I bought a 97' Camaro LT1 a couple months ago. It is my first f-body i have ever owned. anyway, the kid i bought it from blew the engine and had it replaced with a motor from a wrecked camaro. (warranty replacement). I took it to the local drag strip and i am running a full second faster than stock lt1's. 14.3 compared to 15.3... (elevation sucks) The kid i bought it from doesn't know what is done to it and i was wondering if there is any way to find out if it has any upgrades.. (heads, cam, stroked, ect.)????? any one have any suggestions.

 

If it does have work done to it, it is most likely simple bolt ons or a very mild cam. You could start by looking for obvious things such as headers, catback, cold air intake ect. You can also pop off a valve cover and see if aftermarket rockers and springs are there.

 

What kind of elevation are you at where a stock LT1 runs 15.3's? A cam, you would most likely be able to hear. If it was stroked and nothing else, it wouldn't run a full second faster (not enough of a hp gain to do that). I have heard of people porting heads and doing nothing else, which could possibly yield the results that you are seeing. It's just very rare to see that done without a cam and other supporting mods. As for other mods, just do like 2000GTP said and check for bolt-ons.

 

Ive never heard of a stock LT1 running a 15.3

 

True, mine was running 14's stock 13's with bolt ons

 

we race in billings, montana.. about 6/10 of a second added on for elevation.. I can beat stock ls1's no problem. its definetly something inside the moter if anything.. maybe it just runs well..??? i know what bolt ons are on it.. CAI and 170 therm. cat back exhaust also. maybe nothing is done to it but every one that see's it run thinks so.. thanks for the advice though, ill pop the valve covers this weekend sometime. and dont worry im not completely full of ****...lol... i work at a mechanic shop and just got done breaking down the engine in a friends buick, down to the block and back together... so i know quit a bit. just not enough yet... thanx for the advice though

 

I don't believe they make a 170* thermostat for LT1's. It's probably a 160* thermostat. Do the fans kick on and help keep it around 170* (which is what my car runs at with a 160* thermostat)? If so, it may have a custom tune as well.

 

yea my stock lt1 ran a 14.25, even with the elavation i cant see it adding a whole second or more

 

the parts guy said it was 170. i was pissed cause he didnt have the 160 in stock.

 

hmmm, maybe that guys car is just jacked up...or he cant race... i dunno, like i said its my first fbod, but everyone thinks i have something major done. i actually hope i dont, then nothing i do to the engine will be a down grade....

 

Im not trying to be an a**hole here, but your saying your "easily beating" stock LS1's in your LT1 running a 14.3 Quarter Mile??

 

Still, from what I've seen, only two different temperatures are offered for the LT1 (reverse cooling): 180* (stock) and 160*.

 

haha, okay.. not easily... i mean on the street. could be driver error but i have beat 3 ls1's this month, all friends of mine... lol, by half a car length to full length... i know one was a very good driver, but he said his clutch was slipping and the other two im not real sure.. probably not good drivers.. i dunno, maybe im just crazy... but at sea level they say i should be running around 13.5.... what are your guys' stock lt1's running

 

Which track are you racing on in MT?

A car that runs 14.00 at sea level, will run these times at altitude, based on the accepted NHRA stock class ET correction factors:

sea level: 14.00
1,000-ft: 14.14
2,000-ft: 14.33
3,000-ft: 14.52
4,000-ft: 14.72
5,000-ft (not as high as Denver): 14.93
6,000-ft: 15.14

If Billings, MT is about 4,000-ft, a 15.3 in Billings would equate to about a 14.7 at sea level.

Here's the NHRA correction factors, look at the tracks in Div 6 to see what the altitude of your track is.

http://www.nhra.com/tech_specs/altitude.html

 

okay, acton, mt.. where i race is 3,700 ft. so thats almost 4,000ft, so lets say about .65 added on.. that would put my 14.2 run around 13.55 or so..??? is that what a stock lt1 should run?????