Just got an LT1; I need info on this, guy was a dumb**s

[hgffrank]

Today I went to get the LT1 a guy offered me for $500. Anyway, I got there and immediately I knew it wasnt what I was told. I dont know much about Gen2 or 3 engines, but I do know enough to know the variations they came as. The guy told me previously that it was a 95 Camaro engine, but at first glance I knew it couldnt be since the heads were rusted, aluminum doesnt rust so its not an f-body lt1, so I asked him what it was from again and this time he says Caprice. I ask him why he said it was from a Camaro and he claimed he didnt but it was by email so I know for a fact he did. the engine was about a 1/2 quart low on oil but it looked fairly clean, he said the engine has sat in his garage for 2 years. So I am debating the buy, and then told him i wasnt gonna give him $500 for it, that I'd give him $400. He said ok, and I paid him, loaded it up and took her home.

when I got it unloaded and bolted to engine stand I wrote down all its codes, and I'm hoping someone here can get me all the info on the engine from the codes. I have a hard time believing anything the guy said so I want to know exactly what I have before I start tearing her down for rebuild, and finding the missing brackets and such for accessories, the engine doesnt have any accessories on it. Here are the codes:

From in front of pass. head: V0603WHK
From back bellhousing flange: 5.7 LG, and below that SGT, and below that E194.

Any info will be greatly appreciated.

thanks

[badinfluence]

LT1 heads are iron not aluminum....right?

[97rs4life]

yea the heads on a caprice are different than heads from a fbody car. You want to get some fbody heads on that sucker or some aftermarket ones

[GETGONE]

At least it's a 5.7 and not the lame 4.3 V8 "LT1". A friend got sold one of those and was told it was a 5.7. Until he nuked something in the head he didn't know it was only a 4.3.

[hgffrank]

LT1 heads are iron not aluminum....right?

NO, LT1 heads are aluminum on Corvettes and f-bodies, and iron on the Caprice or Impalas which I think had them too. And the difference between the corvette and f-body LT1 was the accessory mounting positions, and fuel rail inlet side. I'm by far not an expert, but I think those are the only differences.

does anyone know the stock power and torque numbers of this engine? how much difference from the stock iron heads to the f-body or vette aluminum?
Can I buy normal 350 chevy heads? Or do any aftermarket heads I buy have to be LT1 heads?

Just need lots of info here.

[cjmatt]

youve gotta get lt1 heads due to the reverse cooling. you can get lt1 aluminum heads fo pretty cheap nowadays

[00firebird]

At least it's a 5.7 and not the lame 4.3 V8 "LT1". A friend got sold one of those and was told it was a 5.7. Until he nuked something in the head he didn't know it was only a 4.3.

i tried looking up the numbers on a 95 caprice and thats the only motor available, 4.3L 200hp/235tq v8, only 10ft-lbs better than a 3.8l v6 lol and im sure its heavier. http://autos.msn.com/research/compar...=t7585&v=t7587
cant find anything on this 5.7L caprice motor, don't think there is one.

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

NO, LT1 heads are aluminum on Corvettes and f-bodies, and iron on the Caprice or Impalas which I think had them too. And the difference between the corvette and f-body LT1 was the accessory mounting positions, and fuel rail inlet side. I'm by far not an expert, but I think those are the only differences.

does anyone know the stock power and torque numbers of this engine? how much difference from the stock iron heads to the f-body or vette aluminum?
Can I buy normal 350 chevy heads? Or do any aftermarket heads I buy have to be LT1 heads?

Just need lots of info here.

This is going back a few years ago, but GM performance used to offer a set of aluminum LT1 heads complete through the dealer for $995 a set.

The stock output of the 5.7 LT1 (depending on year) was right around 230-240 hp.

Trick-Flow heads should work as well for aftermarkets.

I'm sure Joel, The Walking LT1 Encyclopedia, will chime in...lol...

[archemedes]

i tried looking up the numbers on a 95 caprice and thats the only motor available, 4.3L 200hp/235tq v8, only 10ft-lbs better than a 3.8l v6 lol and im sure its heavier. http://autos.msn.com/research/compar...=t7585&v=t7587
cant find anything on this 5.7L caprice motor, don't think there is one.

All the ones I worked on had lt1's, the 5.7 was an option (edmunds list's it as an option also) was not a bad engine really (the police car engine was the same thing)

[MattODoom]

Ive read quite a few places that the iron LT1 heads outflow the aluminum ones. The iron LT1 head is the same design as a Vortec gen 1 head, they just turned it back to standard cooling configuration and called it the Vortec head.

[MattODoom]

Here we go:

In 1996, GM incorporated the port design from the very successful iron LT1 engines used in the Impala SS, which was improved over the aluminum LT1 Corvette and Camaro engines. In essence, the Vortec head uses the iron LT1 chamber intake and exhaust ports in a standard-water-flow iron head. These production Vortec heads were used in the new Vortec 350ci engine intended for ½-, ¾-, and 1-ton Chevy pickups. Amazingly, this mundane, production-based 1.94/1.50-inch valve head performed better than the iron Bow Tie head.

So I would say if you have an impala SS motor with the cast iron heads I would keep them, you know how much everybody loves vortec heads, there's a lot of potential there. Weighs a little bit more, but eh.

[hgffrank]

When I was originally planning to build a gen1 engine I was planning iron heads anyway, always been a bit leary of the aluminum heads for one reason or another, so in that respect I am ok with it having the iron heads. I just want to make sure I know exactly what I have.

I thought the Lt1 engine were putting out closer to 300hp in stock form???

Is there anyone around here in Michigan that does porting on heads? I'd do it myself but I'd prefer someone do it that can check there work on a flowbench.

[SlipStreamZ28]

If I remember right the "detuned" LT1's that came in the impala SS and Caprices were rated for 250hp.

[hgffrank]

Could someone post a few pics of the accessory mounts, and how they are. The motor doesnt have any brackets or accessories so I gotta get some brackets. But I feel kinda stupid needing something I dont know what looks like. Someone on another site told me the LT1's use only 1 big bracket that everything bolts too. Do the p.Steering pumps bolt up like the gen1 engines were?

Anyone have the accessory bracket that I need, I would buy it. from what I've heard I'd be better off getting a vette bracket for clearance with the a/c compressor. If anyone knows where I could get the brackets I need please let me know.

[hgffrank]

Today I went and got the info from the ecm to find out if the ecm is the right one. If anyone could tell me what this ecm is from I would appreciate it. When I did a google search on it I only got one hit and it was another guy asking about the same ecm and he was told it was a 96 OBDII PCM, which would suck if thats what mine is. Can anyone verify this or tell me exactly what year its from.

Serv. No 16214399 BSCY
*86BSCYK15264OZR0
16229981


thanks