Savage42 Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 I was just looking through the new Super Chevy magazine and they are have "Dos & Don'ts" article for the LS1s. This is info from the top LS guys at Detroit Speedworks, SLP, etc Here's an overview: Do: Cold Air Intake, only good for a few HP unless you get into other bolt-ons, heads & cam, then it's more like 10 HP. Don't: Port the Stock MAF, just spend the money to get a calibrated 85mm meter. Don't: Larger Throttle Body on a Stock Engine, not needed until you get near 600 HP. Do: Cat-back exhaust, good for 10HP on a stock Camaro and more with mods. (we're in good shape) ;^) Don't: Go Nuts with Exhaust, a low restriction 3-3.5" system is plenty, even with nitrous or blower. Do: Long Tube Headers, the LS1 responds terrific to high-flow attributes of full-length headers. You want 1.75" primaries with 3" collectors. The experts agree that don't do any good. Go long or go home! Do: Upgrade the Valvetrain, if you plan on revving over 6,000 rpm, at least get the LS6 springs and valves. Don't: Delete the Torque Management Table or Disable Knock Protection, you'll pick up a tenth or two but will kill your automatic transmission. Do: Be Careful with Compression, for boosted motors, bolt on a pair of lower-compression LQ4 6.0 truck heads ('00+ are aluminum) and boast larger exhaust ports & combustion chambers. Don't: Invest In an Intake Manifold, good for 10hp on a stock motor, wait until you go heads & cam. Those with the '01-02 motors already have the Z06 manifold, so you are good to go. Don't: Over-Cam Your Blower motor Do: Be Careful With Pulleys, Some underdrive pulleys can cause a frequency that the knock sensor will detect and pull timing. W/o a balancer, the crank may not last forever. Do: High Stall Converter, a 3,300ish stall, lock-up-capable converter is good for a couple tenths. Anything higher than a 3,300 stall converter and you'll need the PCM recalibrated. Do: Short-Throw Shifter, for your 6-speed Don't: Neglect the Fuel System, stock injectors are good for 450 normally aspirated HP. A better pump is recommended over the stock Camaro pump. Don't: Use 02 sims Up Front, Use the front ones or lose them, if you don't use them you need to wipe them from the PCM with tuning. 02 sims work well in the back, but not up front, but it's best just to get rid of them, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 By the way, This is the SAME IDENTICAL advice given to me by one of the top LS1 EDIT software tuners on the east coast. Jeff Creech, Dyno operator and tuner in Durham, NC. gave me the basic blueprint for building my LS1 motor for our Vette... We've upgraded the cold air kit and the exhaust, as well as the quick shifter. I also purchased some Eagle H-beam rods, Wiseco forged pistons (Stock compression) and we're buying the Thunder Racing 224/224 Dur. 114 LSA 556 lift cam package, which comes with new springs, retainers, and proper length pushrods. We're also opening the heads up, going with larger valves, and going with an LS6 intake and Shaner TB. Headers... We're torn between the SLP and the kooks, but will go full length 1 7/8th with random cats. This SAME setup with a stock MAS, Ford 30# injectors and a new STOCK fuel pump made 412HP and passed emissions in North Carolina on a 2001 Corvette in Jeff's shop. That is a LOT of HP for a relatively inexpensive ALUMINUM small block. I can NOT stress enough that if I were putting a motor in my Z, and didn't already have one, I'd get an LS1. I may still end up doing just that in the end, since I have the stock motor in the Vette right now... But I've got the 383 stroker, which should be in the same range of HP right now... Myabe sell it or put it in the truck? Decisions decisions... But make no mistakes... The LS1/ LS6 is the new generation of hop up SBC and the aftermarket is finally starting to get on board. My timing couldn't be better for wading into those waters! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nic-Rebel450CA Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 I dunno about this one: Don't: Go Nuts with Exhaust, a low restriction 3-3.5" system is plenty, even with nitrous or blower. Is this talking about single or duals? If it is talking duals, then yes, that is certainly correct. 3.5" duals will be ok to up to 700 HP or more. 3.5" single would only be good up to about 400 HP. A few of these tips are also applicable to all other engines. In general, changing intake or exhaust isnt going to do nearly as much for a stock engine as it will for an engine that has had the cam changed. BTW, why would anyone want to remove O2 sensors? Isnt that the only thing that the ECU has that it can get a reading from to richen up the mixture or lean it out if it is too rich? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 The LS1 comes with four 02 sensors. There is some tuning that can be done better with only two of them in place is what I've read on some of the boards. However, a good LS1 Edit tuner (Like Jeff aka Milkman) can get around this and make the smog police happy. It also depends on how radical the build and if it is forced induction or non. Those exhaust size recommendations are all dual. No one in the LS1 community would think of running a single out. 8) Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 The need for cats and the lack of ABS sensors might make for a difficult smog legal swap in an early 240. Otherwise an LS1 would be at the top of my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 With LS1 Edit, you can cut off the sensors and the Randon Tech cats are so small, they would easily fit in the trans tunnel area, along with an X or H pipe. Next... MIke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 Good to know about the cats. But with a 95 LT1 I wouldn't need even those. I need to get to a referee station and figure out just what they will require for an OBDII car. If I have the cats, why eliminate any of the O2 sensors? Others have mentioned that editiing the computer program is technically illegal. Thus the issue of ABS sensors. Somthing like that would make it not worth the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j260z Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 i believe the 95 LT1 is still OBD1. the change over is in 96. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TestZubject Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 What are the advantages of an LS1 other than the weight savings? Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of these engines, I was just wondering if you were going to go so far as changing to aftermarket heads and manifolds if the LS1 would still have any pronounced advantages over a similar LT1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 i believe the 95 LT1 is still OBD1. the change over is in 96. Yes, that is what I believe too. OBDII cars are required to have an O2 sensor before and after the cat. Thus, without the cat, the computer program won't work right and there is mixed information on what you can legally do to fix this. So right now my target engine is a 94 or 95 LT1 since they still have the reprogramable computer of an OBDII car without the legal restrictions. Of course I could just not tell the state about the new engine, but I want the experience of doing it legally. At least at first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 My build is using the factory LS1 heads, crank & block. The pistons, rods, and cam kit are all that is aftermarket. The goal is to have 400+RWHP for less than $6000. So far I'm at $2500 for the new heads, new crank, new block, cam kit, pistons, and rods. I still need headers ($1400 for the headers and cats I want), Z06 intake ($300 Used), McLeod Clutch kit and master cylinder ($1200), crank pulley/ balancer ($240), and to install it all and truck it down to Jeff in Durham for a programming & Dyno Tune session. The advantage is weight. 48# worth according to a lot of the guys in LS1tech.com land. Also, remember that my statement was "If you don't have apowerplant". And from what I undersatand on the LT1 and LS1 platforms, when you go modifying the induction, swapping cams, or bumping compression, tweeking the computer parameters is a must in order to still pass the sniff test. Mike 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toysport Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 thanks for the heads up guys. i'm planning on dropping a small block LS1 into my 76 280z, can you guys input me all your expertise such as what need to go, what needs to be replaced and what not. appreciate it. -thanks- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 Z Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 I'M doing a LS1 swap with John's kit. I've deleated egr, after cat o2 sensors, smog pump and evap. Going back to the LT1, if you go into and read about MAS280 going from a very modified LT1 to an almost stock LS1 and pulling 11.4 in the quarter.See his vidio or clip on this site and I'm sure you will be impressed!!!!!!!!!!!! JOEY- LS1 Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 Pop N Wood - LS1 has most recent GM technology which gives it the highest specific HP output per ci of any stock GM motor. It also has a slew of aftermarket parts now and the prices are coming down. This is a fun motor. It revs like crazy, actually improves your handling, and has boatloads of torque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 LS1=No OptiSpark!!!! That alone is worth the decision!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 I want to avoid what the one member in either Texas or California (I forget which) did when he completed an LS1 swap, then sold the car when he couldn't get it smogged. I have to look into the cats Mike mentioned, but there is not much room under a 240. My stock floorpans are fine and I want to keep them that way. No doubt the distributor should have gone the way of points some years ago, and that one coil per cylinder is vastly superior to one large one. But the LT1 swap will save me some serious coin, will go fast enough to get me thrown in jail in pretty much any state of the union, and IMO they look so much better that the LS motors with their exposed coil packs and intake. Plus I won't need to buy a new set of tools to take down the bottom end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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