Is there such a thing as a 396ci lt1? I have seen 396ci engines in camaros and firebirds and i was just wondering if it was still an lt1 block or something else. If there is I would like to know is it safe to daily drive and what I would have to do to get it to 396ci.

 

Golen offers a 396ci LT4 which is an LT1 block with a 4 bolt main. I don't know how reliable they are, but I hear that the 396 is the largest they go on an LT1.

http://www.golenengineservice.com/html/lt1_lt4.html

 

Btw, I hear that the LT4 intake manifold was discontinued from GM, so if you are running LT4 heads, good luck finding an intake manifold (be careful of fake ones). The last one I saw was going on ebay for over $700.

 

Thanks but I dont have the money for a crate motor im wondering what i would have to get to make mine a 396ci or even a 383 if i cant do a 396. i want to use my lt1 block for this.

 

I know that Lunati and Eagle make 383 stroker kits for the LT1 motor. From what I hear, they are both very good kits. Check out their websites or give them a call.

There's also a place in Cucamonga, CA called Don Lee Auto. I have about 5 friends that have had their motors done there (LT1 and LS1). He does really good work.

http://www.donleeauto.com/

 

you can have a 430 something lt1.........................i believe this to be true. :\

 

The biggest was with linghenfilter 428 427

 

I'm building a 396 right now. It's a 4.030 bore and 3.875 stroke with a 6 inch Eagle 3-D rod. I had to do some pretty major clearancing (notching) where the rod comes around at the oil pan rail area. I went into the water jacket in 3 places so I ended up pouring the block with a half fill of Hard-Bloc. Since the crank is an internally balanced one, the counterweights are very long and I had to make extra room for them in several places - mainly back in the oil filter side of the block. Also, the bottoms of the cylinders had to be notched again for rod clearance.
There are other things to consider too. I'm using a small base circle cam, and my oil pan is looking pretty rough along the rails where I had to use a ball peen hammer to dent it to clear the rod bolts and counterweights up front. I also had the main caps splayed for the long arm to keep them from moving around. The piston choices are limited for off the shelf 396 users. A 383 is much cheaper to build - especially when you can buy a cast crank for about 150. Power differences will be pretty small. I was going all forged anyway so I went for the 396.

 

VRE offers complete 383 and 396 LTX short and long blocks. This is the way I'm going with mine; 396 topped with a set of ported TF heads.

 

A 383 is a much better daily driver engine than a 396. You end up with less sideloading and you can run a taller piston which will give you a better ringland. Not to say a 396 can't be a good daily driver, it just takes a better builder. I've heard great things about golen so if they say itl'l last as a daily driver i'd probably believe them, but I wouldn't have joe's machine shop down the road with the 16 year old kid operating the mill build one for me.

 

I'm doing a 398 LT4 myself. Callies Crank 3.875, Eagle H-Beam 6" Rods. Oliver 4 bolt main caps with ARP studs and Nuts. Canton Oil Pan. I about a block race prepared its a 96 corvette Block. Heads are Custom ported tick flows by LE, LT4 Intake port matched. Custom LE/Bauer Cam. AS&M 58mm tb, Comp R Lifers and Comp 1.6 Rockers, Electric water up. Its gonna be a pretty solid 398 almost 400 Cubic inches outta a small block.

 

Well good luck, my post wasnt meant to dog on anyone who attempts a 3.875 stroked lt1 but rather to point out how important it is to do a good job or pick someone who does a good job and knows what they're doing. as another poster pointed out he ended up in the water jacket on his 396. If you don't know what you're doing and end up in water youl'l end up having to pay someone else to fix your mistake, or if you try to fix it yourself and screw up the block fill that can be a very costly mistake.

 

Ok I figured out I cant afford it so im looking into building a 355. Can I make my block a 355 with $1000

 

unless yor motor is knocking and shot use all the money you have into a heads and cam setup that will give you the most performance for your dollar

 

Im scared to do anything with a motor with 178,000 miles. I want a reliable car with more power and this is the best way i came up with for around $1,000.