ok guys i am in a bind here. i don't know what to do anymore with my lt1. I am kind of happy with it but i feel bored with it now. if you don't know the story i have an lt1/t56 in an 88 mazda rx7. i don't drive the car much because i am scared of breaking down and its mostly because i am scared of the opti spark. don't ask my why i am scared of it i just am. So i have been saving my money and i was thinking about swapping out the lt1 for an ls1. but in doing so that requires rewiring the car getting all the stuff i would need to transfer the lt1 t56(mine is custom built so why kick it aside for a stock ls1 trans right?) and then put it in and go from there. but then i was also thinking about putting a supercharger on my lt1 and leave it as is until it blows on me. So i ask you this which would you do and why?

Swap out the lt1 for an ls1?

Super charger the lt1?

take the running lt1 out which has 8044miles since it was built and stroke it?

or just sell the whole project and start a new one?

i can tell you now if i sell the rx7 that will be my last rx7 i ever own. and i would go back to the classic muscle that i am use to. like a first gen camaro/firebird and go from there. so what do you think? and please tell me why you would do what you picked?

 

Time to sell and start fresh....

 

if it was me and money not really being an object I would stroke then supercharge the LT1, they make the LTCC kits that you can use that IMO takes some worry out of running the opti.. I am kinda in the same situation that you are in aswell, I am tired of working on and running the LT1 and want the LSX but my LT1 has some work done and the LSX would have to be stock and would be slower

 

Swapping out the LT1 for the LSx is a big process but is possible. Depends how good you are with tools, diagnostics, and programming... and how much you are going to farm out for someone else to do.

Supercharging - you can go light on a supercharger on a stock bottom end for about 4K - 6K including dyno tune. But, you might as well build the bottom end too for strength, stud the mains, forged rotating assembly, blower cam, etc.. so you are building the engine anyways, add 6K - 8K for a built bottom end with block machining, components, and good head work.

Building the bottom end is about 6K - 8K. I just built mine to a 383 for about 8K with new Trick Flow ported heads and custom camwork. A forged rotating assembly was about $2300. Tons of parts not mentioned.

Going to a new project, you'll just inherit someone else's problems. It depends if you love the Camaro. There are pros and cons which is a judgement call.

 

well if it was a camaro i would understand there is a lot of work involed but its an rx7

(burry pic sorry)


swapping in an ls1 i would need to get a mounting plate which is 55 bucks and the motor and rewire the motor and get the pcm tuned. i have about 1600 (wifes rules no credit card no touching the savings account) saved so far for my car. i am looking for an ls1 but i found a supercharger which had me thinking. but it seems like building the bottom end of an lt1 would be just as much as me getting an ls1. still a lot to think about!

 

You have done a lot of work. If you're looking for an extra kick, have you considered Nitrous?

 

If it's really just the opti-spark that's bothering you why not just do this, http://www.delteq.com/.
It would be cheaper and you can alway add more power on top of that.

 

I say do the delteq or efi connection swap, save for the new dart block and build a big stroker motor and scare the crap out of a lot of unsuspecting people......that's what I consider enjoyment

 

nah no nos for me i want to step on the gas and just feel it no pressing a button for power
i thought about it but i am not sure yet. i was told its a waste of money being that its $700 you can get 3 optis for that price, does anyone else on here have that?
EFI connection swap? i am going to have to do a little searching on that one. wouldn't the cost and work of doing a stroker lt1 be the same as having an ls1?

 

Ya I would go to the Deltec or the LTCC system and do away with the high power through the opti, with those the opti just becomes a trigger.

 

I wouldn't be scared about the opti too much, I think it was the non-vented ones that gave them a bad rep, and also it is a wear part, it is a part that is meant to be replaced every so often. Mine has been through some hellaish rain, bad enough to were it was stumbling, and I was scared, but after I was out of the rain, it cleared right up. If that efi connections thing that eveyone's talking about is the ls1 computer swap, which would completely get rid of the opti and have a better ecm that can take higher rpm's and be a lot easier to tune. It's still expensive, but might be worth it for you.

 

Well, I guess I am a bit more bias AND qualified to answer this but in the end, it is your feelings.

First off, I have no idea why you would be bored. At 700 lb lighter than a Camaro and significantly improved handling to one, V8 RX7's are a blast!

I too have an 88 FC with the LT1 and in my case, I had it bored and stroked. Now, I use mine for road racing and that makes my case probably different. I love the fact that I am up there with race-prepared gen 5 & 6 corvettes at minimal money.

As many people have stated, there are now ways around the opti and if that is your major issue, I say upgrade to the opti-delete. Regarding other breakdown issues, they are just like any other engine you would put in there.

Personally, I love the simplicity of the RX7 V8 conversion. I can have the engine and tranny out in 4 hours...from the bottom.

I have opined.

Ben

 

It's nice to get blown!

 

I have put over 200K on my 94-6 b-bodies the lowest mileage one currently sits at 145K. NEVER has an opti left me stranded, NEVER have I actually had one fail atall. Only once did I have a cap and rotor get worn enough to affect performance.

IMO people are too quick to jump on the built motor bandwagon, they BLINDLY want to do so and in their blind rush screw it up.
A well done heads and cam setup will run right with or better than a lot of the strokers guys do because they cut corners on the stroker.

Judging by the intake tract on your LT1 you must have a mild setup. Give it good heads and cam www.advancedinduction.com and properly support it with good intake and exhaust and you will have your hands full.

 

lol hmm that name looks like one i know and have seen before..lol but yes i think the reason why i am bored with it is because i don't drive it. i have that fear of the opti going on me all the time. i can tell you i never drive it more then 100 miles away from my house because then i am outside of my towing zone from AAA. and thats why i think i am bored with it. also with it being down right now i am even more bored and upset with it. so i understand where you are coming from!

yea i think so because i have a vented one and it seems to be fine with me also my car never sees the rain so i wouldnt know what it would be like if it rained while driving the car. i was told by to many people that its not worth putting any money into an lt1 unless i have it redone from the bottom up with 4 bolt mains and so on. so i am still not sure as to what i am going to do. i usually just autocross and once in a while i drag only because its a drop top and i have to get a cage and all that if i want to race it being that i am faster then 13.49 so we shall see what happens i still need to get it back on the road stupid power issues!