I own a Gearvendors and you will never be able to split first and second unless you are in a motorhome or something like that.

 

Interesting I read it differently off their website. thanks i will look into that a little further.

 

"Gear-Splitting is that feature which has made Gear Vendors so popular. Our 1:1.286 ratio brings the same close ratios found in a close ratio Muncie to your automatic. You will have a full 6 forward ratios and torque multiplication that will have even taller rear gears like 3.20 and 3.42 comparing to 4.10s. When you switch to manual on our dashswitch you control the overdrive. Pull into low, hit our button (on the shifter or the floor) this activates our Auto-Launch feature (a red LED light up on your dash), as you accelerate the car will rev in 1st and then shift automatically to 1st-overdrive which is a gear ratio right between 1st and 2nd and the green light appears indicating overdrive. You are now 28% farther down the track or road before you shift to 2nd. When you move your shift lever to 2nd turn us off. Then rev back up and hit the button for 2nd-over (this will also be a much higher torque multiplier than shifting to 3rd - see Drive Ratios). Then 3rd and 3rd over. You have never had this much performance, tire barking, and just plain fun driving your car. Even at just ½ throttle it performs, and at full throttle is just plain awesome. Look at the final drive ratios for each gear. Notice with your rear gear in 1st-overdrive how low you would have to go in a new rear gear to make 2nd gear have that much torque multiplication. A 3.55 rear Th350 will grab 1st-over like 4.5s in 2nd."

This came off of the GV website. Not sure who's right.

 

Wow, I did not see that. Spend the Five Thousand Dollars on the conversion, own it for Ten Years and Build a 800 Plus Horsepower engine to run through it and let me know.

 

Ultimately some people don't wanna mess with wiring and tuning, dyno trips etc. This is a legitimate option for those who want the flexibility and performance the LSx offers.

Now, this is direct from John Lingenfelters book:
"Many enthusiasts mistakenly believe there is some magic to electronic fuel injection that is worth instant horsepower. This is not the case. An engines ability to generate power is simply the result of its airflow, combustion and exhaust capabilities. intake manifolding directly affects both airflow and tuning and therefore can significantly change the engines powerband. Whether there is an advantage to how fuel is introduced, either from a fuel injector or by carburator, has little real effect on horsepower."

That's directly from John Lingenfelter. He goes on to tell about an EFI to carb comparison he made that showed less than 5hp difference between the same engine w/both carb and EFI.

Yes EFI can be more efficient in the midrange and part throttle operation. It's also harder and more intensive to get properly set up. I simply offered the carbed LSx as a possible option for the guy who doesnt wanna fight his wiring harness.

 

You say that like a carb is always tuned. Personally, I would much rather tune it ONCE, on a dyno, and be done with it, than mess with the carb due to changing weather, temp, humidity, etc. The FI is much better equipped to deal with daily driving than a carb ever will.

I never said the FI would make more power, but I know the FI is very flexible, reliable, provides just as much power as the carb, while providing lower emissions and better fuel economy. Since we are talking about swapping an engine into a chassis that it wasn't intended to go in, why half-*** it and throw a carb on it?

I say do it once, do it right. The wiring isn't hard, just time consuming. Spend the time getting it setup right, and then you won't have to touch it for quite some time.

 

My personal opininon on any type of upgade we may do to any car is controled by money. How much are we willing to spend?

I can't wait for the Brave one that will install a LS9 (Blown ZR1) in a C4.

Carbon Fiber brakes etc...

Look at the 2003 retro. Looks like a 53. People pay, people always pay

 

I don't disagree with you as far as FI being more precise. That said, for those who are not comfortable with computers, and tuning aspects of EFI and adapting wiring harness etc..., a carb will work outta the box. Yes , if you wanted to rejet and tune for absolute perfection every time the weather changes you could. But a DD can be set up to be a reliable , excellent performer with a single set-up. Tuning a carb isn't that hard either and some of these guys can probably set one up in their sleep. IMHO, it is not half ***, just an alternative.

 

Maybe I will haha Why don't you think I won't be able to split it? or how has your experience been with the GV unit?

 

xrcrx have you thought about the 450-475 hp I'm trying to acheive? I would probably have to throw on a high rise which after reading the article in Corvette Enthusiast Magazine doesn't sound like it would clear the hood. I'm trying to keep it on the sleeper side and don't want a hood scoop. Here is a link to the build as it appeared in the magazine. http://mcspeed.homestead.com/lsxc4.html

 

he is talking about traction. of course it will split it. with a decent powered engine splitting the lower gears will be pointless.

personally, while it does sound cool, I think shifting out of a split 2nd gear into 3rd, and shutting off the split at the same time will get old real quick. maybe you can make some usefull mean of switching it that does not seem so un-user freindly.

 

ahhh makes sence originally the plan with GV was that I would have a built tranny and overdrive, splitting was just something extra. The more i research about the c-beam and the 4L60E holding up to the hp numbers the 4L60E is soundin better all the time.

 

FI will work out of the box, but it has to be tuned to be perfect. There are guys that can build and tune Megasquirt systems in their sleep-so what?

A carb is the easy way out, simply because you don't want to learn about the new technology, and for a DD it leaves performance on the table (whether it be mileage, throttle response, etc). If we are talking about an SBC with a 20 year old TPI, it would be different, but LS2 FI is really, really good. If you want 475 hp with a carb, why bother with LSx at all?

Don't get me wrong here: I'm not saying a carb can't do it or won't make the power, but the FI is just awesome, and the car is already setup with an FI fuel system, so it is just that much easier. Again, if this was a car that originally had a carb, I could see your point better, but it has the pump, tank, and lines for FI-use them!

 

Mojave: all good points. Running a carbed LSx is quite simple, as for the fuel pump/lines, just a simple FI to Carb regulator with a return line provision is needed. Again, you make good arguments and I certainly understand what you say, but the carb is still an option. I will respectfully disagree that it is not, and a carbed LSx is worlds ahead of a L83/L98/LTx. Your points however are acknowledged as viable.

As for a carbed LSx clearing the hood, a drop base breather might work, i really don't have an answer there.

 

Just some FYI on the idea.

We did the 85 that is in CE magazine. My wife now drives the car everyday. It has just over 6,000 miles since August and the maiden voyage from FL to PA (Carlisle).

Is it worth the money? That is up to the individual owner.

What I can tell you is this.

My wife uses it every day, rain or shine. It makes an honest to goodness - no guessing needed 400 hp and 400 ft lbs of tq. It gets mid to high 20's on the highway, idles smooth as glass - and pumps freezing cold a/c at a flick of a switch.

Throttle response is amazing - and there is NO guess work. The motor is under full warranty (Crate from GM) and the car performs exactly as a C4 with the performance of a 2007. There is no choppy idle, stinky exhaust, or rattle/rumble/stall/surge issues that are common on any highly modified TPI C4 reaching 400 hp.

Cruise, a/c, digital gauges, and diagnostics are all in working order.

We did go and put stock LT1 style mufflers on the car because the Vortex were too loud for her taste.

Sleeper? You bet. Getting traction is the only trick. Fast...I really can't imagine a DAILY DRIVER with more power than this...all under the clam shell.

So - we proved it can be done with virtually no compromise (all we lost was the average and instant fuel economy feature).

A stick would be more exciting - but the car was an auto to start and I didn't want to re-invent the wheel there. It is nice to have a cold drink in one hand, wheel in the other, mash the throttle and let the shift kit and 3K stall bang through the gears though. My other vette is a six speed - so I can get the rowing out of my system when I feel the need.

 

sounds like a fun project for the right person....I like my 360 rwhp 85 sleeper with a 6 speed manual tranny too much to get excited about any automatic Vette, but I am sure you it would make for a great conversation piece at the drags or a car show...would impress me to see the conversion in person, that's for sure...there was an episode on Muscle Car on Speed Vision where an LS2 crate motor that they carbed was dropped into a 70 Nova with a six speed gear box from Richmond (I am not sure, I think it was Richmond, but I could be wrong). Sub-frame connectors were necessary and there was quite a bit of fabricating along the tranny tunnel as one could imagine, but a very exciting episode. C4's are ripe for mods, so if you got the time, money and enthusiasm, have fun....

 

Thank you for replying! I have been planning the LS2 project since I purchased the corvette two years ago and I haven't gotten too far until recently. People kept telling me it couldn't be done unless I had endless amounts of money. Now that I have read the CE article I am ready to start the project. It's great that you were able to document and share all the research to complete your project; it's exactly what I've been looking for. Reading the article it answered a majority of my questions, but I was wonding if you had any final figures for cost of the build? I can figure out what the motor and tranny costs and the accessories but I was wondering what the services from Current Performance cost for the harness? What issue of CE will have the camshaft, heads and intake combo in it? Thanks again.

 

That's cool. Thanks for the feedback on the article. Cost wise, you need to contact Jared direct at current performance. The harness will be direct fit so you don't have to cut and splice and custom for your application.

Otherwise, the motor mounts, hoses, raw stock steel supplies for fabrication were all just nickle and dime stuff to slam it in. I would say total cost of hoses, mounts, metal, etc. were all under $200. The rest of the expense was the motor/trans/accesories/harness.

 

That is a good question. We have all the parts on the shelf ready to go. There is a significant difference in the L76/L92 head/intake package, and the cam has a ton of bump.

I am a tad apprehensive about this portion of the project as the car runs so well right now and is plenty fast. GM rates the performance package at 480 hp around 6,500. That is enough to twist the car in two without other major mods to support. If it isn't driven hard all the time, it won't matter. However I know gas mileage will suffer and it will have a thump idle, and possible surge or other issues that are common when you push the envelope.

So - we don't have it on the calendar yet. We may put it all in to see what it does, dyno it out - drive around, then remove the parts in favor of the LS2 stuff.

The only thing I have to compare it to is my 69 Camaro. I have a SLP Stage III modified LS1 in that car. It is a fairly radical (for street use) cam, LS6 intake, highly modified LS6 heads - headers, 36# injectors...etc. While the car will blister the pavement and put a smile on your face that lasts all day...it suffers from rough idle, etc. It is a drive by cable and from time to time will stall as the IAC has trouble compensating for the air needs (not cool). However, it still gets 25 mpg on the highway and 16 in town (I drive the Camaro every day right now).

So...we will see.

 

Well, I was wrong. The new issue of Corvette Fever doesn't have the next installment of the project in it. Maybe next month I guess.