Zepher

iTrader: (1)

My 305 is about to croak so I need to find a motor and put it in.
I found a complete LT1 with PCM and Harness with around 50K miles on it that was pulled from a State Troopers' Chevy Caprice.
It has Iron heads and has 5.7L stamped on the back of the block.
I won't have A/C or Smog on my car.

My current car is an 86 Trans Am with the 305 LG4 and 5 speed. I finished my conversion to TPI 2 months ago, but now my 305 is toast.

Anyone know the HP/Torque ratings of the Caprice motors and if there are any differences that I should be aware of before I plunk down a grand to buy this motor.

Thanks,

Tas

260HP with the restrictive B-body exaust. The iron heads actually flow more than the aluminum LT1 heads. Its cam has less lift but more duration(I'm pretty sure) than other LT1 cams to make it focus more on torque than on HP. I think it is 2 bolt mains but it might not be. email www.sdpc2000.com about it since they sell new ones. They should tell you everything you need to know.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

Cool thanks.
I was a little concerned about the HP, I was reading somewhere that it was either 190 or 260. I am hoping 260hp.

Tas

190 might have been the L99. It looks just like the LT1 but is only 4.3L. It was only avalible in the b-body to celebrate the original 265(267?) small block chevy that came out in 1955. It has a small bore and a 3" crank. That crank in a 350 block will give you a 302.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

Now the only thing that concerns me now is will I be able to bolt my T5 tranny to this motor. I can't afford a tranny and motor right now. I can get another 305 with 150K miles on it for $50.

As it stands now, my friend is loaning me $1000, I will sell my TPI setup for about $500 and my SLP Dual CAI for $200 if I can't get it to work on the LT1.
I have a 350 block and crank in my garage, but I don't think I can get the rest of the parts and any machining done for $500 that I'll borrow since I will be keeping the TPI.

If I could go back in time a year, I'd have an LT1 6 speed in here already.

Tas

check the apearance board about the t-5.

you got aol im? mine is superGRtaz

Kory-88Iroc 350 tpi

iTrader: (1)

a t5 should work. It won't last long behind an lt1 if you power shift it. I believe Texas lt1 is using one.
Kory

Drastius

I'm currently doing this swap (very slowly)

One other difference I think there is, is the cooling setup. Some cop cars came with heavy duty cooling systems (like mine), which have a very large radiator and two large fans. I read somewhere that they also had some special green silicone rad hoses too. The rad off the 95 caprice I have is about 5 inches wider than the stock rad in my 85 Z28.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

Does the radiator fit in the car? That is the question.
The setup I am looking at comes with the 2 fans and the radiator as well.

Do you have pictures that you can post? Those would be very helpful.

Thanks

mat89RS

The radiator will fit ...however the top cover that's holding into place will need to be cut 2 pieces so you can extend the lenght of it by 1 1/2 inch. the 2 fans setup is perfect...make sure it is wired correctly because the first fan will run but the secondary run will only work in certains circonstance, I think it's something like 50 mph and temperature above 160 degree.

You may also make sure that you plug the steam line that runs from the back of the heads up to the rad correctly... I goes just underneath the radiator cap ...

Drastius

Not sure if yours will fit, but I just checked mine again and it appears to be about 1-2 inches too wide on each side. The radiator is about 33 inches wide from my 95 caprice.

A little bit of cutting might get it in place.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

I am still undecided on which setup to get. Nearly everyone I ask says go for the Caprice motor because of the mileage.
I was just driving my brothers 96 Trans Am and I KNOW that my tranny will be toast the first time I get on it.

Oh, the other setup is from a 95 Z, complete LT1 and Tranny for $15 or $1600, but it had 98K miles on it when my friend flipped it.

Z28ricer

iTrader: (2)

Is that F car setup with a T56 ? If so go for that, 98k isnt very high either, if my digi was working i could show you the 77k block i have that still has the crosshatch, the T5 will bolt up easily as long as its 86 up, just be vewy vewy nice to it if you use it, my F car rad. fit in, little diff but no biggie, you'll have to drop the SLP cai just like I did cause of the MAF, also the caprice MAFS are smaller from what i've heard.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

I wish it had a T56, it is an A4.
So, my 86 T5 will bolt directly to the 95 Caprice motor.
Do I have to put my old Flywheel on or do I use the one on the LT1?

Z28ricer

iTrader: (2)

The 86' one will bolt up, that caprice shouldnt be manual so you couldnt use the flexplate off it for a clutch, and im quite sure you'd have a hard time using an LT1 clutch with the T5 setup on the flywheel, just not sure about the balance of it......

Drastius

oh yea, z28 brought up the maf thing

caprice maf is half an inch smaller in diameter.

And you might have some computer problems putting a manual tranny on, not sure though.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

I plan on getting LT1 Edit to reprogram the PCM to disable the stuff I am not using and to get max performance out of the engine.

So I have to take my flywheel off of my motor and bolt it to the LT1. I have never done an engine swap before (Well, I did my very first one at work, got the motor in it today. It is a Sebring 2.5 V6 and it was a pain in the ***.) so I will be asking a lot of questions.
You guys really helped me out with my carb to TPI swap, couldn't have done it without thirdgen.org and the great members that are here.

Thanks again.

Markolc

You can IM me with questions if you'd like...I now have my LT1 motor running in my car. My SN is Thirdgen Camaro.
About the cooling setup, It's not very difficult to figure out. You can EASILY reuse your existing radiator and fan setup...you just run your lines slightly differently. Since you won't be using A/C or smog, this'll be a little easier to accomplish. Here're the pieces you need:
'94 corvette lower radiator hose
'95 Camaro Z28 upper radiator hose
3/8" brass coupling
18" 3/8" ruber cooling line
6' 5/8" heater hose
6' 3/4" heater hose
assorted hose clamps
Two caps for about a 5/8" tube.

Here's how you need to run this using the stock radiator: use the 'vette lower radiator hose to connect the radiator to the gooseneck on the LT1 water pump. Use the Camaro upper radiator hose to connect the radiator to the LT1 water pump. (you may have to grind off a little of your existing radiator shroud, but it's very minor work). Now on the upper radiator hose, there will be a 3/8" rubber line kinda splicing off of it. What you need to do with that is take the brass coupling, put it on, and take the 3/8" extra piece of tubing you bought and connect it to the brass coupling, therefore extending the tube coming off the upper radiator hose. Now route that 3/8" hose under the throttle body so it pokes out past the TB on the passenger side. There you will snake it around and connect it straight to a metal coolant line that runs along the bolts on the passenger side of the intake all the way to the back of the heads. That will eliminate the need for you using the TB to pass coolant, and giving you the cheap TB bypass mod. Now to route the lines to the heater core. Take 6' of 3/4" coolant line and run it from the upper port on the water pump all the way to the 3/4" opening on the heater core. Since you have 6' to play with, you can route it pretty much anyway the hell you want (they sell pre cut 6' rolls of this stuff for $3.99 at the auto parts stores). Now take the 5/8" heater hose and run it from the lower port on the water pump (BTW, both the ports for the heater core on the water ppump are on the passenger side) and run it all the way to the 5/8" port on the heater core. Now you have pretty much all the lines run. This is now an optional/conditional point of the coolant routing. Are you going to be using the stock LT1 oil cooler? If you are, you will not have to buy the 2 caps for mentioned in the parts list, but you will have to buy 6 more feet of 5/8" cooling tubing. There'll be one port one the drivers side of the waterpump for the oil cooler. You run a hose from that port to the oil cooler, and a hose from the oil cooler back to the opening in your radiator (which was originally used as a return from the heater core in a stock setup). If you do not plan to use the oil cooler, just block the ports on the radiator and waterpump. You'll be all set. That's the whole cooling setup. Not too hard if you understand it, and I think I explained it fairly well.

If there are any more questions about wiring/routing or what not, don't hesitate to give me an IM or e-mail.

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, I really appreciate the info.
If I run into any snags, I'll shoot you an email or IM you.