Wootah

Its about that time where im getting sick of my non top end 305 :P Im ready to drop something beefy in.. My dad used to be a mechanic so i dont need a shop to do anything we will do all the work, just have some questions before i start pricing stuff..and im just looking for basic ideas, not so much what cam to choose, thatll come later, just deciding on what engine to use.

Heres my thoughts on what to do..

350(or 355 - not sure) with existing TPI setup .. should i buy a used 350 and do this? or should i buy a L98??

same engine(s) above w/ LT1 intake pros / cons?

Lt1 swap (pretty expensive id imagine)

or should i just get a 350 and do it up, and carb it.. any reason why i should carb it??

Also i plan on buying an SS hood very soon, and it makes since that with carb., airflow would dump right into it, but then again i think there might be issues with water??



any help would be great, i just cant decide on what i want to do, and i know enough about engines, but im definatly not joe mechanic.. also i plan on running at least 300+ HP on the dyno, so if anyone can gimme some tips it would be appreciated, thanks alot!

Awesome89

when i did mine i went with a 350, bored it to 355 like you said above, but then i went with the carb, you have to play with fuel pressure a little bit and get that all straightened out, but it runs more consistent times, the computer system set up can sometimes run faster times when you run back to back (i think). hope that helps you out

wm_sorg

I would stay away from carb. In stead of replacing the hood you can put more money into the engine. If the car already has FI there is no sense in reworking the fuel lines and all of the other headaches to get the carb to work.

There is a lot of expertise on this board that can help you with a LT1 swap if you choose to go that route. The LT1 is a great powerplant and produces more power at the top end than the L98. Engine management is also improved over the thirdgen setup. You get better mileage and more tunability.

The L98 is great for traffic light action. Lots of low end torque and midrange power pours on hard. Once you hit 4500 it drops off. Nevertheless they are cheap to build and are fun to drive.

Wootah

Ok well if i may, what exactly is the difference between the LT1 and a 350.. i know there both 350ci, but like.. what is the difference, all i know is the cooling is reversed

is there any bad reasons against putting on LT1 intake onto a 350? and yea i know the carb thing would be hard to do, but then again, like said, carbs are easier to tune and what not, and im pretty sick of the computer shiz, finding out what electronic sensor is broken is gettin pretty tireing

Also, on ebay ive been pricing LT1's, and some i see for 500, others for 1k any difference between them in the various years they were produced?

And also, how fun is the painless wire kit going to be:sillylol:

And im running a T5 tranny, am i gonna need to dump a T56 into it? or will the T5 withstand 350+ hp?


Thanks guys

wm_sorg

There is a site dedicated to putting the LT1 intake on older L98 type engines. www.lt1intake.com I am not sure how the engine reacts to just the intake.

As far as the difference between LT1 and L98 there are several. Among the most significant are fuel and spark delivery systems. The fuel system is sequential. This means that optimum Fuel/Air mixture is calculated for each cylinder independantly rather than batch like in the L98. The opti spark is far more accurate as well. It can actually compensate for torsion in the crankshaft.

Overall more advanced engine management ang greater efficiency. Sensors are pretty reliable. the only thing to watch out for on pre 95 LT1s is the optispark. Before 95 they were not vented and moisture bulit up would cause them to fail prematurely. There are aftermarket vendors now offering replacement optisparks as well as system that elimates the optispark altogether.

Cronic3rd

Do not use TPI. TPI has no top end due to design. Aftermarket intakes fix this however but they are expensive. Going carb is the least expensive way to get the most HP. Exhample A converted lt1 intake is $400+ shipping not including fuel injectors. A 650 double pumper is 338.99 shipped. And a t5 will last if you do not beat on it. If you like power shifting then get a t-56 or something else.

ImportsRsloths

Hey chronic...... im sure hes got an extra edelbrock performer manifold sitting around for that carb to............

Air_Adam

Want top end? Dual Quad 302ci... enough said.