Just got my 98 T/A and I couldn't be happier with the car. The power compared to my 1996 V6 is just plain amazing , the only negative thing I can say about the car is that from 0-50 it just doesn't feel as strong as I thought it would, from 50 on up the car pulls like a raped ape but down low it doesn't feel quite as strong as my buddies 1994 LT1. I did the FRA mod and that helped throttle response a bunch (more pull for less throttle). I guess I dont really have a specific question but any thoughts about the low rpm torque in an LS1 and/or low rpm performance compared with LT1 cars would be appreciated. Thanks

-Conrad

 

mine pulls better than my LT1 did-at least it did when it was stock. I thought I read that the LS1 actually has higher torque than the LT1 at all rpms, maybe someone can confirm this. I think the free-er flowing heads of the LS1 make it seem like les cause it just keeps pulling as the rpm''s rise where as the LT1 dies off. I know racing a LS1 vette at the track resulted in him staying right next to me the whole way, until the end where he won by a couple tenths, this was with everything in sig except cam and rockers, we ended up having the same mph, which means are horsepower was close to each other, but his 60ft was better.

I think maybe below 2300 rpm my LT1 felt like it had more torque but that it

I have heard many people say there LT1 beat the LS1s up until 50-60 mph then the LS1s just take over, although this could be a traction issue with the LS1.

At any rate congrates on your new ride, its much nicer having all that extra power, my only problem is I keep wanting more, but rather this than body decaying drugs

 

A4 or M6? I'm guessing you have an A4 because the M6 guys would not have much problem finding torque at any speed

Automatics however do have dead spots between 30 and 45 mph. This is a HUGE dead spot for us. If you gun it anywhere in that range your at the bottom of second gear and it takes time to get the rpm's up. The tranny should downshift to first between say 30-40 but unfortunately for us it does not. This could be why you feel a lack of torque. You may just be going WOT in a dead spot. But from a dead stop to 29 mph it should pull like a raped ape. I know at a stop I can chirp my tires and pull hard out of the gate. Try going WOT at 20 mph and see how the torque feels.

The 1995 LT1 trans am was said to do 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and run a 1/4 mile in 14.2 seconds. The 1999 LS1 Trans Am was listed as 0-60 in 5.0 seconds and running the 1/4 mile in 13.7 seconds. The big difference in torque is where it peaks between the two motors. The LS1 peaks 335 @ 4000 rpms while the LT1 peaks 320 @ 2400 rpms. So the LT1 was definately strongest around town with the rpms lower. The LS1 however has far better top end pull with all the mad torque it makes up high. If you look at a stock LS1 dyno graph you'll see it's a mostly flat torque line where an average LS1 is making about 300 @ 2400 rpms and climbing steadily from there to the max of 335 @ 4000. So the LT1 does have a very slight advantage at low rpms but 300 to 320 is pretty close. I lined up against a stock LT1 (when I was stock) once at the track. We were dead even through the 1/8 but I pulled hard on him once we hit 80 or so mph.

Sorry for the novel here. If you do have an automatic then get yourself a nice 3000-3500 stall torque converter with tranny cooler. You will never, ever wonder where the torque went after that. The dead spots will be gone and you'll have traction woes like you wouldn't believe

 

search and find a dyno of both an lt1 and ls1
the lt1 tends to have a nice broad torque curve (especially evident down low as peak tq is at 2400rpms) and tops out about 5300 or so stock
the ls1 isn't bad compared to an lt1 but iirc, the curve was a little lacking til it hit about 3-3500 rpms

either way, the ls2 is going to put both to shame
it makes the ls1 curve look like a honda and it puts both to shame with its power
also, be careful what you say here, i foresee another ls1vs.lt1 war comin on

 

Why would there be a war? It's common knowledge that the LS1 puts out more power and more torque then the LT1. Just like it's common knowledge that the LS6 or LS2 put out more power then the LS1. It's nothing personal, just GM with thier wacky idea that each new engine should be improved in some way from the previous one. I can't wait to see a GTO with a LS2 run at the local track.

 

Its an A4 with the 3.23's. You're right I have just been punching it around 30 mph or so, I'll try from a dead stop....

 

If I'm doing say 35 and I wanna go I will actually tap my brake to get me down to 28 or so and then punch it

Your real sweet spots are 0-28 on the low end and 60-70 up top (kicks down to second gear and pulls hard). But try and avoid wot runs from 30-45 as it's quite disappointing. At least until you get a 3500 stall TC and then it's all good.

 

just because some people can't admit that the ls1 is better in some ways and the lt1 in some others (a couple)
i like both engines for their strong points
i just hope the ls2 culminates it all into one nice package

 

Me too!

 

i have an a4 with 2.73's and my dead spot is from about 45-60. from 0-40 or 45 it downshifts hard and pulls really hard.