I was wondering if there was a gear drive available for the LT1 motor. I have a 97 LT1 and just wanted to know if there were other options other than the LT4 ED timing set. Also if there is a gear drive available does it cause problems with the knock sensor and can it be fixed if it does?

Thanks,
Anthony

 

The LT4 ED is basically it if you keep the stock water pump. Then you have the option for double rollers and an electric water pump. Not much available for us in that department.

 

It's been done.....I saw it on some site. I know there was a good bit of modifying done to get the gear drive installed, but it HAS been done before on a lt1.

 

Comp makes a really sweet belt drive for the SBC both a wet and a dry version. I have seen one on an LT1 wet version and of course they were running a electric waterpump. I think milodon makes one too. Unless you are endurance racing your car or make major HP like 600 plus, the ED seems to work quite well.

 

And yes a gear drive will drive, no pun intended, the knock sensor crazy. Only thing you could do if you were running a gear drive on a stock LT1 engine managment system is disable the knock sensor. Not a real good idea for a daily driver. But then again Ford uses no knock sensors on many of its preformance platforms.

 

To run a gear drive you'll need to go to an electric water pump and then remove all the gears for the standard water pump thats behind the timing cover. And one recomendation for the gear drive is to get the quiet set. Then it won't "drive" your knock sensor crazy!! I have this setup on my car and it does just fine!

 

I did a pete Jackson gear drive on mine.

Had to machine the cover and the back side of the gears a bit. Not able to use the crank sensor pickup as well. Used a '95 timing cover and electric water pump. So far all is well, but it's still on the stand.

 

I seriously considered a gear drive for a track engine and wanted the noise, just to scare the crap out of everyone. Next track motor i am sure will have on with a mechanical remote mounted waterpump as i am not a fan of the electric WP.