LT1 swap bad idea?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 68
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From: Long Island
LT1 swap bad idea? My old 87 T/A has been sitting for about two years now, and I'm really itching to get it going again. During this down time, I ended up with an el cheapo 1995 Trans Am that I bought for the 6-speed it had in it. The car ran like **** when I bought it, but I wasn't interested in the motor at the time anyway so I didn't gaf. I got to tooling around with it just to see, and $40 worth of fuel pressure regulator later, the thing runs like a dream. Fires up instantly, idles real smooth, doesn't overheat, even holds 20psi of oil pressure at 220* with thin Mobil 1 5-30, which is better than 3/4 of the LT1 cars I've seen on FB. Got plenty of giddy up just going by the few times I've beat it going down the block. This is with 200k miles too.
Obviously the mileage is a concern, but it runs well enough. My concern about this swap, is there room to grow? What about aftermarket support for them? As far as I can tell, these things are like the red-headed step child of the sbc family. If it blows up, what are my options? How big can you get these motors? Do they make an aftermarket block? What are we doing for optis these days? Does it use a Gen 1 rotating assembly? Who still makes heads for these things? Who tunes them? Can I? Can they hold boost? Etc. etc.
My other option is going Gen 1, but I don't have one sitting ready to go, and to make one put out stock LT1 power using TPI parts is hard enough.
Obviously the mileage is a concern, but it runs well enough. My concern about this swap, is there room to grow? What about aftermarket support for them? As far as I can tell, these things are like the red-headed step child of the sbc family. If it blows up, what are my options? How big can you get these motors? Do they make an aftermarket block? What are we doing for optis these days? Does it use a Gen 1 rotating assembly? Who still makes heads for these things? Who tunes them? Can I? Can they hold boost? Etc. etc.
My other option is going Gen 1, but I don't have one sitting ready to go, and to make one put out stock LT1 power using TPI parts is hard enough.
If you have a complete donor car you're pretty much just out your time and some headers made for a 3rd gen since its already an efi car. If you were starting from scratch the common answer would be ls swap, but it's damn near a free swap for 100HP over what a LB9 makes with better or equal gas mileage.
Since it is a 95 it's obd1 which means tuning is free minus a laptop and a cable. Aftermarket isn't nearly as strong as other platforms but outside of an aftermarket block it's all available like any other platform, just less options. Rotating assembly is the same as a gen 1 sbc with a 1 piece rear main seal. Trick flow and Afr make good heads for these motors but unless you plan on buying aftermarket castings and having them ported, the stock castings are great candidates for porting and fit most builds. Unlike gen 1 sbc the stock heads are actually worth working over.
Since it is a 95 it's obd1 which means tuning is free minus a laptop and a cable. Aftermarket isn't nearly as strong as other platforms but outside of an aftermarket block it's all available like any other platform, just less options. Rotating assembly is the same as a gen 1 sbc with a 1 piece rear main seal. Trick flow and Afr make good heads for these motors but unless you plan on buying aftermarket castings and having them ported, the stock castings are great candidates for porting and fit most builds. Unlike gen 1 sbc the stock heads are actually worth working over.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,610
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From: Maricopa, AZ
The LT1 you have would be a worthy swap IMO, for the reasons stated above. You can get 400rwhp out of one for the same money itd take to get 300 from the LB9- all motor. I watched an episode of horsepower tv where they supped up a 350 for a gen 3 (not sure which one) and only put down 300ish to the wheels with nitrous! $3500 for 300rwhp and it needed nitrous? No thanks. Since you have a 95 LT1 tuning is super cheap if you DIY, or cheap mail order if you go with a common cam/heads packages.
As much as the opti sucks compared to just about any other ignition system, I'm seriously considering an LT1 swap for my just recently aquired 1995 silverado. The $/HP ratio is unrivalled IMO.
As much as the opti sucks compared to just about any other ignition system, I'm seriously considering an LT1 swap for my just recently aquired 1995 silverado. The $/HP ratio is unrivalled IMO.
Last edited by hrcslam; Apr 9, 2016 at 01:20 PM.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 33
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i made lt1 swap on my 1967 camaro and its worth it. I cammed it and full exhaust etc and gonna tune it in the summer. Love the response on these injection cars and the easy starts. And the 4L60 trans also great for the road.
I would do it if you don't want much more than 450rwhp N/A. You can find parts to do that easily and for reasonable prices compared to LSX parts.
Is there room to grow? Yes, but at a certain point things get difficult and serious modding neededs to be done like going FI, but I'm sure the LSX people come to that point little later than Lt's.
What about aftermarket support for them? You can find everything you need except aftermarket blocks.
If it blows up, what are my options? Like stated above. You can find Sb1 rotating assembly parts all day long to build your engine.
How big can you get these motors? The norm would be 383 and 396.
Do they make an aftermarket block? Nope.
What are we doing for optis these days? Using the stock opti or going 24x, but if you are consider going 24x you might as well go LSX. That will cost you about $2k. Im going that route, because I'm building on a built foundation, but your not.
Does it use a Gen 1 rotating assembly? Yep.
Who still makes heads for these things? AFR, Trick Flow, & Dart or get the stockers ported from A.I. or L.E.
Who tunes them? This is the only problem I see. I don't know who tunes around you. I know you can get someone to send you a tune, then you can data log it, and send the info back and forth to perfect it.
Can I? You can always learn.
Can they hold boost? Yes, I "think" 800rwhp is coming to it's max.
Is there room to grow? Yes, but at a certain point things get difficult and serious modding neededs to be done like going FI, but I'm sure the LSX people come to that point little later than Lt's.
What about aftermarket support for them? You can find everything you need except aftermarket blocks.
If it blows up, what are my options? Like stated above. You can find Sb1 rotating assembly parts all day long to build your engine.
How big can you get these motors? The norm would be 383 and 396.
Do they make an aftermarket block? Nope.
What are we doing for optis these days? Using the stock opti or going 24x, but if you are consider going 24x you might as well go LSX. That will cost you about $2k. Im going that route, because I'm building on a built foundation, but your not.
Does it use a Gen 1 rotating assembly? Yep.
Who still makes heads for these things? AFR, Trick Flow, & Dart or get the stockers ported from A.I. or L.E.
Who tunes them? This is the only problem I see. I don't know who tunes around you. I know you can get someone to send you a tune, then you can data log it, and send the info back and forth to perfect it.
Can I? You can always learn.
Can they hold boost? Yes, I "think" 800rwhp is coming to it's max.
Last edited by 383z; Apr 9, 2016 at 05:27 PM.
Honestly the only real limitation with the LT1 platform is lack of an aftermarket block since basically anything that can be done to a gen 1 can be done to it.
Even most gen 1 heads will swap onto the LT1 block if converted to reverse cooling, and intake manifolds as well (even though the stock intake is good for 95% of builds). Even if you feel the stock pcm is a limitation, most people go aftermarket efi when getting truly serious regardless of platform.
Even most gen 1 heads will swap onto the LT1 block if converted to reverse cooling, and intake manifolds as well (even though the stock intake is good for 95% of builds). Even if you feel the stock pcm is a limitation, most people go aftermarket efi when getting truly serious regardless of platform.
