I am new to this forum, its a great cite with an abundance of info. I currently own a 1969 camaro, previously owned a 97 z28 white with orange stripes ( so I'm not against new gens). My question is this, I was considering buying a 2000-2002 ss, but after looking at the bolt on such as slp headers.950.00, cam kit 470, reprogrammer 340, dart heads 1600, ks1 intake 550, mass airflow sensor 300, slc cold air induction 310, I started thinking it seems to cost more to upgrade the ls1. Stock I think its a great performer. Any suggestions, I am completely a newbie on ls1 info.

 

Disagree...The LS1 is already going to net you, depending on a couple of variables including your driving skills, a 13.4 to 12.8 quarter mile time. That really cant be beat out of the box. As far as upgrades, SLP headers arent that good and are way overpriced, good headers can be had for $300-$400. Most cam kits cam get up to $700 or so, but that can pull down another 70 hp. Heads can be picked up used for a very reasonable amount, and new ones from TSP or Livernois can be about $1200-$1600, very reasonable as long as you are not on the bigger is better notion. If you do a heads and cam package, your going to want a custom tune that can run $350-$500, cam combos can get pricey, but are worth the money, just do your research on them. For an intake, all you really need is an LS6 intake, they go for $300-$325 shipped all day long. If you need more than that there is the FAST intake, but they run about $700. Then a lid of some sort, about $100. A MAF sensor is not really something you need to spend money on, unless you really want to, imo.

You dont have to do all these things at once so it doesnt have to be a big chunk out of you pocket at one time. Bolt on cars are known to go low 12's and occasionaly high 11's, that means no heads and cam combo. With the right mods and setup, you can be plenty fast for what is considered a budget amount of money. Look at my sig and see for yourself.

 

Buy used. All the worth while parts can be bought inexpensively from guys demodding to trade in their cars or going to different set ups.

Actually, if you compare the LS1 cam kit with a roller kit for a SBC instead of the flat tappet cam kits they are both in the same ball park. Plus then you'll be comparing more similar items. At least w/the LS1 you already have the roller lifters and rockers.

If you compare the Dart LS1 heads with their aluminum SBC heads they're pretty close too.

I had a 70 SS before my 00 SS. Yes it was less expensive to work on, but I was having to do little things all the time. It ran high 12's and got 13 mpg tops w/no AC.

Now, I've got a car that I can take cross country without a problem, blowing cold AC, that is quicker, stops faster, handles better, and gets 20 mpg city (haven't taken any trips since my cam change and tune up). Stock I got a best of 30 mph with the average highway milage of 28 though. If I had wanted, I could have installed a larger cam and been in the 11's and still be daily driven.

 

LSx stuff is getting more reasonable with age and you can score great deals on the message board classifieds. Let's revise your list:

Pacesetter headers & Y-pipe- $500 new and see them for $300 used
Cam kit- $350 new and I've seen $200 for lightly used
Programmer- waste of time. A good dyno tune will be $300
Heads- $900-2800 Too many variables here to get into...
Intake- Free LS6 on 2001-02 models! Otherwise $300...
MAF- waste of money
SLP lid- $80 new

Read up here and on other sites. LS1 F-bodys can hit 11s for reasonable cash and still be reliable, comfortable and get decent fuel economy.

 

Forgot to mention that you will need pushrods for the cam kit and possibly springs (unless the heads come with them).

 

And a hand-held programmer is most likely not going to get the car running the way a real software package will. So, you need to a lot more than $340 for a tune. Either find someone or learn it yourself...

 

I will agree that some of the LS1 parts are a little more costly versus the same LT1 parts. But on a flipside, you get a very nice performer in just stock form with the LS1 that is easily increased with some simple bolt-ons.

 

Thanks for all the input, if your were to list your top 5 bolt ons , what would they be and what would you expect out of each? Thanks again for all the input!

 

Effective, worth-while bolt-ons?

1) lid (for the air-filter box) ... certified ~5-7 rwhp ... good "first mod" .

2) LT headers ... easily ~15 - 20 rwhp on a stock engine, and they go hand-in-hand with an improved intake, as well as open the door for future mods (ie: heads/cam) which will REQUIRE more airflow capability .

3) dyno tune ... if you have thoughts of swapping heads/cam, then wait to do that, but you can get one after the lid / headers, and you will see an improvement. I've even read about claims of ~15+ rwhp on a STOCK car just from a tune?!

4) GEARS!! Whether you get a 6-speed (M6) or automatic (A4), gears will wake the car up, and get you off the line quicker . With the M6, don't stop at 3.73's, go to at least 3.90's, but most often, 4.10's. A4's will benefit with anything from 3.42's (which come stock with M6's) upto 4.10's.

5) TIRES!! All the power in the world won't do **** without tires to hook it up!!

There ya go, there's my "Top 5" for ya!! Beyond that, you're going into the engine.

 

LT headers are around $500 new, a cam kit which includes the cam, springs, titanium retainers, and pushrods is around $700, a good dyno tune will cost you around $500, the dart heads are around $1400, the LS6 intake you can get used for $300 (and it comes already installed on the 01+ cars anyway), the MAF won't do anything to a stock motor car (so you can skip that), and the CAI or Lid is under $300 new.

Top 5? Easy.

1) Lid or CAI
2) Catback
3) Long Tube Headers
4) Dyno Tune (10+ rwhp on a stock car)
5) Save for a 12-bolt rear end ($2000 new or buy it used), since the 10-bolts are like glass. The lower the rear-end gear, the smaller the actual gear is and the more prone it is to breaking.

I'd advise against putting drag radials or anything like that on the car if you have a 6-speed and a 10-bolt. The automatics break them much less frequently because you don't have the initial driveline shock of dumping the clutch when you take off.

 

If your shop is charging more than $300ish for a dyno-tune, you are getting ripped off. Four hours of dyno time PLUS the chip-burning (L98 Corvette) cost me $300. Dialing in a 383 LSx on the dyno was $200..

 

There is no shop in MI that will do a full dyno tune on an LSx engined car for less than $450. Facts of life.

 

That's disgraceful. It was even cheaper when I was in Florida. I wonder why it is so much more up in your area?

 

No more than $300? For a dyno tune?

I might expect that price for an L98, its old technology. But then you say it cost less to tune in a stroked LSx?

You can get a mail order tune for that much, but a good dyno tune will push up on the 450-500 side, but usually you will get free re-tunes when you add more to the car in the future, or they re-tune for a small fee.

 

It doesn't count if you're "buddies" with the guy who owns/runs the dyno?? I've always heard ~$300 - 500 at least (depending on how in depth you want them to go, and/or how much your car REQUIRES based on the degree of mods).

Maybe you just know how to "smooth talk" the guys at the shop?? (I'm not trying to imply anything, so please don't take it the wrong way!! ). Some people just know how to work better deals?