are these good heads? http://store.summitracing.com/partde...0&autoview=sku, what kind of power would i be looking at with a mid-range cam? I have a full bolt on exhaust also.

 

It would make 360-410 to the wheel depending on many variables.

However, after building two stroker LT1's, I would never do it again. Unless you're looking for the nostalgia factor, there's no rationale that justifies working with a handicap. The LT1's are obsolete, and while mine may run in the 9's fairly soon, it does not justify building one.

I would recommend to other LT owners to go with an LS type engine to get more cubes, less weight, and technological efficiency at a much lower cost. LS2 stroker engines are fairly inexpensive, and can easily offer 500 plus to the wheels with great torque, excellent streetability, and reliability.

 

if people are still building GEN I engines, then the LT1 is far from obsolete. i would say from calling the LT1 obsolete then the LS1 should be aswell since its 10 years old by your logic.

 

well the thing is i "might" get a set of these heads for a pretty good price, but after paying for a cam, the install etc, i am wondering if it would be better doing something like this, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...188162526&rd=1. I am also debating of course on doing a full cammed ls2 conversion. My ultimate goal is to hit around 450 to the wheels. Now with a good cam and heads/tune i can probably hit 425 or so on my lt1, which i might end up doing and calling it a day. But i also have about 75k miles on my lt1 and i dont know if i want to throw alot of cash into it just to spin a bearing or crack a head or something.

 

Don't do shopping for heads/cam packages on summit or ebay if you want a car that runs respectable times.

 

What a sad attitude. All he asked was about a set of heads.
All engines currently in production will be overcome by new engines. Such is progress. I like the fact that my numbers match, so my LT1 will not be replaced.
Best of luck, transambandit.

 

What I don't get is why everyone wants to put these on a stock bottomend and run it NA despite the description of applications they recommend.
These are going to lower compression even if you use the thinnest available head gaskets, wrong way to go.

Ported stock castings are THE way to go for most guys, sure lots of folks will talk up the "benifits" of aftermarket castings but at the end of the day if you want to make real power the aftermarket stuff all needs porting too and even then may not make a car faster than ported stock castings.

One thing often not considered is pretty much all the aftermarket LT1 offerings are based on OLD gen 1 offerings which were great on the gen 1 motors but the LT1 heads are a BIG step up over all the OEM gen 1 stuff and are actually better than some of the aftermarket gen 1 stuff. Point being everyone bases their ASSumption we need new castings on what they heard about gen 1s but we are starting MUCH further ahead of gen 1s with the LT1 casting. Plus who has more R&D money then the automakers?????? Many aftermarket companies are going to sink budget into advertizing over R&D and only one of those things makes fast cars, the other convinces people they make cars faster.

IMO most of the guys who, saty the LT1 is a bad platform say so because they have been doing things wrong or they want a LSx style dyno queen. The guys who apply themselves well make LT1s fast.
BNow if talking a retrofit where you are putting injection in a carbed vehicle then I can see passing by the LT1, but to me it makes no sense to rip out an LT1 and put an LSx in it's place. Spend the money it would take to make the swap on speed parts.

Advanced Induction was my choice, their ported stock casting have proven to feed even some pretty wild strokers and blown engines.

 

I run the Trickflows on a stock bottom end 350 LT1. Yes they make power, yes they lower compression, yes they are based on gen 1 stuff. I originally was doing a 383 build and had the heads sitting here waiting, when my 350 spun a bearing. We pulled the motor got a shortblock from a Caprice and rather than putting the stock heads back on we decided to chance it and see what the Trickflows would do. My compression comes it at around 9.8-1, certainly not ideal by any means. I got my car running 11.7's, and it has a little more in it, most likely 11.5's with a better tune.

Would I do it this way again? Hell no! Ported stockers are much better for a 350 LT1. The basic AI package outflows my Trickflows, by a wide margin I might add.

 

So it would be better to get an LE2 or LE3 package then?

 

Apparently you are not listening.

 

isnt the lloyd elliot package ported stock heads right? im not going to spent xxxx amount of dollars to rebuild the whole engine when i can get the power i want with heads and cams, it cant be that bad since there are a ton of lt1's running around with these set ups making good power. Im not building a track car, this is just a weekend fun/hobby car for me that i enjoy working on, but i want to have a 400+hp car.

 

Yes LE stuff is mostly ported stockers, and AI stuff is mostly ported stockers too. Both companies can do wonders with stock castings. Something to conside is this....A GENERAL rule of thumb about flow numbers is that you take the peak cfm of airflow at .500 and multiply by 2 for a healthy street car with all of the supporting mods, and that is the peak HP POTENTIAL you MAY get out of the head. For example some of the AI packages and LE packages port the stock heads to get them flowing around 270ish at .500 valve lift. They have the POTENTIAL to support 540hp assuming everything else is good, ie: intake, headers, injectors, tune, etc......

 

I stand by this statement.

 

That's not my logic, the LS1 is obsolete. Technology has allowed a once great LS1 to evolve into something better. I'm merely advocating to take advantage of what technology has to offer.

 

I'll agree with you on this. For 95% of the build up's out there, Advanced Induction offers plenty of performance and potential for the money. Sure, there's advantages to my AFR LT4 race heads, they have larger valves, a 3/4 inch deck height (I have big TNT nitrous system), and had them ported to flow respectable numbers: 313 cfm.

In the end, I'll have stout motor that makes 450-500 to the wheels before spray. If I could have done it over, I would have ran an Advanced Induction set up with a hydraulic roller. My solid set up thus far has been aggraving and unreliable. In my opinion it was not worth it.

 

SO your basically saying your a "trendy" guy who needs the newest engine out there???? lol. good way to live life buddy

 

It's pretty much a fact, ls3's are putting out 380+rwhp stock, 440+rwhp with just boltons and 500+rwhp cam only, ls7's are doing ~490rwhp with boltons and 540+rwhp cam only...

 

thats gonna be fact. but what it seemed like was hes saying its pointless to mod anything below gen IV because of technology.

 

It has nothing to do with being trendy. GM offers LS variation crate engines and heads that flow ridiculous numbers for little money in comparison.

 

okay, you guys are obviously getting off track here, and arent listening to me either, i want to know good heads/cam that i can get close to 450 with a stock bottom end, yes i would love to do a 383 or a 402 stroker but i cant. Im not trying to build a monster track car here, its my hobby and i have fun with it and i want to get as much power out of it without dropping serious coin on building an engine.