91ChevyRS

After hours of hard thinking, I considered an option of actually swapping a 350 LT1 into my car with a T56 transmission or getting a 350 TPI and dropping that one in.

Right now as you have guessed, I have a 305 TBI in my car, there's nothing particularly wrong with the TBI as it is a good strong reliable motor, but the thing that boggles my mind is that I am really into Vette engines, I am really into cars that are user friendly and will basically except a bolt on without much trouble.

My original intention was to get an LS1 Trans Am or Z28 down the road and I still sort of am opting to go for that. The problem is, 4th gens are not becoming cheaper they are becoming far more expensive then I would like to pay.

SO I was shopping around ebay last night and looked up on some LT1 engines with auto trannies (I'd prefer a 6psd) for about 1700 dollars, I believe it was 70k miles.

I looked around a bit longer and found a 350 TPI for 800 bucks with 60k miles. Now I understand that the 350 TPI would mate well with my 700R4...but my question is if I had wanted to, could I swap out the 700R4 and mate the 350 TPI with a T56 instead?

I am thinking that if I spend about 3-4k on this car, with the engine swap and everything included I should keep it for alot longer than I intended. The only problem with an LT1 swap is that I have to consider getting an entirely new A/C set up.

What do you guys think, do you guys think I can properly swap in an LT1 motor into my car for under 4k?

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

4k will cover it, they have come down in price alot, but he l98 would be an easier swap with alot less pain

91ChevyRS

Hmm, I kind of figured a 350 TPI swap would be very easy to do, since I already basically have the car for it.

I have the F41 suspension package on my car, all I am missing is the motor

But I do have one concern, the 350 TPIs and the 305 TPIs look exactly alike from the outside, I want to buy the engine off ebay since there are some pretty good deals running on the site.

Anyway, how would I know if the motor is indeed a 350 TPI and not a 305 TPI?

Thats really my only risk.

How strong are the L98s? Are they LT1 strong, how many miles can those engines go before they give in.

Klortho

L98's were around I think 235hp where the LT1s are 275-295hp at the flywheel. Nice thing about the LT1s are the computers are a breeze to program to get more power(except the '93 models), I'm talking about I know guys who have picked up 30+ hp just with some dyno tuning where with the L98 you are stuck with chip burning. It really depends on how much you want to spend, how much time you want to do the swap in.

I love my LT1 and wouldn't trade it for an L98 at all.

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

I agree with Klortho, the LT1 computer is so nice to work with. To program and to monitor.

The Lt1's optispark is good and bad. Its cam-driven so its more accurate. Its harder to replace them. Aftermarket optisparks are available that are better than GM's. Coil-pack conversion kits exist also which elimates the cap and rotor from the opti but still leave the optical sensor.

I dont know how good the L98's are. Never have been around them.

nelapse

iTrader: (17)

You can't really compare the L98 and LT1 .... they are two different generations capable of different things... Too bad you do not have a 70's version of an LT1 with 360 hp from the factory... But then you have to deal with the poor machining of the 70's.
If it was me I would go LT1 because sometimes new technology is great and that motor is capable of alot of things just straight from the factory.

91ChevyRS

does anyone wanna comment on how strong the L98 is?

Thats another option I am greatly considering.

Klortho

I have a buddy who has a '91 T/A with an L98 and he's getting ready to fab up a set of LT1 heads and intake to go onto it so he can get more power, so that should tell you about that.

CityStarz

yeah I was wondering about the T-56 mating to the L98 also