95 Chevy Impala Motor Replacement Suggestions!

[SGRIM]

I have a 95 SS Impala that I would like to turn into more of a DD. After I bought it we found out it has a replacement motor in it. It has a little noise in it so I am going to yank it and put in something

I would love to put a V6 in but I don't have the time for such a conversion anymore... What would be the best drop in for the money you think? Would like as pump gas much power as possible while keeping the factory computer and not killing the bank...

When I need a trans I got a few owed so I that is no problem!

Ideas guys, I need ideas!

TIA

 

[Reggie West]

That car would take an LS swap easily. Maybe a 6.0 motor with a good cam swap and ported heads. And for fun I would put a 6 speed automatic trans in it. Maybe even a turbo later down the road too.

 

[aminga]

An LS would be cool and all but it would still be a motor swap. What about just grabbing another LT1 to go back in it.

 

[TurboBob]

if you put anything other than a stock-ish engine back in then you have tuning work to do. For a casual daily driver, I would build it stock.

What are your plans + desires for the car?

What sort of noises is the engine making? By "replacement" engine, do you mean a "Goodwrench", or something generic?

I had a '96 for a while, liked it a lot.

Bob

 

[87chrisss]

ive always wanted an SS with a t56 swap.. and some boost or a destroked 400 with juice still 6 speed and bounce the limiter on every corner..

 

[Pronto]

V8Killer has 2 LT1 Bbodies and lots of knowlege on them. Start a "conversation" (weird to say that rather than pm) with him if you want some honest advise on what's what.

 

[8 SEC 109]

Shane
We have a low mile 96 SS that is on the list for a LS3 vette motor conversion. If you can limp that motor along for another year we will work you a good deal on the LT we pull out.

 

[ttaowner]

i dont know what kind of noise your engine is making but LT1'S are known for piston slap i should know i bought a brand new 1997 LT1 trans am ws6

if you were going to do a conversion as stated above the ls series engines are the way to go just buy a whole running engine with harness. send the harness out and have it repinned to fit your car from what im told its like $700 ready to plug back in a start your car. probably buy motor mounts for under $150. i bet truck manifolds would probably work in your car otherwise im sure somebody offers headers.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&cp=12&....,cf.osb&fp=4390b44958df70a2&biw=1440&bih=708

 

[big reazon]

another lt1 with msd opticrap should get you going running reliably.

 

[charlief1]

An LS based engine will give you the power and decent mileage, if you don't stomp on it all the time. It should be fairly simple and you could also put the 4L80E in it for a really good combo. 5.3 or a 6.0 should be great in it.

 

[SGRIM]

if you put anything other than a stock-ish engine back in then you have tuning work to do. For a casual daily driver, I would build it stock.

What are your plans + desires for the car?

What sort of noises is the engine making? By "replacement" engine, do you mean a "Goodwrench", or something generic?

I had a '96 for a while, liked it a lot.

Bob

Well I would just like a good driver that I can burn a little rubber with I got Buicks for race cars! I got a bad lifter and a "slight" but noticeable knock in the bottom end....

Shane
We have a low mile 96 SS that is on the list for a LS3 vette motor conversion. If you can limp that motor along for another year we will work you a good deal on the LT we pull out.

Please let me know, as I will be interested. I would love to a stocker to drop back in, plus I love those year model vettes so a spare would be great!

An LS based engine will give you the power and decent mileage, if you don't stomp on it all the time. It should be fairly simple and you could also put the 4L80E in it for a really good combo. 5.3 or a 6.0 should be great in it.

Charlie that is my problem, I STOMP all the time I only have like 5 blown up TR engines here

At this point I think we are going to rebuild the motor. I "think" that is the best move $$ wise. I have a guy that can do it on the payroll already so... Any suggestions on parts??????

 

[gnxtc2]

Probably the best bang for the buck is to keep the LT1 motor. I would yank, send it to the machine shop....maybe a cam, clean the heads up, bump up the CR 1 point, do the Optijunk conversion and you're all set. Then throw a tune in it. You got yourself a boat with some power.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

 

[TurboBob]

Well I would just like a good driver that I can burn a little rubber with I got Buicks for race cars! I got a bad lifter and a "slight" but noticeable knock in the bottom end....

for a casual daily driver, I would just fix it stock.

My impala always had a slight tick to the valvetrain, never got rid of it. The cars are a little quieter with 1 full turn of lifter preload.

Is the bottom end knock loudest cold or warm? When the rod bearing got hurt in mine you could only hear it after it warmed up some and just as you lift out of the throttle (sometimes called a "backrattle"..

If the oil is staying fairly clean, you could pull it, freshen what needs to be freshened, and throw it back in. It will never be "fast" in the same way the Buicks are fast (unless you put a turbo on it), so make it a clean driver.

Bob

 

[jimmymack87gn]

if it were mine i'd build a mild 383, cam less than 218 @ 0.050, low 0.500 lift, set of unmodified lt4 cylinder heads, 26-2800 converter, 30 lb injector, 3.37 gears, good tune. big Imp should get in the 12's.

 

[jimmymack87gn]

if it were mine i'd build a mild 383, cam less than 218 @ 0.050, low 0.500 lift, set of unmodified lt4 cylinder heads, 26-2800 converter, 30 lb injector, 3.37 gears, good tune. big Imp should get in the 12's.

oops 3.73 gear..

 

[ThikStik]

I wish you were near Birmingham, I have a buddy with a babied lt-1 low mile 1996 Caprice B4U car...awesome leather seats btw. Rear ended/totaled and its taking up space in his carport. I had a dd 94 Caprice with lt-1 loved it. The most amazing mod i ever experienced was putting in a Street Edge converotor. They guarantee 4/10's in et...well after putting one in, i totally believed it. Went from having to brake stnd to peel, to always being able to peel from a dead stop. It was amazing that this little tc can do what it did in such a big car, and not be a nuisance.
BTW, my lt-1 drank water as i sped out of a flood. The water actually bent down the plastic on intake and funneled in water because i built up speed b4 hitting water. I was stupid thinking id get a running start..when i could have just idled thru it. Car had audible knock immediatiely afterward. I pulled each plug as some of cylinders squirted out water ...i just wanted to get home which was 200 miles away. Also changed oil that did have water too...amazingly knock got better and i drove another 125 k and sold it runing with 278k.

 

[ThikStik]

Hate to hijack thread, but im a bit miffed ...i cant find out how to start a thread, or how to delete "conversations".

 

[novaderrik]

get another LT1 and rebuild it with the LT4 heads and HOT cam..
put it in and get LT1 edit to allow you to reprogram the stock ecm with any windows based laptop and have yourself a 430hp beast that probably gets better gas mileage than the stock LT1 did.

there is also the LS swap idea- you could bolt one up to the stock trans, make some motor mount adapter plates, and use LS1 Camaro exhaust manifolds. i don't see why anyone would pay someone $700 to take a few wires out of the LS engine harness when you could do it yourself in a few hours..

 

[SGRIM]

I wish you were near Birmingham, I have a buddy with a babied lt-1 low mile 1996 Caprice B4U car...awesome leather seats btw. Rear ended/totaled and its taking up space in his carport. I had a dd 94 Caprice with lt-1 loved it. The most amazing mod i ever experienced was putting in a Street Edge converotor. They guarantee 4/10's in et...well after putting one in, i totally believed it. Went from having to brake stnd to peel, to always being able to peel from a dead stop. It was amazing that this little tc can do what it did in such a big car, and not be a nuisance.
BTW, my lt-1 drank water as i sped out of a flood. The water actually bent down the plastic on intake and funneled in water because i built up speed b4 hitting water. I was stupid thinking id get a running start..when i could have just idled thru it. Car had audible knock immediatiely afterward. I pulled each plug as some of cylinders squirted out water ...i just wanted to get home which was 200 miles away. Also changed oil that did have water too...amazingly knock got better and i drove another 125 k and sold it runing with 278k.

How makes that converter?