Tide612

Alright i am new to Chevy's. I am a ford guy. I was wondering what motor was in my 96 SS. I was wondering if a shortblock from a mid 90's would comaro SS or non SS would work in it withtout any tuning. I just want to run around stock for awhile and not throw a chip on it. If anyone knows where i can get a stock shortblock from a 96 impala or something like that let me know. Thanks

marcus769

Your Imp has an LT1 engine. Z28 and SS Camaros from like 93/4/5 (not sure when they started for sure) have the LT1 engine. I'm not sure if the specs are the same for the engine that is dropped in the Imps as the one in the F-bods, but i'm guessing they arent too much different. 98 and newer camaros have the LS1 engine. The LS1 has an aluminum block whereas the LT1 is Iron (heavier).

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

your impala has an LT1 350 CID V8 with iron heads. the F/Ybodies have aluminum heads. the regular Impalas had a smaller version of the LT1. but it was a 4.3 (262 CID) V8 with iron heads.

buffman

iTrader: (9)

Just for correctness, the standard CAPRICE, had the 4.3 Liter in it. If it was a true 94-96 Impala SS it will have one and only one motor 5.7L Lt1. 260hp and 330 ft lbs of tq.

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

Caprice. right......my mistake.....

Tide612

it is a true ss

NoMoreLS1

iTrader: (65)

'93-94 LT1 f-bodies and Corvettes have a non-vented opti-spark.

'92-93 LT1 Corvettes and '93 LT1 f-bodies does not have a MAF sensor.

Speaking of MAFs, the MAF is larger on the f-body and Corvettes.

'93 LT1 f-body and '92-'93 Corvette have a different intake manfold.

Impalas have 2 knock sensors... f-bodies have 1 knock sensor (no biggie to add another knock sensor). I can't recall if the LT1 Corvette has 2 or only 1 knock sensor.

96 Impalas have a crank position sensor so you would need a '96-'97 f-body LT1.

A '96 LT1 from a Vette will also work, but the fuel rail is different.

The '96 Vette LT1 is a 4 bolt main.

So for the easiest swap... a '96-'97 f-body LT1 (add a knock sensor).

Did I miss anything?

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

Here is the answer you are looking for:
The 94-96 Impala SS had 2 motors, and they can be distinguished if it has single or dual Factory Exhaust. The single had the 4.3 LT1, and the dual had the 5.7 LT1. I have seen this difference in person, and the codes are different.
Now if yours is 5.7 LT1, your Shortblock is IDENTICAL to the F-body, the Heads are the difference. The Cast Iron Heads are lower in compression ratio(10.0:1), and have slightly smaller ports. The F-Body/Vette Heads have a higher compression ratio(10.5:1), and larger ports.

Honda Hunter

iTrader: (8)

Also the impys got vented optis I believe before the vette even got it for whatever reason. Also the vette has a different accessory setup also. I think I only have 1 sensor but I'm not sure.

NoMoreLS1

iTrader: (65)

The Impala SS never had the 4.3. The CAPRICE could have have the 4.3 or the 5.7. I don't know what you saw... but you are mistaken.

NoMoreLS1

iTrader: (65)

The '94 Impala SS was the 1st year for the vented opti-spark. The '95-'97 f-body and '95-'96 Vette came with the vented opti-spark.

The Corvette, the Impala, and the f-body all have different accessory set ups. Although the f-body accessory set up will work in an Impala.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

See that's what I thought too... They must have rigged that motor in it or something, but the Codes were different.

Honda Hunter

iTrader: (8)

I know Ive read that the 94 impy ss had a vented opti. I may be misinformed but Ill post my sources though I'm sure youre right. Why wouldnt the vette assembly work in a impalla?

buffman

iTrader: (9)

Yes all LTX B-cars including the 94s had vented optis. F- and Y- Cars as known did not get vented optis till 95.

Also Note NoMore all Vette LT1s are 4 bolt blocks. Evenmore so I think it's been proven if you order a remanufactured LT1 from GM they all come as 4 bolt main blocks (not sure on Bcar LT1 though)

NoMoreLS1

iTrader: (65)

I know that all LT1 Corvettes had 4 bolt mains, I was just pointing out that as far as a swap goes... '96 into a '96, that the Vette's LT1 is a 4 bolt main block.

A GM ordered LT1 replacement block is in fact a 4 bolt main.

The next time I come across a 94 b-body, I'll have to check it out. Now that I am thinking about it, I thought that I remember seeing something on Dynotech's web site about their Dynaspark for the Impalas being a little odd. I checked the web site but the Dynaspark is not on the site anymore.

Honda Hunter

iTrader: (8)

What site are you looking at? http://www.dynaspark.net/

NoMoreLS1

iTrader: (65)

Ah... I was looking at the Dynotech site... they used to have it on their site.

"Gen II Distibutors can be used in the following models: 1995-'96 Corvette, 1995-'97 Camaro/Firebird/Trans Am, 1994-'96 Impala SS/Caprice/Cadillac."

I knew that I saw it some place before.
Link

NoMoreLS1

iTrader: (65)

It might.. I just haven't seen it done before. I have only seen the f-body system work.

Tide612

OK lets get back to the question at hand. So i should find a 94-96 vette motor, a 96 Comaro SS motor or Transam. Correct?

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Most of the guys were too busy posting BAD INFO to notice what you were really asking.

What do you THINK you will gain with that swap?
The majority of the aluminum LT1 heads flow LESS than your stock headsonly the best equal what you already have, as these guys eventually got right the shortblocks are the same. Some of the f-bodies got an inferior version of this distributor which includes a differnt timing cover and makes cam seletion more of a hassle.
Another important detail you should know is your precious Impala SS got the exact same friggin motor as Granpa's Caprice or Aunt Millie's Roadmaster wagon, the computer tuning is identical as far as spark and fuel and is not a "chip", if you want to mod it and put off the computer tuning just leave it stock tuning the computer is a very important part of modifying one of these. You can do some stuff like intake and exhaust without tuning but even then tuning is a great addition and will gain you just as much as either of those mods will.

You are probably looking at the factory power rating differences but have no clue why they are there. The f-body got a slightly "bigger" cam which moves the torque curve up in the rpms, not a good thing for a porky b-body, it also is not saddled with the grandpa quiet intake and exhaust the Impala got(same as the other LT1 b-bodies) and got 91 octane tuning instead of the 87 octane the b-body got. The LT1 f-body was 10.4(not the 10.5 listed above) and the b-body 10.0.
Consider all that and the fact the b-body makes 5tq more at a lower rpm and just 15hp less and the b-body motor comes out looking damn good. HP is torque times RPM divided by 5250 so make the same torque but at a higher rpm and HP goes up. With the weight of the b-body plus the highway gears and ultra low stock torque converter stall speed of 1400rpms torque is where it is at if you want the car to be enjoyable. The only mods you should consider to the engine without first addressing stall/gear/ headers/programming would be valvesprings and roller rockers. The stock springs are weak and the stock cam is enough to float the valves once the weak springs have some miles.

On the bolt mains thing, IMO that was done to make the Vette owns feel they got something special, REALITY is the 2 bolt mains in the LT1 are stout and will pretty reliably handle double stock output. Not to mention the premuim price you would pay for a "Vette" motor which is nothing special would be better applied to aftemarket splayed 4 bolt mains if you were genuinely intending to make enough power to warrant 4 bolts.