LT1 or LS1?
06-07-2005, 01:54 PM
#1
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 60
LT1 or LS1?
Whats going on everybody? I would just like too hear everybody opinions.
I Have a 1994 Chevy Camaro Z28 (stock, just flowmasters) .
what kind of parts could i order for this car too make it blow past ne car on the streets? and its already fast STOCK. i heard you only have too do a couple things too a camaro to make it a real challenge..
Which engine is BETTER? LT1 or LS1? and what does the LT1 and LS1 mean?
I dont really have a big big budget. but give me some ideas people. THANK YOU for helping the NEWBIE!
I Have a 1994 Chevy Camaro Z28 (stock, just flowmasters) .
what kind of parts could i order for this car too make it blow past ne car on the streets? and its already fast STOCK. i heard you only have too do a couple things too a camaro to make it a real challenge..
Which engine is BETTER? LT1 or LS1? and what does the LT1 and LS1 mean?
I dont really have a big big budget. but give me some ideas people. THANK YOU for helping the NEWBIE!
06-07-2005, 02:04 PM
#3
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,726
Re: LT1 or LS1?
The first few things you need to do to your car (from experience)....
If you plan on drag racing with drag tires:
1.Get a 12-bolt GM rear end. Your stock rear end will not handle drag tires. It may break after 1 run. It may live for 100. ($2000)
For generic use:
2. Get subframe connectors ($200)
3. Get some 4.10 gears and girdle cover ($300)
4. Get at least a spec stage III clutch ($450)
Then you may begin with exterior engine modding.
5. longtube headers ($300)
6. dual exhaust ($200)
7. electric water pump and underdrive pulley ($250)
8. cold air intake ($150)
Then, on to interior engine modding
9. High volume fuel pump ($100)
10. bigger injectors ($150)
11. port heads and match intake, and diff. head gaskets to bump compression
12. big cam and roller rockers ($350)
13. pcm tune ($140)
And I forgot to mention upgrading the suspension with maybe an eibach drag kit.
At this point you should be able to stomp most street cars and a bunch of cars at the drag strip. With the mods above, you will be pushing around 420-440 rwhp and possibly running high 10's at the strip. There's a guy on this board, although I don't know who he is, that ran an 11.34 with ported heads and a cc305 cam. That's just a baby cam.
If you plan on drag racing with drag tires:
1.Get a 12-bolt GM rear end. Your stock rear end will not handle drag tires. It may break after 1 run. It may live for 100. ($2000)
For generic use:
2. Get subframe connectors ($200)
3. Get some 4.10 gears and girdle cover ($300)
4. Get at least a spec stage III clutch ($450)
Then you may begin with exterior engine modding.
5. longtube headers ($300)
6. dual exhaust ($200)
7. electric water pump and underdrive pulley ($250)
8. cold air intake ($150)
Then, on to interior engine modding
9. High volume fuel pump ($100)
10. bigger injectors ($150)
11. port heads and match intake, and diff. head gaskets to bump compression
12. big cam and roller rockers ($350)
13. pcm tune ($140)
And I forgot to mention upgrading the suspension with maybe an eibach drag kit.
At this point you should be able to stomp most street cars and a bunch of cars at the drag strip. With the mods above, you will be pushing around 420-440 rwhp and possibly running high 10's at the strip. There's a guy on this board, although I don't know who he is, that ran an 11.34 with ported heads and a cc305 cam. That's just a baby cam.
Last edited by Kurt Crosbie; 06-07-2005 at 02:08 PM.
06-07-2005, 02:07 PM
#4
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57
Re: LT1 or LS1?
First off, welcome to the F-body scene! The LS1 is superior to the LT1 in the power department from the factory. The LT1 came in the 93-97 F-bodies, and the LS1 came in the 98-02. The LS1 is a completely redesigned small block and shares nothing in common to the LT1. Many people choose the LT1 because you can buy an LT1 car cheaper, the parts are easy to find, and it typically costs less to mod than the LS1. I have a 1994 a4 car and I have put a set of mid-length headers, Magnaflow exhuast, 3.42 gears, and a K & N intake on it and noticed a significant increase in power. The possibilities are endless, but start off letting the car breathe with an intake, headers, and a good pcm tune from PCMforless. A stall converter, 1.6 roller rockers, set of gears(3.73 preferred) and a set of sticky tires and you will be a contender for LS1 cars and about 80% of the cars you will run into on a daily basis. Keep in mind that you will never take everything on the streets! Hope this helps, and enjoy the ride!
06-07-2005, 02:08 PM
#5
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Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 60
Re: LT1 or LS1?
and i forgot too mention that its an AUTOMATIC, if this MATTERS!? i know the Manuals would be the better option too race.. i dont really wanna race, but then again i dont really wanna be the looser if nething comes up. i just want the car too be quick
06-07-2005, 02:14 PM
#6
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Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,726
Re: LT1 or LS1?
The biggest difference between the lt1 and ls1 is the heads and computering.
The ls1 cam with much better flowing heads from the factory which gives them the 50-60 more horsepower than the lt1. This deficit is more than compensated for the in the aftermarket. Because of the lt1's intake, it makes more torque. Because you can get SB2 heads or the current heads that NASCAR is using for the lt1, you can blow the doors off an ls1. The aftermarket for the ls1 has simply not yet developed. However, when it does, it will be scary. Like I said, their computer systems are far more advanced. That get much better fuel economy and are much more efficient. The only drawback is that it costs so much to do things like overboring. The ls1 is an aluminum block with iron sleeves. To resize the cylinders, you must punch out the sleevs and install new ones. This is very expensive. I could go on and on. For right now, the LT1 is on top, but it won't last long.
The ls1 cam with much better flowing heads from the factory which gives them the 50-60 more horsepower than the lt1. This deficit is more than compensated for the in the aftermarket. Because of the lt1's intake, it makes more torque. Because you can get SB2 heads or the current heads that NASCAR is using for the lt1, you can blow the doors off an ls1. The aftermarket for the ls1 has simply not yet developed. However, when it does, it will be scary. Like I said, their computer systems are far more advanced. That get much better fuel economy and are much more efficient. The only drawback is that it costs so much to do things like overboring. The ls1 is an aluminum block with iron sleeves. To resize the cylinders, you must punch out the sleevs and install new ones. This is very expensive. I could go on and on. For right now, the LT1 is on top, but it won't last long.
06-07-2005, 02:18 PM
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,726
Re: LT1 or LS1?
Here we go with the automatic and manual thing. Here comes an influx of automatic guys that are going to state the superiority. Let me be the first to say that this "superiority" is because the automatic transmission is going to be more consistant than your average driver. However, an extremely talented driver can run a manual tranny for all its worth. Besides that, the auto cannot handle any horsepower, at all. I'm not saying that to be funny. If you start racing your z28, go ahead and say goodbye to your tranny. Go ahead and set aside $1500 for a racing rebuild. However, the auto tranny is much softer on your rear end assembly, so you may last longer in that department and you may not have to upgrade to a $2000 12-bolt rear end quite yet. 
06-07-2005, 02:20 PM
#8
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Location: Ocala, Florida
Posts: 3,245
Re: LT1 or LS1?
Originally Posted by Kurt Crosbie
The biggest difference between the lt1 and ls1 is the heads and computering.
The ls1 cam with much better flowing heads from the factory which gives them the 50-60 more horsepower than the lt1. This deficit is more than compensated for the in the aftermarket. Because of the lt1's intake, it makes more torque. Because you can get SB2 heads or the current heads that NASCAR is using for the lt1, you can blow the doors off an ls1. The aftermarket for the ls1 has simply not yet developed. However, when it does, it will be scary. Like I said, their computer systems are far more advanced. That get much better fuel economy and are much more efficient. The only drawback is that it costs so much to do things like overboring. The ls1 is an aluminum block with iron sleeves. To resize the cylinders, you must punch out the sleevs and install new ones. This is very expensive. I could go on and on. For right now, the LT1 is on top, but it won't last long.
The ls1 cam with much better flowing heads from the factory which gives them the 50-60 more horsepower than the lt1. This deficit is more than compensated for the in the aftermarket. Because of the lt1's intake, it makes more torque. Because you can get SB2 heads or the current heads that NASCAR is using for the lt1, you can blow the doors off an ls1. The aftermarket for the ls1 has simply not yet developed. However, when it does, it will be scary. Like I said, their computer systems are far more advanced. That get much better fuel economy and are much more efficient. The only drawback is that it costs so much to do things like overboring. The ls1 is an aluminum block with iron sleeves. To resize the cylinders, you must punch out the sleevs and install new ones. This is very expensive. I could go on and on. For right now, the LT1 is on top, but it won't last long.
06-07-2005, 02:22 PM
#9
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Location: Charlotte, NC
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Re: LT1 or LS1?
If stock-headed ls1's have hit 500rwhp, then I am wrong. I assume you are referring to one with aftermarket heads. Thats fine. But throw some 18* or 11* bowtie heads and put them on the lt1 and see what happens. 
06-07-2005, 03:53 PM
#11
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Re: LT1 or LS1?
You might as well ask one to explain the universe in 20 minutes.
At your point you need to spend a great deal of time reading.
And the first thing you will learn is that speed costs money and lots of it.
If you have a 94 LT1, then even entertaining the idea of an LS1 is out of the question unless you have really big bucks and you are a seasoned mechanic.
If you decide that a 98+ F-Body Z28 with the LS1 engine is what you want, you'd be better off just buying one.
Welcome to the board, it's by far the best around, but as I mentioned, you need to read as much as you can even before you ask a lot of questions. Most of the questions you will have are available in the search.
Welcome to the UNIVERSE of the Carmaro.
At your point you need to spend a great deal of time reading.
And the first thing you will learn is that speed costs money and lots of it.
If you have a 94 LT1, then even entertaining the idea of an LS1 is out of the question unless you have really big bucks and you are a seasoned mechanic.
If you decide that a 98+ F-Body Z28 with the LS1 engine is what you want, you'd be better off just buying one.
Welcome to the board, it's by far the best around, but as I mentioned, you need to read as much as you can even before you ask a lot of questions. Most of the questions you will have are available in the search.
Welcome to the UNIVERSE of the Carmaro.
06-07-2005, 04:26 PM
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: garden city michigan
Posts: 256
Re: LT1 or LS1?
Originally Posted by Kurt Crosbie
Here we go with the automatic and manual thing. Here comes an influx of automatic guys that are going to state the superiority. Let me be the first to say that this "superiority" is because the automatic transmission is going to be more consistant than your average driver. However, an extremely talented driver can run a manual tranny for all its worth. Besides that, the auto cannot handle any horsepower, at all. I'm not saying that to be funny. If you start racing your z28, go ahead and say goodbye to your tranny. Go ahead and set aside $1500 for a racing rebuild. However, the auto tranny is much softer on your rear end assembly, so you may last longer in that department and you may not have to upgrade to a $2000 12-bolt rear end quite yet.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT THE AUTOMATIC CAN`T HANDLE ANY HORSEPOWER?
MY AUTOMATIC HAS 150,000 MILES ON IT, NEVER BEEN REBUILT AND HAS ONLY HAD MINIMAL FLUID CHANGES AND IT HOLDS UP TO MY MODS PLUS A 125 SHOT OF NOS, BESIDES THAT, THE TRANS HAS BEEN BEATEN SINCE THE FIRST DAY IT WAS BOUGHT.
AND WHAT THIS THING WITH YOUR PRICES?
I WAS LOOKING FOR ALOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE POSTED ABOVE AND YOUR PRICES ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING RIGHT FOR A LT1 CAR, THOSE ARE MORE LIKE FORD MUSTANG PRICES. UNLESS SOME OF IT WAS USED PRICES, BUT EVEN THEN THE PRICES FOR SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE WAY TOO MUCH.
A GOOD TRANS REBUILD WITH ALL THE GOODIES IS LESS THAN 1000.00 ACTUALLY, THE RACE SHOP HERE THAT DOES ALL THE STREET/STRIP TRANS. ONLY WANTS 800.00 FOR A FULL REBUILD CAPABLE OF 650 HORSEPOWER AND GET THIS, THEY EVEN GIVE A WARRANTY!
06-07-2005, 05:35 PM
#13
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 1,152
Re: LT1 or LS1?
Originally Posted by white/blackss
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT THE AUTOMATIC CAN`T HANDLE ANY HORSEPOWER?
MY AUTOMATIC HAS 150,000 MILES ON IT, NEVER BEEN REBUILT AND HAS ONLY HAD MINIMAL FLUID CHANGES AND IT HOLDS UP TO MY MODS PLUS A 125 SHOT OF NOS, BESIDES THAT, THE TRANS HAS BEEN BEATEN SINCE THE FIRST DAY IT WAS BOUGHT.
AND WHAT THIS THING WITH YOUR PRICES?
I WAS LOOKING FOR ALOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE POSTED ABOVE AND YOUR PRICES ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING RIGHT FOR A LT1 CAR, THOSE ARE MORE LIKE FORD MUSTANG PRICES. UNLESS SOME OF IT WAS USED PRICES, BUT EVEN THEN THE PRICES FOR SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE WAY TOO MUCH.
A GOOD TRANS REBUILD WITH ALL THE GOODIES IS LESS THAN 1000.00 ACTUALLY, THE RACE SHOP HERE THAT DOES ALL THE STREET/STRIP TRANS. ONLY WANTS 800.00 FOR A FULL REBUILD CAPABLE OF 650 HORSEPOWER AND GET THIS, THEY EVEN GIVE A WARRANTY!
MY AUTOMATIC HAS 150,000 MILES ON IT, NEVER BEEN REBUILT AND HAS ONLY HAD MINIMAL FLUID CHANGES AND IT HOLDS UP TO MY MODS PLUS A 125 SHOT OF NOS, BESIDES THAT, THE TRANS HAS BEEN BEATEN SINCE THE FIRST DAY IT WAS BOUGHT.
AND WHAT THIS THING WITH YOUR PRICES?
I WAS LOOKING FOR ALOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE POSTED ABOVE AND YOUR PRICES ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING RIGHT FOR A LT1 CAR, THOSE ARE MORE LIKE FORD MUSTANG PRICES. UNLESS SOME OF IT WAS USED PRICES, BUT EVEN THEN THE PRICES FOR SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE WAY TOO MUCH.
A GOOD TRANS REBUILD WITH ALL THE GOODIES IS LESS THAN 1000.00 ACTUALLY, THE RACE SHOP HERE THAT DOES ALL THE STREET/STRIP TRANS. ONLY WANTS 800.00 FOR A FULL REBUILD CAPABLE OF 650 HORSEPOWER AND GET THIS, THEY EVEN GIVE A WARRANTY!
Hey Kurt, since when is the lt1 one top? I always thought that ls1s were much much better, just more expensive. I dont see any cam only lt1s running tens.
06-07-2005, 05:46 PM
#14
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Posts: 346
Re: LT1 or LS1?
Originally Posted by Jameslt1TA
I second that. Were can you get a cam and roller rockers for 350...more like 270 for rockers and 250 for the cam.
Hey Kurt, since when is the lt1 one top? I always thought that ls1s were much much better, just more expensive. I dont see any cam only lt1s running tens.
Hey Kurt, since when is the lt1 one top? I always thought that ls1s were much much better, just more expensive. I dont see any cam only lt1s running tens.
lol I too was looking at those prices like damn man, this guy has either had some generous deals thrown at him or he just hasn't actually looked into pricing these parts at all. Every single thing on that list was off by some as much as a couple hundred bucks. And I also agree about the LS1 being superior than the LT1 in every way but expense. Well that and sound but thats opinion
06-07-2005, 06:06 PM
#15
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Re: LT1 or LS1?
Yea, I did get some great prices on the stuff I got. I only paid $55 for my motive gears and only $150 for an entire rear end assembly with girdle cover.
I am sure that brand new pricing is different.
But once again, I know the ls1 is faster when its stock. But when you put aftermarket heads on both of them, they are equal on the horsepower side. The lt1 will produce more torque because of the runners. The fact that heads will level the playing field and there is a larger aftermarket and cheaper prices is what puts the lt1 ahead of the game.
I am sure that brand new pricing is different.
But once again, I know the ls1 is faster when its stock. But when you put aftermarket heads on both of them, they are equal on the horsepower side. The lt1 will produce more torque because of the runners. The fact that heads will level the playing field and there is a larger aftermarket and cheaper prices is what puts the lt1 ahead of the game.