LT-1 vs. LS-1

what is the biggest difference between a lt-1 and a ls-1. i know that the ls-1 is a little faster but i want to know how much faster it is in a camaro. also, is one of them easier to mod that teh other.

well, to be perfectly honest, thats kinda like compairing a 2.8L to a 3.8L V6. the two engines are completely different other than the fact that they are both internal combustion V8's. so as far as compairing them, its pretty much apples to oranges. personally i think LT1's are trash, always have, probly always will. But the LS1 engines are awesome. from both a technological and performance standpoint. the LS1 is heads and shoulders above an LT1 anyday. just my personal opinion.

In a nut shell: LT1 is iron block, LS1 is aluminum, LT1 has a little more low end torque, LT1 yrs were 93-97, and LS1 yrs were 98-02.

LT1 and LS1 Torque is THE SAME, just that it comes up lower in the RPM band on the LT1, which might be an advantage I don't know, but the LS1 has a more steady power increase and better top-end, thus the higher HP rating and higher traps. But like said, the LT1 can most likely take a lot more punishment, if you were to go FI I'd definitely pick an LT1. Also, parts for LTs are cheaper, and so it will be a cheaper engine to build up. Also, correct me if I am wrong but if you build an LT1 to the same power as an LS! won't it perfrom better due to that Torque showing up earlier.

Well no matter what you do to the LT1 short of forced induction, the torque will drop out at about 5200 rpm witch suckes monkey nuts no matter how you look at it. The LT1 might pull just a hair before the LS1 from an off idle launch, but at the strip or on the street who launches at Idle? So if you built the LT1 to match the LS1 then the LS1 will take it because it has about 500 rpm to spair.

I don't know about that. I drove a 98 Z28 that had been reprogramed with a high rev limiter and didn't seem like there was more pull at higher rpm than my 96 SS.

You don't always notice the high rpm pull that much from in the car. But side by side you should be able to see the differance.

i would avoid the LT1 like i said, the LS1 engines are totally sound, shit lingenfelter is running twin turbos on em so FI isnt really an issue. the only weak link in the engines i know of are the piston rings, they have a tendancy to leak down and let oil into the chambers, so a set of aftermarket ones would be a must, but youd have to do em anyway on FI. but id trust the LS1 in all respects, performance, durability, efficiancy over the LT1 anyday.

But what about solid Iron vs. Aluminum?

But what about solid Iron vs. Aluminum?

If you were going to highly modify the engine, then the LT-1 would be the best because of the Iron Block. The only advantage aluminum offers is weight.

I would rather have an LT-1 but this is comming from someone who already has one

Lt1's are an awsome engine for heavy mods and can take alot of punishment... however...the do have a MAJOR defect. the optispart (opticrap) if you have a highly moded engine the opti will prolie breakalot sooner. but i like the LT1's cuz their stron enough for a high shot of nitrous plus twin turbo and superchargers. LS1's are great engines too but i dont think you can getthat much out of it (unles its an LS6!! those are freakin AWSOME!!)

Big difference is the ignition - LS1 uses a reverse firing order and coil packs for each cylinder. Although the opti is actually a very sophisticated component as far as EFI is concerned, it suffers from a rather poor construction and horrible location.

The LS1 heads also flow more air than the LT1 castings. The LT4 heads flow numbers were closer to the LS1 head. Also, the LT1 engine uses a reverse-flow cooling system which sends coolant to the heads first (as opposed to last like the Gen I & III small blocks). Thats one of the big reasons the Gen II 350 LT1 was able to make 300 HP compared to the lowly 250 HP output of the Gen I 350 L98 - the reverse flow allowed GM to raise the compression ratio on the LT1.

Another related difference are the 28 lbs/hr fuel injectors found on the LS1 (vs. the 24 lbs/hr injectors in the LT1).

So basically, the LS1 benefits from more fuel, more air, and a better spark compared to the LT1.

An "easy" way or approach to mod the LT1 would simply be to address these inequalities - get an aftermarket ignition module and coil, port or switch to LT4 heads, and add larger fuel injectors. This not only levels the playing field but puts you in a position to really get the most out of other future mods.

I was saying, if you did exactly that, make it breathe better, whatever other little things need fixing, wont it be better than an LS1 because of it's torque coming up so low??

Shouldn't a 350HP LT1 beat a 350HP LS1 due to that fact alone?

Shouldn't a 350HP LT1 beat a 350HP LS1 due to that fact alone?
you also gota think of the weight. iron block vs almunimum block.

how much heavier is the LT1... according to my
Registration, my LS1 Camaro is only 100+lb. heavier than my 3800.

Well no matter what you do to the LT1 short of forced induction, the torque will drop out at about 5200 rpm witch suckes monkey nuts no matter how you look at it.

Uhh, cam???:eek7:

truely, my 2 are stock, 95' z28, and 99' z28, and both are working the same way, 99 a little more power, well it has like 20k less miles too, and the ls1, has a pussifyied engine sound compared to the lt1, and if i just changed all my sparkplugs, and updated it a little there would be no difference, but it all depends into what you like...

self, the short powerband of the LT1, as with the TPI is its runners, the LT1 has shorter runners than the TPI by far, but still long enough to be more focused at low end power than high winding rpms. thats the critical point for limiting rpm potential. the cam would help, but wouldnt fix it.

also everyone here seems to think that the aluminum engines are like hot butter. they do have iron sleeves in the cylenders, and aluminum is not only lighter, but also conducts heat better, the same reason aluminum heads are better than iron for high compression performance applications. they are also just as durable as iron engines, go punch one of each, guarantee they will both hurt just as much. look at indy, aluminum racing blocks, drag racing is using them, although they are mostly iron, many aftermarket companies are selling 454 cid small blocks with aluminum construction. lol, its not like compairing a rail road spike to a tin can after all. the LS1 is a better engine, also take the money you spent putting the reliable parts on an LT1 and spend it on an LS1 and your back where you started again, behind. Also the LS1 has a higher redline, a lighter reciprocating assembly, so it revs faster, hence making power faster, and accelerating the car faster. in a 1/4 mile drag, the LT1 might have a slightly faster reaction time, but after that, the LS1 would pull away and stay very much in front.

i still dont like my 99 as much as my 95, only because of less torque, and not as good as looks, and for an ls1, i would rather get a vette, and lt1, a camaro.

self, the short powerband of the LT1, as with the TPI is its runners, the LT1 has shorter runners than the TPI by far, but still long enough to be more focused at low end power than high winding rpms. thats the critical point for limiting rpm potential. the cam would help, but wouldnt fix it.

I was spinning to nearly 7k, making 400+rwhp NA at 6850. That's pretty high up there, isn't it??

??? with just a cam????? what kinda voodoo cam were you runnin???? not callin you a liar, just wanna know :)

dont suppose you have any dyno sheets you can email me???? cuz that power curve must be really weird.

??? with just a cam????? what kinda voodoo cam were you runnin???? not callin you a liar, just wanna know :)

No, not with just cam. H/C, I/H/E, fuel system mods. It was a solid. Not a hydro. So in some sense of the word, it was a voodoo cam, considering you don't see too many solid's on LT1s.:biggrin:

hmmmm, guess im not up on the abbriviations, H/C is higher compression???? I/H/E would be intake, heads, and exhaust????? pretty extencive mods, probly why your power band was so increased. for instance, with the addition of a superram intake on a TPI engine the powerband is extended from 4500-5000 to around 6500 rpms. i was referring to a stock LT1, but yes, naturally if you increase the airflow characteristics of an engine the powerband will also change.

hmmmm, guess im not up on the abbriviations, H/C is higher compression???? I/H/E would be intake, heads, and exhaust????? pretty extencive mods, probly why your power band was so increased. for instance, with the addition of a superram intake on a TPI engine the powerband is extended from 4500-5000 to around 6500 rpms. i was referring to a stock LT1, but yes, naturally if you increase the airflow characteristics of an engine the powerband will also change.

Oh, sorry about the abbreviations, haha. I spend waaayy too much time on the computer:p H/C = Head/Cam, I/H/E = Intake/Headers/Exhaust. Yea, my car was far from stock. I thought you were saying that short of a supercharger/turbo there was NO way to increase the powerband. But yea, I know exactly what you're saying. A stock LT1 isn't exactly a high-end killer, hehe.

Does your LT1 have good top-end now?