Impala Forums banner

What would be the best rebuilding kit for a LT1?

5K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  JAKEJR 
Why do you want to rebuild it and what are the goals of the rebuild?

It is not cheap to match or exceed stock quality. LOTS of people buy "performance" engines that are complete garbage compared to stock, no need for you to repeat their mistakes.
 
For a mild goal like that I would not mess with rebuilding the engine unless you are aware of a specific problem.

These things do not exhibit anywhere near the bore wear older carbed stuff did.

300hp is a VERY low goal too. Based on performance my stock shortblock setup makes around 400 at the wheels which is 470+hp at the flywheel depending who you ask.

What have you done to the car sofar?

I will assume you want 300rear wheel HP and make recommendations accordingly. Really easy to exceed that number.

is inspection a concern??
 
For $1500 you wont get close to ready to actually touch the engine.

I would look at either gears/posi, axle rebuild and pcm programming or exhaust including headers either of those will put a big dent in that budget but both would make a good difference in seat of the pants performance.

The intake can be opened up a good bit for almost no cost, a "sewer pipe intake" offers a nice very cheap gain too.
 
That is what I use, my car makes enough power I had to put a dual filter y-pipe in there though as one was not feeding it well enough :eek:.

On a mild car though you can have as much power increase for a lot less money. Still a nice kit, just understand you don't have to spend that much to get the gain.
 
This is the second stock shortblock I have had under this topend.
The first died at a little over 100K MINIMUM I bought it at a supposed 40K miles but later found out everything that yard sells has 40K so I don't know for sure. I honestly thing tuning issues when I first put that one together are what killed it combination of detonation and some overrevving, plus I had a stock worn out oilpump spring in it, I now use a new spring which happens to be a little higher pressure.

Current one is something over 50K, but like I said I lost track of exact numbers.


Have to figure though I have over 200hp more than stock. A friend's 9C1 we cammed at like 160K several years ago something over 300rwhp, perfectly reliable. Has more trouble with his wife's very stock car with fewer miles.
 
For now you can have similar performance with a "sewer pipe" intake. You replave the rectangular baffle with PVC and drill some holes in the airfilter box lower section facing the fender or in front along side the existing oval hole.

The stock airbox with the oval being the only opening moves something like 450cfm. Punching a few holes in it to open that up and removing the rectangular silencer/baffle is going to be good for a noticable amount of power.

You can get a little fancier and try to sheild the air filter box from underhood heat too.

I like the RAISS but it is overkill for a stock engine.

When you do the stroker know that displacement is NOT what makes power airflow is.

My car upsets a LOT of guys who think displacement is the answer to speed. Do not do a 383 unless you can afford to put good heads on it. Ported GM aluminum heads are great IF you use a good porter. Most people blindly look for the 383 and then cheap out on the heads and endup with less power than they should have had.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top