NEED HELP!!!Best mods for LT1???
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 51,504
Likes: 6
From: Sacramento CA
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Scan the tech forum for various tips. My understanding of the prevailing opinions are:
Throttle body air foil--waste of money
K&N filter- you mean you don't have one already? gotta get it.
Cut air filter lid- maybe for racing but if its a driver and you hit a puddle, it bye bye motor.
MAT sensor relocate- all the new cars have it must be a good idea.
160 degree thermostat- freeze your toes in the winter, even here in Georgia. It will make your wife mad. Have to spend the bucks to get a chip for it to do anything.
Chips, chips and more chips-- The cheap ones if you call $200 cheap just tell ECM to use WOT(wide open throttle)setting earlier. for the split second your foot goes from partial throttle to WOT, you'll never know the difference in a street car. The racers get custom chips anyway and thats another story.
Cat back exhausts are effective if you want power and don't mind not hearing the CD. But the simple way is to just go to your local muffler shop and cut off the stock rear mufflers and weld on straight pipes with nice tips. its a lot cheaper than the $1000 systems I've seen advertized.
Now if you want to spend some real money and get some real returns, build a 383 and put in a cam like the LT4 specs. that you will feel.
The best bang for the buck is not in the engine at all, but switching to 3.73 rear end and maybe a higher stall speed converter for the auto guys, 4.10 for the six shooters.
My personal approach has been to clean what I already have (throttle body and idle circuit, radiator fins), prevent the known catastrophies (Optispark vents planned for next year)and keep up with the maintainance to enjoy the car as it left the factory.
I subscribe to all the vendors and have had nothing but good experiences from them. It's your choice to go as far as you want.
Throttle body air foil--waste of money
K&N filter- you mean you don't have one already? gotta get it.
Cut air filter lid- maybe for racing but if its a driver and you hit a puddle, it bye bye motor.
MAT sensor relocate- all the new cars have it must be a good idea.
160 degree thermostat- freeze your toes in the winter, even here in Georgia. It will make your wife mad. Have to spend the bucks to get a chip for it to do anything.
Chips, chips and more chips-- The cheap ones if you call $200 cheap just tell ECM to use WOT(wide open throttle)setting earlier. for the split second your foot goes from partial throttle to WOT, you'll never know the difference in a street car. The racers get custom chips anyway and thats another story.
Cat back exhausts are effective if you want power and don't mind not hearing the CD. But the simple way is to just go to your local muffler shop and cut off the stock rear mufflers and weld on straight pipes with nice tips. its a lot cheaper than the $1000 systems I've seen advertized.
Now if you want to spend some real money and get some real returns, build a 383 and put in a cam like the LT4 specs. that you will feel.
The best bang for the buck is not in the engine at all, but switching to 3.73 rear end and maybe a higher stall speed converter for the auto guys, 4.10 for the six shooters.
My personal approach has been to clean what I already have (throttle body and idle circuit, radiator fins), prevent the known catastrophies (Optispark vents planned for next year)and keep up with the maintainance to enjoy the car as it left the factory.
I subscribe to all the vendors and have had nothing but good experiences from them. It's your choice to go as far as you want.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 697
Likes: 0
From: College Station Tx
What John Mackey said. If you have overheating/running hot problems you might also consider a 160 thermostat and fan switch (or custom chip to turn fans on early). I would also throw a shifter (B&M) ripper in there ASAP.
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Best mods? Practice driving, look at my times below.
I cut the air lid-no gain
I removed mufflers replaced with straight pipes-no gain, actually a loss.
Still have stock T-stat,stock shifter, no TB bypass,no manual fan switch(yet), no K&N. Just a lot of seat time.
Maximize your current package before you mod.
I was talking to Phil(Wheelsup) yesterday, he asked what I've done to the car, I told him what I listed above. Since my car is a daily driver, I need it to be reliable. The closer to stock=more reliable.
If you have a weekend driver/racer, go ahead and mod. I'm satisfied with the performance of my car, afterlooking at my times, tell me if you agree.
Maybe next year I'll do something, but for now, I'm leaving it alone.
I cut the air lid-no gain
I removed mufflers replaced with straight pipes-no gain, actually a loss.
Still have stock T-stat,stock shifter, no TB bypass,no manual fan switch(yet), no K&N. Just a lot of seat time.
Maximize your current package before you mod.
I was talking to Phil(Wheelsup) yesterday, he asked what I've done to the car, I told him what I listed above. Since my car is a daily driver, I need it to be reliable. The closer to stock=more reliable.
If you have a weekend driver/racer, go ahead and mod. I'm satisfied with the performance of my car, afterlooking at my times, tell me if you agree.
Maybe next year I'll do something, but for now, I'm leaving it alone.
