Hey guys. Im really on the fence here. First off, I have the money to do either swap. Ive swapped an ls1 t56 set up in my old TA so I know what it takes.

Here is the pros and cons for me

Ltx
Pros
Cheaper, not as many specialty parts
If i do the lt1 I can get AI heads asap
Ltxs sound way better
Exhaust is way easier (dyno dons set up)
Looks cool and I wanna beat ls1 cars with the boat anchor

Cons
iron block
Opti crap
Not as much power
ecu not nearly as nice as lsx

Lsx
alum block if I go ls2
Easier to make power
Much better ignition system and ecu
I know ls1s like the back of my hand
Will make more power in the long run.
Cam only makes as much if not more on average than H/C Lt1
An easy 500rwhp with stroker


Cons
I need a bunch of crap just to get it into the engine bay
Doesnt sound nearly as good as Lt1 or sbc
Very exspensive compared to lt1
Everyone is doing it.

Ive already have done this swap once. When I first had my lsx TA I was the only one around with an lsx swap in any car. Now they are in everything. So after typing this I really want an lt1 (It will be at least H/C) but I dont wanna get bent over by new 5.0s and lsx cars. I really dont street race anymore so Im wonder if the extra 50-70 horse from the ls set up is worth it.


This is more of a discussion than anything.

 

If youve already done an LS swap, and you know them so well...then this decision should be easy IMO.

Cost...costs have gone down. Big time. Even for the motors. Ps...LS1 is alum too, not just LS2, unless youre looking for the extra cubes. If you truely were one of the early swappers, then you know how much of a PITA it was to find info and swap parts. Now, because its popular, things are cheap and very easy to find. You can literally make it a bolt in affair. THAT is worth the cost of that "other crap" IMO. Ill agree with you on the sound. With the right cat back and Y-pipe LS motors sound great, but never as good as old school SBC to me.

As for a H/C LTx not getting bent over by 5.0s and LSx cars, good luck. You'll need a stout combo. And I know Im gonna tick LTx guys off. But my cousin has a 2011 5.0. Nothing done but axle back and a little programmer tuning. And let me tell you, its no joke. Car straight flies, and would have given my last combo a run for its money. So if youre aiming at 5.0s and built LSx, you need to bring a little more to the table than times of past. And you might spend more bringing the LT up to that level, than you would with the initial cost of the LS build.

Everyone's doing it. I just had a discussion with my wife about this. When I built my first car, it was still a fairly new thing. Esp in the thirdgen world. Hot rodders had been using them, but motors were still pricey. I was telling her how i was kind of bummed to not be an "innovator" anymore. Everythings been copied and done and lots of folks are running it. But thats no reason to ignore the fact that its an awesome powerplant. Build your car for you, not for what others will think about your choice. Unless you really want to build something unique and off the wall. In that case, neither LS or LT should be an option

Again, just my opinion. And probably nothing you didnt already know deep down

J.

 

Why is this even a question. Lsx all the way

 

I wouldn't put an LTx in my car if it was free. Matter of fact, I wouldn't put one in if some one paid me to do it. Sorry, but there is a reason LSx's are so popular..because they flat out work, are reliable, and make great power.


As for sound...once you hear an LS1 at 6500rpm on a GMMG it doesn't get any better than that.

 

^ New wheels look MINT!!!!!


Ltx swaps are the next badass thing.... we just need to get our hands on a few first :P Gen 5 that is.....


SBC swap? Really not worth it at all imo. Married to an outdated platform with ltd growth dollar for dollar that is. Once your set for LS? You can enjoy so much more and never get bored with not enough power. 8 second LS street cars are normal now

 

I have basically that on my bolt on ls1. Does sound very good.

I agree ls does make more sense and shouldnt be all that much more to do.

If you went LT1, to run with bolt on 5.0's and other late model cars you will need 400-450 whp minimum depending on weight. 5.0 with exhaust and tune makes 400-420's whp, some more. Bolt on ls3 5th gen makes 420-430 with full bolt ons basically, but are heavy. Still 115 mph traps or so. 5.0's trap nearer 118-120 it seems in drag trim with bolt on mods. I think the record is 125-ish and car went 10.7's? To get an all motor package to do that you will need 1500-2000$ in just forged rotator in the lt1 to handle 6500-7000 rpms and 450whp. Need big cam and ai's biggest head.

Ls1 can do 450 with cheap ported stock heads and baby 224 deg cam. So they are much more street friendly and cheaper as the bottom end doesnt need special parts. If you did rod bolts and pistons for more comp and valve clearance, 470-500 is doable and still street.


No sense in Lt1. If you wanted gen I type motor simplicity, just run an efi based sbc. I can guide you to some extremely stout builds that will embarrass alot of lsx or 5.0 coyotes. It will just cost abit more.

If you went lt1 i would atleast consider obdII lsx 411 ecm conversion to get rid of opti spark

 

Like I said this is more of a discussion. Ive had two built ls1 cars and I dont think I can give up the 450+ they both made. Maybe Im just trying to talk myself out of doing an lt1. LOL

I just found 6.0s with 100k with harness and ecu for 700.

 

GMMG sounds like a glasspack to me. Most ls cars sound like crap the more power they make. I had a SLP dual/dual on my TA and a Hooker Aero chamber on my Camaro. Hooker was my favorite by far. Thats all opinion though.

Im just thinking outside the box. I know Im going 6.0 though. I cant give up 450+rwhp and mid 20s mpgs with the air on.

 

LT1 was a stepping stone. And was very short lived, for a reason. Interesting engine, but the LSx is light years ahead.

Agree with others, LS is the way to go.

 

Ls1 is just a better head sbc. You cant compete with 15 deg heads with 23 deg. If there was a small enough 13-18 deg sbc head for smaller cube motors you would see similar power figures. Just happens that those 13-18 deg sbc heads seem to start at 240cc and 2.100" valves and up with small 40-50 cc chambers lol. Just not practical for most street budget builds under 427 cubes lol. Theres the advantage for lsx. The guys in drag week with all motor sbc's are low mid 9's with 15 deg heads and not very light cars. Drive 1200 miles pulling trailers. Theres a vette running high 8's all motor and running on street at 3000 lbs. For 23 deg there is a guy running 9.7-9.8's with a 402 sbc at 3600+ lbs race weight. So those can perform.
Still expensive to do that in an lsx platform so its a wash at those levels. So a budget street build, ls takes it due to head design

 

one more vote for ls power.....

if the 350 in my jimmy didn't run so well, it would already be swapped out to a 4.8l or 5.3l.

as far as sound, its all relative to your perspective. i remember the first time i heard an ls1, it was awesome, the sound just rolled out of the pipes. however, a solid lifter 302sbc at 7500 sounds like angels singing, haha....

 

Seen full bolt on and tune go 11.3 @120 IIRC with Drags Radials

ford did there R&D with the new 5.0s those are stout numbers for just bolt on drop a blower on there on go on the nitrous

theres ls1 running into deep 11s, 10s and quicker on the bottle.. depending on mods ..also best bang for buck just another option ..for the those drag weekends..

 

If you did your homework and had a light car in good weather you can do mid higher 11's easily with bolt on only ls1. 340whp or so. I only made 320 thru my auto and ran 12.15 at 3560 lbs and no real drag only mods. Mild converter.

Any decent cam should be low 11's

Thirdgens are typically lighter than late cars due to all the over engineering safety stuff and luxury items

 

LT1.... lol

 

I couldnt agree with you more with going 11s on Bolton thirdgen is easy even easier with cam and on bottle be into the 10s is easy also..

I like to do conservative guesstimate ..as I rather be surprised then disappointed thats just me.. And there are many variables depending on tire,wheel selection weather, suspension mods, amount of nos being used etc etc also driver mod jk

Also 400-500 lb advantage depending on options over 4th gens idk know accurate weight difference is a plus with the LSx

Stock 5.0 run about 13s
Tuned 5.0 around 12s depending on tires
Full bolt on 5.0 run 11s

So stock ls1 swap should give any 5.0 run for the money and then some

 

yeah I didn't get the whole Lt1/sbc sound better than the ls1 bit.



Lsx for the win though.

 

lol i know right? an LS at 6500 sounds like pure sex. Or when you just touch the rev limiter before a shift

And its a LT1 people not a LTX adding the "X" doesn't put it in the cool crowd

(yes i know there is a LT4)

 

If your shooting to be truly unique, LT5 would get you there. There may be a few more lsx cars running around than a few years ago, but ltx swaps aren't at all uncommon. Outside of 6 figure street rods, I actually seem to see more lt1 swapped cars than lsx based options at the shows.

Totally personal opinion and preference, but my ls swap sounds ten fold nastier than any of my sbc setups, maybe not at idle, but surely at WOT. Don't mistake the comment for the ls not sounding good at idle either though.

 

LT5 is out of the question right now unless money is not an option...

God i cant belive they named it a LT5

 

Glad my point was seen, lol. If you are shooting for unique, lsx or ltx is unique. If you want want mind blowing unique, neither will get you there anymore. Truly unique in a tasteful way will probably be buku money.....

 

rotary engine thirdgen.....