RockCrawler Getting An LS1, What Mods????

**rustynuts** · 01-06-2007, 10:12 PM

hello folks, somewhat new to the forum. i have been lurking for a while and reading all kinds of stuff here. great site.

i have a 4 wheel steer rock crawler and am planning on spicing it up. i'm yanking the tbi350 out and putting a ls1 in. first off, because of other costs required to finish building the buggy, i have VERY limited funds to spice the motor up. that being said, i was thinking about the basic ls6 conversion to gain more power. swap the ls6 heads, intake, and cam. used heads of course due to budget. any recommendations on a good low end torque cam? i may have harness, injector, and computer issues to deal with. not sure as i just got this motor and was told there's different injectors on the motor and i don't think the computer is the correct one for the motor either. how extenssive of programming can be done with an after market tuner of sorts? if the injectors aren't stock and the computer isn't for this motor, is there a tuner i can get to reflash and make things right? (injectors #12554271) the motor is out of a '99 trans am.

i've got header/custom exhaust to deal with as another cost as well. what do you think about running the stock heads for now and decking them to up the compression? i'm not sure what porting them would run me and am worried about losing low end torque. my goal is to be at or above the 400hp mark. this is going in a custom rock crawler and low end torque is a must, as well as reliability. i'll be running a built 700r4 with a 2200 stall as well fwiw. also, i'm green stickered and have no use for smog. what kind of power gains are there from removing smog equipment? what is required? is the maf required on these motors? i want to strip the motor of non essentials for max power/reliability. just what it needs to run, well.

sorry for all the questions but i have been searching. the time required to sort thru all the pages to find what you're looking for, and even then, you'll only get part of your question answered. only to keep on searching/reading.

thanks for any input in advance. happy new year. hope everyone has a better year this year.

buggy build up thread http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...ht=wheel+steer

**02z28ls1** · 01-07-2007, 06:14 AM

You need to know what year the motor you have is to know what's inside it right now -and emmisions equipment it currently has. The 01-02 motors have a 'truck' cam which gives a better low end torque curve as I understand it. The intake manifold is an easy swap-but depending on what year motor it is you may have the LS6 already. The compression ratio is already pretty high stock, unless you use a big cam to bleed off some of this combustion pressure you'll get into detonation land. And big cam = top end power, not low end. Reflashing the computer is no problem for a speed shop, with a dyno tune it shouldn't be too hard to get you're 400. Cool buggy BTW!

**rustynuts** · 01-07-2007, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by 02z28ls1

You need to know what year the motor you have is to know what's inside it right now -and emmisions equipment it currently has. The 01-02 motors have a 'truck' cam which gives a better low end torque curve as I understand it. The intake manifold is an easy swap-but depending on what year motor it is you may have the LS6 already. The compression ratio is already pretty high stock, unless you use a big cam to bleed off some of this combustion pressure you'll get into detonation land. And big cam = top end power, not low end. Reflashing the computer is no problem for a speed shop, with a dyno tune it shouldn't be too hard to get you're 400. Cool buggy BTW!

i've edited my original post to include the year. it's from a '99 trans am. are you saying maybe just a cam, leave the compression alone, and a tune only? forgive my ignorance, i'm just starting to learn of the ls motors. how high of compression can i go, safely, on 91 pump fuel?

**rustynuts** · 01-09-2007, 06:07 AM

TTT

anyone?

**third_shift|studios** · 01-09-2007, 09:03 AM

i think you'd be better off with an Lt1 since they have better low-end tq.

**02z28ls1** · 01-09-2007, 02:52 PM

I disagree- as I stated the 01 -02 motors have better low end performance due to a change in cam. My 02 LS1 has plenty of low-end power. I would go with a different intake-either the LS6 from a 01-02 motor or a aftermarket one. With the free flowing headers and a tune you will be close enough to 400 without ruining the good bottom end grunt IMHO. I've seen stock LS1's dyno at 350-360 hp at the flywheel with hardly any mods. You can always put more goodies on it later if you feel you need it. I was waiting for somebody else to chime in here but maybe the rock crawler thing scares people off-idk.

**rustynuts** · 01-10-2007, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by 02z28ls1

I disagree- as I stated the 01 -02 motors have better low end performance due to a change in cam. My 02 LS1 has plenty of low-end power. I would go with a different intake-either the LS6 from a 01-02 motor or a aftermarket one. With the free flowing headers and a tune you will be close enough to 400 without ruining the good bottom end grunt IMHO. I've seen stock LS1's dyno at 350-360 hp at the flywheel with hardly any mods. You can always put more goodies on it later if you feel you need it. I was waiting for somebody else to chime in here but maybe the rock crawler thing scares people off-idk.

02z28ls1, thanks for posting up. sounds like i should just run the headers, tune, and intake. i plan on putting a performance cam in and need to make some calls for professional advice. i'm surprised that nobody else has any input on this. it's still an ls1 folks. a close to stock one at that.

**shift_down** · 01-12-2007, 12:09 PM

Alot of people here like to race, so most mods are top end gain.

Anyways, you might want to look into swapping your intake manifold for an intake from a truck engine. The truck intakes are designed to maximize low end tourque. It was proven in an old issue od GMHightech magazine when they compared all three intakes.

BTW, I like that picture of your rig at Pismo!!

**rustynuts** · 01-12-2007, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by shift_down

Alot of people here like to race, so most mods are top end gain.

Anyways, you might want to look into swapping your intake manifold for an intake from a truck engine. The truck intakes are designed to maximize low end tourque. It was proven in an old issue od GMHightech magazine when they compared all three intakes.

BTW, I like that picture of your rig at Pismo!!

i'll look into the truck intake. good idea, i didn't think about that. thanks for posting up and for the compliment.

**02z28ls1** · 01-13-2007, 05:47 AM

The truck intake idea sounds great! I'm guessing combining that with the truck cam would be the low end torque champ. I know my engine still has plenty of top-end and revs incredible fast when you need it.

**predator** · 01-13-2007, 07:02 AM

have you thought about checking to see what mods they did to the spyder project or what ever on 4x4 tv (on spike network) they used and ls1 in that...

but after you remove all the accessories (youll have what left water pump, ps pump, and alt? you could even get an electric water pump) youll have just freed up like 10-20 hp... remove all the smog junk... headers, cam, intake, tune and you should be close... i think its gonna have plenty of low end grunt stock and with just a few mods you should have more than enough... if not theres aways more mods...

-me

**rustynuts** · 01-14-2007, 05:57 PM

so, i think the thing to do is to go ahead with headers, a custom cam for low end, and an intake. smog junk will be removed and the comp flashed for additional tuning/power.

i'm gonna try my hand at custom building my own headers. below is pic of a friend of mine running the caddy 6.0 and some headers he had made.

second pic is of my buggy's current status and the ls1/tranny/tcase in place for mock up.

**Firebug** · 01-14-2007, 06:20 PM

Hi Rustynuts,

Did you visit us down here last year? Drivers came from everywhere to Milbrodale in NSW. If so you may have run into this buggy?
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthre...=%28Firebug%29
I missed the event, and am kicking myself for it!

**rustynuts** · 01-15-2007, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Firebug

Hi Rustynuts,

Did you visit us down here last year? Drivers came from everywhere to Milbrodale in NSW. If so you may have run into this buggy?
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthre...=%28Firebug%29
I missed the event, and am kicking myself for it!

no, can't say that i did. nice comp buggy. how's that ls1 working out in the buggy?

i'm just in it for fun, no comps. trail rig type, overnight camping, etc.

**1 FMF** · 01-17-2007, 09:59 AM

since it's in a buggy, and a budget is involved, what about using an LS1 with an appropriate head/cam combination, and go with a dual plane intake, carburetor, and distributor setup? That would free up a lot of money and complexity associated with fuel injectors, wiring, and computer programming. Then you can just tune it anytime! There are should be a few articles floating around gm hitech performance and chevyhiperformance.com where they did this on the dyno and the carb motor made virtually the same power as a equivalent EFI version. The biggest hurdle is a new timing or water pump cover or something, which gives you a way of putting a distributor on the motor. But it is available.

**1 FMF** · 01-17-2007, 10:07 AM

carbs and distributors are much cooler anyways
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te.../photo_01.html

**1 FMF** · 01-18-2007, 09:13 AM

http://www.superchevy.com/technical/...sc_conversion/
Edelbrock and/or MSD have an ignition box where you could use the oem coil packs. That would be super simple. I don't think you need the computer, and the ignition box just connects to the oem crank and cam sensors. You wouldn't need the timing and water pump adapter and wouldn't need a distributor like in the above pic.

**rustynuts** · 02-24-2007, 07:06 AM

thanks for the input but the injection is a must for me. the carb route doesn't do to well in the off camber and steep positions i find myself in. in addition to that is one weekend i will be at see level and the next weekend at 8000 ft. the injection adjusts itself, the carb doesn't.

**1tonzr2** · 02-24-2007, 01:20 PM

hey Rusty....saw you post on Pirate as well....your headers turned out pretty damn good. I also second using the truck intake, from your pics on pirate, it looks like you have plenty of room. I am using a 5.3, LS6 cam, custom tune and the truck intake in my ZR2....should work well...

Brian

**rustynuts** · 02-26-2007, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by 1tonzr2

hey Rusty....saw you post on Pirate as well....your headers turned out pretty damn good. I also second using the truck intake, from your pics on pirate, it looks like you have plenty of room. I am using a 5.3, LS6 cam, custom tune and the truck intake in my ZR2....should work well...

Brian

thanks for the props. the headers were'nt that tough to build (equal length). they're swept forward to maximize leg room in case anyone was wondering.

i've thought about the truck intake but it's just too tall. i'll run it first, then see what other mods i want to do.