I have been wondering, why is the LT1 so sought after? What makes it so bad *** that everyone needs it? A quick run-down and history of it if anyone knows.

 

i wouldnt say its sought after...but IMO its because its reverse cooled...

 

Lots of power and it bolts right in and it isn't too expensive.
350fwhp with bolt ons.

 

They are abundant and easy to get ahold of. They make alot of power for the price.

 

no they dont, you could go faster with a carb setup cheaper, for sure.


adam

 

What years where they available and in what vehicles? Did they come with aluminum heads? Four bolt mains? Are they as bad or meaner then say a 383?

 

Just to confuse matters, there are also a lot of 383 CID LT1s out there.

The best feature of the LT1 was the head design. The reverse-flow cooling (heads first) does help the engine live with the higher compression (due to the smaller 54cc chambers), but none of that would be possible without the PCM. An LT1 operating under a crapuretor or with an old-school ECM is going to be subjected to simliar restrictions found with the L98s. The sequential injection and individual cylinder timing control has a lot to do with its tolerance for 10.5:1 compression on 87 octane fuel.

The rotating assembly on '94-up LT1s is lighter and better balanced than anything the factory did previously in a 350. You should be able to safely run 6,000 RPM at 450 HP output levels without any modifications - on a two-bolt case. Beyond that is risking failure with any sustained runs.