LT1 383 stroker or not
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LT1 383 stroker or not
I'm picking up an lt1 block today out of a 94 Camaro and I was wondering if I should go 383 or just leave it 350. I'd like to get 400hp to the wheels if possible. I know either way a good set of heads and intake are in my future but I didn't know which would be a better/more cost effective way to make the power out of something that will be daily driven. Opinions and suggestions are highly welcomed. Also any swap tips would be nice to as this will be my first ltx swap.
#3
Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
I'm picking up an lt1 block today out of a 94 Camaro and I was wondering if I should go 383 or just leave it 350. I'd like to get 400hp to the wheels if possible. I know either way a good set of heads and intake are in my future but I didn't know which would be a better/more cost effective way to make the power out of something that will be daily driven. Opinions and suggestions are highly welcomed. Also any swap tips would be nice to as this will be my first ltx swap.
The stock heads also will not happily feed a 383 so you'd need headwork anyways to get the most out of it.
Getting near 400rwhp requires head work, HAS to happen. And it requires a fairly healthy cam even with ported heads. You are going to be spinning a 350 size engine in the 6000-6500rpm range to make 400+ at the wheels depending on how well the heads flow.
6500rpm is near the upper limits of most stock LT1 shortblocks. I don't know if I'd want to take an average LT1 block past 6700rpm.
When choosing a cam for my heads/cam swap on my stock LT1 block I didn't really want to rev it past 6200rpm all that much. Now its knocking so I'm having a shortblock built and I stepped up the cam with more duration.
Talk to Lloyd Elliot, and Advanced Induction. AI is better, but more expensive. Lloyd is cheaper but still proven.
Last edited by Thirdgen89GTA; 10-14-2012 at 12:25 PM.
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
Had a SBC 383.
Strong, but loved the fuel....always had to feed it.
Also made lots of heat... all those BTUs from the poor mpg....they had to go somewhere
Thirsty and hot were never in any article I ever saw... my take would say a 355, and a bit less HP.
If you want painless HP, maybe you should look to a LS
Strong, but loved the fuel....always had to feed it.
Also made lots of heat... all those BTUs from the poor mpg....they had to go somewhere
Thirsty and hot were never in any article I ever saw... my take would say a 355, and a bit less HP.
If you want painless HP, maybe you should look to a LS
#6
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
Put some HP bearings in that shortblock since the factory bearings are junk for what we do add an LE cam/heads combo and enjoy that Lt1 without a bunch of cash invested....
Are you going to have a manual or an auto? Autos are harder to reach the HP goal you have so up the compression Lt1s have No problem being pump gas friendly at 11.5-12.1 compression and that is where you will get the power from!
In short, deck your block O deck height, mill 15-20 thousandths off the heads, rebearing it and change the oil pump to a STD.volume high pressure pump instal Lloyd's Le2 heads and cam package, have the intake port matched, 52-58mm,30-36lb injectors and 1.6 roller rockers with 7/16 studs, chromoly or hardened 7.200 pushrods.
Automatic use 3.73s
Manual use 4.10s
Get that pcm tuned and you will be above your goal!!!!!!!!
Are you going to have a manual or an auto? Autos are harder to reach the HP goal you have so up the compression Lt1s have No problem being pump gas friendly at 11.5-12.1 compression and that is where you will get the power from!
In short, deck your block O deck height, mill 15-20 thousandths off the heads, rebearing it and change the oil pump to a STD.volume high pressure pump instal Lloyd's Le2 heads and cam package, have the intake port matched, 52-58mm,30-36lb injectors and 1.6 roller rockers with 7/16 studs, chromoly or hardened 7.200 pushrods.
Automatic use 3.73s
Manual use 4.10s
Get that pcm tuned and you will be above your goal!!!!!!!!
#7
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
my LT1 has what most people in the LT1 world consider the best 200cc ported factory casting heads you can get. 236/248 nitrous cam, and the rest of the supporting valvetrain. single plane intake. everything else on the engine is stock parts, and bearings/rings are oem replacements. 425rwhp sae through a th400/9" rear/28" slicks on a dynojet.
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
I'm definitely going with a t56 and plan on running 4.10s in the rear. I'm liking what I see on the LE site especially the LE2 heads and cam combo.
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
I had planned on doing all the other go fast parts originally just was unsure on the heads and cam. I found a lot of good options on both the LE site and AI.
#11
Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
Cam wise between the two, I don't know which is better. I know that Lloyd recently switched to Lunati's asymmetrical lobes for his cams. Aggressive lift ramp on the opening side and a more gradual ramp on the closing side.
I actually just ordered his new cam for my build since I am rebuilding my short block and will trust it with more RPM's now.
Went with his 231/239 cam on a 110LSA. Should peak in the 6500rpm area and still carry some power even beyond that with ported heads.
Still have my 226/232 camshaft which i'm trying to sell, but had no bites yet. Maybe I'm asking too much but its never even been installed or removed from the packaging. Figured I'd get lowballed anyways.
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
If you can afford it AI is definitely the better of the two options, but takes more $$$.
Cam wise between the two, I don't know which is better. I know that Lloyd recently switched to Lunati's asymmetrical lobes for his cams. Aggressive lift ramp on the opening side and a more gradual ramp on the closing side.
I actually just ordered his new cam for my build since I am rebuilding my short block and will trust it with more RPM's now.
Went with his 231/239 cam on a 110LSA. Should peak in the 6500rpm area and still carry some power even beyond that with ported heads.
Still have my 226/232 camshaft which i'm trying to sell, but had no bites yet. Maybe I'm asking too much but its never even been installed or removed from the packaging. Figured I'd get lowballed anyways.
Cam wise between the two, I don't know which is better. I know that Lloyd recently switched to Lunati's asymmetrical lobes for his cams. Aggressive lift ramp on the opening side and a more gradual ramp on the closing side.
I actually just ordered his new cam for my build since I am rebuilding my short block and will trust it with more RPM's now.
Went with his 231/239 cam on a 110LSA. Should peak in the 6500rpm area and still carry some power even beyond that with ported heads.
Still have my 226/232 camshaft which i'm trying to sell, but had no bites yet. Maybe I'm asking too much but its never even been installed or removed from the packaging. Figured I'd get lowballed anyways.
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
I'm picking up an lt1 block today out of a 94 Camaro and I was wondering if I should go 383 or just leave it 350. I'd like to get 400hp to the wheels if possible. I know either way a good set of heads and intake are in my future but I didn't know which would be a better/more cost effective way to make the power out of something that will be daily driven. Opinions and suggestions are highly welcomed. Also any swap tips would be nice to as this will be my first ltx swap.
ok here is my on the issue. a small block is limited on HP by only 4 key components, 1st: AIR IN "intake, 2nd: AIR OUT "Exhaust", 3RD HEADS, 4TH CAM, In that order, you can get 500Hp out of a 283 with enough $$$, the 383 is a good engine for torque "In my opinion" I have had a 400 that turned 8500 with 450hp + but 3mpg kind of sucked. if money is no object the shoot the moon, shoot you will have crazzy braggin rights. other wise do your research and build smart.
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#18
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
ok here is my on the issue. a small block is limited on HP by only 4 key components, 1st: AIR IN "intake, 2nd: AIR OUT "Exhaust", 3RD HEADS, 4TH CAM, In that order, you can get 500Hp out of a 283 with enough $$$, the 383 is a good engine for torque "In my opinion" I have had a 400 that turned 8500 with 450hp + but 3mpg kind of sucked. if money is no object the shoot the moon, shoot you will have crazzy braggin rights. other wise do your research and build smart.
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Re: LT1 383 stroker or not
Here is my take.
Comparing a 383 to a 350, you will see better torque & drivability from the 383 vs the 350 if built to a similar power level.
As for the need for good cylinder heads, this is correct.
You can get good power with a set of LE ported stockers to 6500 on a 383.
Keep in mind the LT4 package made over 450hp with stock LT4 heads and their
hot cam which was pretty mild. The LE heads should be better than the stock LT4's.
For comparison, I built a 9.3:1 low compression 383 LT1 that was destined for a blower. Used a small 220/230 blower cam, CNC ported stock heads & it made over 400 to the tires with an automatic, normally aspirated, through cats. It still averaged 18mpg & ran high 11's. in a 94Z28. This was a test to see how it did before the blower was put on. Obviously with 11:1 compression it would have done much better.
As for fuel mileage, the cam choice will likely hurt you more than the cubes. If you build enough torque, you can leave the trans in 6th & keep the revs down.
With 4.11's I would not expect this to be a problem, but thought I would throw it out there.
If the stock bottom end is good, then save your money & build the top end with good parts. You can always forge or stroke the bottom end later if you desire.
You power goal will not be a problem.
Comparing a 383 to a 350, you will see better torque & drivability from the 383 vs the 350 if built to a similar power level.
As for the need for good cylinder heads, this is correct.
You can get good power with a set of LE ported stockers to 6500 on a 383.
Keep in mind the LT4 package made over 450hp with stock LT4 heads and their
hot cam which was pretty mild. The LE heads should be better than the stock LT4's.
For comparison, I built a 9.3:1 low compression 383 LT1 that was destined for a blower. Used a small 220/230 blower cam, CNC ported stock heads & it made over 400 to the tires with an automatic, normally aspirated, through cats. It still averaged 18mpg & ran high 11's. in a 94Z28. This was a test to see how it did before the blower was put on. Obviously with 11:1 compression it would have done much better.
As for fuel mileage, the cam choice will likely hurt you more than the cubes. If you build enough torque, you can leave the trans in 6th & keep the revs down.
With 4.11's I would not expect this to be a problem, but thought I would throw it out there.
If the stock bottom end is good, then save your money & build the top end with good parts. You can always forge or stroke the bottom end later if you desire.
You power goal will not be a problem.
Last edited by Lonnie P; 11-01-2012 at 10:20 AM.
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