What preventative maintenance to do on a LS3 ‘keeper’

[chrisp]

As an owner of a LS3 powered Commodore - and one that I intend to keep for a while, I was wondering what preventative maintenance others think should be done to ensure longevity of the engine?

From what I gather, the LS3 is pretty bulletproof except for the valve train. I’ve read that it is a good idea to replace the lifters at about 100,000km. As replacing the lifters requires the removal of the heads, I suppose that it’d be a good time to change the valve springs, lifter buckets and coolant too.

It all seems like a lot of work to do on a 100,000km engine, so I was wondering what the forum thinks of the idea - is it an overkill or good preventative maintenance?

 

[PSISLE]

Remember, it’s an LS3. Drive it accordingly

 

[lowandslow]

If they aren't noisy dont touch them. The best thing you could do is actually use it. (If it's going to be a garage queen)

 

[SnowDoggyDogg]

Make sure you are on top of all recalls and service bulletins. There's one for a whack of grease to go over the electrical connection for the electric power steering. It's a $3k job if it bunks your steering and it's literally a few dollars of goop over the connection to prevent corrosion.

 

[chrisp]

It gets driven daily.

What I’m trying to do is keep it in good condition by heading off any problems as soon as they arise. On an old VX V6 I changed the CAS and fuel pump at 150,000km as I figured that they’d be close to failing so might as well be replaced before they cause a breakdown on the road.

I suppose I could generalise the question to what things go wrong with the LS3 and when do they fail?

 

[blackve76]

Just regular fluid changes really.

 

[Smashfist]

Make sure you are on top of all recalls and service bulletins. There's one for a whack of grease to go over the electrical connection for the electric power steering. It's a $3k job if it bunks your steering and it's literally a few dollars of goop over the connection to prevent corrosion.

Lol no. An LS3 VF2 has the revised power steering rack already fitted and does not need the connector recall (not part of build range). Also the recall is not related to the failing power steering racks. It was suggested that the main connection to the steering rack could have caused the torque sensor DTC due to a poor connection (hence the recall), but subsequent failures have indicated that the two are not related. The torque sensor in the rack is the point of failure and is not caused by (or related to) the rack connector.

As to the main topic, I hate 15,000km oil changes. Stuff like the lifters have fiddly little areas for oil to flow through and these are susceptible to excess carbon in the oil (i.e. old oil). Personally, for a "keeper" I'd recommend 7,500km oil changes. My vehicles get changed every 5,000km or thereabouts but I don't do bulk mileage so it's more time-based anyway. Note you HAVE to do time-based services, heat cycles with minimal kms will stuff oil just as much (or more) than bulk highway kms with less heat cycles.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

They will last long time with regular services. Do your oil at no more than 10000k interval and use good synth oil. Replace filters regularly and check fluid levels regularly. No need to worry about what might or might not happen.

 

[chrisp]

It had oil changes at 2,000km and 11,000km. It now up to 17,000 km - mostly a mix of city and country driving. I have oil (Penrite Enviro+ 5W40) and a filter (OEM) on hand for a ‘between dealer services’ oil change. I’ll do an oil change sometime over the Christmas break.

Has anyone had a lifter or valve spring fail?

 

[lmoengnr]

It had oil changes at 2,000km and 11,000km. It now up to 17,000 km - mostly a mix of city and country driving. I have oil (Penrite Enviro+ 5W40) and a filter (OEM) on hand for a ‘between dealer services’ oil change. I’ll do an oil change sometime over the Christmas break.

Has anyone had a lifter or valve spring fail?

Haven't heard of any of those problems with the LS3, mainly L76/77.
HSV had a batch of LS3's in 2010/2011 which had 'soft' cams, they were wiping off lobes under 5000k's.