Engine Swaps
Re: Engine Swaps
There's no way that will fit.
Re: Engine Swaps
Just noticed the awesome green caprice in your avatar. Texas seems to have made an impression, of some sort!
I want to put my support behind the LT1 Monte approach. It makes the Monte a great driver.. The caprice's drivetrain is great, and I assume (hope?) that the monte's body is fairly intact.. The big block idea is interesting, but really only good for racing.
I imagine those big block parts are pretty valuable... Could sell them and use the money to further enhance either the caddy or the monte...
With turbochargers.
Or paint.
I want to put my support behind the LT1 Monte approach. It makes the Monte a great driver.. The caprice's drivetrain is great, and I assume (hope?) that the monte's body is fairly intact.. The big block idea is interesting, but really only good for racing.
I imagine those big block parts are pretty valuable... Could sell them and use the money to further enhance either the caddy or the monte...
With turbochargers.
Or paint.
Re: Engine Swaps
3.73 is arguably too much gear for a stock cammed LT1, though. Think of how your Caprice has no traction with 3.08s in a 2-ton car.
Solution: needs more cam. Eventually.
Solution: needs more cam. Eventually.
Re: Engine Swaps
3.73 would still give you a pretty reasonable rpm at 70mph, though, right? I thought you said this would be somewhere in the low 2000's..
So, there would just be too much acceleration with the lighter car? I fail to see that being a problem, but I guess I haven't experienced such a thing either.
Does the monte have posi?
So, there would just be too much acceleration with the lighter car? I fail to see that being a problem, but I guess I haven't experienced such a thing either.
Does the monte have posi?
Re: Engine Swaps
In short, it's a combination of being traction limited in first (so diminishing returns) plus elevated cruise RPMs.
Stock tire size is 215/65-15. If you're going to run something like a BFG Radial T/A in that size, those tires will be smoke through all of first gear. Which is slower, not faster.
Using the actual revs/mile of a Radial T/A, a 3.73 diff and 0.696 4th will be turning 2420rpm @ 70mph in lockup. You'd be shifting into 2nd at low-30s MPH, with wheelspin. Fun at first but really unproductive when you're just trying to run that annoying ricer next to you. Into 3rd at low 60s. Into 4th a little over 100. This gearing make sense when you're dealing with an 80s 305...but a stock cammed LT1? Definitely not.
For comparison, an LT1 9C1 is looking at 1900rpm @ 70mph in lockup. And there is still plenty of torque available. And that's a heavier car. Which still has traction problems off the line.
IMO (this is all IMO obviously), the ideal setup would be something like 3.08 gears and MAYBE something hotter than the stock converter (a pricey aftermarket unit). I seem to recall the SS guys having great luck with modest gears but a really quality converter (when you add a cam especially). Recall that the 700R4/4L60-E has a steep first (3.06).
On the other hand, if you want to run some performance rubber (no, not DRs), it would work better but I don't think you'll ever be able to floor that car off the line, except on a well prepared track. And the rest of the time, it'll have elevated cruising RPMs for no real reason. Once you can't put the power down in first (or even through first), steeper gears don't benefit that well. Though it might be at the very top of 3rd through the lights, if 1/4 mile was a goal (it probably isn't).
So putting a cam in it makes a lot of sense.
And that's the theory.
In practice, there's nothing about 3.73 gears that would make me NOT swap that LT1 in there. I'm just saying it's not ideal, imo.
Stock tire size is 215/65-15. If you're going to run something like a BFG Radial T/A in that size, those tires will be smoke through all of first gear. Which is slower, not faster.
Using the actual revs/mile of a Radial T/A, a 3.73 diff and 0.696 4th will be turning 2420rpm @ 70mph in lockup. You'd be shifting into 2nd at low-30s MPH, with wheelspin. Fun at first but really unproductive when you're just trying to run that annoying ricer next to you. Into 3rd at low 60s. Into 4th a little over 100. This gearing make sense when you're dealing with an 80s 305...but a stock cammed LT1? Definitely not.
For comparison, an LT1 9C1 is looking at 1900rpm @ 70mph in lockup. And there is still plenty of torque available. And that's a heavier car. Which still has traction problems off the line.
IMO (this is all IMO obviously), the ideal setup would be something like 3.08 gears and MAYBE something hotter than the stock converter (a pricey aftermarket unit). I seem to recall the SS guys having great luck with modest gears but a really quality converter (when you add a cam especially). Recall that the 700R4/4L60-E has a steep first (3.06).
On the other hand, if you want to run some performance rubber (no, not DRs), it would work better but I don't think you'll ever be able to floor that car off the line, except on a well prepared track. And the rest of the time, it'll have elevated cruising RPMs for no real reason. Once you can't put the power down in first (or even through first), steeper gears don't benefit that well. Though it might be at the very top of 3rd through the lights, if 1/4 mile was a goal (it probably isn't).
So putting a cam in it makes a lot of sense.
And that's the theory.
In practice, there's nothing about 3.73 gears that would make me NOT swap that LT1 in there. I'm just saying it's not ideal, imo.
Re: Engine Swaps
Found this:
http://www.carcraft.com/howto/81518/
"For under $3,000, we became the proud owners of a 95 LT1 that featured a potent 10.5:1 compression, aluminum heads, and a stout rating of 275 hp and 325 lb-ft. It was delivered right to our door with all of its accessories (see Getting a Signal sidebar), the factory computer, and the original 4L60E transmission on a pallet. If youve ever made the effort to find a complete LT1 (the company has LS1s too) with a transmission and a guarantee that itll run, then you know just how much of a bargain that was. "
Look, you're already $3000 ahead on this swap!!
Accessories are a concern. Fuel pump as well...
http://www.carcraft.com/howto/81518/
"For under $3,000, we became the proud owners of a 95 LT1 that featured a potent 10.5:1 compression, aluminum heads, and a stout rating of 275 hp and 325 lb-ft. It was delivered right to our door with all of its accessories (see Getting a Signal sidebar), the factory computer, and the original 4L60E transmission on a pallet. If youve ever made the effort to find a complete LT1 (the company has LS1s too) with a transmission and a guarantee that itll run, then you know just how much of a bargain that was. "
Look, you're already $3000 ahead on this swap!!
Accessories are a concern. Fuel pump as well...
Re: Engine Swaps
He can probably just swap the pump from the Caprice over to the Monte.
EDIT: Eh, it's carbed so I guess the fuel sender would need replacement (4.3L V6 TBI sender perhaps?) and a return fuel line run.
EDIT: Eh, it's carbed so I guess the fuel sender would need replacement (4.3L V6 TBI sender perhaps?) and a return fuel line run.
Re: Engine Swaps
What about the gauge cluster? The '8051 runs the cluster and that's beneficial as you can easily calibrate the speedo in software.
Re: Engine Swaps
Funny thing. My father-in-law just linked me to this thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/show ... p?t=352321
And this quote caught my eye:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/show ... p?t=352321
And this quote caught my eye:
So that's a thing? RockAuto seems to indicate the 4.3 TBI and 305 used different tanks. At least you can get the EFI tank....seems so weird to me. I know my father-in-law left the stock tank in his 83 C10...works fine.If you use in tank pumps you will have to get a FI tank. The fuel injected tanks have baffels in them to control fuel slosh so the pump will not suck air if the tank is low of gas. Plus you will have to get the sending unit and pump.
Re: Engine Swaps
It was an option that mine does not have. The car has somewhere between 90-120K on it (haven't looked at the odometer in a while), so the factory diff probably needs some service/replacement anyway. Also I didn't drive it gently with the 305.Fast_Ed wrote:Does the monte have posi?