A cammed LS1 will make 400+rwhp... a heads and cam LT1 might make 400rwhp.

 

I have seen a stock bottom end with heads and cam LT1 go 11.20's n/a, and I have also seen an LS1's do the same thing one even with stock heads. It really depends on wether or not you plan on modding the engine. If you leave it stock....go with the LS1. Otherwise LT1 all the way! I work on both of these fine engines and they are both a work of art! Dollar for dollar....the LT1 will perform good and can hold up to more that you throw at it!(N2O,SC). Good luck....either choice will be good!

Tony Shepherd

 

Actually, the stock Lt1 HATES boost (s/c).
10.5:1 compression is not very boost happy. Reverse cooled or not, there is just so much air going into that itty bitty space thats its just prone to detonation with a fair amount of boost.

This stock headed stock cammed LT1 running 11.2 wouldnt' happen to have a shiney blue bottle in the back would it? because if so, that cant really be a fair debate-
nitrous on one motor and NA the other.
I bet that LS1 ran the 11.2 NA which is more than possible

I know of a stock bottom end, stock head casting, stock trans (stalled and the trans just went after much abuse), strock rear(gears) running 9.96 with a 200 shot.
ID LOVE TO SEE AN LT1 pull that off.
The cam was MORE than streetable as well.

the Ls1's price costs are coming down dramatically as well.
After spending $1500 on a set of used LT4 heads and intake-
the price is more than ballanced out.

I know my next car is either GENI or an LS1/LS6 for sure.
the LS1/6 is arguably the most refined and well engineered (mass produced) motor in the world.
I dont realy concider the LT5, 302 ect mass produced though.
The Northstar is def up there for its time though

 

wow all this LS1 kicks the **** out of LT1 is making me feel bad about buying an LT1

ah well i drove it and that beast had quite a bit of power.... i just hope with some basic bolt ons i can get a good 300RWHP out of it.

 

whoa whoa whoa!
no one EVER said the LT1 was bad-
Christ- look at the 4.6 (NA) or the 305 or something
those things respond to mods like crap.

its like saying the Z06 is crap because there are ferraris.

relative the LS1, the Lt1 is stone aged in technology

Lt1 is still a great motor when compared to somehing like the 4.6 in the GT's
nothing will move them short of forced induction

 

Don't feel bad at all about buying an LT1. I'm currently on my 2nd LS1 but I actually prefer the LT1 F-body platform instead. And it has nothing to do with power. I just prefer the styling of the '93-'97 Camaro's and you can't beat their rumble either.

NA for NA, it's true. The LS1 flat-out rules in the 1/4 mile. I personally know of so many 11-second bolt-on LS1's it's sick. And many are starting to run 10's with H/C on the stock bottom-end. Most LS1's dyno around 290-310rwhp bone stock, which is a great basis to work off of. But personally, I don't really care(non-drag racer). I'm just a big 4th gen F-body enthusiast and I am proud of both. For the going rates these days of LT1's, you won't regret getting one.

And guys...Thanks for keeping this thread respectful. This topic is completely worn out and you showed your class.

Mike

2002 M6 Z28
!CAGS, Direct-Flo lid, & GMMG Chambered Exhaust
323rwhp & 342rwtq SAE corrected @ 2,057 miles
New dyno #'s with MAFT coming 3/28/03

 

Go back and read! I said N/A!! Chris Bennights car 95 Z28 ran that N/A! And the LS1 has close to the same compression....They are both not boost happy from the factory. You have to lower the compression of both. But I have seen numerous LS1's throw rods out the side of the block even without a power adder. I have not seen an LT1 do it yet. I am not bashing the LS1 at all...It is an awsome engine......I am just stating the facts. The LT1 can hold up better especially with 4-bolt main splays....a $200 mod. I am not being biased....I think both engines have great potential.

Tony Shepherd

 

3 things

1. I misunderstood your 1st post. i thought a stock headed/stock camed LT1 ran 11.2.

2. splayed bolts are hardly a $200 mod. maybe for the caps. how about machine work, pulling the motor, reinstall, gaskets, bearings, yada yada.

3. The Lt1's rods dont shoot out only because we dont have alum blocks

 

ls1>lt1 stock
ls1=lt1 if you do crazy mods to both

yes the ls1 has a some engineering pluses that comes with being newer and improved, yes its slightly lighter, and yes it has a great computer for a stock car...but yes iron blocks sound better, yes people run 9s and 10s with both, and yes mods for both can make 1 beat the other

a sbc is a sbc, if everything is new and aftermarket on the motor, it will come down to cubes, good car/engine building, and good driving...a matter of price,preference and skill regardless of what u start with

 

Both great engines. Of course I'm partial to the LT1. It's all about performance for the dollar since I'm a cheap bastard If I had 12-14k to blow on a car I wouldn't have any money for mods. As has been said, neither motor likes boost. Both seem to respond well to nitrous. The nitrous'd LS1 I rode in was plain wicked.

However, I do think the LT1s bottom end is a little more durable.

To answer your question, yes buying an LT1 does sacrifice a lot of power to a STOCK LS1. But who keeps their motor stock anyway??

What I would do- buy a high mileage LT1 motor for cheap$$ Have it bored and honed etc. Get the crank turned put new bearings in and all that good stuff. Go with some forged pistons and high quality rods. Clean up the heads and do a nice cam when you assemble the motor. Whether you'll come out ahead or not depends on how much of the work you can do yourself. When you get done if you're not fast enough, spray that bitch since you put forged pistons in it

John

 

no
it comes down to the top end since the cubes are the same.
and its DAMN hard to beat some AI ported LS1 heads

 

I know firsthand which is better...Last october at Gateway I got stomped in my Stock LT-1 car by a Stock LS-1 Trans Am....beat me by .7 seconds


My next car will be a 98-02 trans am. Just gotta wait until the prices come down.

 

In terms of production numbers, the LT1 beats the LS1. In 1995, twice as many z28s were sold than any other year. The LS1 is a better engine, it's just more expensive to get to exotic hp numbers... For 500hp, the LS1 is cheaper... (leaving NO2 out of the equation...)

 

The LS1 platform spills over into the MANY iron-block trucks that GM has produced too, so the LS1s might actually outnumber the LT1s.

Personally, with all this NA stuff we're talking about I'd still take the LT1 simply because you can use the vast array of genI SBC heads on them. A little machine work is necessary for reverse cool, but it's nothing bad. Chuck Riddeck went into detail a few months back on how to convert, and the maching costs were around $3-400 (don't quote me on this, but it's close). A new intake will be in order, or at least a good bit of cutting/welding on the stock intake for it to work. But the potential of those heads will be well worth the price of admission. The power is in the heads.

The SB2.2s, Brodix 18* heads, and other 15* SBC heads are just wicked bad. I wish Mindgame would chime in about his setup.

Jim LaBreck's LT1 is just plain wicked too---> nearly 700hp NA on pump gas This is still using 23* heads.

But I agree on the point made earlier: both engines are an excellent choice to build on. The LT1 is older, but it's SBC heritage gives it 50+ years of development behind it while the LS1 uses the best of what we have today.

 

Hey Trey, thats an awsome shortblock you have there. Why not keep it and convert GenI heads to work on it? Brodix 18* would be an excellent choice, plus you can get a new (and better) intake out of the deal. You'll be making some sick power then.