new to the message board and well im in the process of sellin my Monte SS and im lookin around for a 93-97 w/ a 6spd and was wondering what kinda times these cars ran stock, some simple mods to do to them to really get them goin, some of the weak links of the car and what to look for when i come accross one that i really like...

 

Some bullets for ya:

93:
Uses batch fired injectors Not sequential which was abandoned after 93.
Uses speed density fuel metering/delivery system which was abandoned after 93.
Uses 22Lb injectors, 94 and up uses 24Lb.
Uses OBDI up to 95, 96 switches to OBDII and 95 uses OBDI but uses the OBDII connector.

95 switches to vented optical distributor from non-vented.

Weak points:
All LT1's use a reverse water flow and air pockets are a problem. The water pump is driven direct and does not use a belt.
To further the water story, 4th gen F-body's tend to have a problem with the heater cores clogging.
The optical distributor refered to as the "opti" is located in the front of the engine, behind the water pump and the balancer pulley. It is a definate weak point. Plugs and wires are a problem to replace if the OEM Ex-manifolds are still in place.
All 4th gen F-bodies use a clutch which operates backwards from everything else and because of that, it has much less room to move. Clutch problems abound and many like myself have opted away from manuals because of it.

Things to check for are all the usual but add some more just for LT1's like:
Be sure to look at the car with a cold engine. Fire it up and see how it idles. While you're letting it warm up, check all the internal functions like usual. Radio, signals, AC, all the lights, check idiot lights sequencing like normal. Peek under the front of the engine and look for signs of oil or water leaks. Watch the temp gage after it warms up.

After the car warms up, listen for the primary fan to kick on. Notice that if you put the AC on, the primary fan kicks on even before it's warmed up. Try the heat in all positions. When driving, put the AC on the dash vents. Cruise slow while it's cooling and then floor the excelerator. See if the air at the dash vents almost stops and then returns after your speed levels off. This indicates a vacuum leak and could be hard to find.

I believe most ran low 14's stock and run 13's with simple bolt ons. The most popular bolt ons are CAI and a cat-back system. Others add headers.

Hope I didn't put you to sleep

 

didnt put me to to slepp jus lost me in the beginin. im an old skool carb set up kinda guy and these computer systems leave me think. i had planned on what seems like basic bolt ons to me like headers, exhaust but no cat since i reside in fl but am currently stationed in puerto rico. also cold air intake with the SS hood, bigger throttal body and a throttal body spacer, chip, and play with the ignition. jus tryin to get my mind set so i can go in with a plan instead of changin my mind all the time like i did with my Monte. so what it sounds like to me is look 49 or 95 and up since they were workin the bugs out of the LT1 in 93?

 

-headers *** AS&M mid-lengths, or one of the "long tube" designs like Jet Hot are the hot setups.

-exhaust but no cat ***A full catback is best, and there are numerous options available. The Borla adjustable is a favorite, and offers the option of adjusting it for sound or HP. The modern cats are not a flow problem. A few HP at most. I built an 800HP nitrous motor, and kept dual high flow cats on it for the street.

-cold air intake with the SS hood *** A CAI is the best first mod.... K&N, Moroso/Callaway, SLP/GMPP, etc. The SS hood is NOT a good substiture for a CAI. The air path is long and twisted and picks up a lot of engine heat. I suspect if will not perform as well as a good CAI. An alternative would be the Ram Air hood used on the TA WS6 models... and SLP make a similar Ultra Z hood for the Z28.

-bigger throttal body *** Not a big performance item... at least not on a "bolt-on" setup. The stock 48mm TB is fine. When you go to high flow heads and cam, upgrade to a 52mm TB, but save your money 'til then.

-throttal body spacer *** No... you don't want or need. No one even makes one. A spacer plate it good for a carb car, or a FI setup with inadequate plenum volume, but that is not a problem on the LT1. The "mod" for the LT1 is to bypass the coolant lines that heat up the throttle body excessively... 6HP, dyno proven.

-chip *** Only the 93 has a replaceable "chip". The 94 and newer cars have a fixed chip, and the PCM must be flash programmed. Hypertech makes a "programmer" but their "performance tuning" is not very good. It only works if you swap to a 160degF t'stat and use the HPP to lower the fan on/off temps and crank in a little more timing. The smart thing to do with the LT1 is to learn how to program it with one of the available software setups (e.g. LT1_Edit), or use a mail-order aftermarket tuner. You can pick up ~15HP simply by leaning out the overly rich target A/F ratio used at WOT. You will also need a programmer or programming to reset the rev limiter, top speed limiter (if so equipeed from factory - 110mph speedo is the tip off), shift points/firmness, gear changes, etc.

-ignition *** Not sure what you mean. Stock ignition is fine for a bolt-on setup. Timing can only be adjusted in the PCM. The first thing you should do with your "new" LT1 would be a plug and wire change, check the coil, and have the PCM scanned for the distributor codes. If you could get it on an ignition scope, with someone who knows what they are looking at, even better. The OptiSpark distributor is a "problem". The coil on the pre-96 cars is weak. The IC control module suffers from heat soak...

Add to the above items:

-gears
-stall converter if its an automatic
-1.6 roller rockers

Then start on the suspension:

-rear lower control arms
-panhard rod
-LCA relocation brackets
-shock tower brace
-subframe connectors.

And remember that the 7.5" 10-bolt rear is a major weak point.... a manual tranny (M6) car with slicks will destroy the rear very quickly.

 

I have a couple of friends who have prety much stock (or they were at some point) z28's, all manuals. The good thing about manuals is that they usually have better gears. While automatics only have 2.73's and 3.23's (after 93, 93's only have 2.73's), the manuals can have 3.23's or 3.42's, as well as slp installed 3.73's. To sum it up, gears play a big role in "quick" cars.
But back to the people that I know, the manuals at not very consistent at the track. While you might run a high 13 one run, you might pull a 15 the next run. Automatics are consistent all day long.