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Advice Needed: LT1 Rebuild

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  • #1

    Advice Needed: LT1 Rebuild

    Hello all, I have been quite here for a while now because last year my car developed the "knock of death" and had a spun bearing.

    After about a year of paying down debts to get myself into a good position to rebuild the engine it is now time for this thread.

    ATM the car is a 94 formula firebird, stock, with 127k kilometers on it. My goals are to spend around 6k (is that enough) to get the engine rebuilt by a profesional. I would like to get around 400hp & torque when I am done but that is a totaly arbitary number. I would love to have a 383 but if a 355 would be alot better with fuel acconomy I would perfer that.

    After the car is done I will upgrade other stuff as my budget allows. I want this car to be my daily driver and in a few years it will be totaly my fun car to take out on weekends but now it must be reliable.

    I need to do the engine work anyways so N.A. is as far as I want to take the engine. I read alot about the LE2 set ups, is that a good place to start? Also I would like forged components, which brands should I look for? I only have a 2 bolt main, I would like to have it machined to be stronger is that needed in my case? I am totaly new to engine building work however I have a background in mechanical engineering so that should help.

    Does anyone have a place online where I can start to build up my knowlege on engine design that could be helpful for me?

    I have been reading forums and the shoebox website ever since I owned my car but now I am looking into specifics.

    I plan on going to 2 or 3 different engine builders for prices but I don't want to walk into there and get taken because of lack of knowlege. In December I want to start shopping around for a creditable builder but intill then I would like to start to build knowlege as well as a ruff list of parts and maybe prices to go from.

    This isn't a dream about a project that I would like to do but I am actuly starting this soon and any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks
    94 Formula Firebird, 355, heads port and polished, cc503 cam, 30# injectors, PCMforless Tune, B&M 2400 stall, K&N CAI, BBK Sorty Headers, Magnaflow Highflow Cat, Borla Catback exhaust with electronic cutout.
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  • #2
    400HP at the wheels or at the flywheel? If its at the rear wheels, what trans are you running?

    If you aren't using a power adder (blower, turbo, nitrous), you don't necessarily need all forged components or 4-bolt mains.

    You will not see a lot of difference in fuel economy between a 355 and a 383.
    Fred

    381ci all-forged stroker - 10.8:1 - CNC LT4 heads/intake - CC solid roller - MoTeC engine management - 8 LS1 coils - 58mm TB - 78# injectors - 300-shot dry nitrous - TH400 - Gear Vendor O/D - Strange 12-bolt - 4.11's - AS&M headers - duals - Corbeau seat - AutoMeter gauges - roll bar - Spohn suspension - QA1 shocks - a few other odds 'n ends. 800HP/800lb-ft at the flywheel, on a 300-shot. 11.5 @ 117MPH straight motor

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    • #3
      400hp/torque is just a nice number, but I would like to see that at the wheels If I can only see 360 or 380 to the wheels and have the build be less expencive, more reliable and more streetable then that's the way I will go. I saw the LE2 set up and thought that may be a good goal but again I don't know too much about this atm.

      The reason why I was thinking forged internals is I want the engine bullet proof so I wont ever have to do this again. That's also the reason why I am looking for a perfessional to do the engine work.

      I want a set up (for around 6k if possible) that I will always be happy with its performance and will drop jaws when I drive by people. I love the sound of a nice 383 LT1. I understand performance isn't just HP in the engine but with my engine problems I already need to rebuild it so I would like to do it right so I wont have to do it ever again.

      Right now my car is stock. So for a crazzy powerful engine it would be VERY expencive to build it up solid. So I was hoping to build something nice but not something that will turn my car into something that brakes everytime I tap the gas pedal to hard. I also have read that wheel hop is what kills the 10 bolt rears and if that is eliminated they can hold up with around 400hp to the wheels.

      As you can probably tell I am not the most knowlegeable guy out there but I want to learn and in about a 1/2 a month I will be going to different engine builders to get quotes.

      It's nice to hear that there isn't a big differnce in mileage with a 355 or a 383. I know if your rebuilding the engine the price differences in these 2 set ups are fairly minimal as well.
      94 Formula Firebird, 355, heads port and polished, cc503 cam, 30# injectors, PCMforless Tune, B&M 2400 stall, K&N CAI, BBK Sorty Headers, Magnaflow Highflow Cat, Borla Catback exhaust with electronic cutout.

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      • #4
        Maybe you can get some info and prices here http://autoworxperformance.com/
        97 Trans Am A4 more or less stock (Mods: WS6 Ram Air with Fernco & K&N, 12 disc CD changer, power antenna, SLP Fan Switch, LS1 Aluminum DS, Borla Cat back, McCord power plate, Spohn tower brace, Sirius, HID fog lights)


        1and1 Web Hosting

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        • #5
          Thanks for that link.

          Nice semi local place with lt1 building experiance, thanks!

          I will be asking more specific information I just would like to get a good starting point where I can build my knowlege and a real budget from.
          94 Formula Firebird, 355, heads port and polished, cc503 cam, 30# injectors, PCMforless Tune, B&M 2400 stall, K&N CAI, BBK Sorty Headers, Magnaflow Highflow Cat, Borla Catback exhaust with electronic cutout.

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