For my information (and all who read this), i'd like to to know what the bottlenecks are on these cars so we know where to start and in what order to continue the upgrades?

Personally i have full exhaust (including headers) - what's the next best mod? i'm thinking of getting a cam?

 

Opti


But seriously -- What are your mods? What kind of cam were you thinking of? Usually people will suggest some more supporting mods (CAI, gears, etc.) before headers if all you have if headers and a catback.

 

I do also have 3.73 gears and a CAI - other than that just suspension. Not sure of what cam yet - needs to be emission friendly and for the street though.

 

You should get into the mid 12's with just bolt-ons, I would aim for that first.

 

The Cylinder heads on the LT1 are the weak link in the top end. I would get a set of ported and polished heads or an aftermarket set that flows well out of the box. Cam is cheap enough and can be easily done simultaneously with the heads.

The rod bolts are a weak link when it comes to spinning these engines too high.

 

The heads are not a "weak link" yes there are substantial gains in porting them but they are well ahead of what came before them and they can support cam upgrades.

How you go about modding the car has to do with where you want to end up. If your goals are modest then you can do a cam and likely get away with stock fuelpump, if you want to do heads and cam then you really should do them together and will likely need a fuel pump upgrade.

 

I disagree and what is followed by the bold in italic really makes no sense. I feel that the heads are very much a weak link on the LT1, as the flow is crap. The fact that porting them yields "substantial gains" is a testament to that.

 

Not to highjack the thread, but just asking what would probably be asked anyways. Since I am in the same boat. What would be a suggested upgrade fuel pump if you did heads and cam?

 

The popular choice is the walbro.

I think the quality is crap, but on that not I am on my 3rd or 4th one (1st one failed in about a week, had to be faulty). I put this last one in back in 2009 and it hasn't failed me yet.

It's a 255lph pump.

 

What exactly do you mean by 'bolt ons'? Are you refering to heads and cam?

 

I will be on a budget so i'm thinking of just a cam for now - then i can do the heads later?

 

Stock LT1 heads are not a weak link.

However, there is no way to scientifically prove that they are or are not a "weak link." If you go by ETs and HP, stock headed cam-only cars have gone well into the 11s. By that notion I would say there are far more worrisome restrictions than the stock heads.

Because they perform well ported doesn't mean they are junk as-cast either. That's more a function of the porter - not the original casting. ALL heads flow substantially better when ported.

 

So how would a 223/230 .565/.565 112LSA cam (with rockers etc.) work on my LT1 if i left everything else stock?

 

Honestly I would do the heads with the cam since you have too pull then and put new valve springs in. You'll save yourself alot of time or money in the long run not having too pay or do the labor twice.

 

I had thought about that too. If i get the heads assembled with the top end that will save me some $ on labor for sure i would think. I just dont know i can fit it into my budget.