doritoboy100

I just replaced my opti and water pump and all plugs and wires, so this engine is good. However, I have an lt1 in my carport i am going to send off to be stroked. So my question is: should i replace the opti and water pump on it, or should i get an electric water pump and the aftermarket hei distributor by MSD with the digital 6al controller?


https://www.jegs.com/i/MSD/121/85551K/10002/-1?mrkgcl=1239&mrkgadid=3333712902&adpos=1o6&creati ve=329886787413&device=m&matchtype=&network=g&jegs promo=thirdparty&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrdjnBRDXARIsAEcE5Yn 7en0Yo9wjCDMn0KR22yXMY4XOvt8MXsBz4PhOVrpD1lOvQo1WF tEaAiiXEALw_wcB

This kit has it all, minus spark plugs. It cost me like $500 to replace my OEM stuff, but only $700 for this. Minus spark plugs and electric water pump of course. Would this give enough performance upgrade to justify spending the money?

doritoboy100

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/40060K/10002/-1
Here is the right kit, and this is an electric water pump I found, it looks nothing like the OEM so please let me know if this isnt the right one.
https://www.jegs.com/i/Proform/778/6...kaAtujEALw_wcB
It would be maybe $700 total for water pump distributor kit and spark plugs. So only like $200 more than OEM.

Injuneer

How old and how many miles on the Opti and water pump on the spare engine? OEM or aftermarket? If aftermarket Opti, what brand?

The parts you linked in the second post are not for an LT1, they are for a Gen 1 SBC. Or are you thinking of replacing the Opti distributor with the HEI dstributor? Can't do that, unless you have the LT1 intake manifold drilled and shimmed for the HEI (or buy the GMPP carb LT1 intake). Then you have to convert the LT1’s EFI to a carb, since the PCM can’t run the engine without the data from the cam/crank position sensor in the Opti.

Or did I misunderstand your posts?

If the current engine has a new Opti and water pump, just transfer them to the stroker engine when you install it. What brand is your new Opti?

doritoboy100

Alrighty, that's why I asked lol. I didnt know if it was possible. I cant remember what brand I bought, got the recommended from o'Reilly's. But I dont know anything about spare engine except he ls swapped an impala and it's from that impala.

Injuneer

Without knowing the year of your car and the current engine in it, can’t tell you if you can even swap the new Opti to the Impala engine. Early F-Body LT1’s use a different drive mechanism on the Opti than the B-Body (Impala) LT1. 95-97 F-Body LT1 will interchange. Or you could swap the timing cover and timing set if you have a 93/94.

It would really help us to help you if you added a signature. There are numerous subtle differences in the LT1 engine over the years and over the different cars they were installed in - F-Body, Y-Body (Corvettte), B-Body (Caprice/Impala/Roadmaster/Fleetwood.

If you are having the Impala engine stroked, all they really need is the block. If you are also having them assemble the engine, you need to decide if you want to keep the Impala's cast iron heads, and low RPM/high torque cam. And specifically, the Impala water pump has a different external orientation of the hose connections, so you need an F-Body water pump.

I used a block from a B-Body for my stroker.... all LT1 blocks are the same, except for the 4-bolt mains used in the Corvette. Be aware that there is also an L99 engine, whose block looks identical to the LT1 block, but it is for a smaller 4.3 liter engine used in some B-Body’s. You don’t want one of those. The LT1 block will have “327” (last 3 digits of the casting number)cast in the front. The smaller displacement block has “4.3” cast on the side.

Good article on the LT1, and its components:

https://www.enginebuildermag.com/199...-lt1-engine-2/

The shop pulled my 94’s OEM engine, and used the things like sensors, fuel rails, etc. to assemble the engine, dyno tune the setup. Didn't see my car again for 6 months (made them put the chassis in storage), waiting for Callies to produce the 1-piece RMS Stealth stroker crank.

https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/lt1...nature-879835/