[CHASLT1]

Worth just doing on a tune on the LT1 with no other mods?

I saw gains around 30hp and lb ft with my 06 C6 with the LS2 with AR headers and dyno tune and around 37hp with the 2013 LS3 C6 with Kooks headers and tune.

My new 2021 LT1 runs nite and day better than my 2019 C7 did stock tune vs stock tune.

[MrChrisLS3]

Originally Posted by CHASLT1

Worth just doing on a tune on the LT1 with no other mods?

I saw gains around 30hp and lb ft with my 06 C6 with the LS2 with AR headers and dyno tune and around 37hp with the 2013 LS3 C6 with Kooks headers and tune.

My new 2021 LT1 runs nite and day better than my 2019 C7 did stock tune vs stock tune.

I'm speaking in theory, but it would seem to me that the lion's share of the gain you experienced before was due to the headers and the tune just made the engine make the best use of the increased air flow.

A tune might get a little more, but in reality, the real gains come from increasing air flow through the engine. I would wait until you get the headers then do the tune.

On a side note, there appears to be a TSB about some engines that may or may not have gotten a bad batch of valve springs. That said, I would wait about a year before even thinking about touching the engine. Unless you just want to go full on mod and cam it with AFM delete, or maybe just get in front of it and change the springs now.

[CHASLT1]

Originally Posted by MrChrisLS3

I'm speaking in theory, but it would seem to me that the lion's share of the gain you experienced before was due to the headers and the tune just made the engine make the best use of the increased air flow.

A tune might get a little more, but in reality, the real gains come from increasing air flow through the engine. I would wait until you get the headers then do the tune.

On a side note, there appears to be a TSB about some engines that may or may not have gotten a bad batch of valve springs. That said, I would wait about a year before even thinking about touching the engine. Unless you just want to go full on mod and cam it with AFM delete, or maybe just get in front of it and change the springs now.

I plan to wait a while so just trying to figure out where to start as i knew pretty well what gains the LS motors got and don't know about the LT1 that much.

Looking for around 50hp in gains to start off. I figure just a tune may get ya 12 to 15hp. Not sure what gains headers and tune do on the LT1 alone.

I know headers, tune and cam should get me there. I gotta worry about tires first as they break loose like a silly goose as it is.

[avalonandl]

The LT1 tune from the factory is actually pretty dam good. Your LT1 has OE shorty tri Y headers from the factory. If your ging to tune include an E85 tune (which reguires an E85 fuel sensor on the engine)


Search is your friend.

[JSH]

maybe 15 hp

[LT4Greg]

I agree with MrChris to leave it alone for a while because of the bad valve spring issue. Yours might be affected or might not so the warranty would be used then for replacement of the springs. The LS engine is a lot different than the LT engines in my opinion and seems that the LS engines were more responsive to mods than the LTs are and the aftermarket supports the LS engines more too. If you plan to mod your LT1 I would get a set of wider wheels and tires and possibly bigger rear brakes and if it was me I would install a Edelbrock E force or Magnacharger S/C and call it done! I would think having a supercharged LT1 would be cool and very different and would be cost effective for adding the hp you are wanting.

[avalonandl]

The batch of bad valve springs was engines from july-2020 to Sept 2020.

Not all v8's have these. I surmise a batch of improperly heat treated springs from a supplier got into the supply chain.

[CHASLT1]

Originally Posted by LT4Greg

I agree with MrChris to leave it alone for a while because of the bad valve spring issue. Yours might be affected or might not so the warranty would be used then for replacement of the springs. The LS engine is a lot different than the LT engines in my opinion and seems that the LS engines were more responsive to mods than the LTs are and the aftermarket supports the LS engines more too. If you plan to mod your LT1 I would get a set of wider wheels and tires and possibly bigger rear brakes and if it was me I would install a Edelbrock E force or Magnacharger S/C and call it done! I would think having a supercharged LT1 would be cool and very different and would be cost effective for adding the hp you are wanting.

I guess just going F/I and tune would be the biggest gain and bang for the buck.

Maybe just throw a S/C on it and tune and call it a day without doing long tubes would be ok. Not looking for monster gains. 550hp would be plenty with my local traffic.

[CHASLT1]

Originally Posted by avalonandl

The batch of bad valve springs was engines from july-2020 to Sept 2020.

Not all v8's have these. I surmise a batch of improperly heat treated springs from a supplier got into the supply chain.

I would think would be a pricey fix out of warranty.

[gtfoxy]

Originally Posted by CHASLT1

I guess just going F/I and tune would be the biggest gain and bang for the buck.

Maybe just throw a S/C on it and tune and call it a day without doing long tubes would be ok. Not looking for monster gains. 550hp would be plenty with my local traffic.

This right here is why I said just get a ZL1.

[CHASLT1]

Originally Posted by gtfoxy

This right here is why I said just get a ZL1.

I remember you saying that.

[LT4Greg]

Originally Posted by CHASLT1

I guess just going F/I and tune would be the biggest gain and bang for the buck.

Maybe just throw a S/C on it and tune and call it a day without doing long tubes would be ok. Not looking for monster gains. 550hp would be plenty with my local traffic.

Both of those superchargers would net you around 150 hp and are offered as complete kits including a canned tune which would be fine for your LT1 since you are wanting about 600 hp.👍

[craigss50]

Originally Posted by gtfoxy

This right here is why I said just get a ZL1.

Agree, never understood people that buy a new car and add a SC when you can buy one with a warranty and stronger drivetrain/engine for just a little more.

[KingLT1]

Originally Posted by craigss50

Agree, never understood people that buy a new car and add a SC when you can buy one with a warranty and stronger drivetrain/engine for just a little more.

Here is an example that might make sense at least I thought it did at the time. 2017 I bought my SS with 900mi CPO for 31k. At the time a used ZL1 was 58-60k with more miles. I have put about 12k into my car since purchase and it makes about 130-140whp more then a stock ZL1. So 42-43k total investment is still 15-18k shy of what a ZL1 cost at the time.

Now you can find used ZL1's for a much lower price. I recently seen a 2017 Hyperblue A10 1 owner 4k miles sell for 49k locally. Had those kind of prices been around 3yrs ago I would of just spent the extra and went to the ZL1. I don't care about warranty. If I break it I can afford to fix it.


That being said, a tune only isn't really worth it on a LT1. You might see 9-10whp gain. If it's a auto then you will pick up a bit from a trans tune but that only applies to 2016-2019 cars because they 2020+ Automatic transmissions can not be tuned.