VVT ads that much to the engine weight? Also the full size spare adds some to the rear. I think the 3.58 gears more than made up the difference in 82 lbs as far as feel goes (Maybe, maybe not ET) I have not dynoed mine with the SCT, but it was definatly a kick in the pants when I installed the SCT and Torrie's most recent tune 3 offers even more than his earlier tunes. Hope to dyno someday soon, when I can afford the 12 hour drive to Torrie's Dyno shop.

 

[Quik LS]

I am curious as to why the weight distrubution changed that much. VVT ads that much to the engine weight? Also the full size spare adds some to the rear. I think the 3.58 gears more than made up the difference in 82 lbs as far as feel goes (Maybe, maybe not ET)

All LSes came with a full size spare.....

alot of 03_ owners 'feel' they are faster too....

On our tests - only 4 cars (so not the end-all-be-all test):
- we ran a 2000, 2001, two 2004 V8s - in stock form.
- the 2004s came in on the dyno at 283hp and 284hp (rated at 280)
- the 2000 came in on the dyno at 259hp
- the 2001 came in on the dyno at 263hp

we used the same dyno, on the same day (back to back) and the same formula to work backwards from rwhp to engine hp.

no mods to any

then we went modded to modded--------

My car (2001) with intake, exhaust and SCT:
- 13 rwhp on the intake
- 11rwhp on the exhaust
- 19rwhp on the SCT tune


a modded 03 we tested on the dyno:
- 7rwhp on intake
- 5rwhp on exhaust
- 14rwhp on SCT tune

my mods = +43rwhp (I did the mods in order listed - no sure if that effects the outcome)
03 mods = +26rwhp

so I made up for the 28hp (engine) OE rating plus some....


unfortunately we ran during the local 'corvette club' dyno day - so we both posted the lowest numbers for the day

one guy posted 1286rwhp.... the dyno was only rated for 1400hp so it took three runs to get a reading....


I believe Ken had a dyno day a few years back and his LS posted the same or better numbers that a stock 03 at the time. (I think it was before his SCT tune was working perfectly).

 

[GWL]

All LSes came with a full size spare.....

alot of 03_ owners 'feel' they are faster too....

On our tests - only 4 cars (so not the end-all-be-all test):
- we ran a 2000, 2001, two 2004 V8s - in stock form.
- the 2004s came in on the dyno at 283hp and 284hp (rated at 280)
- the 2000 came in on the dyno at 259hp
- the 2001 came in on the dyno at 263hp

we used the same dyno, on the same day (back to back) and the same formula to work backwards from rwhp to engine hp.

no mods to any

then we went modded to modded--------

My car (2001) with intake, exhaust and SCT:
- 13 rwhp on the intake
- 11rwhp on the exhaust
- 19rwhp on the SCT tune


a modded 03 we tested on the dyno:
- 7rwhp on intake
- 5rwhp on exhaust
- 14rwhp on SCT tune

my mods = +43rwhp (I did the mods in order listed - no sure if that effects the outcome)
03 mods = +26rwhp

so I made up for the 28hp (engine) OE rating plus some....


unfortunately we ran during the local 'corvette club' dyno day - so we both posted the lowest numbers for the day

one guy posted 1286rwhp.... the dyno was only rated for 1400hp so it took three runs to get a reading....


I believe Ken had a dyno day a few years back and his LS posted the same or better numbers that a stock 03 at the time. (I think it was before his SCT tune was working perfectly).

There is no doubt that the pre 03+ cars respond much better than the 03+ cars to the available mods for our cars. My only point was that the 03+ can be improved. Your numbers show the 03+ with 310 HP and the pre 03+ at 306 HP. with the 3.58 gears the 03+ has more kick off the line and possibly less at the top (relative to the HP required to move the LS at top speed, sometimes a lower gear can pull a higher top end). Still I wonder what caused the weight distribution change? Your info is impressive because all the numbers were generated on the same dyno on the same day.

 

[Crying Birch]

then we went modded to modded--------

My car (2001) with intake, exhaust and SCT:
- 13 rwhp on the intake
- 11rwhp on the exhaust
- 19rwhp on the SCT tune


a modded 03 we tested on the dyno:
- 7rwhp on intake
- 5rwhp on exhaust
- 14rwhp on SCT tune

Quik-

A couple of questions:

Your exhaust is a custom one off with Flowmasters correct?

Was the 03 the prototype Magnaflow?

Do you have any dyno results comparing yours to say the bolt in Mangnaflow?

I guess I'm wondering if a full custom for my 04 would net anything better than 5rwhp. I'm looking for a more assertive sound as much as performance. I remember you mentioning that yours would be considered loud.

Any thoughts on Flowmasters vs. Magnaflow vs. Dynomax, etc?

Thanks

 

[Quik LS]

There is no doubt that the pre 03+ cars respond much better than the 03+ cars to the available mods for our cars. My only point was that the 03+ can be improved. Your numbers show the 03+ with 310 HP and the pre 03+ at 306 HP.

well - you have to add up the rwhp number to the engine hp.... so my 2001 and the 2003 both look like 313hp....

right - the point for someone reading is that you can get all LSes close to the same.

 

[Quik LS]

Quik- A couple of questions:
Your exhaust is a custom one off with Flowmasters correct?

correct - homemade - magnaflow x-pipe, flowmasters, 2.5" tubing, removed the resonators

Was the 03 the prototype Magnaflow

nope - he had a bassani x-pipe, bassani mufflers, removed the resonators.

however - I'm told from the LLSOC member that was the proto-type for the magnaflow 03+ exhaust - that they could only get 5rwhp form their setup as well.

Do you have any dyno results comparing yours to say the bolt in Mangnaflow?

I don't, sorry.

 

[Blake78]

wow thanx guys that was alot of info....its sounds as though a 02's with a gear change would be a good fit...i know little about ford products always had Gm's but why doesnt anyone think about changing the troque converter made a HUGE change in my 98SS.....just wondering..thank you to everyone that responded it makes it easier to chose

 

[SoonerLS]

None of the 03+ have chrome on the bumpers. As far as the V8s go after 03 there are pretty much only 2 versions a Base and Sport.

Actually, it's Sport and Ultimate, at least in the '04 and '05 (all '06 LSes are essentially unbadged V8 LSEs), with some interior options, like the wood trim, being the only real difference. All '03-'06 V8s come with what would have been the Sport package on earlier models (which is essentially the Sport shocks and a different anti-roll bar, IIRC).

 

[SoonerLS]

my mods = +43rwhp (I did the mods in order listed - no sure if that effects the outcome)
03 mods = +26rwhp

so I made up for the 28hp (engine) OE rating plus some....

Am I missing something here? If the modded '03 added 26hp, that means he has a 54 hp advantage over a stock '00-'02 V8 LS, which is still more hp than your +43hp modded '00. (I know the +26 is rwhp, and the +28 is at the crank, but we can assume that driveline losses are going to be substantially similar between the two cars.)

Or are you just saying that your mods put your LS 15hp over a stock '03-'06 LS V8?

 

[Quik LS]

we are 'guessing' at about a 18% driveline loss.

so the 26 = 30
and the 43 = 50

so the 04 = 283 + 30 = 313
my 01 = 263 + 50 = 313

right?