Caseythefalcon

iTrader: (1)

I am looking to buy a low mileage lt1 and build a turbo setup to put on it. How much power can an m6 lt1 handle? Also will I have any issues with the rear end? I will be daily driving it and not launching ever. Thanks in advance.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

How much can it handle? A lot... well over 1000hp...IF built properly, a stock LT1 however with it's high CR and un-boost friendly pistons won't live long on higher (over 6lbs) boost. The T56 is stout until you get to big power levels....10 bolt not so much....putting turbo torque through it sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ever put sticky tires on it and maybe even street tires.

Caseythefalcon

iTrader: (1)

Okay so moser 12 bolt, and forged internals and ill be good?

whytryz28

iTrader: (28)

On the street yes, at the track with sticky tires, no.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

In regards to "how much boost is safe"....far too many variables to answer that. IF the motor was built for high boost, 25+ psi why not If completely stock...5-6 psi. Compression ratio, quality of engine parts used, intercooling, tuning, fuel octane the list of variable goes on and on. You need to do LOTS of research for months before even considering starting on this type project. Might want to consider an NA build like most of us....I go by the "KISS" approach (Keep It Simple Stupid) to making HP

HighMileageC4

Procharger lt1 kits run 7 to 8 pounds with intercooler.

Timing should stay stock and conservative.

Tune conservative per above, one round of detonation will crack stock hypereutectic pistons immediately.

A turbo will run IATs hotter, so may need more coservative tune than a centr blower.

Z28Roxy

iTrader: (4)

I was always curious if an LT1 would hold up to a reasonable boost number... 6-8 PSI if you kept the cam stock but swapped the heads for trickflows or AFRs and ran a thick head gasket to drop the compression - and most importantly had a spot on tune.

93M6Formula

Stick with bolts on and Heads and Cam for now, the last thing you want to do when you're not very experienced building a car is doing a forced induction setup, especially a turbo setup since it usually takes twice the fab work. It's also not cheap and don't think for one second you can go using cheap ebay parts to build a reliable setup. I'm all for F.I. but you really need to know what you're doing and have some good experience and do A LOT of research before even thinking about doing it. I'm not discouraging you but i'm just telling you not to be that guy that slaps a turbo or a supercharger on his stock LT1 and then comes back in here crying because his motor blew up. Do research, save A LOT of money and then think about doing it.

Read the stickies in this section, it will help you out.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-induction-9/

bufmatmuslepants

iTrader: (3)

I havnt heard a lie that bad since Obama said "If I cant fix the economy in 3 years, you can call me Former President Obama". Why would you add all this power and not use it? Its like not ******* your girlfriend so shes not worn out for the next guy. Your rear cant handle the stock power, the stock driveshaft is as thick as a soda can. Theres no point in doing a turbo setup unless you are doing it junkyard cheap style with a turbo from an old car and only pushing 5lbs of boost, or unless you have at least $8,000 lying around to do it right with forged internals and a good set of heads and cam for boost. There is no real in between with these motors. Better bet is to get a junkyard 5.3 or 4.8 and boost the crap out of that, HOTROD magazine got 630hp out of a bone stock longblock 5.3 with no intercooler and an ebay turbo and only spent $3,000 for everything. Then they got a stock bottom end 4.8 and put on heads and a boost cam and twin chinese ebay turbos and intercoolers and got 1203hp on 30 something lbs of boost. Boosted stock LT1 bottom ends have piston failure issues with more than 6lbs. Slow down and start with the basics, boltons, springs, rockers, suspension and rear end, cam, heads, then bottom end, then boost it.

z28master

just a question... i was going to do a 5.3 swap in my lt1 because of all the treads ive seen on here and ive read the hotrod mag. article so i was dead set til i asked my cousin bout doing it and he told me i would have hellacious trouble with getting it to run with ls intake man, ls cam. with other pcm how does all that work.

bufmatmuslepants

iTrader: (3)

You just get a dropout 5.3 or 4.8 with the entire engine harness and computer, its as simple as that. You do need to swap the intake manifold though becuase the stock truck intake, although it flows better than the LS1 intake, will not fit under a stock hood. Other than that its just like doing an LS1 swap into an LT, THEMERV did it and has a GREAT writeup on his swap. IMO, there is no point in modding LT1s anymore if you are just looking for all out horsepower, its cheaper to go to an LS platform and you will get more power for less $$. If you are happy with 400-450rwhp and still like the dare-to-be-different factor and want to do mods yourself over a poriod of time, the LT is still great. That being said I will still probably do an LT build before I switch platforms.