goodbye turbo 3.8...hello Turbo LS1??

[kidcamaro98]

alright well last year i had my new motor installed and shortly after, i blew a rear main seal and havent had it fixed yet. The shop that installed my motor along with my turbo kit is very close to some members in my family so they hooked me up with a One year warrenty on the motor with the turbo so they are gonna fix the rear main seal for free....now, my transmission is shot because of the turbo i have now and its only on 10psi...

What i have been thinking is...if I was gonna go forward with my original setup i have now with a New performabuilt tranny and 3600 Torque converter and Transgo shift kit (plus installation), thats gonna be about the same amount of money i can pick up a used 50K LS1 and auto Tranny package off ebay. (about 3 grand). My uncle however, is very very good with cars (he has done full motor swaps in only hours) and he has a huge heated garage. Well anyways, he wants to do the swap with me. Now if i did install the LS1 I would sell my 3.8 but keep the turbo kit and throw that on the LS1...

How hard honestly would it be to do a complete LS1 swap?? Motor,tranny,motormounts,Wiring harness,PCM,and new speedo...anything else did i leave out thats involved in a swap??

Note: I dont have any AC (everything i took out) of a EGR valve so thats less to uninstall for the swap and less to hook up...gives me more room also.

[Grimm]

You've got it covered. It's more expensive though. All those parts together will be around $5k atleast I'll bet, maybe closer to $6k. Then if you're going to do anything to the motor it'll be more still to get that ready for the turbo.

Are you willing to drop that much extra money for the LS1 swap?

[98Camaro07]

yeah i was thinking of doing the same swap, a buddy of mine has a ls1 engine in a 3rd gen camaro that hit a pole on its fender and bent the frame a little, it still runs and drives but the frame is bad and he offered it to me for next to nothing, but ive been told the cost of doing the swap is to high that i might as well just go buy a used ls1 camaro in good condition and sell mine that it would be the same out of pocket cost in the end

[Epro]

I doubt you'll have any problems with the swap, judging by the work you've done with your car. :)

[kidcamaro98]

You've got it covered. It's more expensive though. All those parts together will be around $5k atleast I'll bet, maybe closer to $6k. Then if you're going to do anything to the motor it'll be more still to get that ready for the turbo.

Are you willing to drop that much extra money for the LS1 swap?


why not?? i will be dumping about 3K for a new tranny and installation.

I would keep the LS1 stock for the turbo setup...i would just like to make somewhere around 450-500rwhp. That would be more then put a smile on my face.

I was looking on ebay and i found a few ls1's with all the wiring,exhaust manifolds and A4 tranny for 3300.00 plus shipping...

But i also found the same thing for a LT1 for over a grand less...now would that even be worth the swap?? how do those motors hold up for F/I before they reach their weak points?

[usd2sing]

new built tranny is only 1100, verter is 550. install should be free with your connections.

how does that equate to 3-00 bucks?

vic is correct. plan 6k for the swap.
then u have to prep it for boost,
that little turbo u currently have wont do crap for an ls1.

EDIT: did u forget u need the entire front susp and k member, trans k, complete exh,
radiator/cooling syst, front brake systm etc, etc, etc.

[kidcamaro98]

see thats the thing. Im having the shop that did my motor and turbo kit also do my tranny,stall and converter because when its off they are going to replace the Rear main seal (we discused this lastyear before i took my car off the road) to the shop owner.

ok say my 1 T70 wont do shit...im sure 2 will ;)

but where are you getting 6K for the whole swap?? im getting around 5K at most.

I mean i could uninstall/install the tranny by myself. But layin on my back while my car is up on jacks isnt exactly in my favorites right now since i was under there almost all summer.

[usd2sing]

kewl, u have a pretty solid idea with the 5k budget, now add 20% for unforeseen crap that seems to pop up.

and dont worry it will pop up, especially if your having a shop do some of the work.

EDIT: my bad, didnt realize u had the 70...kewl 5lbs of boost is worthy.

[kidcamaro98]

oo i know un seen shit will pop up (i went through it installing the turbo kit)

but if i were to do this swap...a shop would have no part in it. It would sit in my uncles heated garage on stands everynight untill i can drive it out of there.

Im only having the shop do the work if i keep my 3.8...they will be doing the tranny and rear main seal for that...other wise im gonna take those out as they are right now and get a new tranny with the LS1

[98Camaro07]

hows the turbo working out for you currently?

[Merlin]

i say just get a built tranny and get the shop to put it in.

youve already invested money into the project, why not see it to the end.

[kidcamaro98]

the turbo works good, however i have a very bad addication for power and speed and now that im used to my setup as it is...im ready for a whole lot more. My original plan was to have my tranny and rear main seal rebuilt, have a 3600 stall and shift kit installed, new 60lb injecters, and turn up the boost to 15psi and get a dyno tune and call it a day...

Honestly, i just want a fast street car. Thats it. Im only going to the track a few times this year to get some times, other then that i could really care less about the drag strip. I want to come home some time with a 12 second time sleep, and never hafto go back...thats my goal when going there.

Where i get my rush from is when people are IN Aw about something I did. I mean yah i get alot of complements about the turbo 3.8, but i also get alot of..why did you waist your money?? honestly i did it to begin with to be different but now since i can never keep anything the same (always hafto have change) i want to really have people know whats up. I just think a Turbo LS1 not only sounds killer, but peeople would be like holy shit are you serious? I have yet to see any Turbo camaro (3.8,lt1,ls1) anywhere in my area and honestly, mostly every F-body is stock around here.

[FloydSummerOf68]

I just think an LS1 swap isnt worth the money...sell your car and keep the 5-6K you planned on spending and you can get a newer ls1 car than your car :P

[lubsvitek]

I just think an LS1 swap isnt worth the money...sell your car and keep the 5-6K you planned on spending and you can get a newer ls1 car than your car :P

I agree. If you want to save money sell the car without the kit. Put the extra money towards a used ls1 and then you can have fun with that, maybe you won't even want to turbo it until you get bored of it at some later point.

I like my v6 and don't feel like getting rid of it, but if I wanted a different car I'd most likely buy an ls1

[Grimm]

the turbo works good, however i have a very bad addication for power and speed and now that im used to my setup as it is...im ready for a whole lot more.

What happens when you get used to the LS1?

[97rs4life]

What happens when you get used to the LS1?

LS7 transplant, duh!

[chadder]

^ no turbo...and he'll be making more power on a turbo ls1 anyways.

427lsx w/big heads/big turbo cam/big turbo=big power......big money.....big shit broken.....

I say just stick with the 3800...but I'm a little biased. You are probably makin about 450rwhp for your traps. I don't see a minor turbo LS1 doing much better.

[kidcamaro98]

i dunno now im double thinking the whole thing lol...im a vey confused person i guess...dunno what i want to do

[FloydSummerOf68]

i dunno now im double thinking the whole thing lol...im a vey confused person i guess...dunno what i want to do

Its ok...I always do the same thing. My plans change all the time.

[kidcamaro98]

lol ya i know it...all i know is that i need more power. I dont really care how i get it anymore without blowing shit up.

[Stg747]

rebuild tranny, big injectors, nitrous:cool:

[kidcamaro98]

no nitrous...

[Stg747]

get the ls1..ill buy the turbo off ya..hehe..no but think about all the workk u put into it and as you said there arent ne turbo v6's around here..its good to be different

[Merlin]

why not go for broke and put a jet engine in it.


cant get any bigger than that!!

[WarShrike]

Heh, don't get the LS7, just get the LSx block $$$$

That way you can bore it however you want and still handle FI.

[airattack111]

If you want an ls1, sell your car and buy a new.

[Bankz27]

Well I looked at doing a ls1 swap from for my car before and I find out that just sell the car you have now and buy a car with the ls1 in it. Its not worth work to drop 5k plus when you can sell your car and buy a ls1 car less with the trade / sell price of your car now. I also would say people would go holy shit when they see a v6 smoke a v8. Ask turbov6camaro about that....I am sure he has stories were he took the doors off mustangs..

[kidcamaro98]

yah but how mmany turbo v6 camaros do you see smoking turbo LS1 :)...thats the whole point

I have smoked many V8's with my car...but nothing like it would have been if i had 2 more cylinder and FI

[Grimm]

yah but how mmany turbo v6 camaros do you see smoking turbo LS1 :)...thats the whole point

I have smoked many V8's with my car...but nothing like it would have been if i had 2 more cylinder and FI

Then you would just be another v8 in a crowd of v8's. It's your choice, but I hate to see you just give up.

[chadder]

^seriously.

The fun thing about having a fast v6 (I wouldn't know) would be having a car that few people respect until it blows thier doors off. It's a complete blindside when it happens.

[Driver_10]

^seriously.

The fun thing about having a fast v6 (I wouldn't know) would be having a car that few people respect until it blows thier doors off. It's a complete blindside when it happens.

Yup...Its the reason that were all here in the first place.

Thats the real fun. If you get another v8 car, youll be just another face in the crowd. Its oddities like blown v6s that get the attention. Thats why all of our hard earned money gets syphoned into these monstrocities in the first place.

[kidcamaro98]

ya you guys are all right

[dcatmich]

I'm a little biased to the 3800. I own two Grand Prix GT's, and love the pep these turd's produce. These motors can handle alot with a good tune. Keep the setup you have. Get a set of good aftermarket heads, and those 65 lbs. injectors, tune her in and bump the boost. With your turbo, and supporting mods, 400-450 HP shouldn't be a struggle. As of right now, I'm in the process of building an 84 S-10, with a L67, and single 67mm turbo. I could've easily done a 355 swap like my dad did in his 91 S-10, but I wanted to be different. Think of the attention it'll draw when people see that a 3800 is pushing into the 10's.

[3800V6Firebird]

i think you can buy a ls1 f body for the same price as the swap and that will save you alot of head aches. i seen ls1 f bodies for 5K-6k but i didnt get one because of insurance and gas and stuff..just a thought

[arcticbird45]

if the shop is going to fix your motor for free then sell the motor afterwards to make some extra cash

[Slvr00Bird]

I'd disagree and say that the LS1 swap is definitely worth it... I picked up an engine, tranny, and computer with harness for $3200... paid roughly $1300 in labor and miscellaneous parts... extra money in long tube headers, electric cutout, slp intake parts, and some suspension and i couldn't be happier. I'd say i've got close to 6k in it total, which for that, you can't find a LS1 car that's worth anything..

I'm not too sure about the whole turbo setup conversion that you want to do also, but i'm saving for a good 76mm right now.. that and a new rearend because the good ole 10 bolt probably won't last too long seeing how i already made it puke when i had the V6

[Grimm]

Dude, are you just here to pump up the LS1?

[Slvr00Bird]

Dude, are you just here to pump up the LS1?

No, but i'm happy with the swap and want people who would like to do it but are scared, to not worry so much about it...

And what's not to pump up.. :worship: haha

[TurboV6Camaro]

yah but how mmany turbo v6 camaros do you see smoking turbo LS1 :)...*Raises hand*

he was only running 5 PSI but he was really really but hurt and lost like $250 in bets he made that he could beat me. (not bets to me but to peeps the know my car and what it runs hehe)

[Slvr00Bird]

*Raises hand*

he was only running 5 PSI but he was really really but hurt and lost like $250 in bets he made that he could beat me. (not bets to me but to peeps the know my car and what it runs hehe)

Yea, your car is really impressive. I remember thinking about going your route a while back, but got too intimidated and figured i'd start with a clean slate so i just did the swap... Maybe one of these days i'll learn about turbochargers.. haha

I know a guy in my area that has a single turbo 76mm (i think but maybe 88.. ah hell i don't know) LS1 and he put down 620whp on street gas and is putting down 900+'s on race gas and his race tune.. Definitely going to have some good times with that :chug:

[kinetsudragon]

280+HP added through race gas and a tune after putting down 620whp?? I call BS...... a lingenfelter TT vette puts down what 700 or so, and I'm damned sure they get a tune by John.. oh wait, I remember, they do..

[Slvr00Bird]

280+HP added through race gas and a tune after putting down 620whp?? I call BS...... a lingenfelter TT vette puts down what 700 or so, and I'm damned sure they get a tune by John.. oh wait, I remember, they do..

Just the word on the street... and why couldn't that happen if he wasn't running but a really low psi at first and then oh say 26 psi on the race gas and tune?? And TT applications don't always make more hp than a single.. Plus i'm sure lingenfelter is looking to be more streetable and doesn't have a roll cage and 9" rear end.. this camaro is business is all i'm saying..

October 21'st is kyhorsepower dyno day and he might make it to that.. then we'll see, but the guy who does his work and who did mine wouldn't lie about it..

Edit: also, the lingenfelter was on race gas?? that does make a big difference you know..

[Merlin]

this thread needs to go bye bye.

[Stg747]

slvr brought back like 8 threads from the dead already about swaps:thinking: :killself:

[Slvr00Bird]

slvr brought back like 8 threads from the dead already about swaps:thinking: :killself:

Sorry buddy... they were on the first page and not too far down so i posted.. I haven't been on here in forever and just found the book mark in my favorites again.. got a little gun ho i guess... i'm used to ls1tech and kyhorsepower and if a threads on the first page there then people have posted in the same day.. guess this site doens't move as fast.. i'll watch it

[Stg747]

the blue bar in the middle there is a magical button called new posts.. click that everytime u log on...it helps a bunch;)

[Slvr00Bird]

the blue bar in the middle there is a magical button called new posts.. click that everytime u log on...it helps a bunch;)

Will do smack ass.. :jerkit:

[Stg747]

:69: me n ure mom?