Thread: LT intake manifold modification for distributor

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Duece4------I usually get a clean, finished look to any mods I do on my stuff


Roger-------the manifold is a way to go if a person wants to just put a carb on an LT1 for some other era car, but the costs are a lot higher than the $300 ------you will need a carb, air cleaner, fuel pump and lines, regulator,etc plus of course the complete ignition system-a person going that route will be spending maybe as much as $2500?----


Now , not to say that he won't be spending $$ on this conversion, but it does allow the keeping of an excellent EFI system and basicly just getting rid of the opti. I myself never had any issues with an Opti but I want to move it out to get rid off the wires down there so I can mount the alt and a/c close to crank area-- However, on my wifes 33 I did move the engine back toward cowl for more room behind radiator and its tight where the dist goes----but the driveshaft is shorter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

....Now , not to say that he won't be spending $$ on this conversion, but it does allow the keeping of an excellent EFI system and basicly just getting rid of the opti. I myself never had any issues with an Opti but I want to move it out to get rid off the wires down there so I can mount the alt and a/c close to crank area-- However, on my wifes 33 I did move the engine back toward cowl for more room behind radiator and its tight where the dist goes----but the driveshaft is shorter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not familiar with the opti-spark distributor system, but as I understand it inputs to the PCM for crank position (laser through disc w/360 tiny slots), and the PCM then triggers the output to the coil based on the spark map that's in the PCM, and also triggers the injector pulses based on this crank position input, right? When you make this change you'll use an electronic distributor, but what do you do for the crank position sensor? Sounds like a neat modification, and I expect I can find out about it on the hot chevy sites with a little Google mining but it's lots easier to ask the guy who's done it before.

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Duece4------I usually get a clean, finished look to any mods I do on my stuff


Roger-------the manifold is a way to go if a person wants to just put a carb on an LT1 for some other era car, but the costs are a lot higher than the $300 ------you will need a carb, air cleaner, fuel pump and lines, regulator,etc plus of course the complete ignition system-a person going that route will be spending maybe as much as $2500?----


Now , not to say that he won't be spending $$ on this conversion, but it does allow the keeping of an excellent EFI system and basicly just getting rid of the opti. I myself never had any issues with an Opti but I want to move it out to get rid off the wires down there so I can mount the alt and a/c close to crank area-- However, on my wifes 33 I did move the engine back toward cowl for more room behind radiator and its tight where the dist goes----but the driveshaft is shorter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A dumb question for you Jerry, could one work a crank trigger system onto an LT engine? I love their simplicity and easy of adjustment on the timing! Just curious and wondering if you have done one?

I thought I might throw my 2 cents into this conversation. I always read gen 2 LT1 stuff when posted because I own three of them. Two run('94 Z28 Camaro, '97 SS Camaro)and the third is going into to a project truck('57 Chevy) if I ever find the time to finish it.
As far as the optispark distributor, On the '94 I've changed the distributor twice in 110k miles. It has the older non-vented design which crap out at roughly every 50k miles. The last one I put in was a newer design MSD that includes venting and has gone about 10k miles trouble free. I also have an MSD unit on the '97 that is trouble free.
With regard to Dave's question, I have been considering going to a crank triggered coil on plug system in the '97. Not because the optispark is problematic but because it would allow me to use a PCM that is way more advanced than the original '97 PCM along with the precise spark energy and accuracy of coil on plug.
I know a engine tuner that told me the LT1 PCM's are dinosaurs compared to the newer LS PCM's in the sense of being smarter and faster. Makes tuning a big cammed LT1 possible. Here's a link to a setup I'm considering buying from what seems to be a very innovative company. A plug and play setup that can be done in a day.
https://www.torqhead.com/how-it-works.html
Nolan

Originally Posted by JOATMON

I thought I might throw my 2 cents into this conversation. I always read gen 2 LT1 stuff when posted because I own three of them. Two run('94 Z28 Camaro, '97 SS Camaro)and the third is going into to a project truck('57 Chevy) if I ever find the time to finish it.
As far as the optispark distributor, On the '94 I've changed the distributor twice in 110k miles. It has the older non-vented design which crap out at roughly every 50k miles. The last one I put in was a newer design MSD that includes venting and has gone about 10k miles trouble free. I also have an MSD unit on the '97 that is trouble free.
With regard to Dave's question, I have been considering going to a crank triggered coil on plug system in the '97. Not because the optispark is problematic but because it would allow me to use a PCM that is way more advanced than the original '97 PCM along with the precise spark energy and accuracy of coil on plug.
I know a engine tuner that told me the LT1 PCM's are dinosaurs compared to the newer LS PCM's in the sense of being smarter and faster. Makes tuning a big cammed LT1 possible. Here's a link to a setup I'm considering buying from what seems to be a very innovative company. A plug and play setup that can be done in a day.
https://www.torqhead.com/how-it-works.html
Nolan

Thanks for the link, great information there, looks like a fine product!