Charging an LT1 (what do I need?)

My buddy is buying the Vortech supercharger from Summit and Im new to superchargers and not sure what elese he needs. He has a 97 WS6 with around 50K miles. Im guessing he will need the pcm tuned, different plugs, and Ive been seeing stuff about a bypass valve? If someone can give me a complete list of everything he will need it would be a big help. Any input is welcomed!! Thanks!

Also, what is a safe boost level for a stock bottom end. 6 or 7 maybe?

....anyone?

Well, he's likely buying the whole kit if he's buying it from a supplier. It'll have everything you really need, including the bypass valve. There may be small misc. parts that you'll need, but nothing major.

get rid of the stock platnum plugs and reduce the gap. the instructions will have the recommendations for all that.

i havent done it yet but everyone says to get rid of the supplied vortech FMU and get bigger injectors and then get a PCM tune.

have fun puttin that kit on......hehehe.

did he get the aftercooler too?

Well we didnt order anything yet, Im trying to get an idea of everything we need before we start ordering stuff. So far im looking at plugs, bigger injectors, pcm tune, and an aftercooler.

Are these kits a real PITA to put on? The guy works at a paint shop, so if I instal the kit hes going to paint ghost flames on my car. :cool:

i did the install on my 94 myself for the first time. it takes time but i also had smog and other things removed off the car so less to work around or put back on.

i dont know about your smog test situation but i had to keep all my smog stuff on living here in california.

i think putting the hotcam with rocker arms was equally as difficult as installing the supercharger with aftercooler. but the supercharger install was much more frustrating because some of the parts/fittings didnt fit what they were supposed to. i made a few trips to the local hydraulic fittings shop to make stuff fit.

i truley wanted to call it quits about half way though. but once you get the hole punched in the oil pan, your kinda at the point of no return.....

some guys say it is easy, maybe i just worry about everything being just right.

anyhow, just know this.......vortech charges around $1000 if you wanted to have them do the install. a friend of a friend is a head dude at vortech and he said that the LT-1 F-body kit is the one of the hardest to install and said he'd cut me a deal and do it for $800.

BUT on the other side of it.....when i was done, i couldnt stop smiling!!!

Wow, that sounds pretty involved compared to some of the other kits out there.

some guys say it is easy, maybe i just worry about everything being just right.


I guess I thought the only part that was somewhat tough (in my opinion) was punching the hole in the oil pan and getting the fitting to hold in there. I'm still having a bitch of a time keeping that from leaking.

Otherwise, it was all pretty much straight forward. The T-Rex pump install was a PITA, but not difficult.

If they're charging $1,000 to do the install, I need to open up a shop and do it for $800 or so. :D I really can't imagine spending that much to have it installed, it isn't like there are any specialty tools you need, just time and ingenuity.

time and ingenuity are costly.

the T-rex install went very easy IMO. i just hated cutting on my baby to make stuff fit and relocate things. my driverside air injection hardware was not even close to being the right size so i had to go make my own air injection riser. and i also had to buy a couple 90* fitting for the FMU. when you move it to the other valve cover because of the aftercooler, the fitting is pointing the wrong way and the fuel line is too short to reach.

other than that, its really just time.....

oh, as far as the oil pan. it took me a few days to find a punch that friggin big in diameter!!! anyhow, be careful not to be slamming it into the crank. i got a brass punch that i kept cutting shorter and shorter as the hole got bigger so i wouldnt hit the crank.

and dont make the hole too big or youll be introuble. keep checking the size of the hole to the tap youve got. it took me a while to find the right size tap too....pretty big.

now your ready to go for it........have fun.

Thanks alot for the tips guys, every little bit helps!