Hey guys, im new to the forum obviously so sorry if im somehow doing something wrong lol. I currently have a 95 3.4 AT and im really getting tired of the power. im looking to get an SS, 98 or up for sure. Im planning on keeping it n/a for awhile so i can upgrade suspension, driveline, brakes etc. just to get it ready for a turbo or supercharger. im wondering which would be the best choice for an ls1 with stock internals? also what is the maximum safe amount of hp/tq the ls1 and t56 tranny can hold? and any other suggestions or tips involving FI or just modifying the SS in general would be highly appreciated. i know theres a ton of smart guys on here and id love all the info i can get. Thanks

 

Wouldn't do FI on a stock internal LS1, or if I did, very low boost, sub 6 pounds. Going FI is not as simple as people generally think, a lot of supporting mods are required. The best way to get power for the money is H/C. A good cam and set of heads can seriously wake up a LS1 for little money. As to how much power it can take, depends on everything.... Its strong enough to where you won't have to worry about it for your application. The T56 is fine, though a new clutch and master cylinder are highly recommended before you do anything. The 10 bolt rear end is where the weakness lies. It will self destruct under stock power, ask me how I know first-hand. It is not worth the hassle to try and upgrade the 10 bolt, get a 12 bolt at the least, but a 9" is heavily suggested. A new rear end is essentially a requirement when talking about anything more than bolt ons and a small cam.

 

Thanks for the quick reply, ive heard of people running 7-10 psi on stock internals. supporting mods have some affect obviously. for a decent set up would it be cheaaper to go with a turbo or sc without labor costs? I plan on doing it in my buddies shop after hours, he owns an 840 hp rb26 swap single turbo 240sx which he built in the shop so he knows what hes doing. And i dont necessarily plan on making anything above 450-500 hp so i dont need the absolute best of the best. And how tough of a job is that rear swap? id definitely go ahead and put in 3.73's while im at it. and i must admit im not very experienced but i would say i have a pretty good amount of knowledge, cars have been my passion for some time now.

 

450 bhp or whp? 450 bhp is easy to hit, and much cheaper to hit, with H/C/I. Swapping a rear end isn't overly difficult if its all plug and play, but making sure it is properly aligned should be done by a professional or one who has a lot of experience.

 

id like to get 450 to the wheels which should be easily achievable with FI to my knowledge. For installation purposes im assuming the sc is easier granted its not as much piping and fabrication or i could be wrong. Also im trying to think of miscellanous upgrades i would need that arent as obvious as others prerequisites for the sc or turbo. anything come to mind?

 

The Real Price of Forced Induction - LS1TECH

Stock Bottom & Boost - Reliability List - LS1TECH

FI is not cheap, especially if you want to do it right, which should be the only way you would want to do it. H/C/I is much more cost beneficial at these power levels, and keep in mind you will need to do H/C/I when going FI.

 

If i stay NA and went the H/C/I route i would like to get good headers (are ported 243's worth the price?) mild cam, LS6 intake, electric cutouts, new intake manifold, throttle body (if its worth it) new rear, and 3.73's. what gains could i expect? im thinking id end up in the 520-540 whp range if i got a good tune as well. any ideas or tips when buying any of the above?

 

Lets get to tearing it apart and post some pictures.

 

I'm got a little lost in this post. But I think I can clear it up a little. First thing is you talked about 243 heads not headers. Headers are what replaces exhaust manifolds. You mention a LS6 intake and then a new intake manifold, same thing. But if you find a 01-02 LS F-body, it will all ready have the LS6 intake on it.

As FD mentioned, get a good heads/cam/intake set up. This will put you much closer to your goal and will also make any additional mods down the road more beneficial, such as FI. I also agree with him in swapping the whole rear end first, so I'd hold off on the gears till you got a different rear and just order them as a package. With a 6 speed, I'd would just jump on either a 9in or S60 as both will withstand more punishment than you can throw at it. An auto you'd be fine with a 12 bolt, but a 9in wouldn't hurt.

Personally, I wouldn't go FI until the bottom end was built. I have still have pictures from my cousins WS6 where he bent one of the rods. And that was N/A with basic bolt ons.

With a built bottom end, some type of FI, heads, cam, intake and bolt ons your looking probably close to $12k. But, while having 450 hp is nice and all, there's point in having it if you can't get the car to stick so suspension mods are certainly in order so expect another 3 or 4 grand, if not more. All of this does not include any work that you can't do yourself. So, the price may go up or down.

Most LS owners I know are more than happy with there cammed and bolt on cars. But, I suppose if you really wanted to go nuts, just stick a LS9 in there and call it a day.

Look forward to see what you plan to do and either way, I expect pictures.

 

thanks for clearing up the confusion with the ls6 manifold, i didnt mean to be redundant. and guys who are asking for pics... it will be a long time! im trying to save about 10 grand to get a nice ss in june/july and thats when the project will finally begin. im just trying to get some good base info before i attack this thing. as of now FI is completely out of my choices, i dont plan on spending that much on this car after i realized the true cost. to be completely honest im going to try to set this car up to drift. that definitely wont be the main use for this car, but id like to be able to whip the tail out and drift every now and then. i think it would be awesome to mix it up and see an ss drifting.