Is the LT1 motor block the same as a small block chevy? I am looking a a motor from a 95 chevy tahoe...He told me the dip stick is on the same as mine and that my heads will bolt up....Is he right is the bottom the same and the heads are different and so is the timing chain cover?

thanks
matt

 

No, an LT1 block is not the same as a traditional Chevy small block, and your LT1 heads will not bolt up to a traditional SBC block. Well, they might bolt up, but they won't work due to reverse cooling.

 

what about the vortec motor? There is a way to get it to cool correct? What about a electric h20 pump?

thanks
matt

 

No, the Vortec motor won't work either. With the LT1, the water is sent to the heads first and to the block after for cooling purposes. All other conventional small blocks work the other way around. So a SBC block won't work with the LT1 heads, neither will a LT1 block work with conventional small block heads. Not even with an electric water pump. I am saying you can't have it converted, but that would cost you a lot of money since many things would need to be changed. Hope this helps.

 

he is simply asking if SBC BLOCK is the same as the LT1 BLOCK.....


I am 90% sure they are

 

That 10% is going to do you in. They are not the same. Mostly coolant passages and handling is the biggest difference.

 

While there are dimensional similarities, the entire front end of the blocks are totally different, with the LT1 block having the unique water pump configuration, timing cover, and the opening for the infamous Optispark distributor.

There are a few people here who have used a Gen 1 SBC, mostly in "drag" cars. Here's a Dart Iron Eagle Gen 1 SBC going into a 30th SS convertible.... stroked, blown, injected, 1,325HP.

 

The lt-1 does "share" the same bore and stroke as standard 350
4.00 bore,3.48 stroke.Thats the same. The designs are differnet.

 

Both blocks are basically from the same design, but the LT1 is just tweaked, in the form of reverse cooling and the water pump and optispark design. I'd consider both very similar in design. They both have the same oiling system, external dimensions, etc. It's just that the tweaks are enough to deter any conversions to a traditional SBC.

Jason

 

The casting number will be the same I think.

 

bottom line: they are NOT the same