Is it just the heads? I mean, if the exhaust and intake were EXACTLY the same, what is the difference in the motors that makes the LS1 make so much more power? Just wondering...

SKeTchy

 

The heads and intake design.

 

Are u talkin about LS1's in general year to yr. or LS1 vs. LT1??

 

Weight

 

Top end power.

 

basicly when all thing are said in down after the modding the produce the about the same hp. only advantage I see of a ls1 is that the can be stroked to monsters cubic inches.

 

The LS1 have some of the following which I believe makes them a better car (stock for stock).

Better Heads and Intake,
Lighter Aluminum Motor, better for wieght transfer and wieght distribution (for both road coarse racing and drag racing.
WAAY better brakes..
And better exhaust manifolds just to name a few.

Thx,
Claude

 

...and lets not forget a better ignition system.

Jeff D.

 

If you think Equal Mods = Equal Power between LT1 and LS1, you've got a lot of research & learning to do, honestly.

I'm no expert on the world, heh, but the LS1 is basically just a better design, because of the following (main) reasons:

1) THE HEADS... THE HEADS.... THE HEADS!!! No amount of porting on an LT1 (or SBC) heads will make them flow like a set of equally ported LS1 heads. Ever, never, ever, never ever.... It's not the porting, it's the basic design.... LS1's have superior intake and exhaust configuration..... and if I recall, they are also 18 degree heads (stock)

2) Ignition -- individual coils for each cylinder, no distributor, short wires = hot, reliable spark every time

Other than that, yeah, you can stroke them further (422?), you can run much bigger cams with much less work....

Fact: A bolt-on LS1 with a cam/valve spring change ONLY can make over 400rwhp.... A bolt-on LT1 with a cam/valve spring change AND roller-rockers cannot get within 45hp of that, and will run out of steam way before the LS1 does.

Don't get me wrong -- I love the lower cost of building an LT1, and the fact that they're cheaper. But dollars being no object, give me an LS1 man.

-Michael

 

Are you guys just talking the engine or the whole car.
Engine well aluminum block versus iron..lighter engine in ls1,slightly lighter car.
Plastic type of intake a bit better for not getting heat soaked.
Better heads stock than lt1.
No optispark a know problem area in lt1's.
No intake manifold leak problems.
Stock putting out around 350 at the engine according to most dynos.Most lt1s put out close to rated power.
And after headers even without much easier access to plugs compared to lt1s.Can do plug /wire change easily in hour tops.
Can also change cams in ls1 without having to take off intake manifold.
Clutches not as good but they do seem to be improving with aftermarket support.
Brakes better on the ls1s for sure than lt1 cars.
Ls1 have better driveshafts and don't have problems with the vibeshaft found on many lt1 cars.
T 56 is not as good I don't think as lt1 t56 mabye due to manufacturing in different place or something..also don't seem to have that neutral/first gear ratttle that my 97 and 96 ta had.
The ls1 is also a smoother engine and really pulls past 3000 or so.
I prefer the lt1 down low around town personally talking again stock for stock and prefer the looks of the lt1 engine and the sound of the lt1 engine although once you put electric cutout or better catback on the ls1 it sounds pretty good too.
Some ls1 had oil burning problems..mine doesn't so far.And ls1 had very weak valve springs and pushrods..I changed mine out when I did the cam.
Both engines are nice designs basically and both can make good power with mods.Mods might be a bit cheaper still for lt1 but ls1 is getting more all the time and think prices for the mods will come down a bit.
Looks wise personal taste.I liked the looks of the ls1 taws6 so traded up my 97 taws6.I liked the rounder meaner front end,the side air extractors and the honeycomb tail lights.Just personal preference.
I am glad to own an example of both the lt1 and ls1.Best of both worlds.

 

i agree,
ls1's have an alluminum block, and i've also heard they have a slightly more aggressive cam than the lt1.

the only thing i don't understand is i have an lt1 6 speed with
dyno tuning
air foil
tb bypass
hurst short throw
borla cat back exhaust
jet hot lt's
hooker y-pipe

and i'm just barely ahead of an auto ls1

when i had my car dynod it dynod at like 249 at the wheels, after tuning it was around 270, the guys said ls1's put down about 280 stock and w/ an air lid and cat back exhaust its well above 300
i belive it to be true,,it deffinately seems like ls1's get so much more out of basic mods than lt1's.

 

LS1 has better heads and ignition system.

Also, whoever posted above me, don't forget you can get standard small block heads in an 18* design. I think some people have adapted them to the LT1 block and intake, or had a custom intake made. With simple mods most LS1s are very fast though!!

 

Ya, I'm just talking about the motor. Basically what you said is what I thought, ignition, heads, intake. The alumminum block is nice....but its alumminum, weeeaaakk! Heh. Has anyone ever changed an LS1 over to reverse flow cooling? Wouldn't that make it EVEN BETTER?!? Just a thought. Late!

SKeTchy

P.S. Ya, I'm talkin about LS1 vs LT1

 

The LT1/4 is the final evolution of the traditional small block chevy V8. LS1 is a clean sheet design that shares nothing with the small block chevy other than being an overhead valve V8. I've had LT1s, an LS1, and LS6 and an LT4. Regular LS1 to LT1, the LS1 gives up a little low end to the LT1, but otherwise makes more HP on the top end. As to improvements, GM had the chance to really make the LS1 great since it was a clean sheet design. They could take all the mistakes/compromises they had in the traditional small block chevy (Gen I and II) design and avoid them in the LS1. Yes, the LS1 makes more power stock to stock, and usually mod for mod, but the LT1 is much cheaper to buy and usually to build as well.

 

Reverse flow cooling isn't necessarily better.The ls1 and most engines get along just fine without it.
And aluminum blocks are not necessarily weak either..the ls1 have taken and put out some big power with the stock block.They are also six bolt mains and the stock crank is very strong also.And I guess you can make bigger stroker ls1s than lt1s.