Craigslist LT1 top-end (part 1)
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 119
Craigslist LT1 top-end (part 1)
Over the years I have bought most of my bolt-on upgrades, including brand new wheels and tires, (see signature) on Craigslist for dirt cheap.
I started collecting pieces for my top end build on my 134K (not hard) miles LT1 Z28.
Goals:
• 300 + hp at the wheels
• Fix oil leaks in the front of the motor
• Pass CA smog – Very clean now with a brand new OEM single cat - original owner bought new in 2009 and never installed it.
• Keep daily driver / weekend cruiser quality
• Do it on the cheap (buy new where I need to)
Bought OEM AL heads, cam, and intake on CL for $180 and dropped them off at my machine shop for porting, valve job, matching ported intake, and custom ground cam. No hurry on shop work since originals are still on car. Will post flow numbers in a couple of weeks.
Upgrade plans for top end:
• Custom grind cam (224/224 .525/.525 lsa112)
• New Comp cam 1.6 NSA roller rockers
• New Spring set, seals, and hardened 7.2 pushrods from Alex Parts
• New GM guide plates
• New 7/16 posts
• 30lbs injectors ?? See below
Other new stuff:
• Harmonic balancer
• Water pump
• Timing chain set
• Front end oil seals
• Gaskets
• Tune
Questions:
• Do I need a 52mm TB or will stock be adequate?
• Can the OEM TB be bored out to 52mm
• Do I need the 30 lbs (or higher) injectors?
• Do I need a new opti? (Mine is a 2yr old GM part)
• Are stock head bolts OK?
• Do I need to buy new push rods? (I have read that the stock rods are hardened)
• What am I forgetting?
Thanks
I started collecting pieces for my top end build on my 134K (not hard) miles LT1 Z28.
Goals:
• 300 + hp at the wheels
• Fix oil leaks in the front of the motor
• Pass CA smog – Very clean now with a brand new OEM single cat - original owner bought new in 2009 and never installed it.
• Keep daily driver / weekend cruiser quality
• Do it on the cheap (buy new where I need to)
Bought OEM AL heads, cam, and intake on CL for $180 and dropped them off at my machine shop for porting, valve job, matching ported intake, and custom ground cam. No hurry on shop work since originals are still on car. Will post flow numbers in a couple of weeks.
Upgrade plans for top end:
• Custom grind cam (224/224 .525/.525 lsa112)
• New Comp cam 1.6 NSA roller rockers
• New Spring set, seals, and hardened 7.2 pushrods from Alex Parts
• New GM guide plates
• New 7/16 posts
• 30lbs injectors ?? See below
Other new stuff:
• Harmonic balancer
• Water pump
• Timing chain set
• Front end oil seals
• Gaskets
• Tune
Questions:
• Do I need a 52mm TB or will stock be adequate?
• Can the OEM TB be bored out to 52mm
• Do I need the 30 lbs (or higher) injectors?
• Do I need a new opti? (Mine is a 2yr old GM part)
• Are stock head bolts OK?
• Do I need to buy new push rods? (I have read that the stock rods are hardened)
• What am I forgetting?
Thanks
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,684
Re: Craigslist LT1 top-end (part 1)
Over the years I have bought most of my bolt-on upgrades, including brand new wheels and tires, (see signature) on Craigslist for dirt cheap.
I started collecting pieces for my top end build on my 134K (not hard) miles LT1 Z28.
Goals:
• 300 + hp at the wheels
• Fix oil leaks in the front of the motor
• Pass CA smog – Very clean now with a brand new OEM single cat - original owner bought new in 2009 and never installed it.
• Keep daily driver / weekend cruiser quality
• Do it on the cheap (buy new where I need to)
Bought OEM AL heads, cam, and intake on CL for $180 and dropped them off at my machine shop for porting, valve job, matching ported intake, and custom ground cam. No hurry on shop work since originals are still on car. Will post flow numbers in a couple of weeks.
Upgrade plans for top end:
• Custom grind cam (224/224 .525/.525 lsa112)
• New Comp cam 1.6 NSA roller rockers
• New Spring set, seals, and hardened 7.2 pushrods from Alex Parts
• New GM guide plates
• New 7/16 posts
• 30lbs injectors ?? See below
Other new stuff:
• Harmonic balancer
• Water pump
• Timing chain set
• Front end oil seals
• Gaskets
• Tune
Questions:
• Do I need a 52mm TB or will stock be adequate?
• Can the OEM TB be bored out to 52mm
• Do I need the 30 lbs (or higher) injectors?
• Do I need a new opti? (Mine is a 2yr old GM part)
• Are stock head bolts OK?
• Do I need to buy new push rods? (I have read that the stock rods are hardened)
• What am I forgetting?
Thanks
I started collecting pieces for my top end build on my 134K (not hard) miles LT1 Z28.
Goals:
• 300 + hp at the wheels
• Fix oil leaks in the front of the motor
• Pass CA smog – Very clean now with a brand new OEM single cat - original owner bought new in 2009 and never installed it.
• Keep daily driver / weekend cruiser quality
• Do it on the cheap (buy new where I need to)
Bought OEM AL heads, cam, and intake on CL for $180 and dropped them off at my machine shop for porting, valve job, matching ported intake, and custom ground cam. No hurry on shop work since originals are still on car. Will post flow numbers in a couple of weeks.
Upgrade plans for top end:
• Custom grind cam (224/224 .525/.525 lsa112)
• New Comp cam 1.6 NSA roller rockers
• New Spring set, seals, and hardened 7.2 pushrods from Alex Parts
• New GM guide plates
• New 7/16 posts
• 30lbs injectors ?? See below
Other new stuff:
• Harmonic balancer
• Water pump
• Timing chain set
• Front end oil seals
• Gaskets
• Tune
Questions:
• Do I need a 52mm TB or will stock be adequate?
• Can the OEM TB be bored out to 52mm
• Do I need the 30 lbs (or higher) injectors?
• Do I need a new opti? (Mine is a 2yr old GM part)
• Are stock head bolts OK?
• Do I need to buy new push rods? (I have read that the stock rods are hardened)
• What am I forgetting?
Thanks
• Do I need a 52mm TB or will stock be adequate? - Stock will be OK, but 52 wouldn't hurt anything
• Can the OEM TB be bored out to 52mm - Yeah, there are places that can do that
• Do I need the 30 lbs (or higher) injectors? - 30# would be fine for that build
• Do I need a new opti? (Mine is a 2yr old GM part) - I'd say no
• Are stock head bolts OK? Get new ones. Yours aren't TTY, but still they are old and tired
• Do I need to buy new push rods? (I have read that the stock rods are hardened) - Yours should be fine, but always check they are the right length for your new parts
• What am I forgetting? - I'd say research the GM guide plates - I remember lots of discussion about them not lining up correctly for other builders, but I can't remember the details. You don't need NSA rockers with that lift, but that's up to you (if you upgrade the cam later, then you'll already have the correct parts)
Registered User
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 2,068
From: Kernersville, NC
Re: Craigslist LT1 top-end (part 1)
Get trickflow guideplates. The GM ones have issues with not being properly heat treated(mine had the same problem).
I had this problem with the GM ones....
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/lt1...eplace-769144/
I think the number for the trickflow guideplates is....
TFS 30400623-8
I had this problem with the GM ones....
https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/lt1...eplace-769144/
I think the number for the trickflow guideplates is....
TFS 30400623-8
Last edited by ACE1252; Feb 25, 2013 at 07:22 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 212
From: San Antonio, Tx
Re: Craigslist LT1 top-end (part 1)
With that cam......unless the plan to hit 6.5K RPMs regularly, I'd go with 3/8" studs, self-aligned roller rockers and no guideplates.
But.....that's just me
.....
And if your tuner says go with 114* LSA in order to make smog, then I'd say......"look for a better tuner".
KW
But.....that's just me
.....And if your tuner says go with 114* LSA in order to make smog, then I'd say......"look for a better tuner".
KW
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