krj

Hello,

I am new to the forum-thread. I have a 1997 Camaro, 162k on it, and a motor (LT1) that blew the driver's side head gasket. It did go through some pretty pronounced-detonation-chattering with the water gauge about 1/2 inch to the right of 260 with CHECK GAUGE on. My daughter drove the car about 17 miles with little-or-no water in the engine in August. We are in Austin, TX where at that time it was 102-104 degrees ambient outside that day.

I have thought about whether to just part-out the car but decided to try give it a go myself and get it back on the road. I dropped the k-frame and have the motor/tranny on the garage floor next to the car. I am about to separate the motor from the tranny and get the motor on a stand. The heads are "1996-561's" even though the car is a 1997 ?? I had the heads resurfaced and a 3-angle valve job done on them and had the stock springs put back on - it sounded good at the time. The car did smoke on start-up and did use some oil before the head gasket blew. I am almost sure it would be worse (oil usage) now that it has had radiator fluid in the cylinders where gas and air should belong.

Block number - 10125327
Head numbers - 12551561


Now that everything is out of the car I have some things to ponder. This is a daily driver/street commuter car and we are on a pretty tight budget. Austin Performance here in Austin suggested that I scrap the LT1 and put in an LS motor from a junkyard-truck-motor. Upon review it looks to be a little bit more painful in getting the car to "see" the LS motor and manage it along with things like AC. So here are the questions:



1. Question 1 - Keep the LT and rebuild it?

Here are the costs that I have been able to see so far from the web:
Radiator (It cracked on the way out) - 250.00
Water Pump - 140
Block Machining - 650-900. Decked, honed, etc.
Rotating assembly - 1,000 - 1,300
Tranny rebuild kit - 350
Gaskets / head bolts - 300

Option 1 total estimated - 3,240


2. Question 2 - Scrap/sell the LT and heads and get a junkyard LS motor and cram it into the car?

Junkyard LS motor with PCM - 2,200 - 2,900
Motor Mounts - 150
Transmission / bell housing change - 400
Exhaust changes - 200


Option 2 total estimated - 3,650


Please forgive me if I am getting this wrong in any way. I literally have the guts of this car all over the garage. And, since it is out then this would be the time to take a look at the options and / or validate costs, etc. Also, there is a consideration of the overall drive-train (rear-end) and what it can stand as far as the stock rear end goes.

We bought the car 2-3 years ago for my son's first car. It had 141K miles on it. It now has 163K miles. We did a Father-son-day-out-at-the-dyno a year ago and it put down about 245 at the wheel. The stock rating was I think about 285 for the 97-camaro so 40 hp -14% drive-line loss sounds about right. Of course I am hoping that there is a way to coax a few ponies while we are here. Reliability is a key thing. I am looking first for advice from experts like those that are on this forum. I do have a little mechanical acumen and are excited about being able to show my son, and my two daughters (19-17-15 years of age) what goes on inside these things! So, any help here is greatly appreciated! This is my first-post so I am clearly a green-horned-newbie. I will try to attach the dyno sheet as a reference.

Any and all help here is greatly appreciated.

0silverado4

A junkyard LS motor should cost you no where near $2200. You can find 5.3 complete with harness for $500 or so if you look. a 6.0 would be a little more. Only way you would pay that much is if you're factoring in a rebuild on the ls motor too.

krj

OK and thank you! What would you do? It is obvious that the LS-XX motors are way ahead of the LT 1's technology-wise. Also, they have a much higher production volume to say the least. I am not afraid to do what is necessary to get this done. Just a bit apprehensive with the transplant unless the PCM comes with the motor. Not that budget-minded people can be choosers but if we could get 400-450 at the flywheel then that would be a HUGE bonus.

As I said before I am not anywhere close to an expert here. The goal is to have a motor/tranny combo that can get hammered every now and then but also be dependable for the long-run. I figured 16+ years of cast/forging technology could elevate the LT1 or LS1 (5.3 or 6.0) to 4-450 HP at the flywheel and still have a good margin of internal rotating strength to go many, many miles on the highway if needed.

This is/will be a daily driver so platform strength is a strong consideration. Also, I have read that going much higher than that (4-450 hp) and you have to switch out the injectors, fuel-pump, etc.

btw - Where do you think I can get an LS1 (5.3 or 6.0) for 500 bucks or so with ECM? Any help here is once again very much apperciated!!

0silverado4

Check Craigslist for LS pullouts. Check pick and pulls in your area, the kind where you pull the engines yourself. As far as what I would do, that's hard to say. I don't really know what all it takes to swap a LT car to a LS. Honestly a LT1 is plenty sufficient for your goals. If the swap isn't that difficult or expensive I would go LS. If the cost of the swap would exceed the rebuilt LT1 I would just stay LT1. You can get 400fwhp easily with a LS using factory parts. Just depends on your goals and your budget as to which way you should go.

5LTRETR97

iTrader: (2)

For me, I would go with LS. Like the other guys said, you can find a decent block for the price at a pick an pull. The great thing about the LS's is that there in a lot of different GM vehicles you can find in a junkyard. I did the LS swap in my 97' Camaro. It's not to hard of a job. I went for a more expensive route though. LOL! But I can help you out with anything you need to know about the swap. I will say, the LT's are great though. Real reliable, except the opti. LOL! Let me know if you need any info.

john j oliver

iTrader: (4)

I have done this swap... putting an LS1/4l60e in my 95. I can tell you it is a challenge but it's very doable. With the motor and k member out you can install the LS1 in. But read the posts in the Conversions and Hybrid section. There are many post in there that users have performed the swap. Most were done for racing and some for daily drivers. I did mine as a daily driver but with some serious HP mods. You will need an LS k member, an LS rack and pinion, you will need to modify your transmission mount i.e (minimal mods), the wiring harness you can modify yourself or have someone do it for you. The fuel system will take some mods as well. Again its doable and the performance potential is much more with the LS1. I squeeze out close to 490 HP at the fly wheel with my LS1 on street gas. And it has cruise control, ABS, and AC and everything works. Good luck which ever way you go.

95LSX454

iTrader: (1)

LS all the way......Get rid of that old school opti-spark LT.....U wont regret the conversion....LS is far superior to the LT in almost every way...just my 2 cents

mab6680

iTrader: (1)

lt1 long block-$1700, waterpump-$95, Radiator-$172, and tranny rebuild kit-105. all on rockauto, all ac delco parts. just saved yourself over a grand maybe more if you went with some of there cheaper parts.

krj

Hello,

This is what is SO VERY COOL about this place! I am really a bit lost and confused and you folks are coming to the rescue with help in all kinds of ways. Thank each of you and everyone on this site. This is why these things exist! Being lost is one thing, but, having folks that have been there and done that is just awesome. Thank each and everyone one of you for your perspective on this one. I will research the LS1 thing further at the pick a part as a suggested above. I am in the market for a pull-a-part LS1 I think so looking in the Austin-area. Does anyone know of a place in the Austin / San Antonio area to possibly get an LS1 6.0 iron block motor with PCM on the chaep?

JDEP162

I only have two things to throw in, first iveI've only had an ls1 it kicks ***, cantcan't go wrong with it. And 2nd, letslet's see a picture of the car!!

redefined

I would for sure go with an LS if you have the ability to do so.

How do you figure? Maybe not an LS1 but if you want LS2/3 or an LQ4/9 you could easily be up to 2200. It seems almost any I see now days (I've been looking at LQ motors for boost) are 1800-2200 + shipping if not local. Granted I can't find any local so maybe you have better luck with that.

I'd say the OP original estimate is good, especially since you never really know what you're getting with a junkyard motor. Figure high and hope for low unforeseen costs IMO.

krj

Hello,

This has taken a while! I am twisting a wrench on this one literally in the garage by myself here. The block is due back next week. Only having it in the vat and "plateau-honed" for the moly rings. Upon disassembly I found that I have a 705 cam and stock 561 heads with a valve job. Also, I have already purchased a new set of .600 springs. I am going to try to see if I can keep most/all of the stock parts in the rebuild. I do have a question -- with the new .600 springs can I keep the lifters/pushrods and go with some 1.6 roller-rockers? If I do that I will go from intake of .447 lift to 477 and exhaust from .473 to .490. Is this even worth the hassle to potential lifter to spring alignment? Will I get really any improvement here with stock manifolds? I was weighing to get non egr long-tubes and a tune from PCMforless. Any thoughts on what this might get as far as improvement or is it even worth the expense or hassle?