Just bought 96 Caprice LT1. Who knows about them?

[1dollardog]

I just picked up a 96 Caprice with the LT1 and G80 rear. It is bone stock and is a champaign color. Who does pcm tunes? What can you guys tell me about these cars?

 

[SGRIM]

I don't like to send people to other sites but here is all the info you made need on that model!

Chevrolet Impala SS Forum : Chevy Impala SS Forums I am a member myself!

 

[TurboBob]

somewhere in that timeframe there was a smaller displacement engine (4.3?) that looked the same.

I had an 96 Impala SS years ago, a very nice ride. The caprice's could be easily upgraded to cop-car / Impala parts.

Congrats on the new ride.

Bob

 

[cruzn57]

here is computer programmer

This IS the guy to talk to and deaL with.

Brendan Patten (LT1Swap.com) < lt1swap@centurytel.net
he did my computer for my 71 el camino ( 96 corvette LT1 eng and trans)

 

[novaderrik]

i can tell you that they are really good cars..

if it has a 7.5 rear axle with drum brakes and single exhaust, then it's got the L99 4.3.. it looks just like the LT1, but it's 90" smaller on the inside.. they had 200hp and generally came with 3.23 rear gears that allowed them to get really good fuel economy.
if it's the LT1, then it's got an 8.5 with 3.08 gears and true dual exhaust with resonators at the end. they are rated at 260hp and you will be lucky to get around 20mpg with it.
you can tell which engine it has by looking at the SPID sticker in the trunk- option L99 is the 4.3, LT1 is the 5.7. if the engine has been swapped somewhere along the lines, you can figure out which engine it is by looking at the bellhousing area0 the LT1 says "5.7 liter" and the L99 says "4.3 liter". if you can't see back there, then look for a "327" cast into the side of the block. if it has that, it's an LT1. i don't know what the L99 says there..

the L99 was only put in the Caprice Sedans from 94-96, and it was in both regular Caprices and the 9C1 cop cars. no other B bodies got it- only the Caprice sedan.
if it's a wagon, then it will have the LT1 and probably 2.56 gears in the 8.5 rear end with disc brakes.

 

[S10xGN]

We had a '96 Impala SS for 8 yrs or so, wonderful car *except* for the absolutely cheap cr@ppy plastic interior and ridiculously uncomfortable seats. That car had more squeaks and rattles than any 10 new cars combined...

 

[1dollardog]

Thanks for all the good info guys. I scoped it over pretty good today and found out a few things about it. It is the 5.7 Lt1. It has the G80 8.5 with a 2.93 ratio. From a dead stop it doesn't take much at all to light the rear tires up. Looks like the previous woner removed the cats but it still has the stock exhaust out the back. The mufflers on this thing are larger than the engine in my daughter's tracker haha. The car has alot of miles (257K) but runs great. Maybe a rebuild or replacement sometime in its life. I just bought it as a winter beater but I do plan on a K&N and exhaust just to get it to breath. I want to get a tune to hopefully improve fuel milage. I drove it to work today and it didn't seem to be very bad on gas but we will see.

 

[1dollardog]

We had a '96 Impala SS for 8 yrs or so, wonderful car *except* for the absolutely cheap cr@ppy plastic interior and ridiculously uncomfortable seats. That car had more squeaks and rattles than any 10 new cars combined...

The interior and seats in this car are more comfortable than my couch haha. It is a big car and rides super smooth.

 

[novaderrik]

Thanks for all the good info guys. I scoped it over pretty good today and found out a few things about it. It is the 5.7 Lt1. It has the G80 8.5 with a 2.93 ratio. From a dead stop it doesn't take much at all to light the rear tires up. Looks like the previous woner removed the cats but it still has the stock exhaust out the back. The mufflers on this thing are larger than the engine in my daughter's tracker haha. The car has alot of miles (257K) but runs great. Maybe a rebuild or replacement sometime in its life. I just bought it as a winter beater but I do plan on a K&N and exhaust just to get it to breath. I want to get a tune to hopefully improve fuel milage. I drove it to work today and it didn't seem to be very bad on gas but we will see.

when i parted out my 94 9C1 with 227,000 miles on it, i just had to pull the engine apart to see how worn out it was.. it looked damn near brand new inside- all the bearings and pistons were standard sized and there was still a crosshatch pattern showing on all 8 bores.. the timing chain only had a little bit of slop and there was zero sludge buildup on anything. this made me think it was a replacement engine that had been put in somewhere along the line, but the VIN on the engine matched the vin on the car and every wire loom was still connected like it was new.. it had never been apart until i took it apart.

 

[turb0buick57]

the lt1 motor in those years b bodies last almost forever. Lots of them running around with well over 200k on stock motor.

 

[Pronto]

Nice comfy cars. LT1 is powerful but the Optispark sucks. When it craps it will leave you stranded. Replacing sparkplug wires are no fun either. Here's a B body site local to NE. Free forum : BADASS of New England

 

[machinegun]

This is actually a very good car.

I would help you out on the tune but the 96 was an OBDII as opposed to the 94 95. I do not have the tools to to tune just that year too expensive no return.
However contact PCMSFORLESS.com. They can get you pretty darn close.
PYPES makes and excellent bolt in system for these cars. I have used 2 of them and really like the way they install and sound.
Look on impalassforum.com. Lots of info there and most answers can be found there.
The gears you have will be good but a set of 3.42's really wakes up the car.
Search in the yards for a B Body with the tow package. It will have a rear sway bar that you can get and bolt in. It makes a world of differnce
You can also replace the shocks but use the 9C1 or police heavy duty replacements. You will notice a slight ride differnce but it will handle much better. I used the GR1's and love them
Ask any questions you want over there. I am NSPERF

 

[1dollardog]

This is great info. Thanks

 

[novaderrik]

This is actually a very good car.

I would help you out on the tune but the 96 was an OBDII as opposed to the 94 95. I do not have the tools to to tune just that year too expensive no return.
However contact PCMSFORLESS.com. They can get you pretty darn close.
PYPES makes and excellent bolt in system for these cars. I have used 2 of them and really like the way they install and sound.
Look on impalassforum.com. Lots of info there and most answers can be found there.
The gears you have will be good but a set of 3.42's really wakes up the car.
Search in the yards for a B Body with the tow package. It will have a rear sway bar that you can get and bolt in. It makes a world of differnce
You can also replace the shocks but use the 9C1 or police heavy duty replacements. You will notice a slight ride differnce but it will handle much better. I used the GR1's and love them
Ask any questions you want over there. I am NSPERF

i'll add that you should try to find a set of takeout Impala SS springs.. my 94 9C1 sat a few inches lower than the 92 9C1 that i had at the same time.. i figured that maybe the previous owner put in some lowering springs or maybe they lowered the cars for 94 or something like that, but i figured it out when i parked it next to an Impala SS in a used car lot- the department that had my car before it got out to the civilian (the California Highway Patrol, according to the sticker in the door jamb) put Impala SS springs in it to lower it. i did some poking around online, and found evidence that it was common for ex CHP pursuit cars to have this done, along with KYB shocks in place of the stockers. so i looked under mine again, and sure enough, it had KYB shocks. if nothing else, if you are looking at cars in the junkyard open the driver's side door and look for a sticker on the B post that says "CHP" on it and then see about getting the springs from it. i think the sticker was blue and about 1/2" in diameter, but i parted that car out in '04, so it's been a while..

 

[Grumpy]

well I have watched a few go down the track an welllll .. I know I know they are heavy cars !!! They did make a limited edition V6 for cars that wanted better gas milage.

 

[micknick1]

I have some misc parts I was selling if you need them left from my brothers P/S lines 1/2 a parking brake set up think some a/c lines. I traded Brian at gbodyparts.com for some parts so he has Mirriors the police style steel rims an some other stuff. I am in NJ Mike

 

[1dollardog]

well I have watched a few go down the track an welllll .. I know I know they are heavy cars !!! They did make a limited edition V6 for cars that wanted better gas milage.

Yep. VERY limited. Nice.