I have a stock 1995 LT1. What could I do to really energize the performance of the motor?

 

As the saying goes "Power cost money. How fast do you want to go?"

 

To be honest I really don't know the top speed for the LT1

 

You can start with a great "tune-up". A well tuned LT1 runs great.
Include...... plugs, wires, new injectors etc.

 

167-172 for the six speeds

 

Except for replacing the injectors. Verify they're bad before replacing them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you want reliability, I'd leave it stock.

 

Like someone mentioned.. how much $$? You didn't mention a budget, so ... just have an engine built, throw in a supercharger, nice heads, new gears... and you're done..

OR... do what I did... throw in an N20 bottle... I have a 75 shot and it works great...

 

This won't help the motor, but gears will up the fun factor.

 

If it is a six speed get some 4.09 rear gears and give it a tune up and K&N, some louder mufflers. 300 hp with low gears will be alot of fun.

 

a simple one would be a tune and cat back exhaust.

 

WOW! love that avatar!

 

I put a Hot Cam Kit & Extreme Duty Timing set in a well maintained Z-28 LT1 at 125,000 miles and it now has 224,00 on the clock and is still running strong. I have considered swapping the engine over to my L-98Vette.

I dunno- what do you want? If you want folks to notice, and it be fun to drive then you can't beat the HotCam & a good exhaust. People will notice- it will lope and rumble a bit- but not so much as to make it a pain. I chose it because it is a complete Chevrolet engineered valvetrain kit and in my case, has proven itself a very durable modification.

I'd slap one in my L-98, but the tuned port runners would give up before the cam did.

 

Someone said to add a computer chip.

 

I agree with Hbz above. Put in the GMPP LT4 Hot Cam Kit and the GMPP HD timing chain & gear kit. If you have money left over put on a set of long tube headers.

You don't need an aftermarket exhaust but after the hot cam kit you will need a professional tune inorder to take advantage of the parts you've added.

On a pure stock engine adding a "chip" won't do squat.

If your car is an auto with a 2.59 rear gear ratio even a swap out to a 3.07 will make it feel much better and still retain most of the gas mileage.

BTW 1995 is a really good year

 

Thanks Guys!

 

Hot Cam, LT headers, high flow cats, Corsa catback, and tune. At one time (when I had my 95 LT1) there was a guy in Tx(?) Lloyd Elliot that did head work on LT1/4s and had a package deal including cam that would (he claimed) get you close to 425 FWHP on an LT1, and a bit more from an LT4 - for around $3500, if I remember correctly. (I don't believe that included the headers tho, nor the tune either, of course.)

Speaking of tune, the 95-96 (& 94 too??) has an E-prom and can be flashed; doesn't need a new "chip", as the old one can be molded to your liking. There are even some aftermarket kits that will allow you to import custom tunes, and put the original back. However, it is always best to have a pro match your fuel/timing tables for best performace.

I pondered all that and was about to make the changes. Then I got a chance to take a test ride in a ZR-1, and the 95 LT1 was history! But, that's another story - and a bit more expensive than modding the LT1 (which, BTW, I think is an excellent motor in it's own right!)

P.

 

Lots will argue with me for saying this, but if it's a six speed, learn to drive it to it's full potential, and you may find you don't need to do anything for a while.
I've had my '95 six speed for over ten years now and it's remained stock most of those years.
Even today, I only have what SLP gave me to borrow my car for testing. That consisted of the "claw", 1.6 rockers and an exhaust(which I don't have anymore).
The car performs very well as is. Ran a best of 12.99@106 mph and may runs to 108 mph in the 1/4 mile.
On the street, I can still keep up with the C5's and C6's.

If you have an automatic, a gear swap would make the most sense.

 

I have been very pleased with the LT1 with the Hot Cam Kit- I have had many small blocks over the years- and I have to say the LT1 with this cam is a serious engine. The LT1 may not have the raw potential of the LS series engines, but depending on what you want to do- it can be all you'll ever need. I did the Hot cam kit, a very mild port job to the heads, Fuel pump, Aeromotive FPR, MSD coil upgrade, MSD LT1 wires, and a 52mm throttle body, and K&N filter. I kept the stock exhaust manifolds, but custom fit a Flowmaster dual exhaust. I went with the aftermarket "LT1 Edit" software and tune with an in-car laptop that I can hook up to tune and run diagnostics. I have several different tunes to choose from, and can "flash" whichever one I want into the PCM. A set-up like that is all you'll ever need if you are on the street. I put the kit in the car at 125,000 miles on the clock- I am astounded that an engine such as this has run relatively trouble free in my car for right at 100,000 miles. I have only had to do a water pump, an opti, and a clutch master cylinder since I did the Hot Cam Kit. The car is my daily driver with a 87 mile round trip commute per day. I don't have a drag strip near me- so I have never found out what the numbers are- but it is darned quick. The sound of it is usually enough to intimidate most cars you end up next to a light. If you are a car guy and can do this yourself- I can highly recommend a set up such as this.

 

Can one of you who installed the hot cam give me a basic rundown (photos would be super) on what it takes to install a cam in a 93 LT1 while in the car, I am thinking of doing a LE1 heads and cam this winter, thanks.

 

Tombrammer- well, my install for the HotCam was in 2001 in a 94 LT1 Z-28. I did do it in-car. If I had to do it again, I would probably pull the engine so I could clean it better and have better access. Head removal, working over the fenders and around the AC/heatercore location on the passenger side was a PITA. It looks to me looking at my 86 C-4 that the work would not be nearly as bad on the Corvette. You'll have to: remove intake/injection, remove all accessories from the front of the block, remove the water pump, optispark & ignition coil. Remove anything in the way of sliding the cam out from the front of the motor- dunno about the Vette, but on the the Z-28 I had to remove the radiator, shrouds, fans, and loosen the ac condenser enough to gain clearance for the camshaft. If your doing heads also, you'll need to pull the exhaust manifolds. If you don't do heads, you can still do the Hot Cam kit by using an air compressor spark plug hole fitting/tap and pressurize the cylinders one at a time to hold the valves valves closed while changing the springs out- not fun, but I have done that before and it works. The Hot Cam Kit itself is not that difficult to install- it's just getting to the area where the parts are installed that's a bear. You'll have to know how to deal with the valvetrain- how to change the springs, valve stem seals, keepers, roller lifters, roller rockers, adjusting valve lash, degreeing cams etc... I took my time- and worked on it in my spare time over about three weeks.
I did do a LOT of research beforehand- so I knew what to expect. Maybe some of the other guys can help out on what issues to expect in the Vette. I really like the Kit though-and all my buddies who said it wasn't gonna last 20,000 miles after I "put a cam in it" are still eating crow- and my dust- 100,000 miles and 8 years later.