SonnyinVA

i have heard alot about this swap and i am now selling some complete LT1 intakes (check out C4 parts for sale, includes TB, fuel rail, injectors, and sensors) that would be perfect for this swap, but i was wondering if anybody has any results from doing this swap? should be similar to a miniram on a L98 due to similar intake design.
i wanted to do it on my L98 but sold it and bought the LT4 before i had the chance.

VetNutJim

Dumb question time, hope you don't mind.

How do you get the cooling to work correctly?

I'd like to run some LT1 heads on my L98 but don't know how to make the cooling work correctly.

SonnyinVA

personally, i think that it wouldn't be worth the cost.
even though you can get LT1 heads relatively cheaply, unless you are gonna do all the work yourself, by the time you pay to have them fixed to work on a L98 and then ported etc. you'd have almost as much into them as just buying a set of nice heads that are made for Gen 1 SBC.
just my $.02

BTW, the Lt1 heads are not required to use the LT1 intake though.
LT1 intake can be bolted on with some relatively minor mods, and it should give similar results to the much more expensive miniram (without the hood clearance problems)
i'm just looking for real world testimonial from someone who has done this swap.

SonnyinVA

ok just read your post again, and i see the question about making the cooling run correctly on the intake. supposedly it all lines up already, you just have to run a remote thermostat housing and plumb a couple of nipples into the front of the manifold.

GlennS87

Someone on this board (I believe John Millican) is selling a modified LT1 that will fit an L98. This is also posted about on the http://www.thirdgen.org board. I think some people have had troubles making it work though.

86VETTEMAN

Here is a link that can walk you throught the swap. This person did it when everyone said it couldn't be done. Hers the link: http://www.lt1intake.com/swapping.htm
:thumbs: Good luck. I would like to see the dyno sesults between the two.

MrNuke

With the correct parts it is not that big of a deal to do once the machining is done to the bolt holes, distributor holes, etc.. etc.. Only issue is that it is NOT emissions legal due to no EGR.. So that's why I didn't do the conversion of mine, and got a superram instead..

sumoboy

:eek: Looks like alot of plumbing required and alot more hoses.I'm sure there is no room for error and $.
I'm sure there is always someone out there to give anything a shot. :thumbs:


[Modified by sumoboy, 5:57 PM 4/22/2003]

SonnyinVA

i don't think that plumbing looks difficult.
i just got an email back from John at LT1intake.com and he said that he picked up 5mph in the 1/4 his first time out after the swap. i'm sure someone can estimate what kind of HP gains that must equal?

SonnyinVA

nobody here has tried this or knows anyone that can give some solid results?

bill mcdonald

I almost got one of those intake twice, but it didnt happen.
I am not too happy about having to swap out the dist as it is an added cost.

asuming the intake is aluminum, I wonder if one could cut off the EGR crap at the back, and put a flat plate on the back of the plenum in this area? Hopefully allowing use of the stock dist?





[Modified by bill mcdonald, 12:28 PM 4/23/2003]

SonnyinVA

seems like it would work... you could probably even JB Weld a plate over the hole or fill it in (assuming that you didn't want to have it welded closed) so that you wouldn't have to worry about leaving enough intake to run some bolts into to secure a plate.
seems like a simple solution. give it a whack.

BTW, he said that 5mph he gained in the 1/4 with the LT1 intake was without any additional tuning. i imagine the gains could be improved dramatically with some tuning. what is 5 mph trap speed increase equal too?? 40-50 RWHP? anybody know?

SonnyinVA

not sure how much interference there is back there though. i think you would have to set the intake on there with the dist hole already cut and then just see what needed to be clearanced to make it fit as you jab the dist in.

keep iin mind that you can get one of the small distributors USED from the camaro forum's where somebody has upgraded or something. then sell your stock one on this forum and you will probably come close to breaking even.

jmr302

I have a converted intake and all the hardware. I was all ready to do the swap but the guy I was relying on to do the chip burning isn't going to be available so I bailed on the idea. The previous owner of my intake ground all the EGR stuff off the back of the manifold. A big HEI probably wouldn't clear the rear fuel rail crossover. The small cap HEI's are all the same for all applications from '87-? and they're pretty easy to get. You can just weld a bunch of plate on back there because you'll warp the manifold. John @ LT1intakes.com sells distributor spacers. I was planning on RTV'ing mine down.

My opinion is that unless you can do a lot of fab work yourself you're better off with a Miniram (sorry John!) if you have a Corvette. The custom fuel lines required to plumb into the stock LT1 fuel rail can get expensive since the L98 lines connect to the fuel rail at the front-right of the motor instead of the left-rear like the F-bodies do. The fitting style is also different. The L98 vettes use a Saginaw type o-ring seal and the F-bodies and LT1 vette's use that weirdo push-on style fitting.

Raistlin

Jason (vette89???) just put LT4 fuel lines on is superram car. I don't remember if he gave a cost.