durability: LT1 vs LS1
08-03-2003, 07:49 AM
#16
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Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 2,275
I think every good engine should have a plastic intake manifold 
Don't like either tranny or rear (way too weak) not to mention the stupid torgue arm setup that limits the rear choices you can use. BTW, the LT1 cars invented crappy clutches with there reverse pull problems.
Don't like the machine shop choices for Aluminum blocks. Seems every one can do Iron good.
I like the LS1 distributorless ignition with individual coil packs.
Everyone has there opinion I opted for the LT1 when I decided to modify the engine heavily.
BTW for the guy who said 6 bolt mains, I assume he was talking about the head bolts and the six bolt pattern compared to the LT1's 5 bolt pattern surrounding each cylinder.
Don't like either tranny or rear (way too weak) not to mention the stupid torgue arm setup that limits the rear choices you can use. BTW, the LT1 cars invented crappy clutches with there reverse pull problems. Don't like the machine shop choices for Aluminum blocks. Seems every one can do Iron good.
I like the LS1 distributorless ignition with individual coil packs.
Everyone has there opinion I opted for the LT1 when I decided to modify the engine heavily.
BTW for the guy who said 6 bolt mains, I assume he was talking about the head bolts and the six bolt pattern compared to the LT1's 5 bolt pattern surrounding each cylinder.
08-03-2003, 09:45 AM
#17
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 412
Originally posted by slopokrodrigez
I think every good engine should have a plastic intake manifold Don't like either tranny or rear (way too weak) not to mention the stupid torgue arm setup that limits the rear choices you can use. BTW, the LT1 cars invented crappy clutches with there reverse pull problems.
Don't like the machine shop choices for Aluminum blocks. Seems every one can do Iron good.
I like the LS1 distributorless ignition with individual coil packs.
Everyone has there opinion I opted for the LT1 when I decided to modify the engine heavily.
BTW for the guy who said 6 bolt mains, I assume he was talking about the head bolts and the six bolt pattern compared to the LT1's 5 bolt pattern surrounding each cylinder.
I think every good engine should have a plastic intake manifold
Don't like either tranny or rear (way too weak) not to mention the stupid torgue arm setup that limits the rear choices you can use. BTW, the LT1 cars invented crappy clutches with there reverse pull problems. Don't like the machine shop choices for Aluminum blocks. Seems every one can do Iron good.
I like the LS1 distributorless ignition with individual coil packs.
Everyone has there opinion I opted for the LT1 when I decided to modify the engine heavily.
BTW for the guy who said 6 bolt mains, I assume he was talking about the head bolts and the six bolt pattern compared to the LT1's 5 bolt pattern surrounding each cylinder.
Greg
08-03-2003, 12:21 PM
#20
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: eatontown nj united states
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theres no doubt an ls1 stock bottom end can take more hp before blowing up.
both are reliable but im not an optispark fan though i dont think they go as much as people seem to think.
ls1s tend to use some oil and have piston slap both which are way overblown and in most cases harmless.
both are reliable but im not an optispark fan though i dont think they go as much as people seem to think.
ls1s tend to use some oil and have piston slap both which are way overblown and in most cases harmless.
08-03-2003, 12:23 PM
#21
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: eatontown nj united states
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also an aluminum block is not a disadvantage.many people have run thousands of HP thru aluminum blocks.its just more expensive.GM performance parts sells race aluminum blocks right out of their catalog so i boubt they arent strong.
LT1
03-17-2004, 11:50 AM
#25
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 180
I think the LS1's bottom end is substantially better (from the factory) than the LT1. According to my friend, all you have to do to run 800+ hp is change bearings. LT1's should start blowing the crank out the bottom around 500rwhp. Not so cool. On the other hand, LS1's are known for bending pushrods, probably as a result of their higher rocker arm ratio (1.7 vs. 1.5 on the LT1). LT1's seem cheaper to fix up (cranks don't cost $3000, cams don't cost $400, aftermarket LT1 heads cost less than ported OEM LS1 heads, etc.). I think that if you could modify some of the GEN1 heads to fit the block, the LS1 guys would have nothing special to bragg about in terms of cylinder heads. Given enough time, I'm sure you'll start to see the aftermarket pick up the slack in that dept. To my knowledge, the drivetrains are functionally identical (same T-56's rated to ~450lb/ft, same 4L60E's, same ****ty 10-bolts). I've worked on both engines and I can tell you, the LT1 clutch setup is nicer to work on than the LS1 setup. Just my $.02
03-17-2004, 12:09 PM
#26
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Abilene, TX
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to the guy who was doubting the 6-bolt main... i guess you haven't seen that piece of crap GTO commercial... the 6-bolt main LS1? pay attention man...
as for a durability standpoint... and, although, i am biased towards the LT1... before i bought my latest LT1... i was thinking about getting ahold of an LS1. damn near everyone in town has an LS1 in abilene... and i don't particularly want one myself. don't get me wrong, LS1's are great... but it's just not my type of car. the 6-bolt main in bad ***... but it's done because of the aluminum block. i'm not a big fan of the aluminum block because despite a comment made earlier... from every rational thing i've seen, the ls1 can't handle 800HP without breaking down. i haven't seen one go over 550HP without spending at least two weeks of down time in the shop or more here... and there's a ****LOAD of LS1's here... and a ****load of LS1's breaking down once people get too deep into them. the LT1 on stock internals is _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle 1000HP. not saying it will or won't... just saying, that's what it's _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle. the borg tranny is better than the tremec... the 4L60E's in the LS1 and LT1 are basically the same, if i'm correct. the rear ends suck... but i don't know ANYONE who has blown a rear end in an A4... only in the m6's.
the LT1's bottom end is stronger than the LS1's stock. the LT1 can handle spray better stock. mod for mod early on, the LS1 will crush the LT1, yeah... but once you start getting deep, the LT1 catches up pretty quick. in the long run, when you're talking about which car is gonna be faster... the answer is neither. it all depends on who's got the most money. you could make a 4-door 87 honda civic fast if you had a million bucks.
stock for stock, i think the LT1 is more durable. it handles more abuse, and it lasts longer.
and, to the guy who was talking about LS1/LT1 heads... LS1 heads flow like ****ing nascar heads... but there's a guy in town who had his heads done by PATRIOT for his LS1... and a good friend of mine sent off his stock LT1 heads to a guy in dallas... and when his LT1 heads came back, they damn near matched the Patriot LS1 heads in flow numbers. a $900 head job doesn't look too bad when you're putting down flow numbers that nearly match a damn expensive patriot head job...
- jay
as for a durability standpoint... and, although, i am biased towards the LT1... before i bought my latest LT1... i was thinking about getting ahold of an LS1. damn near everyone in town has an LS1 in abilene... and i don't particularly want one myself. don't get me wrong, LS1's are great... but it's just not my type of car. the 6-bolt main in bad ***... but it's done because of the aluminum block. i'm not a big fan of the aluminum block because despite a comment made earlier... from every rational thing i've seen, the ls1 can't handle 800HP without breaking down. i haven't seen one go over 550HP without spending at least two weeks of down time in the shop or more here... and there's a ****LOAD of LS1's here... and a ****load of LS1's breaking down once people get too deep into them. the LT1 on stock internals is _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle 1000HP. not saying it will or won't... just saying, that's what it's _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle. the borg tranny is better than the tremec... the 4L60E's in the LS1 and LT1 are basically the same, if i'm correct. the rear ends suck... but i don't know ANYONE who has blown a rear end in an A4... only in the m6's.
the LT1's bottom end is stronger than the LS1's stock. the LT1 can handle spray better stock. mod for mod early on, the LS1 will crush the LT1, yeah... but once you start getting deep, the LT1 catches up pretty quick. in the long run, when you're talking about which car is gonna be faster... the answer is neither. it all depends on who's got the most money. you could make a 4-door 87 honda civic fast if you had a million bucks.
stock for stock, i think the LT1 is more durable. it handles more abuse, and it lasts longer.
and, to the guy who was talking about LS1/LT1 heads... LS1 heads flow like ****ing nascar heads... but there's a guy in town who had his heads done by PATRIOT for his LS1... and a good friend of mine sent off his stock LT1 heads to a guy in dallas... and when his LT1 heads came back, they damn near matched the Patriot LS1 heads in flow numbers. a $900 head job doesn't look too bad when you're putting down flow numbers that nearly match a damn expensive patriot head job...
- jay
03-17-2004, 12:15 PM
#27
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Location: Abilene, TX
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oh... and on another note for spray... there's been at least three LS1's that i can think of off the top of my head that have been blown up on the bottle... and not even ONE LT1. i can name off three bad *** LS1's who wound up putting their cars down for good or down for a long *** time cuz their LS1 couldn't handle the bottle.
at any rate... i also know of a bad *** LS1 that was ALL-MOTOR... peaked at about 500HP... and then spent a month of down time in the shop for repairs cuz the motor started to break down.
the most i've seen happen to an LT1 here is one that blew the rear end coming off the line at the track. but, then again, that happens to a lot of m6's... both LT1 and LS1. a buddy of mine in a 2000 SS snapped his rear axle coming off the line at the track :P
i also have room for comparison on a standpoint of which car breaks down more... cuz i drive a 96 trans am and my girlfriend drives a 2000 Z28. so i'm right there on both lol...
- jay
at any rate... i also know of a bad *** LS1 that was ALL-MOTOR... peaked at about 500HP... and then spent a month of down time in the shop for repairs cuz the motor started to break down.
the most i've seen happen to an LT1 here is one that blew the rear end coming off the line at the track. but, then again, that happens to a lot of m6's... both LT1 and LS1. a buddy of mine in a 2000 SS snapped his rear axle coming off the line at the track :P
i also have room for comparison on a standpoint of which car breaks down more... cuz i drive a 96 trans am and my girlfriend drives a 2000 Z28. so i'm right there on both lol...
- jay
03-17-2004, 12:44 PM
#28
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Turnersville/Washington Twp. NJ
Posts: 260
illegalactivist-
the LT1 on stock internals is _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle 1000HP. not saying it will or won't... just saying, that's what it's _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle.
the LT1 on stock internals is _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle 1000HP. not saying it will or won't... just saying, that's what it's _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle.
mostly everything else you mentioned i'll accept cuz of your near first hand perspectives of your car and other's. I was just wondering about the above quote cuz i never herd that before, and i think its hard to belive as true.
03-17-2004, 12:54 PM
#29
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Location: Reading, PA
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Originally posted by illegalactivist
the LT1 on stock internals is _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle 1000HP. not saying it will or won't... just saying, that's what it's _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle.
the LT1 on stock internals is _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle 1000HP. not saying it will or won't... just saying, that's what it's _SUPPOSED_ to be able to handle.
03-17-2004, 12:55 PM
#30
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Frederick, Maryland USA
Posts: 273
LT1, without a doubt. It doesn't matter than LS1s have 6 bolt mains anyway, because at the end of the day it's still aluminum.
The LT1 had 50 years of improvements and research done on it. I'll stick with the LT1.
But of course, I could be biased.
The LT1 had 50 years of improvements and research done on it. I'll stick with the LT1.
But of course, I could be biased.