jaymzz

Hey all have some odd questions hoping that some LT series gurus can help with.
I have started a project that I want to run two engines side by side in a hotrod I am going to build. First I am starting with research and learning to the extreme and asking anyone and everyone I know for advice or ideas. As I was sketching up my drive system to connect two engines to a transmission I was trying to figure out what engines and transmission to use. It then dawned on me that I was trying to sell two LT1's and a black label zf six speed from my s10 swap. I have everything for the drive system from the back of the engine to the rear end figured out but trying to find info on the LT1's is being a little difficult.
One of the appealing thoughts about the Corvette LT1 is the water pump is ran from the cam and not a belt. So do you all think I can run both engines with one cooling system with the stock setup? The only accessory I will need is an alternator and can run that from the drive system behind the engines. I really want to keep both engines as same as I can with the temp they would run and this seems best overall.
If the engines are angled a bit would this effect the steam ports at all? I don't know yet at what angle they will be but imagine the heads and corners of the oil pan about an inch apart from each other.
I read that the LT1 engine is internally balanced. Does that mean I can run without the front pullies and just the stub the pulley bolts to for oil containment reasons?
How hard is it to switch to a newer version of obd2? Right now I am swapped to a 1996 Camaro ecu running version1 obd2 and would like a newer version for tuning reasons. I will need to tune the engines to run a little different timing for harmonic reasons from what I am being told. Still researching this and waiting to hear back from a guy that used to run duel engine dragsters back in the day.
I am sure I will have more questions but need to get back to work. Thank you for any information you can give. Hopefully I can make these engines work because I think that they look really cool in hotrods and already have them.

cv67

Try posting this on speedtalk.com in the general tech section you should get your answer...youd be surprised who posts there.

jaymzz

Thank you just registered there.

FAUEE

There are conversions that let you run the lt1 on an ls1 ecu. I dont know that trying to run both engines through one transmission is the best idea. I'm not sure the zf6 is up that that task. And frankly, I have no idea how you'd make it work.

jaymzz

Racers did it all the time back in the 50's and 60's.
Great site http://twotogo.homestead.com/
And my hero when I was a kid and still is. http://tommyivo.com/_Drag%20Racing.html

Hot Rod Roy

Here ya' go: I was building parts for Boyd Coddington when this car was being built. This car did run, but don't get on the gas! You'll certainly break parts!

https://twistedsifter.com/2012/11/twin-mill-hot-wheels-life-size-replica/

jaymzz

I still have that hotwheel and has been a huge inspiration for me throughout my life.
That would have been an honor to have worked on it. I interviewed years ago for Boyd as a bodyman but turned it down.

Kevova

LT1 is a hybird in regards to balance front half internal back half external. To ob2 LT1 you need the 96-97 front cover, crank sensor and the related parts. Running the Torque Head ignition system may better. Since LT1 uses gear driven water, belt system can be lower and hidden. There was a marine application using 2 engines with a single drive. It will need to be made using aluminum, marine parts are normally iron. You will want an automatic transmission, converter will dampen vibration in the driveline. Synchronization of the engines will be a challenge. It will be quite a project. Good Luck.

Tom400CFI

If any trans is up to it, it would be a ZF6. Guys here are "hitting" that trans harder than this poster likely will. You'd make it work with a "splitter box"...and those are typically made of aluminum -all our snow cats have 'em but they're "backward" since we're running two or three banks of hydrostatic pumps from a single input (one engine).







True about marine use. Those boxes are typically aluminum -at least the ones that I've seen in hi-perf applications. See one here:




I don't get the deal with "vibration in the driveline". Why would it be any different than any V8? In fact, you could clock the two engines 45 degrees apart and have the firing pulses (smoothness) of a V-16. Finally, a clutch disk for a manual typically has damping springs in it to smooth power pulses. I'd think drive line vibes would be the least of your worries.

64Scout

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​​​​​​Looking at that gearbox, I don't see any other gears, which means your output will be turning opposite your input. You'll need reverse rotation motors.

Kevova

With vibration it depends on how well you are able to synchronize the engines. The springs on a disc are more for engaging and releasing not for rocking if engines do not operate smoothly together. I would use an automatic, but I'm not the builder.

Tom400CFI

Look again. There are three shafts in the above gearbox and three gears. There is one "input" shaft (input as we use them in snow cats) that protrudes from the other side of the box (you can't see it in the pic). You can see the flange for that shaft on the far side of the box....and you can just see the gear teeth for that center shaft/gear in the edge of the first opening on the exposed side -the side toward us. You can also see the bump for the bearing support for that shaft. Then there are the two "output" (as used on snow cats) on the visible side of the box facing us. So, you got three shafts/three gears. Both outputs spin the same direction....opposite that of the single input.


I think that worrying about "synchronizing engines" is worrying about **** that ain't worth worryin' about. Maybe at the OE level it would matter, but on a hot rod? I don't think it will. Each engine is "self balanced" as a unit and doesn't rely on anything else for balancing. Each engine fires once every 90 degrees of crank revolution which makes for a very smooth firing pulses. Even if you clock the engines the worst way possible, "aligned", you still get the same smooth firing order of a regular V8. But it would be very easy to go one better than OEM and clock them 45 out form each other, then you'd get a firing pulse into the transmission once every 45 degrees of input shaft revolution. V16 smooooooth.

The clutch springs most definitely DO dampen firing pulses. That is specifically why they're there though they likely do help the uncoordinated clutch driver. Note that once the converter locks in an auto, you'd have the same vibrations that you're concerned about....although lock up converters have nearly identical springs in them for the same purpose; to dampen the firing pulses of the engine

A DECENT READ HERE

And a decent vid:

jaymzz

You all are awesome! Thank you very much and when I get home tonight on my computer I will check out the links and videos.
As far as vibrations I read on some old school builds they dealt with the harmonics of the engines conflicting with each other and were tuning there timing so the engines would not firing at the same time. That's why I was wondering.
I do have my drive system figured out using blower belts and cogs.
Not going to run insane power either just a little over stock with both engines.

Kevova

Being a street rod I would use a power glide and a quick change. I doubt I would be doing any interstate cruising so no need for extra gears or lock up. Quick change is old school street rod cool. Twin engine is show venue cruiser, maybe an occasional 1/8 mile blast at a show. Realistically a trailer queen and "car show putt a round"

AJT84

Please put up some pics when you start building this thing...

Tom400CFI

Here is some inspiration for you. I saw this on the side of the highway in Wyoming....









The engines? Of course they're NOT matched! One engine is a 283 SB Chevy, other engine is a 307, SB Chevy....in reality, both engines are complete turds. Ha ha ha...met the owner, he was a special unit. Claimed the truck gets to 3rd gear @ 9000 RPM w/in 10 feet. Sure it does. Don't worry about the engines being different sizes; he made the 283 "9 & 3/4" compression and the 307 is only "9 & a quarter" compression to balance out the power. So they both end up making the same power, at the same RPM....he says. He couldn't fit in the cab w/pedals...so it has none. It has a tall shifter that runs the gears (THM400), throttle, and brakes...all in one lever. Another cool thing about it, is the towing power. According to the colorful owner, you know all these high powered, coal-rolling diesel trucks you see these days? Yeah, well...you hook a 30,000 lb trailer to one of those, and another to this truck and go for it....this truck will leave that new diesel sucking dust! Again; according to the owner. He says it did 350 RWHP on a chassis dyno.

jaymzz

Mad props for building it and driving it! I love out of the box thinkers but man is that thing rough or what. lol

Tom400CFI

Totally. There were things that I really admired about it; that it was made, the firewall, shifter, chopped roof...but when the guy was telling me about the engines combo and how "fast" it was....

Kevova

Some of the 1930s V16s were actually 2 V8s splined together.

jaymzz

I thought long and hard about doing engines inline like that but really want the side by side look. Also just want the challenge of it.