Aside from its reverse flow cooling system and a few other minor changes, the Chevrolet LT1 (produced from 1992 to 1996) is, in almost every way, a traditional small block Chevy. Perhaps the most beloved and commonly hot-rodded V8 of all time, the small block is powerful, reliable and easy to work on. But at the end of the day, no engine will last for long if the bolts aren't tightened to their proper specification.
Main cap bolts are 77 foot-pounds, rear oil housing nut and bolt 11 foot-pounds, rear oil seal housing stud 35 foot-pounds, crankshaft hub bolt 74 foot-pounds and crankshaft-to-torsion damper bolts 63 foot-pounds. Connecting rod nuts require two passes, the first at 20 foot-pounds and the second at 55 foot-pounds. Tighten the camshaft sprocket bolt to 18 foot-pounds and the camshaft retainer bolt to 106 inch-pounds. Install all oil galley plugs at 15 foot-pounds and the engine front cover bolt at 106 inch-lpounds.
Tighten your cylinder heads in the prescribed order to 65 foot-pounds in a single pass, and the intake manifold bolts to 71 foot-pounds. Re-torque the manifold bolts at 35 foot-pounds to ensure proper force distribution. Torque the exhaust manifolds to 35 foot-pounds. Install spark plugs at 15 foot-pounds, valve lifter retainer bolts at 18, rocker arm ball studs at 50, rocker arm nuts (LT4 only) at 18 foot-pounds, and the valve covers at 106 inch-pounds.
Install the oil filter adapter at 18 foot-pounds, the oil filter at 15 foot-pounds, the oil pump to main bearing cap bolts at 66 foot-pounds, the oil level indicator tube bolt at 106 inch-pounds, the oil pan corner bolts at 106 inch-lbs, oil pan deflector nut at 30 foot-pounds, oil pan drain plug at 15 foot-pounds, oil pump cover bolts at 80 inch-pounds, oil pump driveshaft mounting bolt at 13 foot-pounds.
Torque all water pump fasteners to 33 foot-pounds, water pump driveshaft bearing retainer bolt to 106 inch-pounds, the coolant air bleed pipe bolt to 30 foot-pounds and the engine block coolant drain plug to 15 foot-pounds.
Set the air injection ("smog") pump bolts at 40 foot-pounds except where it connects to the exhaust manifold, which you'll tighten to 41 foot-pounds. Torque the exhaust gas recirculation solenoid valve bracket nut, EGR opening cover nut and the EGR valve pipe nut and bolt to 18 foot-pounds each. Tighten the evaporative emissions canister purge valve bracket to 53 inch-pounds.
Torque the throttle body bolts to 18 foot-pounds, the starter motor to 35 foot-pounds, distributor bolts to 106 inch-pounds, fuel rail bolts to 89 inch-pounds, ignition coil studs to 30 foot-pounds and generator bracket bolts to 30 foot-pounds.
Install the oil temperature sensor, oil pressure sensor and switch, oil pressure gauge sensor, oil pressure fitting and crankshaft position sensor bolt at 106 inch-pounds. tighten the knock sensor bolt to 15 foot-pounds, the manifold air pressure sensor bolt to 53 inch-pounds and the engine oil level sensor at 26 foot-pounds.
