engine upgrade

I want (need :naughty: ) to get some more power out of my engine. However i am not willing to dump outrageous amounts of money into the project. So anyhow just what is an LT1? i honestly know jack shit about it or whats good about it. so due to seeing a 6.0L swap being past my spending limit, dont need to anger the woman folk, i want to build a 383 stroker out of my engine or figure out how to turn it to an LT1 if thats even worth it. Goal: 300+hp, 15.0-15.5 1/4. So while building the engine to a 383, what else would be good to do? i already have a completely custom exhaust setup in the works but i mean interanl engine upgrades...port and polish heads, injectors, rocker arms, valve springs...anything else?, good or bad ideas??

try a STS TURBO KIT! visit the web site

No...lol...that would blow my engine up for sure. and cost a ton too much, and i'd rather go all engine for power anyway.

na that's not going to blow your engine????? at least visit the web site and read up a little.

I want (need :naughty: ) to get some more power out of my engine. However i am not willing to dump outrageous amounts of money into the project. So anyhow just what is an LT1? i honestly know jack shit about it or whats good about it. so due to seeing a 6.0L swap being past my spending limit, dont need to anger the woman folk, i want to build a 383 stroker out of my engine or figure out how to turn it to an LT1 if thats even worth it. Goal: 300+hp, 15.0-15.5 1/4. So while building the engine to a 383, what else would be good to do? i already have a completely custom exhaust setup in the works but i mean interanl engine upgrades...port and polish heads, injectors, rocker arms, valve springs...anything else?, good or bad ideas??

What kinda cash are you looking to spend? You can get your motor into the low 15s pretty easy. I have seen the older vortechs do it with very little mods. A 383 stroker or LT1 could easily net you some low 14s high 13s with very little work. So, what kinda money are you talking about?
An LT1 is a 350 that used to come in the pre-ls1 fbodies, vettes. It's a stout engine and is easily modifiable. My buddy has a 88 stepside with an LT1 and it runs mid/high 13s all day.

How much...hmm..im gonna say around $1500 but if i can get loads of power and runs 13's i'd spend up to $2000. At this point a 383 conv sounds more appealing but i dunno much about an LT1. could my engine be turned into an LT1? and also would that be cheaper and easier than goin to a 383? really tho i know little about the inter-workings of an engine and how to fix them and all but my dads friends from high school built race engines all his life so i think he would help me with any work. so the only costs would be purchasing w/e i need and if i need to bore it out or not..?

I'm seeing kits in jegs and summit that are from 900-1700, but im sure there would be many other thing that i would need to do, want to do, or have to fix while the engine was out. Somebody told me if got this stuff in order for it to work i would have to bore out my block!? not interested in that at all.

correct me if I'm wrong but I believe a LT1 is just a 5.7L (350 motor of course) but the difference between the LT1 5.7 and the other 5.7L that are in other vehicles (i.e. trucks, Tahoes, 'Burbans) is things like differenet (bigger) injectors and the computer programming to operate the motor at different specs. Basically, if you already have a 5.7L, than you simply change out injectors, maybe rocker arms, but mostly reprogram your ECM (computer). However, if you have a 5.3L, than you only have a 305 which is the same block just different bore and stroke as the 350. And of course if it's a 4.3L than you only have a V6. I'm gonna research now that you got me curious! Anyone w/the knowledge please keep it comin'.

correct me if I'm wrong but I believe a LT1 is just a 5.7L (350 motor of course) but the difference between the LT1 5.7 and the other 5.7L that are in other vehicles (i.e. trucks, Tahoes, 'Burbans) is things like differenet (bigger) injectors and the computer programming to operate the motor at different specs. Basically, if you already have a 5.7L, than you simply change out injectors, maybe rocker arms, but mostly reprogram your ECM (computer). However, if you have a 5.3L, than you only have a 305 which is the same block just different bore and stroke as the 350. And of course if it's a 4.3L than you only have a V6. I'm gonna research now that you got me curious! Anyone w/the knowledge please keep it comin'.

I believe the old 305 was a 5.0L. Could be wrong on that. The 5.3L is like a 324(somewhere in that area), but most people refer to it as a 327. It's an entirely new block designed similar to the new LS1 motor. The LT1 is a 350 with some differences, and if the swap is done, will have to be tuned for maximum benefits. I'll check out the differences and post them up. I really love the LT1 for it's ability to mod with lower funds. The LS-style motors are still expensive as hell to mod! :frown:

more expensive yes but you have done quite well the way it seems with ur truck. but word swap for me is a BIG NO. i want to build up and keep my engine. Im liking turning into a 383 with a kit cuz from what i see the power #'s are better than an LT1 kit. If i bought a 383 balanced rotating kit and put all that in is the ONLY thing required to have the new parts and make it work?

correct me if I'm wrong but I believe a LT1 is just a 5.7L (350 motor of course) but the difference between the LT1 5.7 and the other 5.7L that are in other vehicles (i.e. trucks, Tahoes, 'Burbans) is things like differenet (bigger) injectors and the computer programming to operate the motor at different specs. Basically, if you already have a 5.7L, than you simply change out injectors, maybe rocker arms, but mostly reprogram your ECM (computer). However, if you have a 5.3L, than you only have a 305 which is the same block just different bore and stroke as the 350. And of course if it's a 4.3L than you only have a V6. I'm gonna research now that you got me curious! Anyone w/the knowledge please keep it comin'.


LT1 is a 5.7 (350) but puts out more power due to among other things a different camshaft profile. (more aggressive) 5.3L = 327cid and not a 305

the LT1 has different (better) components to it, including a longer duration cam, as you guys have mentioned. It also has a 10.4:1 compression ratio, compared to the 9.5 most vortecs have. Also, LT1's are reverse flow cooled, so the coolant goes to the heads first, to allow the higher compression ratio. With that in mind, dont try to swap parts from a 350 and an LT1, they usually dont go together well

Yeh i was told by the guys in the camaro forum that tryin to turn a vortec 350 to an LT1 wasnt possible anyway. so my plan at this point is a cam kit, edelbrock intake manifold, Hypertech PPIII, to start then rocker arms pushrods and eventually headers and new pipe...and if the piggy bank allows air intake and bigger throttle body. can anyone gimme a guestimate how much power all that would give me, now around 265-270.

Yeh i was told by the guys in the camaro forum that tryin to turn a vortec 350 to an LT1 wasnt possible anyway. so my plan at this point is a cam kit, edelbrock intake manifold, Hypertech PPIII, to start then rocker arms pushrods and eventually headers and new pipe...and if the piggy bank allows air intake and bigger throttle body. can anyone gimme a guestimate how much power all that would give me, now around 265-270.

I think you're underestimating it a bit. With all of that described, you'll most likely get your 14s and probably closer to 300hp to boot.

You think replacing the valves is worth $210 for both sets? i dunno but my goal when its all said and done...probably many many months from now, is to have the ultimate sleeper, look and for the most part sound stock, around 350hp and be able to run mid 14's (kick a ton of ricer ass)

You think replacing the valves is worth $210 for both sets? i dunno but my goal when its all said and done...probably many many months from now, is to have the ultimate sleeper, look and for the most part sound stock, around 350hp and be able to run mid 14's (kick a ton of ricer ass)

350hp is pretty hard to accomplish. I'm estimating that my truck is putting down somewhere in the 400-410hp range, but it is a 6.0L. I think a nice valve job is worth the money. If you get in the 350range, you will blow mid 14s out of the water!

350hp is pretty hard to accomplish. I'm estimating that my truck is putting down somewhere in the 400-410hp range, but it is a 6.0L. I think a nice valve job is worth the money. If you get in the 350range, you will blow mid 14s out of the water!

Greetings Slow,

I'm curious about your 6.0L. Is it the standard 6.0 that you worked up or did you start with an LQ9 high output 6.0L?

My LQ9 stock is 345 hp with no modifications.

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