While there have been several different engines carrying the name LT1 available in Corvettes in the history of this legendary car, the LT1 that is being discussed in this article is the 6.2L LT1 in the Corvette Stingray version introduced in 2014.
The Stingray essentially replaced the “base model” Corvette and at the same time the Z06 began getting the supercharged LT4 engine.
The LT1 is only available in Corvette, although there is a little variety in the Corvette in terms of body and Transmission. With the Stingray becoming the new base model Corvette, the LT1 essentially replaced the LS3.
The introduction of the LT1 was also important as this is the first of the Generation V small block V8 engines created by General Motors.
As alluded to previously, the LT1 is a traditional engine name, going back as far as 1970 when it was first introduced in the Corvette and the Camaro Z28. The next LT1 was introduced in 1992, also originally designed in the Corvette and Camaro Z28.
A Tribute to the Original
The latest LT1 that was introduced in 2014 and the Gen V engine in general is a bit of a tribute to the original small block created in 1955 in that they both 4.4 inches between bore centers and 90 degree cylinder angle, although that is really where the commonalities halt.
Some of the features of this engine are variable valve timing (VVT), active fuel management, direct fuel injection, high pressure fuel pump, modified cylinder head design, and the list goes on and on. The clear aim with the design of this engine was not only to improve performance but also to improve fuel economy and overall customer experience.
The direct injection is one of the big enablers for the improved fuel economy while the variable valve timing offers a large range of benefits including improved idle without sacrificing performance. All of these features make this engine very popular with its customers and Corvette enthusiasts.
LT1 Performance Specs
With all the improvements described, this 6.162 L, or 376 cubic inch, engine is capable of reaching 460 horsepower at 6000 RPM and 465 lb-ft at 4600 RPM when combined with the performance exhaust option.
As previously mentioned, the distance between bore centers is 4.4 inches, the bore of each cylinder is 4.06 inches, leaving about one third of an inch of wall thickness between cylinders, with a stroke of 3.62 inches.
Some of these modifications previously discussed along with material selection chosen later enabled the compression ratio to be increased to 11.5:1, a significant increase of the 10.7:1 ratio in the LS3 it replaced.
Head and Block Construction
The materials selected for this engine were also designed for performance along with the durability to handle this power. The LT1 is only available in cast aluminum block and head. The crankshaft is made of forged steel, with the connecting rods created from forged powder metal.
The one feature that the LT1 did carry over from its Gen IV predecessors was its conventional push rod overhead valve (OHV) valve train. The valve architecture uses 2 valves, 1 intake and 1 exhaust per cylinder, with the camshaft in the block.
The LT1 was the commercial introduction for the Gen V short block V-8, and it came with a lot of changes. The design team at General Motors went for all the bells and whistles when creating this engine, apparently with a rare focus on fuel economy in such a high performance engine.
Anytime you include this many modifications in a new engine, there are sure to be trials along the way, but all the features included in the latest of the LT1 family are certainly impressive, not to mention the 460 horsepower from this naturally aspirated engine.
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