are these mods worth it for my lt1?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
are these mods worth it for my lt1? i have a 94 z 6 speed and it has a full exhaust with long tube hookers and slp lm 1 and a k&n CAI. i want to do a pulley kit, 58mm throttle body, and a nice tune. i was told that the previous owner had the motor rebulit and its a 355 with a small cam nothing crazy. is there anything else i should do or shouldn't do. ive heard alot of people doing the 1.6 roller rockers. any suggestions on that? i would really like to get 300 at the wheels or at least be able to beat an o6 mustang gt lol.
You should have no problem with 300 to the tire my bolt on car did 319/336 definitely do 1.6,7/16 roller rockers replace the the 3/8 studs with 7/16 studs,flat 5/16 guide plates with 7.200 chromoly pushrods. You wont regret it.... who did the tune?o
I would do the tune and hold off on the pulleys and throttle body.
Stock LT1's with CAI and full exhaust usually dyno in the 280's to the wheels so if you have a 355 with an aftermarket cam, you're probably close to 300 already. Getting the car on a dyno will not only give you more power than the throttle body and pulleys, it will show you where you are.
If you somehow are far off from 300 rwhp, the pulleys and throttle body won't help. They might get you 5-10 hp combined. A stock LT1 throttle body doesn't become a bottle neck until you're making substantially more than 300 hp.
Stock LT1's with CAI and full exhaust usually dyno in the 280's to the wheels so if you have a 355 with an aftermarket cam, you're probably close to 300 already. Getting the car on a dyno will not only give you more power than the throttle body and pulleys, it will show you where you are.
If you somehow are far off from 300 rwhp, the pulleys and throttle body won't help. They might get you 5-10 hp combined. A stock LT1 throttle body doesn't become a bottle neck until you're making substantially more than 300 hp.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
I was going to have lt1 pcm do the tune for me via email i dont really have a dyno tuner around me. There is one but its like a 3 momth wait. I was going to data log the car for him so he could tune it as best as he could like on a dyno. He has good reviews so lets see what happens
TECH Resident
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 869
Likes: 0
From: In the moment...
Welcome to LS1Tech. You have some reading to do boss. Since you already have mods I would start here https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...o-archive.html
Trending Topics
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 1
From: South Dakota
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
A LOT of 355s are done really really badly, I wouldn't get his hopes up.
As said the pulleys and TB are poor ideas.
Pullies are better left for cars with belt driven waterpumps or road race cars that see LONG term high rpm use.
what gears are in it?
As said the pulleys and TB are poor ideas.
Pullies are better left for cars with belt driven waterpumps or road race cars that see LONG term high rpm use.
what gears are in it?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
S&k speed shop aparently rebuilt the motor i just need to do a car fax to get the owners name and they can look it up. I have stock 3.42 gears. I was thinking of doing 3.73's but ive heard mixed reviews on it. i have 19" vette rims with a 285/40 tire and i feel like its going to affect the take-off with the stock gearing. I had a 95 with 3.73 with the ss rims and 275' on it but it was an auto but that sucker was fast only had it for 3 months but i had bought it like that. Never did gears myself
S&k speed shop aparently rebuilt the motor i just need to do a car fax to get the owners name and they can look it up. I have stock 3.42 gears. I was thinking of doing 3.73's but ive heard mixed reviews on it. i have 19" vette rims with a 285/40 tire and i feel like its going to affect the take-off with the stock gearing. I had a 95 with 3.73 with the ss rims and 275' on it but it was an auto but that sucker was fast only had it for 3 months but i had bought it like that. Never did gears myself
3.73s are good for an A4 car but just plain stupid for an M6. Basically nobody worth listening to will tell you they liked 3.73s better then 4.10s with an M6. You have a double overdrive. Without running the numbers I am pretty sure the M6 with 4.10s is still a lower cruise rpm than the A4 was with 3.73s.
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
Just to put things in a different perspective, I almost wish I had 3.73's instead of 4.10's, even though my car is a 6 speed.
I cross the finish line turning 6100rpm's in 4th gear, which by coincidence is where my motor makes peak power according to my dyno sheet. Also, its not generally a good idea to take a stock bottom end LT1 much past that.
So if I decide to slap a set of 205cc heads on my car and get it retuned, there's a good chance I'll have to shift into 5th before the finish line... unless I add more tire or spin it faster, which I don't really wanna do. I'm running 295 35 18 C5Z's out back and they're already a bit taller than the stock setup.
So TS, my message to you is figure out what your ultimate goals are with your car, power and tire-wise, and then decide what gears you want. Gears are a kick *** upgrade. It was the very first mod I did, before I even bought my CAI. Went from consistent 14.0's to 13.7's.
I cross the finish line turning 6100rpm's in 4th gear, which by coincidence is where my motor makes peak power according to my dyno sheet. Also, its not generally a good idea to take a stock bottom end LT1 much past that.
So if I decide to slap a set of 205cc heads on my car and get it retuned, there's a good chance I'll have to shift into 5th before the finish line... unless I add more tire or spin it faster, which I don't really wanna do. I'm running 295 35 18 C5Z's out back and they're already a bit taller than the stock setup.
So TS, my message to you is figure out what your ultimate goals are with your car, power and tire-wise, and then decide what gears you want. Gears are a kick *** upgrade. It was the very first mod I did, before I even bought my CAI. Went from consistent 14.0's to 13.7's.
For a stock power curve you're probably right, but M6 mild builds can benefit with a 3.73 gear.
Are you beating 4.6s now? Full Bolton cars with a tune can beat a 4.6 pretty handily, if your losing ill bet you don't have a tune. Without cam or motor specs it'll be a crap shoot for a mail order. Did you buy it from a dealer that's why you don't know the previous owner?
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: Chicagoland
I think what he said is he needs the previous owners name so the speed shop that built the engine can find the build info in their files.
Those tall 19" rims are turning your 3.42s into like 3.08s. Get some 17s to better use the rear gears you have.
Those tall 19" rims are turning your 3.42s into like 3.08s. Get some 17s to better use the rear gears you have.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Exactly tom. I had bought the car from someone that only had it for a few months and sold it because they lost their job. The owner before him is the one who had the motor redone. I have not driven te car fully yet because it is not registered only around te block a few times i just want to make sure that i beat them. I know i want to do the 17's but i keep hearing crap that they look good on the car, especially from the girlfriend. Just want to find to ones i want. actually working on a trade right now.
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
That depends on usage, dear sir. Using a mild cam and heads can mean a world of difference between those two gears, at least at the track. With 4.10's I was in the 12.2 range in the low 114mph range, switched to 3.73's and dropped down to the 12.0 range at 115.5. Short times were close as well- 1.70 on the 4.10's and 1.75's on the 3.73's. Found out I was past my power peak while crossing the traps when running 4.10's.
For a stock power curve you're probably right, but M6 mild builds can benefit with a 3.73 gear.
For a stock power curve you're probably right, but M6 mild builds can benefit with a 3.73 gear.
95GrapeApe - I'm thinking your best bet would be figure out what your current cam specs are, then buy a good set of heads that will work well with that cam and have it tuned. Then go from there. 3.42's are good gear already, but 3.73's would be even better. Don't forget to upgrade your throttle body, valve springs, and rocker arms.
Running low 12's at around 115 makes for a nice, fun street car.
