to swap or not to swap (again?) - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Sniperx7 · 09-01-2009, 10:15 PM

1982 berlinetta coupe, currently with:
'83 z-28 305 and 700r4

the swap question is:
i want to spot in an lt1, can get one for about $1.5k plus shipping
but..

i have a '79 350 truck motor, need rebuilt
- i was gonna put edelbrock performer rpm cylinder heads (alum.), performer rpm intake, and either the p. rpm cam or a select comp cam and ive priced it to about the same price as the lt1 motor

i think that the hp rating for the lt1 is around 275 and 325 tq.

doing a rebuild on the truck motor plus the performance mods, would that push it into or past the power range of the lt1?

and is there any particular advantage of the lt1 swap over an older carbeuratorated motor other than just reliability and gas mileage?

thanks!

edit: i have a pair of shorty headers that should fit either engine

ljnowell · 09-01-2009, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniperx7

1982 berlinetta coupe, currently with:
'83 z-28 305 and 700r4

the swap question is:
i want to spot in an lt1, can get one for about $1.5k plus shipping
but..

i have a '79 350 truck motor, need rebuilt
- i was gonna put edelbrock performer rpm cylinder heads (alum.), performer rpm intake, and either the p. rpm cam or a select comp cam and ive priced it to about the same price as the lt1 motor

i think that the hp rating for the lt1 is around 275 and 325 tq.

doing a rebuild on the truck motor plus the performance mods, would that push it into or past the power range of the lt1?

and is there any particular advantage of the lt1 swap over an older carbeuratorated motor other than just reliability and gas mileage?

thanks!

edit: i have a pair of shorty headers that should fit either engine

To be honest, you arent going to get an engine like that together for less than 2k, after machine work and everything. Budgets get blown out in this sport. The lt1 you are talking about can take a factory style roller cam. If it were me, I would take the lt1 and put a different cam and valve springs in it and run with it.

Sniperx7 · 09-01-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljnowell

To be honest, you arent going to get an engine like that together for less than 2k, after machine work and everything. Budgets get blown out in this sport. The lt1 you are talking about can take a factory style roller cam. If it were me, I would take the lt1 and put a different cam and valve springs in it and run with it.

to get those c. heads and cam to fit all nice

(jk) and snug, what kind of machine work is required? as far as i know the '79 block was rebuilt once, bored .030 over, and its in decent condition, about 50k miles on it since rebuild, but i figure if i was gonna build it up i needed to rebuild it again just to be sure.....

but then again there's all the extra stuff involved with the lt1, the electric fuel pump and lines, need to delete the ac and get the idler pully, whatever is needed to get the 700r4 to mount up to it correctly,
as far as i know it comes as is, motor and wireing w/ computer, then add in the stuff above with a wireing kit...

about the only thing i have that could possibly fit is the headers

would it still be cheaper to do the lt1?

Sniperx7 · 09-03-2009, 10:13 AM

i definately have to do something, i found that at first the car was burning a little oil and now ive got some gas leaking into the oil...
gonna check it with the compression tester later on

sniperx7

five7kid · 09-03-2009, 04:58 PM

Gas in the oil is a leaking mechanical fuel pump. It will thin the oil and cause oil burning.

Replacing the fuel pump is a lot simpler than an engine swap.

Sniperx7 · 09-03-2009, 06:01 PM

could that be the problem?

it is running a bit rich... could that make the problem worse? (leaking through the cylinders)