LS1 into my 85?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Quite a bit. Id mod what you have as LS1s arent anythign to write home about unless you swap heads/cam etc. Sure they make great power but it will cost more than if you modded what you have.
Either way your wallet will cry, how bad is up to you.
Either way your wallet will cry, how bad is up to you.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,858
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From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
All the magazines are doing this now
more to satisfy the latest fad
There's plenty of free flowing heads and intakes for the old smallblock.
What do you want to do with your car?
drag? street? autox? road race?
more to satisfy the latest fad
There's plenty of free flowing heads and intakes for the old smallblock.
What do you want to do with your car?
drag? street? autox? road race?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Lake Orion Michigan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,238
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From: College Station TX
LS1 will make 400 RWHP with a cam-only, and that's using factory LS1 heads, not the better stuff (LS6, L92/LS3, etc). For a 400 hp build on an 85 C4, I bet the total costs are very close to the same. A 400 hp L98 is going to need heads, cam, intake, headers, tune. LS1 can do it cam, headers, tune only, stock heads and stock intake. Also, if you want the manual, this is another great reason to swap.
Yes, an SBC will definitely make the power, but not on iron 85 heads or through a stock TPI intake.
There are some issues to work through with the LS1 swap, wiring being the hardest, but well worth it IMO. Not to mention you get 80 lbs less with the aluminum block and another 15 lbs for the plastic intake.
Yes, an SBC will definitely make the power, but not on iron 85 heads or through a stock TPI intake.
There are some issues to work through with the LS1 swap, wiring being the hardest, but well worth it IMO. Not to mention you get 80 lbs less with the aluminum block and another 15 lbs for the plastic intake.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
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From: sw Ohio
I have the mods you listed and it doesnt make 400 hp at the crank, not even close. It will give a bone stock C5 a run for its money but almost never wins in the 1/4. I do agree that those stock iron heads are terrible, absolutely terrible.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,616
Likes: 111
I would look for a crate engine.....there is definately that kind of power out there in a regular small block chevy form that will drop in the 85...I have a 400+ hp 85 car at the crank, but look at my mods....when I began my project, the crate engine market was not as flush...the hottest thing was the zz4....there are better things out there now.....you will want to go with the miniram intake IMHO and will need a new PROM....otherwise 400 hp will be hard to get with the long runner set up on any engine....if you looked at the Corvette Fever magazine "Project CForce" L98 to LSx swap, it is quite an undertaking to say the least......that project is still not wrapped up yet as I subscribe to the magazine and they started on that quite a while ago....they have kept us updated on the progress along the way...have hit many snags....having said that, as a result of this project, I think the aftermarket will bring the swap easier to the C4 and prior Corvette year crowd as kits will be available as the magazine pointed out if you wait a couple of years...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,238
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From: College Station TX
Originally Posted by post from F-body Road Race and AX Forum
As many of you know the LS1 in my car took a "dump" ( #7 ring) in May. nutkick.gif
Happy to report that car is now sporting a LS6 with a 228/232 cam, stock heads, and a grocery list of small items.
People that did the work are not sponsors, so leaving the name out. If you want the info pm me and happy to share.
we dynoed the car yesterday...........440 rwhp and 409 rwtq 2thumbs.gif
Gary
Happy to report that car is now sporting a LS6 with a 228/232 cam, stock heads, and a grocery list of small items.
People that did the work are not sponsors, so leaving the name out. If you want the info pm me and happy to share.
we dynoed the car yesterday...........440 rwhp and 409 rwtq 2thumbs.gif
Gary
Last edited by Mojave; Aug 14, 2009 at 09:13 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,157
Likes: 554
From: Glenbeulah Wi
I have seen plenty of cam/header cars do 395-405 to the ground. Friends 02 Camaro cam/headers did 394. A road race guy on Frrax recently did an LS6 with a cam and did 440 to the ground, as the LS6 heads flow better.
The stock heads flow plenty. LS1's respond VERY well to cam upgrades. Even the truck 6.0's will do 400 RWHP with just a cam/headers/tune. Go poke around on LS1Tech.
The stock heads flow plenty. LS1's respond VERY well to cam upgrades. Even the truck 6.0's will do 400 RWHP with just a cam/headers/tune. Go poke around on LS1Tech.
I do tuning for West Bend dyno and I have tuned many LS1 with just a cam and headers that will put 400 HP to the tires. The new 6 liter LS2 with headers and cam will put 450 Plus to the tires. The LS series of engines responds very well to mods, sometimes I wonder why I am still playing with my gen1 SBC.
Team Owner
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From: Riverside County Southern California
Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C4 of Year
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St. Jude Donor '09 thru '20
Soon or later a company will design an easy L98/LTx to LSx wire kit (wire, ECM, etc). It will be very expensive but, that will start a new generation on modifications.
You can count on me jumping into that one. The LS makes ridiculous power with bolt ons. I know few C5 owners in San Diego pushing 700+ at the wheels with a supercharger and other parts.
You can count on me jumping into that one. The LS makes ridiculous power with bolt ons. I know few C5 owners in San Diego pushing 700+ at the wheels with a supercharger and other parts.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: sw Ohio
idk exactly but the whole design of the engine makes it so that the air runs almost straight down into the cylinder. I've seen LSx engine with a few bolt ons (cam, exhaust, intake, high ratio rockers) easily hitting 450 hp at the wheels. I couldnt believe it myself when I first heard of it.
There is a vendor that makes turbo kits for LS2's that put them over 700 hp.
There is a vendor that makes turbo kits for LS2's that put them over 700 hp.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,267
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From: Texas
MS4 cam usually nets mid 41Xhp
with headers and LS6 intake its very easy to hit 450rwhp
swap to AFR or TF heads and you are really getting up there in the power and your rear blows in the F-body rather quickly lol
with headers and LS6 intake its very easy to hit 450rwhp
swap to AFR or TF heads and you are really getting up there in the power and your rear blows in the F-body rather quickly lol
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,616
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as time goes, there will be a market for the lsx transplants into earlier model Vettes.....and to be frank it may be the only source to modify these cars effectively into the future since the aftermarket will dry up for the old school small block and be flush for the lsx drivetrains...tuning is already an issue for the l98 cars..most don't have the software to do it....everyone can tune the lsx computers out there.....but back to the OP....not sure right now is most effective time to make the change....I think you are up against the world on that transplant in 8/09.....would be more cost effective to crate motor it (new engine and all) and get the thing dyno tuned somewhere or at least get a mail order PROM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 10
From: College Station TX
as time goes, there will be a market for the lsx transplants into earlier model Vettes.....and to be frank it may be the only source to modify these cars effectively into the future since the aftermarket will dry up for the old school small block and be flush for the lsx drivetrains...tuning is already an issue for the l98 cars..most don't have the software to do it....everyone can tune the lsx computers out there.....but back to the OP....not sure right now is most effective time to make the change....I think you are up against the world on that transplant in 8/09.....would be more cost effective to crate motor it (new engine and all) and get the thing dyno tuned somewhere or at least get a mail order PROM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 5,005
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From: jackson nj
My 98 C5 A4 ran 11.86 @ 118 mph back in 98 with only a cam, and a small one at that. The converter was a 2800, 3.42 gears, TPIS headers into "stock" intermediate (w/cats), and flowmasters, stock wheels w/drag radials. I don't have a calculator handy, but the car weighed 3458 lbs so you can figure the RWHP from that info.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
I was referring to cam only. If the guy takes a bone stock LS1 out of a used car and puts a cam in it with nothing else he wants to see 400rwhp.
Exhaust, CAI, headers, pulleys, rockers all that help of course.
Id like to see someone who actually has exactly that not a link to someone who knows someone who said they did.
Im not doubting, just curious to see a real world result and yes a bit skeptical.
Exhaust, CAI, headers, pulleys, rockers all that help of course.
Id like to see someone who actually has exactly that not a link to someone who knows someone who said they did.
Im not doubting, just curious to see a real world result and yes a bit skeptical.