So my engine finally gave out

[low84]

Well sort of, atleast a blown head gasket possibly a cracked head. It was already severly underpowered so I'm guessing the motor is really a goner either way.


Anyway, I have that 93 lt1 in my garage. I'm planning on putting an intake manifold to convert it to carb. What else would I need? How would I get the optispark to work? Do I still need to hunt down a wiring harness, or is it as simple as running electricity to the optispark (at this point I think its evident I'm completley lost )

[graysilverado5.3]

Go for an ls1 for Penny

[kwkenuf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(low84 &#064; Mar 28 2007, 02&#58;36 PM) [snapback]87619[/snapback]</div>

Anyway, I have that 93 lt1 in my garage. I&#39;m planning on putting an intake manifold to convert it to carb. What else would I need? How would I get the optispark to work? Do I still need to hunt down a wiring harness, or is it as simple as running electricity to the optispark (at this point I think its evident I&#39;m completley lost ) [/b]

Well if you are going to emascualte the LT1 by removing the injection system, here is what you need.

Wiring harness and stand alone ignition controller to control the optispark

Intake and carb

If you have headers on your small block now, they will work... won&#39;t match perfectly, but your on a budget right? If not, use the LT1 exhaust manifolds.

If you plan on running A/C you&#39;ll need to either a: box your crossmember for clearance or b: relocate your A/C compressor to the top of the engine.

If A/C is not an issue for you, then you can remove the compressor and run a 1LE A/C delete pulley in its place to keep the same belt on the engine.

Nothing special needed for engine mounts, your existing V-8 mounts will work.

Rad hoses wil be different.... after you get the engine in place, bend up some coathanger to replicate the shape of hose you need and go down to your local chain auto parts store and dig around till you find something close.

That&#39;ll about do it....

Now if you do the right thing and retain the injection ,you&#39;ll need:

High pressure fuel system and return

PCM and wiring harness. Reprogram PCM to eliminate VATS and correct gear ratio etc.

MAF and intake ducting

The A/C and hose stuff mentioned above.

Now depending on how much of the original LT1 you have it MAY be cheaper to retain the injection setup instead of putting a carb on it... Your Gen 1 intake manifold from your dead engine will not fit the LT1.

[low84]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(graysilverado5.3 &#064; Mar 29 2007, 02&#58;48 PM) [snapback]87730[/snapback]</div>

Go for an ls1 for Penny
[/b]

I&#39;m broke

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kwkenuf &#064; Mar 29 2007, 04&#58;29 PM) [snapback]87732[/snapback]</div>

Well if you are going to emascualte the LT1 by removing the injection system, here is what you need.

Wiring harness and stand alone ignition controller to control the optispark

Intake and carb

If you have headers on your small block now, they will work... won&#39;t match perfectly, but your on a budget right? If not, use the LT1 exhaust manifolds.

If you plan on running A/C you&#39;ll need to either a: box your crossmember for clearance or b: relocate your A/C compressor to the top of the engine.

If A/C is not an issue for you, then you can remove the compressor and run a 1LE A/C delete pulley in its place to keep the same belt on the engine.

Nothing special needed for engine mounts, your existing V-8 mounts will work.

Rad hoses wil be different.... after you get the engine in place, bend up some coathanger to replicate the shape of hose you need and go down to your local chain auto parts store and dig around till you find something close.

That&#39;ll about do it....

Now if you do the right thing and retain the injection ,you&#39;ll need:

High pressure fuel system and return

PCM and wiring harness. Reprogram PCM to eliminate VATS and correct gear ratio etc.

MAF and intake ducting

The A/C and hose stuff mentioned above.

Now depending on how much of the original LT1 you have it MAY be cheaper to retain the injection setup instead of putting a carb on it... Your Gen 1 intake manifold from your dead engine will not fit the LT1.
[/b]

Wow&#33; I thought it was going to be less of a hassle.

I&#39;ve also seen some people doing away, or at least that&#39;s how I understand it, with the optispark. I&#39;m not sure of this, but I have seen them asking for a plate to cover, "where the optispark used to go". Do you know anything about this?

The reason I wanted to convert it to carb is because I don&#39;t have the engine harness or computer...... which is about &#036;650ish. Way more than I would like to spend.

[low84]

Screw it, disreguard my previous question. I&#39;m just going to rebuild the top end of my stock, carbbed 350 and maybe a decarbonizing job. I&#39;ll probably just use the lt1 as a practice engine.

[RedHeartbeat]

I&#39;d sell the LT1. It&#39;s not really good for anything but a replacement for a worn out Camaro/Firebird/Caprice. Street rodders used them a lot but they&#39;ve all started going LS1/2/6/7 lately because you can polish the aluminum up really nice.

[1fstz71]

Now correct me if I&#39;m wrong, but doesn&#39;t the LT1 still have a distributor hole under the intake? It has a "plug" per se that drives the oil pump via cam gear (just like any distributor). And I&#39;m pretty sure you could run a normal distributor on an LT1 if you swapped the carbed manifold on (but really, what difference would that motor be than yours except reverse cooling?) The LT1&#39;s can be a good motor to build if you know what your doing with them plus the injection system just looks cool lol. But the LS series of engines is the way to go if you have the cash. I say stick with the 350 you are talking about messing with, maybe do a bottom end in it (you can get 383 kits pretty cheap now days.)



see, distributor hole

[RedHeartbeat]

Nope, ain&#39;t gonna work.