I came upon something you don't find every day, a stock 97 LT1 engine with 13,000 original miles. I know what I'm going to do to it, but I am curious what everyone else would do to it. What mods would you do it? Or would you mod it at all? Jump in with your .02.

 

First thing I'd do is take the Optispark off and crack it open and remove the rotor. Then when I reassembled it I'd fill all the spark plug terminals and vent ports full of JB Weld, and put a nice fat bead of RTV all the way around the perimeter of the casing and when I eventually plugged the wiring harness plug back in I'd put a small bead around the base of the plug. (As far away from the electrical connection as possible.) After all that was accomplished I'd install either a Delteq or LTCC ignition system. Then I'd remove the water pump and weld the weep hole on the bottom of it shut, and bolt on an electric one. I'd also be sure to weld the water pump driveshaft hole in the timing cover shut so as to eliminate the possibility of that seal ever leaking in the future. I'd remove the oil cooler and the EGR vent tube that runs from the exhaust manifold to the port on the passenger's side rear of the intake manifold, and block off both ports. Next, I'd either fill or cap off the top tube coming out of the passenger's side of the throttle body, remove the rubber hose extending from that tube to the port in the valve cover, and replace the port with a valve cover breather. While you're at it, may as well do the throttle body bypass.

These are just a few of the remedies to the most common problems with LT1's that those of us who've owned our cars since new wish we would've known about before they ever happened...

 

An engine that young and fertile... naturally.... Cam it!

 

You do not want to do this unless you are going to then change the whole EFI system from a MAF setup to speed density. Putting in a breather will allow unmetered air (since it's not passing through the MAF) into the engine, and will throw the tune way off.

Something with that few miles, though, I would probably keep it stock. It will be worth a lot of money someday if it has never been in an accident.

 

That's more like what I was expecting.

 

R-Titles are a bitch aint they. I bought mine totaled with 11K on it. Im at 16,7XX now. I figured it would be worth something someday if it wasnt an R-Title, but I didnt buy it as an investment. So **** it. My solution was to mod it anyways. Its a camaro. So what that its a convertible 6 speed with low miles. I mean really, it is just a camaro.

 

Low mileage artificially inflates the value of these cars when they really shouldnt be worth much at all. Id find a high mileage car and with the money youd save go put it towards a killer motor and supporting mods.

 

If I found a car with that low of milage, I would proabably let it sit so it didn't rack up a lot of miles and have it as an investment for later on. You asked!

 

I'd make it into one killer go-kart. Seriously.


Then laugh when your friends get jealous.

But only if the car was free....

 

I think a cam is a great idea as well. The LT4 hot cam (package) is good and proven by GMPP. You can also go a lil milder or more aggressive. I believe the LT4 cam is rated at ~30rwhp.
Some headers are good as well, intake-which the car needs for top end, im sure some will agree on this, wow stock intakes really suffocate the 5.7's. Do gears like 3.73's and some minor suspension and call it a day. The car will move. These are like normal bolt ons acquired over a few months period and you'll be good.
Do a lot of reading and you'll learn like GM high tech perf and hands is good to. Common sense is good to.
Just my .02

 

1. Converting to speed density is NOT required to do this.
2. Yes, unmetered air will enter the engine, but it's such a small amount that it won't affect the tune. LT1's come programmed from the factory to run a little rich.
3. This eliminates any opportunity for oil to be sucked into the intake manifold which is a VERY common occurrence. (Especially ones that have been modded to run higher RPM's.)

 

Most people that suck oil is because their intake isn't sealed right.

 

thats exactly what I was thinking, no way that a valve cover breather will throw off a tune. I do think that it messes with the pcv system since when you install a breather you take away the vaccum that was originally present in the hose coming from the throttle body. I put an inline fuel filter in the hose on my valve cover, so air flows but oil dosent.

 

One advantage to a hihg miler is that when you rebuild the motor and go balistic (stroker and all the goodies ) you have a seasoned block to work with. Heck 13,000 miles isnt even enough time to get enough heat cycling out of the thing...lol (joking on the last part)

 

well, im in a similar spot right now. my motors gettin ready to go, and my dad has a 97 lt1 longblock with less than 20k miles on it... so far my list for it is nothing more than LT headers, then setup the motor that comes out of mine to be the beast i want it to be. that way i eventually get a beast, and have a great daily driver in the mean time! of course im also starting college shortly, so funding is another issue with keeping mine stock. =/