1992-97 LT1-THE "OTHER GUYS" SBC! BIG SCORE, NEW PROJECT OR JUST A BIG WASTE OF MONEY? WILL IT RUN? 

I had no idea you could just throw a distributor and carb on a stock lt1. Now I know what I want in my blazer!

Great little motor, I had one, with bolt ons, exhaust, gear, converter it ran a 12.9 in the 1/4. I then stroked it to a 383 with ported stock heads and ported stock intake by Lloyd Elliot along with his LE3 cam, it had 12.5 compression and ran 11.08@123 with a pretty tight converter at 3600 lbs race weight.

Gen II LT-1, the most underrated engine ever!

Finally! Long time lt1 guy here.. I've been patiently for you to do some more gen 2 content!

The LT1 was a game changer. The reverse flow cooling (head first) allowed compression ratios to bump back up to factory muscle car levels. Finally a low tech solution that cut through all the "high tech" BS.

Takes me back. Back in the 90s early 2000s, dads were putting these in their 40 fords all day.

For a while I had a bunch of those in my shop, one of my customers loved those motors, we called him LT-1 Bob. I`ve still got a set of heads and virgin block for them. They have reverse cooling flow and require special heads and block aswell as a specific water pump and respond well to modification. No one seems interested in them anymore propably due to the mistique of the LS. I`ll await the next of your vids on this engine, I never dynoed them.

I can't tell you how happy I am to see more "Other Guys" installments! Much appreciated Richard!

Love it when you do the Gn2. LT1 and 4 stuff so cool

These can be run off of a GM 411 PCM if you have the OBDII reluctor and timing cover. That's how I'd run one on the street. Eliminates the opti bit of the opti spark from the equation on the cheap.

Your timing of this series couldn’t be more perfect! Two weeks ago I purchased a 1996 Z28 with only 49,000 miles…an ex Arizona car for summer driving. Have been doing lots of research on the OG LT1 and have been impressed. Really looking forward to your results.

Thanks for the video. I am very happy with my LT1. Fully built 383 with Forged SCAT crank and H beams. Mahle pistons. LE2 heads. 24X through a 411PCM etc.. 11:1 SCR. I also have free access to dyno so I tested every single change I made to it. Last year I tested in at 506chp @6400 rpm, with 58mm throttle body (yes the intake is ported to that), and an off the shelf 280XFI cam. Swapped out the XFI cam with a TrickFlow very similar cam (230/234 - same lift), but with 110LSA instead of 113LSA, just to see how much of a difference that would do. The curve was a little more steep as expected - Nothing radical. Was approx 10hp less below 3500rpm, curve crossed over at around 4000rpm, and ended at 525chp @6100rpm. So more hp with less rpm. Then swapped out to the stock 48mm TB (with air foil) just for the fun of it. To my surprise, that had almost no affect. 518chp. Identical curves. Just the last 100rpm was less hp... That stock TB can in fact flow pretty well. Next project is to lower compression to about 9.7 SCR (around 7.4 DCR) and then add a VS 7875 and see what that will do :-)

Yes just picked up 4 of the 93 to 95 Lt 1 and fixin to buy 95 Trans AM. to terrorize the streets.

Put twin turbos on it and make it the Callaway engine we never got

Now we're talking. Let's test 1.6 rockers, camshafts etc

Love the gen 2 Lt1. They make a great 1/2 ton truck engine. They respond well to cam swaps.

one of the fastest stickshift cars in the world runs an lt1, Grub Worm it runs 6.50's at 200+

Yes, I have six of these. Trying to figure out what to do with them. I'm definitely interested.

Super interesting. Been waiting with fingers crossed for some lt1 tests. Looking forward to more.

YES,YES,YES more testing and mods PLEASE I will follow all of it.

I have an 95 LT1 out of a TA . There great engines first reverse cooled American production V8.

Great video, very much looking forward to more testing on this platform! Carb cam was awesome 🤘

Great to see the lt1 on here. I’ve been fooling with lt1’s for about 15 years now. Have had 15-20 of them in that time. Cheap and easy to buy and get running again. Currently have 3 of them and all of them are cammed at minimum. Thanks for driving up the value when I’m ready to sell lol

had a '92 corvette with the 2nd Gen LT-1, ran it for 14 years without a problem... Poti-Spark even behaved well over that period Love seeing this revived for some testing on the dyno

Congratulation for 1.start up! I loved to see the 4-barrels view of the pull :) Can't wait to see the following episodes on this engine and the L-98!

Yes! More LT1 videos please :) is thatLT1 with 2 or 4 bolt main caps?

Awesome I've been waiting for this ,I have a torque head system and a terminator x for a 5.7 from a 93 z28 ,it will be cool to see how much they can make and hold up to

I left engine parts in that room once… 😂 btw love the carb camera

I did exactly this to my 9c1 caprice. Headers, roller rockers, edelbrock rpm, holley carb. 272hr cam, I had to use the short caprice style hei from a earlier caprice, had to enlarge the intake manifold hole for it too to fit under the firewall. Sweet engine.

So timely Richard! carb swapping my 93 Camaro as we speak!

Back when I had my LT1 cars (94, 95, 96) I used the Truck Vortec oil filter. Same threads, taller filter, more capacity and filtering media. It was fun, I was younger and had much more energy and motivation. Today I would tell you keep the LT1 and give me a 4cyl Highlander Auto and FWD or a Tacoma 4cyl, auto and RWD.😝

Sure would love to see some twin Holset HX35s or cheap GT3582s on there plus 1.6rr/pac 1218s and a cam

Great job 👏🏻

I was gifted a 96 Corvette engine/trans ...this is very promising...my 79 Z28 may get this engine now

You know we always want to see more testing 😎

Love the content Richard

I think part of the reason the lt1 got left behind in the hot rod community back in the day is it just doesn't look as good as the tuned port injection. My dad never cared for them or at least he would way rather swap in a tpi engine. I'll have to get a hold of him and see why lol.

My lt1 is getting rebuild again by new owner. It did 525hp with 383, 07-503-8, 1.6rr and head port, intake port. Its getting redone with welded intake holes and redrill for SBC victor jr intake with carb, insane LE2.5 stage 4 porting. Expect 600. Will see.

I kept hoping for a shot of the passenger side of the balancer to see if it was a 96/97, or 95-. If it's a 96/97 they have a crank sensor with a 4 tooth reluctor. You can easily run them on an 0411 PCM using an L31 tune file. Or you can buy the timing cover from eficonnection and convert it to a 24/1x reluctor to run coil near plug ignition. How about running the TPI intake on this one like you did the L99 4.3l?

Please test a set of Trick Flow Gen X 185 heads with the 54cc chambers and 21° valves. I'm looking at replacing my ported stock heads with a set of those.

Very nice little small block .

Dang chocolate milk coming out of there sheeeeesh.

SNAP ON ... SNAP OFF ....SNAPPY PAPPY HAPPY ... fired right up

Yesss! Richard always bringing the good stuff

Need to do one on the new 4.3L v6 all aluminum heads & block makes tons of HP.

Man I dig these engines. I wish they'd have made more lt4's and 5's too.

I would like to see an lt 4 hot cam test please

Ohhh goodie, I'm building this block right now!

Carb camera was intense!

so fun seeing the engine not spin high enough for the crossover point

I just got a 65 Malibu that Has a 383 lt1 with trickflow heaads and 12 to 1 compression. Cam is 248/258 .576/.576 114+4. & its pretty strong coming from an LS guy. Thinking it needs a procharger though😊

Like you swapped the optispark out and not many people know you can swap it to a dist. Also doing the 24x kit from EFI Connection works well for fuel injection setups but might not be in the budget for some. But a good dist swap, Holley carb or Terminator x Stealth works well too!

For anyone wondering they make a coil on plug conversion for these thats really inexpensive.

I may have to start buying these up now

look at all the air bleads. that will be fun to fine tune!

Looking at the fuel reluctantly dribble into the carb throat in a stuttering manner makes me wonder if heating the boosters or the fuel up to near-boiling would help to make more thorough atomization. I did not know the behavior of the fuel was so NON-atomized and stuttered.

I bet this one surprises a few people after the mods start. I know mine did back in the day, lol...

ME!! I have one in my '97 Formula!!

Test a Torquehead 24x coil on plug conversion!

I have two full LT1 swaps just sitting here doing nothing. Hmmmm maybe modify an old Yorker intake I have and see what happens.

More LT1

Impressive

Guess I'm buying an LT1 corvette

Shame we didn’t get to see the stock intake

That engine is so clean inside you should have been wearing a surgical mask! 😷 😁

That's interesting, but its not really an LT1, without the stock manifold...

That's not a later version with the 4x crank sensor? That plus the high voltage part of optispark, done; same as average distributor as far as fuel injection.

I’m doing this build but using a 411 ecu and running the LT1 like a LS motor

Seems like it made alot of torque over the stock intake!

I've been contemplating about what engine I need to go with in my 95 GMC K1500. Definitely was thinking going to a carb. Getting a LT1 may be in the running.

Was always curious about those

They're great except that they suck for upgrades. The intake bolt pattern isn't old pattern, but it also isn't Vortec. The heads are also old school design unless you get the much rarer LT4 variant which are basically Vortec clones. The Optispark is a disaster of a distributor and isn't supported AT ALL in the aftermarket. The reverse-flow coolant system adds more weirdness to the list of things that don't interchange. The accessory drive doesn't work with old or new SBC stuff (it's unique to that gen of LT1). Just start with a truck Vortec motor and you'll make more power for FAR FEWER DOLLARS and greater interchangeability.

LT1 all the way!

The only thing really bad about the Lt1 from that time was the opti spark.

Best thing is it's a roller engine.

these engines make their extra power because of higher compression. The reverse cooling system allows them to run on pump gas with that higher compression. In my experience the best plan is to save the rotating assembly and put it into a regular SBC block and throw the rest away. Also they have skinny piston rings which is worth a little power.

Richard! I have a 91 Chevy Truck with a 2Brl TBI Fuel System. I want to have the Engine Rebuilt. How can i increase Horsepower to about 300-350 ? Best route to take?

If that oem spline drive opti is good its worth a pretty penny! Probably 350-400

Hey @Richard I have a complete engine harness and stock pcm if you want to test mods with the stock style intake and ignition...

Can you try the classic cc306 cam and gm847?

Gen 2 converted to Gen 1? Do you still have the reverse flow cooling system-as I seem to recall. Show us the range of mods available, thanks Richard

1:47 High mileage LT1 guys... I learned the hard way this thing will kill your'e engine. Not this part but the gear on the other end that drives the oil pump. Mine was worn super thin after 180k of hard miles. I cranked it up one day and the gear teeth had worn so thin they sheared off when I started it. no oil PSI = rod knock. killed an otherwise still good engine. After my fiasco, I'd recommend you pull this thing every 150k and replace the gear on the other end. GM PN# 19052845. It will save your otherwise good high mileage engine from destruction.

Hi Richard, When do you think you will get back on the LT1? Thank you!

When will we see the "street engine" champ, 1500rpm to 3500rpm torque monster, thats 99% of the engines life for most people with an auto. Should be the criteria for an Engine Masters event.

What I want to know is if the LT1 with carb and intake will still fit under the stock hood of a '93-'97 F Body? If so, this is the easy low buck solution to the persistent Optispark problem.

236hp 306tq wheel lt1 stock ports are so small but a high dollar heads and big cam should wake it up

What is the best Optispark upgrade/eplacement??

LT1! LT1! LT1!

Hey Richerd you probably get this question from time to time but how do you run the Gm TPi on the DYNO with out the stuffy GM computer thanks.

Cool man!! Will that motor bolt up to a TH350? ;-)

Hey Richard, if money wasn’t an issue what heads cam intake setup would you run on a mild 454 that can still rev too 6000rpm?

Not bad for a motor that’s 25+ yrs old.

Hi Richard can you do an sbc bottom end with ls style heads on it please

Richard this is a pointless thing to do. The whole point of the gen 2 LT is to be run with the fuel injected intake manifold and the opti spark not a garbage dual plane carbureted intake and a drop in distributor...you might as well be using a gen 1 sbc at this point..

What were the squirters/ jetting when you switched to the edelbrock carb?

acceleration power or stall torque? ... the 8.8 axle can live with 80hp of acceleration but the moment there is loss of traction and regain of it... that's where the 260-330lbft is hiding in the old 4.6... "N-Drop"... lighter crank and the HPacc goes up and the BHP goes down... dyno inception, what type of power. ... then, 5psi in a old 4.6 sohc could brake... a 1.5 shaft floater AAM1150... tho those shafts are easy to swap on the spot. that LT1 with some gearing, a normal 9 inch isn't enough.

I have a 1997 LT1 w/4L60 and a 1998 Vortec 350 w/700R4. Both run great. One of them will be used in my 68 Camaro soon. Richard, how does the head flow compare between the 2 sets of heads?

Woohoo!!!!

What was the timing set at for the last 2 pulls?

I know there are simple firing order swap cams that pickup 40, 50 hoarse just swapping some firing orders but does anyone make big high lift big duration firing order swap cams?