Will Fresh Oil Magically FIX My CHEAP C5 Engine? *We Find Out*

This 2000 Chevy Corvette drank a little water while driving one day and after that the engine decided it didn't really want to run anymore. I bought it for just $3,500 knowing it would probably need an engine. In the last episode we checked the compression and found the driver rear cylinder was low. After that we pulled the valve covers and the valve trained looked fine. Today I'm going to do what everyone wanted to see, change the oil and see if the engine is magically fixed with some real lubrication.
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#CheapCar #Corvette #C5Corvette

[@williamjsmith9877]

Do a tear down, that's what everybody wants to see, youtube will pay for it.

[@user-sq6nu3rv1m]

Buy and install a rebuilt. Tear down the old one for clicks 'n giggles.

[@whatareyoudoingyouidiot342]

I absolutely LOVE how the C5 Corvette will actually shows the OBDII codes in the dash. That's such a great feature that more cars should have.

[@brysonshires9742]

Some mopars do it

[@shawnl8567]

I'd love to see a tear down of this one after you pull it.

[@wardraven8755]

Same here

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

Me too

[@wintrs9161]

The motor ticking sounds like my GDI 5.0. Their natural tick is super loud usually the lifters

[@unclejoe6811]

Since it's not grenaded it shouldn't be a bad rebuild I'm thinking a bent con rod. I guess machine shops out there must be outrageous.

[@thatsonebadhatharry8610]

Don't tear it down till I get there, I want to be there to see it torn down before I put in the back of my pickup to take it home.

[@patchgatsby9138]

I really like the recent projects. I love it when you save cars, whether they are lovable like this Vette or less lovable like the Saturn.

[@05Forenza]

I'd take the Saturn over the Vette haha

[@rpavlik1]

The Saturn, even if I weren't a massive fan, meets the "slow car fast" criteria....

[@GeekGinger]

For me, if the cost of having a freshly rebuilt engine was the same as a replacement engine of unknown maintenance history, I'd go rebuild.

[@VincentSmith_apk]

Re-build! Re-build! Re-build!

[@joe6096]

Plus a rebuild lets you customize your engine to your heart's/budget's desire.

[@ImGdiddy]

Years from now, someone might be restoring that Corvette and be upset that it had a non matching number engine.

[@AgtWashingtub]

@@ImGdiddy Years from now, its still a C5 and the most worthless Vettte

[@OldCarAlley]

Totally!

[@smarternu]

When he walks into O'Riley's I expect everyone to say "Norm!"

[@rondavenport4512]

Just a thought JR, can you get a workbench? Why work off the floor in such a great shop.

[@AzTurboMini]

I've been saying the same thing for a long time. 😆

[@howardhudson7214]

I can't believe that after the "water event" and went to a shop that no one pulled the dipstick and saw the water in the oil. How long have they been driving it after the event? The shop obviously screwed up by not pulling the plugs. But they didn't even pull the dipstick. It's just sad that none of this had to happen if someone competent had first look at it after the event. Love your channel.

[@07slowbalt]

Pulling plugs to let the water shoot out was already too late for this engine. It went into deep water while running and take a split second to bend a rod, break valves, trash bearings etc. Now was it negligence on the shops part yes but it wouldnt have made much of a difference.

[@AgtWashingtub]

@@07slowbalt I think the 'shop' was made up so we don't think the sellers werent the sharpest screws in the attic.

[@07slowbalt]

@@AgtWashingtub its hard to say. Typically old people drive vettes so anything is possible. Small shops dont always have the best mechanics either. Curious to see what the engine break down shows.

[@exotichandyman]

I’d like to see you pull the motor and replace whichever rod/bearing is bad for a cheap fix. As opposed to a full rebuild.

[@HP.Customs]

This Vette build is really great and 3500 for this vette is nuts.

[@LewdDarling]

You can get automatic vettes in this condition for ~7k all day long, if it ends up needing an engine for $2500 it's not really a steal

[@Tron1731]

Sometimes I dream of owning a corvette but I have a house a nice warm bed and a house to live in I'm thankful for what I have

[@charleshanks6186]

@@lomaii2847 l

[@charleshanks6186]

@@lomaii2847 o

[@dhjr29]

@@uncle_salty_3675 any car on the east coast with a blown engine is worth like 5k right now, market is insane

[@sportmedtech]

There are no “low mileage” LS1’s anymore unless you find someone’s garage queen that has been totaled. I just went through this with a 01 C5 and a 07 Silverado with a 4.8 LY8. The peace of mind knowing the engine is fresh is worth it. In my case it was a $2800 104k mile engine or a $3700 rebuilt one. The choice was easy

[@chubbysumo2230]

and here I have a 110k mile LMF 5.3 v8, no vvt, no DOD, ran when pulled engine sitting in my garage. damn, I bet its worth 4000 now. I paid $1500 for it as a spare for my delivery van, but that original engine is still going with 470000 on it.

[@mph5896]

01 is 21 years old, 07 is 15 years old. Thats pretty old for cars, thus all the low mileage used engines are gone.

[@unclejoe6811]

@@chubbysumo2230 trying to sell it is always the issue. No one believes the mileage or that it was a runner. They always ask, can I hear it run? Do you have a video of it running? Oh yeah I can hear it, will you take $300 and a gift card to Arby's?

[@gerardomedina333]

@@mph5896 No. My C5 have 90000 km. 😜🤣 Its a young lady. Nice drive car!

[@farmtruck9885]

Did the milkshake come back after the oil change? Check the pushrods next, that is easy to do. Why didn't you check the pushrods while you had the valve covers off? It sounded more top end than bottom end. Raise it in the air then start it and listen.

[@kevinfaglie6367]

Hey what's up man is this the farm truck Oklahoma

[@thatsonebadhatharry8610]

If you watched the first video you should have seen that all the valve train was working properly. It's probably a rod knock. The lower compression on that one cylinder is probably a crushed rod bearing. Or it could be a bent rod.

[@windronner1]

Amazing. Seeing this level of oil deterioration and not find metal shavings. It’s going to get interesting what the source of the problem.

[@dansteffee9759]

I agree , let’s pull engine and find the knock … Price on motors are up , you can fix and flip and make money 💰

[@dadteaches]

you should be able to rotate the engine and on the downstroke you should be able to use a dowel rod and push down a bit on the head, and see if there is play in the bearing.

[@carlthor91]

You have to remove the heads to accomplish that. At that point, pull the engine and replace or rebuild. Quit screwing around with it, it needs fixing. Best wishes from the far North.

[@SERMANDAVE]

I have seen the rod bent so bad due to a hydro lock situation that it hits the piston wall and yet still run. That bent rod also damaged the cylinder wall so bad that it could not be fixed. LS style engines are the best production gasoline engine in the world. They are not submarines!

[@thehomer5913]

Great video series, thanks for doing this! My favorite part of this one was asking the guy in the car to "give it a little rev," and watching him contort himself over the door sill to put his foot on the gas! I've had my 2003 for 2 months now and I'm STILL learning how to get in/out and, in general, work around this amazing, beautiful, but challenging icon. For those who haven't read "All Corvettes Are Red" I highly recommend it. The C5 survived multiple reorganizations at GM, multiple personnel changes, multiple near-death project experiences, and seemingly impossible challenges at just getting everything to fit under its skin and still be profitable. The result was/is a stunning car, visually, with amazing structural and drive train innovations that cemented its legacy. One day I might "upgrade" to a C6 with an LS3 (and keyless ignition, NAVI, etc.) but the C5 will live on as, arguably, the most beautiful and/or important Corvette ever. And LOL, LDCM means Left Door Control Module. I only know this from removing the door panels to place sound dampening.

[@nickloss]

I'm thinking bent valve, the rattle is too fast to be bottom end. Valvetrain runs at twice the speed of the bottom. Also explains why the miss cleans up off idle, low contribution from a leaking valve is most apparent at idle.

[@frostykyogre]

Might want to check your math there buddy, a piston goes up and down twice as often as a given valve or as often as a intake/exhaust pair. Suck (piston goes down, intake open) Squeeze (piston up, intake close), Bang (piston down, all close), Blow (piston up, exhaust open). Where you would get higher frequency than RPM is if multiple rods or valves were bent.

[@eldonerc2524]

He did a compression test in the last video. A bent valve would have failed. Plus you would have seen a valve spring sitting lower than the others when the covers were off.

[@nickloss]

@@frostykyogre oh shit you're right lol. Had it backwards

[@nickloss]

@@eldonerc2524 you didn't notice the 1 cylinder that was down on compression? Also a bebe valve isn't always obvious without removing the heads. All it needs is to not seat fully, it would be enough to lose the 50psi of compression and give you the tapping but may not be visually different from the top

[@10jspiess]

Berrymans Chemtool B-12 gas additive. Stuck lifter. They used to market it for use in oil, It is off label use now. Pour it in bring it to operating temperature run it 15 to 20 minutes change the oil. Sometimes have to do this twice. It's worked on many different vehicles over the years. Of course add quart of Rislone with fresh oil. Run it for a thousand miles or so before the second treatment.

[@donreinholz8121]

Try some Berrymans in the oil first. Interesting oil pan. So if you were to keep the car rebuild the engine. It would be worth it to find out exactly what failed inside on it. I know it will take more time and work but maybe put it up for a vote to see what the subs say.

[@10jspiess]

B-12, it's off label use now. Has worked for me dozens of times over the years. The instructions used to be add to oil bring to temperature run 15 to 20 minutes and change oil. I don't know if that information is available on the website any longer.

[@mikemontgomery7337]

I was binge watching ur channel last night. Went 2 years back and seen the V6 Camaro and the Tracker ! Rough times working in ur driveway vs today !! Those were also great videos. Loved that Camaro !!!

[@mickmcgrath2313]

You have the best car vlog around! Your parents did a great job of raising you. You're a very sharp, hard-working young man!

[@danagovang2520]

Bad big end bearings would still rattle at revs but yours quiets at revs, which may be lifters. That was a lot of heavy sludge. It may be just lifters blocked with sludge. A quick try is to spray some PB Blaster down rack pushrod hole, let it sit a minute, then blast hp air down the pushrod to blow sludge out of the lifter.

[@charlescurran1289]

Amazing that someone would neglect an engine in any car enough to get sludge let alone a Vette.

[@jameswhittenburg9678]

Well it did snort enough water to hydro lock it

[@fraggelrock301]

The P1221 is TP Sensor, thus immediate reduced engine power. But that knock…

[@ingresswizard9044]

P1221 code is the throttle position sensor. Check the wiring to that or replace the sensor.

[@leppie]

Can confirm a broken TPS will put my Merc into limp mode. I think it is more for safety as the hall effect sensors are not reading reliably anymore. Easy trick to fool it at start is to start the engine with the throttle a little pressed down.

[@scottcol23]

That was interesting! thank you for taking the time to pull the lower oil pan cover. Fingers crossed I was hoping that the new oil would quiet it down. Its worth a shot. I have personally seen a honda accord that had milkshaked after a head gasket failure. It ticked before we ran all the old oil out.

[@Jairmey]

I have been enjoying watching you get and work on this. Just got a C5 myself less than a week ago.

[@Lions7.62mm]

Man I thought you were dead when I didn't see a video posted by midnight last night!! Glad to see you're alive & kickin‼️ 😁

[@windronner1]

I’ve used Rislone back in the 2002tii days. When scrapper rings would sludge up and engine smoked. Worked wonders.

[@sirmoney2762]

I can't believe this is the first video with my exact symptoms for my C5....down to the T sounds like a typewriter....I'm here for all your videos

[@houseofpaine6158]

This is great content. Hopefully we get to see u do the whole process of bringing the motor back to life

[@benaldredge2671]

Appreciate you doing this! Great content

[@sonofhalver]

Having been burnt by "guaranteed good" used engines, I am fully in the rebuild camp now. It's much better to know everything is good with your rebuilt engine than to spend the hours swapping to find out the "good" used engine has a bent rod.

[@mattr2773]

Great Series> Your back to what I think we all want to see > Searching>Buying>Diagnosing>Troubleshooting>Repairing>End Goal

[@WildDigger]

I would love to find a $3500 more modern Vette. Well even after a rebuild it will be a great driver. 👍 Matt

[@vale8653]

Really love the vids. Hope to see a tear down of that motor.

[@sharkpuptrex]

I'm not sure the channel makes my dreams come true, but I enjoy watching yours come true.

[@troynutter8902]

Yeah, it was worth a try, if only to have a cleaner engine to work on. $40 spent may have saved $3k of work so it was not really a bad gamble (especially when it creates paid content) Again I comment as thanks for giving it a go.

[@DaddytechEnt]

*my inner cheap guy used to say try try again, but you make a damn lotta sense about putting in a low mile replacement. i'm all about that now because you're right it does just make way more sense than ripping into everything with micrometers and calipers to see what failed only to end up replacing the thing in the end any way*

[@vandersnickmcduffle7333]

Neverminded the TP code causing the limp hahahaha. Interested to see the teardown.

[@tdtvkc1]

Sounds like a lifter to me, I think before I changed out the engine I would try using some of your good engine flush, like on the Dart and if that doesn't quiet her down then tear into it or swap it out, if it comes to that I would recommend rebuilding the old engine, keep it original. I love the Vette content and the other cars as well.

[@starkyslp16]

Might have missed it in previous video, but can we get an introduction to your camera guy? I like when he pops in every now and then to help

[@DunnMotors]

I'm glad you tried with the cheap oil and additive. I always try that first before going deeper. 50.00 worth a chance. Thank you for giving it a chance

[@IMALYO]

I have a 50k mile engine from a ws6 I might let go 😬

[@drunkenfarmer]

I had a similar issue, with a totally different car. I had a 2008 Chrysler Aspen Limited with the 4.7 HO motor. After approximately 180,000 miles, the engine developed a knock. The mechanic drained the synthetic oil, replaced it with regular 10w30 oil along with Lucasoil. It reduced the knock and the car lasted another 3 oil changes, however, right after the 3rd, the engine gave up the ghost and knocked so bad I had to stop driving it. (happened to be the time i added synthetic without the lucasoil...go figure. I wonder if that was a factor, i guess we will never know. Anyways, good luck with the motor, and i hope it can be saved.

[@maddexxx847]

Those 4.7l chrysler dodge engines are notorious for engine sludge even with synthetic oil changes every 3000 miles.

[@jefnf]

Whatever you do. Be sure and show us the bottom end of the original engine . Plus i would have used trans fluid and let idle for a while. It's not going to come out if it within 5 minutes

[@fngonuts]

Good vid. I was happy when I saw that yellow bottle in your hand.

[@tonywalker9837]

Nice video I was afraid there was no video since you didn't upload last night.. Thanks!!

[@WatchJRGo]

I had this ready but it didn't finish processing till 1AM 😢

[@tonywalker9837]

@@WatchJRGo all good appreciate the content 🏁

[@rosewd2]

Put a vacuum gauge on it. If its fluttering you have a problem with the cam and or lifters. Next id try disabling each cylinder by unplugging the coil or injector. If the noise is affected, its in the rod piston assembly. May make a good video to see this.

[@chrisbarnhart4178]

so worth the fix. im super jelly. i find good deals like this on old bmws, but its def time to get a LS car for power

[@trishag.9708]

Love these educational experiments!

[@MrMattDat]

Great video. Would love to see you tear that engine apart to see what has failed (and maybe you & your network can rebuild it on the cheap?). Keep up the good work!

[@31dknight]

Great video from JR.

[@tollefreyerson6710]

Thanx JR for doing the wet Vette experiment!

[@oliverramirez9911]

Watching you from 🇩🇴 keep up the good work!

[@Flies2FLL]

I would have just pulled the engine to begin with. You can easily find/fix the problem and do a bunch of WYAIT stuff as well. Great videos!

[@lukewalker1051]

What I would have done as well and what I suggested first time around. Pull the engine. Pull the heads Pull the oil pan Check bottom end with simple manual crankshaft rotation for a bent rod. Pull the pistons, inspect everything including crank journals and bearings. Pull the valves, roll the push rods on a flat table. Might not even need heavy expense to fix it, I would send the heads out for clean up and valve lap...regasket and back on the road. There is a reason these engines are so popular for swapping. Hard to beat for hp/torque per dollar. Reliable when you don't run them through lakes and simple to take apart being pushrod.

[@eldonerc2524]

Think he's just paying the rent till he can get a line on a new engine, or parts. 😅

[@xDarthRio]

Hemi owners are like “What? Sounds like an engine.”

[@mrjamesbonney]

thank you for trying. I hope u pull the motor apart or send it to I DO CARS. To see 1 torn down with a history would be awesome!

[@kevinfaglie6367]

It'd be real nice to see the rebuild on that cuz I agree it is very very hard to find anything with low miles in that type of engine

[@Yotraj]

I've heard a lot of "engine knocks" in my days... this sounds like valve train assembly and not rod bearings... it may though be a connecting rod issue too... but definitely sounds like a top end knock. You might try... I used to have a 2.5 ft. screwdriver. To find a knock I'd start the engine and place the blade of the screwdriver at different locations around the engine with my ear pressed to the handle end. Then I'd go downstairs and listen to it from there. You can absolutely locate the general vicinity of a knock that way.

[@MapOfEurasia]

Find an another LS1 and go, that knock is doing damage somewhere (crankcase or cylinder wall). Or do the cheap (and maybe fun) way, junkyard 6.0 + supercharger and then compare it with the ProCharge Vette 😁

[@sigmahyperion955]

No way you're going to find a "low-mileage" LS1 for cheaper than the parts to rebuild. Not anymore. You can get raw take-outs for ~$2K, but no warranty or guarantee that they will work at all. For $2500 you can get the parts for a very nicely built motor and know that it'll work in the end. The real question is what the value is of the content / time to do the rebuild vs the swap. Is sinking 2 more days into a rebuild worth it if you forgo 2 days worth of some other content that may generate more views?

[@rjsmith7170]

Try using 3 of the 6 quarts of oil, 3 (half) , trans fluid, I’ve seen old folks use this method and it stop the noise. What do you have to lose? Just an idea. Good luck!

[@danieldeller3661]

I would pull the heads and check for bent push rods or partial stuck lifters.

[@jonathan62019]

I can't be the only one who unplugs coils one at a time to check for rod bearing. 90% of the time when you unplug the bad rod cylinder it get super quiet if not completely silent.

[@robertobuenrostro2781]

Time to tare into it JR. 👨‍🔧

[@kstricl]

I had a 2000 Caravan with the Mitsu 3L that sounded like this. I started replacing 1 quart of the change with a bottle of Lucas and it quieted right down (worn lash adjusters though, I'm thinking this one must have a stretched bearing cap or something on that bad cylinder). Might be fun to see if you can get enough Lucas in to shut this one up before you pull it.

[@xnadave]

At the very least, I'd like to see what the bottom end looks like when you pull the motor. Looks like a fun project.

[@charleshenshaw9099]

Time to engage the engine extractor. That's going to be a good video. 👍

[@0p161]

Well done!

[@MikeJohnson-ld9rn]

Thanks J R, but I never thought it was anything except a rod ! Maybe more !

[@virgilhathaway8033]

I did aluminum heads cam intake headers and a new carburetor on my 78 vette, it was like a different car. This motor needs some love.

[@capitalj1987]

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and I’m like This Corvette is yours and Im like 👍

[@andrewkessinger5966]

You should buy a filter cutter. I like to cut open filters especially in the event of a major engine failure or a sketchy used car or engine.

[@MrDportjoe]

As my 2014 Kia Soul is now being dug into super deep by the warranty folks (just gave approval to tear down to the mains. It broke good!

[@Alps6408]

Gotta love the C5 Corvette, timeless design!

[@anonanonme2463]

The old school fast high pitched two per revolution clicking is upper valve train; lower sounding once per revolution is rod bottom end. Did you try using a mechanic stethoscope or long shank screw driver on the ear to find the sounds location?

[@usmclee65]

Thanks , new subscriber playing catch up, I want to buy a fixer upper. so you guys will really help!

[@REELgaming]

A tear down and rebuild would be cool to see and would be some good content for he channel!

[@jetfuel3053]

I find this series on the corvette very interesting. I would like to know when it all comes to an end what the corvette sells for.

[@bernieryan9937]

I'd suggest before you invest in a rebuilt replacement motor you should fit a full set of rod bearings should fix that knock. worked for Weird Beard on one of his previous G6 flips that had a bad rod knock.

[@jimmyg5636]

More videos like this please !

[@nunyabeeswax3061]

That sound takes me back to my fiero with the 2.8 v6 that's known for early rod bearing failure.ahh the memory's! Lol

[@nickc7494]

Definitely cam lobe damage or bent push rod, I would run it with valve covers off, drop some wheel bearing grease on the valve springs prior, after the grease drys out you find the culprit

[@anks888]

You can work out what's causing the trouble from the sound you could sync the sound with a cylinder one fire and it's very easy to get to the issue

[@kongchingpow]

Every video on this vette makes me want to own and work on that car!

[@rwdplz1]

Anyone who thought that was going to work has never heard a rod knock in person.

[@ToolsOutsideTheBox]

I was about to ask if non-DOD LS engines had hydraulic lifters. 🤣 Jon Ross you’ve inspired me to quit sitting on my hands. I’ve went ahead and started my own, brand new KZbin channel for cars! I would have recycled this account, but I don’t like the hyperlink and google won’t let me change it. Hopefully soon y’all will start seeing Lujin’s Custom Cars content in your feed. 🤣

[@robbs8892]

Great video!

[@DUMBERTHANYOUTHINK]

This is definitely weird. And I'm here for it. Could a BG sludge svc help? I realize its unlikely

[@Torchi0]

I have seen this. Try a good engine flush, like the BG restore and then use any oil You want and drive it a lot

[@warrengreenley7689]

If you have a scan tool that can turn off the injectors and coils off cylinders one by one you might which clylinder is making your noise!

[@ernieleithes6545]

My thoughts exactly in the old days we would just pull a plug lead in turn the noise would disapear

[@warrengreenley7689]

yes you are correct! Any more you now have other electronic parts to deal with as well unless each injector is unplugged when each coil is unplugged as well!

[@brentaitkenhead9934]

i would check piston height at top of the stroke compare cylinders , maybe bent rod have seen that before with water sucked into engines, rod could be hitting lower sides of the bore if bent

[@ivanoffw]

I can see that JR is on his slow journey to Garage 54

[@kenkub2352]

I just don't believe that the noise isn't coming from the valve train. Please JR, prove me wrong! I'm losing sleep over this!

[@AhPhoey]

JR, keep that matching numbers motor in there!!

[@chadriddle3517]

Awesome video where do you get those orange nitrile gloves? Been looking for some

[@nutandboltguy3720]

I’m guessing the lower compression cylinder is the bent rod. The piston is hitting the crank balance weight or rod is hitting it. Then again, it would produce metal if there was grinding.

[@nick524]

Exactly what I was thinking. Probably a severely bent road hitting the counterweight/block.

[@2StallGarage]

Fun video to watch. 👍

[@erickr7102]

The cleaning was worth a try! Pull the engine and do a thorough diagnosis. Maybe it'll be bad, maybe good. We'll all learn a little something!

[@michaelgoodson1797]

With that oil pressure I think your bearing r probably OK if it sucked in water thru the intake maybe look for possible slightly bent rod due to hydrolock or broken cracked piston or ring ,bearing clearance determines your oil pressure bad main or rod bearing will not hold 60psi if 1 is bad main or rod oil pressure is gonna go down