So ive been thinking about an engine swap?

[JoeliusZ28]

Josh check out my youtube channel - same as my username here.

I have the AI 226/234 cam and my heads are milled .020. The valve bowls and ONLY the valve bowls were touched up on my heads. I do not have runner porting. I think it is matched to the cam well because my torque curve is flat as a table and the engine just seems work efficiently when doing a 2500-6k pull. I can have a ton of fun without ever breaking 4k RPM. The mid range is the best part about it. Peaky cams suck IMO.

Don't underestimate stock LT1 heads like everyone does. They are not that bad.

What you should underestimate, is the flow capability of a stock intake elbow and single 3" exhaust. I would not have hit 370rwhp without my 3" duals and LS1 lid. SBCs like easy breathing. Ive had 4-5 different exhaust configurations and with each change i picked up power. A good true dual system is a lot cheaper than headwork - but it is loud

here's an in-car video for you to get a feel for how it drives with street tires and 3.42 gears.

[birdie2000]

Joel, do you have any 1/4 mile times for that? I'm curious what you're trapping with that setup.

[JoeliusZ28]

Ive trapped anywhere from 108-113 with it depending on day/track/conditions. Ive never put sticky tires on the car so my E/Ts suck

Everything so far has all been with the factory 5850 RPM rev limiter. I am going to bump it up to 6400 or so this summer, I think there is another mph or two in it. Its been hitting the stock limiter like a sprinting dog on a leash.

[birdie2000]

lol, that's why I asked about trap. I'd be nursing that 10-bolt too.

Yeah, I'm sure that cam wants more than 6k rpm to do its thing. That sure dyno's nice for stock heads. 114-115mph out of that cam only would be pretty cool for a car that's not a dedicated drag car.

[JoeliusZ28]

Im sure with 4.10s and a raised limiter i could achieve that. But, I refuse to do anything with my 10 bolt until it breaks. Its been a champion so far behind that Spec stage 3 and my driving

[birdie2000]

Yeah, I was the same way for my WS6. The rear that was in it was nasty, so I scored a really low-mile LS rear-end with 3.42 gears in it for a couple hundred bucks. Threw a coat of paint on it, a girdle, and it's still cheaper (and quieter) than even a gear swap in my old nasty rear-end. Suits me just fine for a street car, and being setup by the factory is about the best you're gonna get for quietness IMO. Has worked great so far even with Nittos.

[JoeliusZ28]

Agreed - We'll see how it likes a set of wrinkle walls this year though. As long as i can take the shock element out of it, I am hoping it can handle some load.

[blacklt1firebird]

Joel- Thanks for ur input, ive seen pretty much all of ur videos on your channel haha. Where ur car is, is pretty much exactly where id like to b with mine. I'll have to start looking around for cams then, there's a place by my house called d&s engines that people i know have had heads done there for fairly cheap so i may look into that also. Not tryin to spend over a grand at this point though. So if i have to i can wait til later n upgrade. Do any of u know what the baseline for an lt1 stock would put down at the rear wheels?

[Fox Slaughter]

Don't have over a grand? You can't do anything but say suspension parts. A cam swap alone will cost on the better side of a 1000.

[JoeliusZ28]

Joel- Thanks for ur input, ive seen pretty much all of ur videos on your channel haha. Where ur car is, is pretty much exactly where id like to b with mine. I'll have to start looking around for cams then, there's a place by my house called d&s engines that people i know have had heads done there for fairly cheap so i may look into that also. Not tryin to spend over a grand at this point though. So if i have to i can wait til later n upgrade. Do any of u know what the baseline for an lt1 stock would put down at the rear wheels?

Keep saving. I spent over 2k doing everything to mine and i did the tune myself. $400 of that was in the heads (i did a valve job while it was apart). Dont just use whatever cam. The right specs make a big difference. From all the research i did, (and i did a lot during college classes ) I think AI uses just the right amount of LSA and advance for a fun street personality.

A stock lt1 with headers probably makes close to 300rwhp.

[Fox Slaughter]

Keep saving. I spent over 2k doing everything to mine and i did the tune myself. $400 of that was in the heads (i did a valve job while it was apart). Dont just use whatever cam. The right specs make a big difference. From all the research i did, (and i did a lot during college classes ) I think AI uses just the right amount of LSA and advance for a fun street personality.

A stock lt1 with headers probably makes close to 300000000^10rwhp.

Fixed.

[jderry]

I probably spent more then Joel doing mine... So save double or more to do one right.

[blacklt1firebird]

Keep saving. I spent over 2k doing everything to mine and i did the tune myself. $400 of that was in the heads (i did a valve job while it was apart). Dont just use whatever cam. The right specs make a big difference. From all the research i did, (and i did a lot during college classes ) I think AI uses just the right amount of LSA and advance for a fun street personality.

A stock lt1 with headers probably makes close to 300rwhp.

Really? a stock lt1 puts out 300? I thought they were only rated like 275 at the flywheel? n thanks for the input, I have money saved up... but idk how my significant other would feel about me droppin 2 grand on it when in her opinion "it runs fine the way it is" haha. Ill have to do some negotiating i suppose n see if i can get everything for it by winter.

[meissen]

Yeah Josh is right, stock LT1 was rated at 275 at the flywheel.

[kyleozzie]

Really? but idk how my significant other would feel about me droppin 2 grand on it when in her opinion "it runs fine the way it is" haha.

lol thats why i built mine when i was 20 so then if i found my significant other i would skip that debate Lol but it sounds like there are some good guys for reference on here... Joel's seems to be where you want.. and if you want a little more extreme ill be where you want lol.. but a bit of advise, faster you go more things break LOL