easyc4

What are all the differences between an impala ss lt1 and a z28 lt1? I know the intake elbows and such are different, and the ehads are iron, but is anything else different that would prevent me from dropping one into my camaro?

Steve0

The cam is a little smaller, and the MAF has a smaller diameter.

None of those things shoudl prevent you from doing the swap though.

Dave89IROC

the front accersories use different depth brackets, along with the balancer/crank hub

dabez1

I droped an impala engine into my Trans am after my engine died. Major differences are the Heads which are cast iron which are suppouse to flow a bit better than aluminum but weigh around 35-40lbs more. The cam is milder than the camaro cam, but produces more torque are lower rmps the the camaro cam (To get the heavier b-body cars moving), and its only rated 15hp less than camaro, but has far more restrictive exhaust, and intake. Water pump is also different. Appart from that everything preaty much is the same.

I have my engine running with stock programing from my t/a computer, and have beaten more than a few camaros, so dont think the impy engine is any weaker. Im sure tunning for the different cam gain even more hp.

96capricemgr

If motor shopping something to note, the Impala got the same LT1 as the Caprice(base was an L99 which looks the same so be careful), and the LT1 was standard in the Wagons, Roadmasters and Fleetwoods. Many yards will charge a premium price for parts off of an Impala when in reality almost everything is the same as any other b/d-body. So do not get sucked into getting gouged for "ImpalaSS" parts because they are the same thing as Grandpa's Caprice, Uncle Ed's Fleetwood, or my Roadmaster wagon WITH WOODGRAIN. When I swapped the L99 out of my Caprice one local yard wanted $750 for an unknown but obviously high milage LT1 from an Impala, also looked like the core support may have tapped the balancer when the car was totalled, a few more calls and for $550 I got a more complete 40K mile LT1 out of a Roadmaster because it was out of a Roadmaster not an Impala it was cheaper even though it is the same exact thing.

easyc4

well on ebay theres an engine with an automatic tranny for 1000, so i might take the deal, does the computer have to be changed any if i get one from a z28? also, is can i just hook up a z28 intake and it will be more like the camaro lt1?

Severous01

you'll need everything...wires, pcm, all accessories, emissions if you want them.

96capricemgr

If the pcm comes with the engine/tranny then just get it reprogrammed, it is the same part number(as LT1 f-bodies) just different software inside. It is very cheap to get 94-5 pcms proffessionally tuned and is a good mod al by itself. A stock f-body pcm with stock tuning will not be quite right for the b-body engine, the fueling and timing will be different for the iron heads and lower rpm cam, f-body shift point will likely lead to valve float(b-body springs are weak), and if you get the b-body MAF the f-body MAF tables that would be in the pcm are wrong.
The b-body LT1 has a lot of potential if you remove the choke points, I have seen some reports of better than 300RWHP from full bolton cars. There are a couple of bolton Impalas running mid 12s, freak cars yes, lightened some yes, but stock engines in cars probably still heavier than yours.

easyc4

so all in all, would it be better to jsut go with an f-body lt1 despite the lower price of the b-body lt1?

96capricemgr

Why do you think that? The reprogramming is a whole $60 it is not a problem or a signifigant cost and a good mod even if the car came with an LT1.

easyc4

but when u factor in the manifolds for an f-body, the new maf sensor, the brackets and accessories, and the new crank hub, and new wiring harness, would it still be cheaper?

96capricemgr

The harness is the same or at least workable since the engine and pcm are the same, a b-body MAF will be fine as long as you do not plan on serious mods. Cost wise it will depend on what you actually find for sale and how complete each is.

easyc4

well, down the road, would it be a simple switch to replace the heads with aluminum ones, and also, if i get the pcm reprogrammed, could i just get an f-body maf sensor and use that from the get-go?

BTW thanks for all your help guys, keep it coming

arnie

If you now have an F body vehicle, and you were given a choice of engines, IMO, if it were but a couple of hundred dollars more, I'd opt for an original F body LT1. If intentions were to update the engine to F specs later anyway (cam, heads, etc.), if would be $$ more than well spent initially, than spend more to update later.

easyc4

yes, but when i do upgrade the ehads, cam, etc, it will definately be better than the stock, it would all be ported heads, higher cam, etc.