engine blueprinting
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 367
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From: connecticut
engine blueprinting can anyone tell me where i can find a blueprint (technical drawing) of a 1995 lt1 engine? in seperate views would be great, im specifically looking for the heads and block blueprints from gm or whoever originally designed the final 1995 version. i am currently working in an advanced machine shop that makes tools and assemblies used on aircraft and the military. so i am just learning the trade and i am also looking to build a lt1 engine and time is not an issue so i want to take my time and make everything just perfect.
i read a ls1 series blueprinting book. it involed going through every single aspect of the build with explicit attention to detail. i loved it, it specifically described the process of "truing" the entire geometrical dimensions of the block and tightening all the loose tolerances of the large scale production. so it takes alot of stress off the motor and no it doesnt give you like 100 hp, however it really makes the motor extremely more reliable because it eliminates as much extra friction and tension the parts might have as possible. if you arnt familiar with this process it is very interesting to look into.
but to make the block and heads geometrically perfect i need the blueprint, without those dimensions it will be much more difficult to determine where i need to make corrections
i read a ls1 series blueprinting book. it involed going through every single aspect of the build with explicit attention to detail. i loved it, it specifically described the process of "truing" the entire geometrical dimensions of the block and tightening all the loose tolerances of the large scale production. so it takes alot of stress off the motor and no it doesnt give you like 100 hp, however it really makes the motor extremely more reliable because it eliminates as much extra friction and tension the parts might have as possible. if you arnt familiar with this process it is very interesting to look into.
but to make the block and heads geometrically perfect i need the blueprint, without those dimensions it will be much more difficult to determine where i need to make corrections
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: May 2015
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From: connecticut
im also interested in porting my own heads. if anyone has done this let me know how it was! i think creating hp myself instead of sending them to someone is far more rewarding. and far cheaper! haha
Cheaper is not always better, I knew of a guy that ported his own heads, ended up going 3 tenths slower at the track, Head porting is a science, there is airflow, swirl, tumble, turbulence, wet flow, dry flow. Some think that hogging out the runners is the "Porting" if you decide, I would highly recommend starting on junk heads for practice..
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 367
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From: connecticut
i understand there is a bit of science behind it, im not expecting to get LE stage 3 performance out of them, i am more going for reworking the combustion chamber and smoothing out the valve bowls and port match. definetly not going in there and boreing the things out haha, i understand it takes a pro 50+ hours for a set of heads so i know its not an easy task for sure but i think after further research ill be up to it. thanks for the input though i appreciate it
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OP
nothing wrong with wanting to learn and do mods yourself. Yes there is a "bit of science behind it" as you say regarding head porting.....but "experience" is more what makes good vs bad results.
I echo moehorsepowers note about using a junk set of heads as your beta test in acquiring the knowledge and experience you need so you don't FU the heads you intend to use.
Your self taught approach could lead to a negative performance gain or destroy your heads....which won't be a cost saving experience. IMHO develop this skill on some junk heads. But to know if you are getting + results you would need to either bench flow untouched heads then bench flow heads you modified or dyno the motor B&A. Both testing types, if you don't own a flow bench or dyno, become a cost factor.
or just send your heads & intake to Lloyd Elliott
nothing wrong with wanting to learn and do mods yourself. Yes there is a "bit of science behind it" as you say regarding head porting.....but "experience" is more what makes good vs bad results.
I echo moehorsepowers note about using a junk set of heads as your beta test in acquiring the knowledge and experience you need so you don't FU the heads you intend to use.
Your self taught approach could lead to a negative performance gain or destroy your heads....which won't be a cost saving experience. IMHO develop this skill on some junk heads. But to know if you are getting + results you would need to either bench flow untouched heads then bench flow heads you modified or dyno the motor B&A. Both testing types, if you don't own a flow bench or dyno, become a cost factor.
or just send your heads & intake to Lloyd Elliott
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 367
Likes: 5
From: connecticut
OP
nothing wrong with wanting to learn and do mods yourself. Yes there is a "bit of science behind it" as you say regarding head porting.....but "experience" is more what makes good vs bad results.
I echo moehorsepowers note about using a junk set of heads as your beta test in acquiring the knowledge and experience you need so you don't FU the heads you intend to use.
Your self taught approach could lead to a negative performance gain or destroy your heads....which won't be a cost saving experience. IMHO develop this skill on some junk heads. But to know if you are getting + results you would need to either bench flow untouched heads then bench flow heads you modified or dyno the motor B&A. Both testing types, if you don't own a flow bench or dyno, become a cost factor.
or just send your heads & intake to Lloyd Elliott
nothing wrong with wanting to learn and do mods yourself. Yes there is a "bit of science behind it" as you say regarding head porting.....but "experience" is more what makes good vs bad results.
I echo moehorsepowers note about using a junk set of heads as your beta test in acquiring the knowledge and experience you need so you don't FU the heads you intend to use.
Your self taught approach could lead to a negative performance gain or destroy your heads....which won't be a cost saving experience. IMHO develop this skill on some junk heads. But to know if you are getting + results you would need to either bench flow untouched heads then bench flow heads you modified or dyno the motor B&A. Both testing types, if you don't own a flow bench or dyno, become a cost factor.
or just send your heads & intake to Lloyd Elliott
for one, yes you can use any SBC head, but know that the difference between iron and the aluminum, is the Iron is more forgiving, meaning you can really put a gouge into the aluminum head if you are not real careful, at one time I saw how to make a home made flow bench, not state of the art but kinda like how they show how vacum cleaners work better than others with a tennis ball in a tube. Guess its like plasti gage vs a mic. just be sure to stay away from the short side of the radius, this is where you will cause trouble..
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Iirc vortec heads are similar in construction to lt1 heads and they are very plentiful for learning but will be cast iron.
I believe someone has a how to series on porting lt1 heads on YouTube that might be worth watching.
I believe someone has a how to series on porting lt1 heads on YouTube that might be worth watching.
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Verdad Gallardo just go to your local junk yard and ask for junk heads, most of the time they will give them to you, tell them you dont care if they are cracked or are bare, and yes it will a lot harder because they are iron, but you will get the idea on working the bowls, un shrouding, and guide work..