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LT1 383 ? ... Maybe

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Old Nov 6, 2002 | 02:44 PM
  #1  
mat89RS's Avatar
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From: Québec
Engine: LT1
Transmission: 700r4
LT1 383 ? ... Maybe

People I stored my car today since it's snowing here.

I'll start to tear it down and try to build a 383 out of my tired LT1.

Tell me what I need , please be precise.

I got myself roller tip rockers last night and I can get a crank for a real low price. 1 seal.

but what kind of rods ?
pushrod?
pistons?
lifters ?
gaskets?
Anything else ?
camshaft needed ?

I want mesures and brand.

Also, since my car run's 13.8 with 120k on the motor and 2,73 gears I'm thinking in may not need to be bored out but just have new piston rings , what's you tought on that ????
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Old Nov 6, 2002 | 03:01 PM
  #2  
Markolc's Avatar
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From: New Britain, CT, U.S.A
Car: '87 IROC
Engine: LT1 350
Transmission: 700-R4
Bore it out and make it a 355 at least. Pistons are SO much easier to find for a 355 than a 350. As for the engine components, talk to Nick at Nutek or post on CamaroZ28.com and you'll find more help there.
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Old Nov 6, 2002 | 04:04 PM
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Redman33's Avatar
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go to www.corvetteforum.com and go to C4 tech/performance. There is a ton of LT1 info there.
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Old Nov 6, 2002 | 05:18 PM
  #4  
mat89RS's Avatar
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From: Québec
Engine: LT1
Transmission: 700r4
ok well I have a strong feeling it's better not to bore it if it doesn't need it .

anybody can confirm ? I'm sure I can find 350 pistons
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Old Nov 7, 2002 | 12:16 AM
  #5  
Drastius's Avatar
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From: Hinton, Alberta. Canada
Car: 1985 Camaro Z28
Engine: Caprice LT1
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.23
I wouldn't bore if you didn't have to, better to keep your block longer than to gain 5 cubes.

I'd have to agree with checking camaroz28 lot's of guys on that board have built 383's with their LT1's
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Old Nov 7, 2002 | 11:51 AM
  #6  
mat89RS's Avatar
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From: Québec
Engine: LT1
Transmission: 700r4
oK I'll look on the other board.

Do you think it's the same has a regular sbc 383 ?
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Old Nov 7, 2002 | 10:23 PM
  #7  
TexasLT1's Avatar
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From: Angleton, TX
Car: '92 RS
yup, the internals of the LT1 are the same as any other SBC. just be sure to get a 1-piece seal crank, like you said you already found. Other than that, any rods and pistons can be used.
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Old Nov 9, 2002 | 08:09 AM
  #8  
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From: new phila, oh
Car: 1990 RS
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.73 9 bolt
Originally posted by TexasLT1
yup, the internals of the LT1 are the same as any other SBC. just be sure to get a 1-piece seal crank, like you said you already found. Other than that, any rods and pistons can be used.

This is not totally true. A conventional small block is externally balanced and uses a harmonic balancer. A LT1 is an internally balanced motor that has no harmonic balancer. This is something you need to look out for. I would check nutek as mentioned earlier. Also as mentioned earlier go to cz28.com many people have done this and can help you out.
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Old Nov 9, 2002 | 01:17 PM
  #9  
ME Leigh's Avatar
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From: Valley of the Sun
Car: 82 Z28
Engine: Al LT1 headed LG4 305
Transmission: TH350
Axle/Gears: 3.73 posi with spacer
A conventional small block is externally balanced and uses a harmonic balancer.
A convetentional smallblock, al except the 400cid, are internally balanced. The only reason they have a damper is to damper (hence the name) the harmonics created in the crank and camshaft do to the engine firing.
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Old Nov 9, 2002 | 05:23 PM
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From: Tampa, FL, USA
Car: 93 240SX
Engine: LQ9
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.54 R200 IRS
LT1 has no balancer ? WTF ? Are you out of your mind ? yes they do, maybe you didnt notice its there just the pulley is machined into the outside groove of them.
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Old Nov 10, 2002 | 12:33 PM
  #11  
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From: new phila, oh
Car: 1990 RS
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.73 9 bolt
Originally posted by Z28racer
LT1 has no balancer ? WTF ? Are you out of your mind ? yes they do, maybe you didnt notice its there just the pulley is machined into the outside groove of them.
No I said no HARMONIC balancer not no balancer at all.
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Old Nov 10, 2002 | 03:20 PM
  #12  
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From: Tampa, FL, USA
Car: 93 240SX
Engine: LQ9
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.54 R200 IRS
http://www.lmperformance.com/1683/2.html

10128489
Engine Crankshaft and Camshaft Balancer
BALANCER
1
$508.77
$381.58
$290.00
$0.00

This damper is used on all 1992-97 LT1 engines. Technical Notes: This balancer bolts onto a balancer hub, P/N 12553250 for 1992-95 models and P/N 12550097 on 1996-97 models.

*LT4 Harmonic Damper

no keyway in the hub for the harmonic balancer, so ... OIL PUMP The LT1 powerplant uses the late model 350 ... shouldn’t be a problem unless the damper was drilled ...


Research before you make statements I stand by my point.
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Old Nov 11, 2002 | 09:08 PM
  #13  
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From: Naples, FL
Car: 1991 Firebird
Engine: 383 stroker
Transmission: T-56
Originally posted by mat89RS
ok well I have a strong feeling it's better not to bore it if it doesn't need it .

anybody can confirm ? I'm sure I can find 350 pistons
Please don't get 350 pistons to use with a 400 crank. Either one of two things would happen 1) The short block gets put together and all the top rings pop out when the pistons reach TDC if you turn it over by hand or 2) you bolt the heads on and possibly mess up your pistons and heads and valves when you crank it over. Stroker cranks need pistons with higher wrist pins to compensate for the extra stroke, so you'll need to get the crank, rods and pistons that will all work together.
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Old Nov 11, 2002 | 11:59 PM
  #14  
mat89RS's Avatar
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From: Québec
Engine: LT1
Transmission: 700r4
No , I know about the rods and the pistons, but isn't it possible to find pistons that aren't oversize ?
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Old Nov 12, 2002 | 04:36 AM
  #15  
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From: Naples, FL
Car: 1991 Firebird
Engine: 383 stroker
Transmission: T-56
I'm sure that you can find stardard bore stroker pistons but that will only give you a 377 and not a "real" 383 but that is a matter of prefference as to what you wanna call it. With 120k miles, you're gonna need it honed anyway, so I would probably just have it bored .030 over anyway if it were me.
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