Im about to buy a 96 LT1 to replace my dying 93 Z28's motor. With the 93's Speed Density crap, what has to be done to make the new one work? Is this possible without major money or trouble?

 

Yes it will work with very few changes.

 

lol doesnt sound like youre a fan of speed density

 

Several parts would need to be swapped over from your 93 to the 96 engine, including the knock sensor, the TB w/ IAC motor, and the intake with fuel rails and injectors. You could keep the 96's larger 24 #/HR injectors if you have a new chip burned.

Several connections on the 96 engine will not be used including the CKP sensor and the EVAP vacuum detection switch. You will be gaining the "vented" Opti, so you need the short Opti wiring harness for a vented Opti, and the vacuum harness.

 

Crap, the new motor comes with the intake ported, gasket matched, TB opening ported for 58mm TB. So I have to go back to my factory Intake and TB?

Does the fact that I already have a vented MSD Opti save me from needing a new Opti harness? (I know most likely not, just checking)

 

And I just realized the 93-94 Opti is different than the 95+, isnt it? So that MSD unit is useless.

 

You could keep the 96 intake manifold, and the fuel rails, but the fuel line connections are not in the same location, and the 96 rails are designed for batch-fire injection, while the 96 rails are designed for full sequential injection. Not sure if you might get erratic fuel pressure running the 96 rails on the 93 ECM.

93/94 MSD will not work on 95-97 engines.... unless you change the timing cover, the timing set and the cam. Personally, I'd rather have an OEM vented Opti than the MSD, but that's jut me.

 

Would a mail order EEPROM tune fix that? (Erratic fuel pressure)

 

No. The ECM doesn't control the fuel pressure. The fuel pressure regulator controls the pressure. Problem with batch fire is it fires all 4 injectors on one bank of the engine simultaneously. That can cause sudden spikes and valleys in fuel pressure as the injectors fire, if the rails are not designed for it. The sequential system fires one injector at a time, causing less variations in the rail pressure.