Well, I'm just about to tell you how durable they are. I have an '87 T/A with an LG4 and automatic w/over 200k miles on it now. Not impressed yet? How about it having a cracked piston for the past 3 1/2 years, actually ever since I bought it. Still not good enough? How about this one? I have been driving it around with a JB welded block after a freeze this past winter made a couple of cracks in it. The car is mostly stock with a few bolt on's such as an intake and carb, and a good exhaust. The last time I had it to the track it ran a 15.26 @ 89mph which was a couple of weeks ago. I am quite interested on your input on this.

Phil

 

Sounds great! I have an LG4 with a little over 80,000 miles that feels new. Just waiting on some new rods/hangers to see if I can get some better throttle response. I think as long as a motor is pampered (Oil changes every 3000, tune-ups as needed, fixes as needed) it will last a long time. I don't know how the previous owners treated mine but it must not've been terrible. I just keep the Mobil 1 in it with a good ignition system and a properly tuned carb and everything is great.

Matt

 

My LG4 spun bearings at 75K and had a GM GoodWrench 305 put in (extended warranty). IT now has 160K+ and runs 14.5 in the 1/4 w/ TPI and headers. Oil pressure never dips below 25 when hot and in gear, and sits at 60+ on the highway. Makes no noise (knock on wood) and runs great.

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If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen

GM Master Tech
ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
Whatever chip I feel like burning,
JET AFPR, Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass, Custom Cold Air,
SSM SFC, KYB Shocks, Boxed LCAs, Wonder Bar,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
3.73 Posi
4wheel Disc Brakes
Summit 1-5/8" headers, 2.5" Dynomax catback.

Best 1/8: 9.519@72.74

'97 Bonneville SSE

 

mine has 229,817 miles on it....its in poor shape..and unless i get answers fast..im sacrificing it to the car god

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"Jack it Up Like a Mother!"
AIM: grvkill
ICQ: 29298583
1973 Plymouth Roadrunner
1984 Berlinetta Camaro

 

I had nothing but good luck with my 85 bird with the LG-4, even more reliable than my LB-9.

 

Mine was quite hearty as well. I removed it at 200,052 miles, it still ran smoothly, but slowly, had good oil pressure, a short cold start knock. and the typical chevy salute seal smoke. It survived unimaginably poor maintainance from the previous owners. the Sh*T was caked half way up the valve springs, and the drains were clogged, the lifter galley was half full of solid sluge, yet it ran. and ran quite well.

the motor now powers a Mstock malibu wagon

 

I dont know what modle 305 that it was but the 305 in my 76Pu "dads back then" had well over 300,000 miles "it was changed from a 350 in 82 to unknown model 305" probably LG4 just a minor overhaul was all that was done to it when installed, rings oil pump&cam. The 305 was poorly mantanied other than the oil changes. It never broke down! It never smoked, burned very little oil, it got a solid 17mpg and had major ballz! It's still running in some old guys van as far as I know. Thats a good engine for ya.
SSC

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The stud formerly know as SUPER-SPORT-CHEVY.
What happend to my password?
Oh well!

 

I just hit 208,000 miles the other day! Still running strong! Never been apart past the valve covers (for valve seals at around 160,000, which are gone again!) Everybody that has rode in the car has been impressed!

Now if only the transmission and rear-end weren't failing..... Oh well, good excuse to drop the 350 down in it, and build the new transmission, and rear-end!

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Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305 with 207,000 original miles!
Dual electric fans (from a formula).
145 MPH IROC Speedo
430 HP 350 (ZZ430) Coming soon! (Building it myself, so I don't get those AWESOME valve covers!)

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!

ASE Certified Master Tech
+ L1 Advanced Engine Performance
+ X1 Undercar Specialist

And....A sig. that's getting way too long!

 

I've currently got 100,000 miles on mine and it runs like it was brand new other than the notorious puff of blue smoke when I start it in the morning. Why GM couldn't make some decent valve seals for the thing is beyond me. At this rate, I'd expect to get another 50,000 miles out of it before it starts to get weak.

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1987 Camaro Sport Coupe LG4
700R4 with 2.73 open rear
Hypertech chip, 180* stat
L69 Dual snorkel air cleaner with K&N air filter
CK rods with B hanger
Hooker catback
Pioneer DEH-P4000, Pioneer TS-A4615 front TS-A6995 rear
Kenwood KAC-529S driving 8" Bazooka EL804 bass tube

 

I had about 117,000 on mine but rebuilt it 2 weeks after I bought the car. (Blue smoke and no top end power) Took the cam out and 4 lobes were nearly round but it still spun the tires hehe Everything else inside looked pretty good. Little sludged up but not bad.

 

I've got a little over 145K on my LG4.
Ran very strong until I took it apart to install my TPI setup.
Hopefully I will be able to run better than 14.9, that is what I ran with my LG4 and Edlebrock carb and intake with 135K miles and slipping clutch.


WS6 Trans Am.

View My Ride @ thirdgen.org

 

Displacement is not really the issue in a motors longetivity. It really depends how well the engine was maintained and how often it is taken to high rpms. I have found revs are the biggest killer of a motor (if it is properly maintained).

 

I have 237,000 on my LG4 now and the last 100,000 have been Stomped out, Redlined, Racing, Roasting kms in the last 6 years i have had it and it runs excellent with very little oil consumption, Im very impressed and so are all my friends who thought it would be blown a long time ago.

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Light em up!

 

I have 237,000 on my LG4 now and the last 100,000 have been Stomped out, Redlined, Racing, Roasting kms in the last 6 years i have had it and it runs excellent with very little oil consumption, Im very impressed and so are all my friends who thought it would be blown a long time ago.

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Light em up!

 

Well, I'm overwhelmed by all of the replies. This message board isnt like most others. I do have a few things to add. My 305 just started the smoke rings when you start it a few weeks back. The block was very badly damaged by the freeze it is cracked on both sides, one being a crescent shaped crack about 8 inches long. The other side however is much worse, It has a sideways H crack running from behind the motor mount boss to past the dipstick tube. The secone crack was hard to fix taking a lot of grinding and 2 attempts to get right. The first try recracked. But I am happy to report it since has been very reliable as always and I just recently took it on an 800 mile trip to canada trouble free. And it still smokes those little rice burners too.

 

Servicing your engine doesn't mean crap! I service mine all the time and really take care of my vehicals but it all comes down to luck. We have a couple company trucks that they drive till they stop moving and then fix. The 88 chev 305 leaks so bad they just keep adding oil and never change it. Usually there is nothing on the stick and it is all rusty. We have 580,000km on it and it has never been apart. That truck just won't die. It doesn't even smoke!

 

My LG4 is 17 years old with 122k on it, supposedly had a rebuild 3 years ago (i highly doubt it)

When the parts attached to it don't fail it's really a good engine. Other than valve seals, i've got a monster oil leak at the oil pan. It's been good for the past year, but not powerful enough for my taste.

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--Steve S--
1984 Trans Am 305 LG4, 5 speed Daily Driver, Flowmaster 80 Series
Holley 600 cfm & vacuum advance
Soon: Edlebrock Intake & TES

 

That's true. No two cars are ever made exactly alike. You could get #342 (or whatever) and it would be totally reliable, but #343 could be a real lemon. Maintenance can make a difference though.

1985 Camaro Z28 bone stock LG4 with 53,600 miles




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Ludicrous Speed GO!!!

 

My 1st car was an '83 T/A LG4 and it wouldn't die. I drove from Colorado to Massachusetts one time w/3 people, non stop. The temp guage was at the 3 o'clock position the whole trip!!(What's that, like 320*F?) I thought the gauge was junk, but when I got home, I found the radiator had rotted and there were also tons of leaves packed between the AC condenser and the radiator! But it ran fine. Then one time, I had taken my fan off (for more HP -I was much younger then) and I started it after work one night(high idle). Realizing that I had forgetten to do something, I ran back inside. One thing lead to another, and 20 minutes later the owner ran out back shouting "Tom! Your car just blew up!!" I ran out and it was dead, steam rising from under the hood. It had gotten so hot it blew the lower radiator hose off, then seized up. I let it cool some, filled it with coolant, and cringing, I turned the key. RA-RA-RA-Vrooom! Started right up and ran perfectly fine! The Colorado incident was at about 135,000 mi, and the work incident was at 175,000 mi. Oh, BTW this whole time I was drag racing the car (ran low 16's) and I used it to tow my boat (18' Speedboat). Then at 185,000mi, I slaped a Summit Cam in it and was rewarded with a 15.3 1/4 mi. I finally sold the car with 200,000 mi, still running very well. It got 24 mpg hwy, and burned a quart of oil every 3000 mi. I knew the girl I sold it to, and she sold it again at 230,000 mi, still running fine. Definitely the LG4 is a tough ba$tard!

[This message has been edited by Tom 400 CFI (edited July 07, 2001).]

 

It does all come down to how well a person takes care of their car. i bought my 87 305 camaro from a friend with 154,000 miles on it after his dad had gotten to the motor. he raced it around town with no oil and unplugged every hose and wire you could think of and hooked them up wrong, but it still started and ran long enough to get it across town to my garage. we are just about done rebuilding it and we are hoping to get a long life out of it.

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87 305 5.0 litre 4 bbl
Black with gray trim almost done being rebuilt