Turnkey engines

[Doug'sL81]

After much searching on this and other sites I'm not any closer to deciding on weather to build my L-81 into a 383 or buy a crate engine. A company that advertises in the NCRS magazine Driveline sells a 383 450 HP turnkey engine, for $5600.00 they are called The Engine Factory out of NJ. Has anyone heard of them, know anything about them or has delt with them? This is a real good price after adding all the parts and coming within $500. This engine basically uses an Edelbrock package.

Thanks for any help.

Doug

 

[Scott81]

I know a guy in Miami who bought a 383 from a place called AR Racing, paid about half that and his first trip out on the drag strip he ran a 12.49. I'll email him for the address if you like. He drives his Vette all over Florida and hasn't had a problem with the motor yet.

 

[Doug'sL81]

Yes thanks, I would like that, was his a turnkey engine, by turnkey it's ready to go as is nothing to add except exhaust? I know you have a 383, what cam are you using? The HT383 articles in chevyhiperformance and hotrod used a Comp Cam xe282, which seems to me to be pretty lumpy. I always thought a smaller cam is better for a 383 for torque.

 

[Scott81]

Doug,

I'll get the info from him, not sure what all was included but I think it was a ready to go motor, maybe he needed a carb but I'm not positive. I have the XE284 cam, it's lumpy but then that's all I really cared about was having a nice sounding and running motor that made some power, and I don't know all the technical stuff.

 

[GrandSportC3]

Yes thanks, I would like that, was his a turnkey engine, by turnkey it's ready to go as is nothing to add except exhaust? I know you have a 383, what cam are you using? The HT383 articles in chevyhiperformance and hotrod used a Comp Cam xe282, which seems to me to be pretty lumpy. I always thought a smaller cam is better for a 383 for torque.

I'm the guy from Miami that Scott81 mentioned...

Here are the specs and contact information for the engine that I purchased from

A.R.RACING UNL .
14333 SNAKECASTLE RD .
SUMERDUCK VA 22742
540-439-1961

Here are the specs on the engine that I bought:

383/465 HP
solid cam 238/248 @ .050 duration
.525/.540 lift
steel crank
Lunati 1.5 ratio roller rockers
Dart Iron Eagle 215cc heads
Performer RPM intake (I changed mine for another single plane intake for even more HP)
The engine was complete from intake to oil pan. However - now carb, water pump, fuel pump, flywheel..

I paid $2995 + shipping

Olivier

 

[Cream79L82]

Hey scott,
If you don't mind posting that info you get from your friend all about his 383, I would be much obliged. I think I'm going to get a 6-speed first, but I'm pretty sure I want a 383 shortly thereafter. I need to decide to keep the old L-82 and build on it or go new. Anyway, anything your friend has to say about his ride would be greatly appreciated. 12's!!!
Thanks jon

 

[Cream79L82]

haha, snuck that post in on me I guess. Grandsport, what kind of gas mileage to you get with that beast? Can you take it on long hauls on the highway reliably? Does the stroke make for a high taching car on the turnpikes? I'm really just trying to learn all I can about the 383 to see if it's a viable option for my 19 year old self. Thanks.

 

[GrandSportC3]

haha, snuck that post in on me I guess. Grandsport, what kind of gas mileage to you get with that beast? Can you take it on long hauls on the highway reliably? Does the stroke make for a high taching car on the turnpikes? I'm really just trying to learn all I can about the 383 to see if it's a viable option for my 19 year old self. Thanks.

I get 15 - 16 mpg on the Highway and 7 - 8 mpg in the city.. Well - I have a Tremec TKO 5-speed transmission with .68 overdrive!!!
The engine is absolutely reliable.. When I went ot the track - I drove 300 miles to the track and 300 miles back... I was also racing on 255's BFG Radial T/A's.. (no traction)... I purchased a set of 275/60R15 Drag Radials and I'm panning to break into 11's the next time at the strip!! The engine revs pretty good... On the strip - my Rev limiter is set to 6400...

Olivier

 

[BigRed]

Just a thought but I got this regarding my 383 question. This is GM CRATE so theres GM warranty on it.

http://www.hotrod.com/editorial/article.jsp?viewtype=text&id=66278

HT383 4 Bolt main HUGE torque and all the room in the world for bolt on power perks Im thinking this is my choice. As long as I can get a TPiS Mini Ram to bolt up to it for my fuel injection.

 

[Cream79L82]

Grand sport... i am curious as to what rear end ratio you're currently running. I figure it could still be pretty low with that .68 final gear.

 

[Jack]

Just a thought but I got this regarding my 383 question. This is GM CRATE so theres GM warranty on it.

http://www.hotrod.com/editorial/article.jsp?viewtype=text&id=66278

HT383 4 Bolt main HUGE torque and all the room in the world for bolt on power perks Im thinking this is my choice. As long as I can get a TPiS Mini Ram to bolt up to it for my fuel injection.

;stupid $3500 - $4000 w/ GM warranty & 3.8" forged crank ... makes about 325 hp & 415 tq on 87 octane ... as said room for plenty more. You have to supply carb, dist & exhaust;stupid

 

[GrandSportC3]

Grand sport... i am curious as to what rear end ratio you're currently running. I figure it could still be pretty low with that .68 final gear.

I have a 3.55 rear end. The first gear on my TKO is 3.27!!!

Olivier

 

[GrandSportC3]

;stupid $3500 - $4000 w/ GM warranty & 3.8" forged crank ... makes about 325 hp & 415 tq on 87 octane ... as said room for plenty more. You have to supply carb, dist & exhaust;stupid

That's $500 - $1000 more for 140 HP less....

I usually go with whoever offers me most HP/$$

Olivier

 

[vette-dude]

Just food for thought!! Is the crate motor a long rod (5.6 with hypertechnic pistons) or a short rod (5.4 with TRW/Speedpro flat top forged pistons) version. Also don't forget these will be externally balanced motors and require a different Harmonic balancer and flywheel off a 400 CU motor (uses a turned down 400 crank). The long rod engine will wrap up a little faster and have a higher RPM range than the short rod version. Max. RPM on the short rod is around 6,500 through the traps with a balnced assembly. I have heard of guys pushing them more but not for long!! The long rod version will go about 500 to 800 RPM more at WOT. What you will get with either is a strong torgue curve (read more bottom end out of the hole). Might want to get a neck brace too!!! Make sure on the short rod or long rod motors they use some better rod bolts as in ARP's or equivalent. I use a Hi Volume pump although others will probably disagree with this as it does create some loss in HP. I built my 383 engine using Lingfelters build techniques and it put out around 390 to 400 HP based on time slips. It was built to go on the bottle but never needed it. Short rod version with flat top forged pistons. Good luck and I think either is a good choice but would lean toward a long rod version if I did it again.

 

[vette-dude]

I forgot to add the engine I built was limited by the heads. They were just ported heads and if I had a good set of Darts Aluminum or Equiv. the engine would have put out a lot more horseys. It still ran low 12's at around 119 MPH thru the 1/4. It was in a 54 Chevy Bel Air not a vette but it would eat muffstangs for breakfast.

 

[GrandSportC3]

I forgot to add the engine I built was limited by the heads. They were just ported heads and if I had a good set of Darts Aluminum or Equiv. the engine would have put out a lot more horseys. It still ran low 12's at around 119 MPH thru the 1/4. It was in a 54 Chevy Bel Air not a vette but it would eat muffstangs for breakfast.

119 mph... that's a mid 11's speed.... This run must have been on street tires.. 12's with that kind of speed indicates lack of traction.. I have seen people running high 11's with 112 mph...

 

[vette-dude]

Yep. On Hoosier quick time DOT tires. I was still sorting out the new 4 link when some one made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I think they finally did get it in the 11's and put it on the bottle and was a shooting for the high ten's. I myself loved driving it to the strip, letting some air out of the tires, and beating up on all the 'Stangs and belly button cars that were trailered in. I'd air the tires and drive it home and I would sure get some nasty looks by those would had been put on the trailer earlier.

 

[GrandSportC3]

Yep. On Hoosier quick time DOT tires. I was still sorting out the new 4 link when some one made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I think they finally did get it in the 11's and put it on the bottle and was a shooting for the high ten's. I myself loved driving it to the strip, letting some air out of the tires, and beating up on all the 'Stangs and belly button cars that were trailered in. I'd air the tires and drive it home and I would sure get some nasty looks by those would had been put on the trailer earlier.

Last time at the strip - I beat 2 Mustangs.. The first one was pretty quick. He ran 13.05, I ran 12.49... He used Drag Radials and I ran regular 255's BFG's...
Check out the video in my signature!!!

Olivier

 

[vette-dude]

AWESOME video!! The best part of the drag racing was that the wife usaully raced the car and not in the powder puff stuff. She has a much better reaction time than I do. You seem to have your vette pretty well dialed in. Now. with a little laughing gas and some Mickey Thompson slicks I see wheel stands in your future.

By the way the wife actually thinks I am going to let her drive the Vette to work someday's. I have to keep convincing her it needs something fixed and it ain't ready yet for her to drive. This forum gives me good idea's of things that might still need to be fixed!! Good job everyone!!!!!!!

 

[Jack]

Rod GM installed in all factory-stock 400 sbc is 5.565" length.

Rod GM installs in all factory-stock 283, 302, 305, 307, 327 & 350 sbc is 5.7" length ... both production and crate.

Rod GM installs in factory-stock HT 383 sbc pn 12497317 (crate stroker) is also 5.7" length.

Aftermarket rods are also available in 5.565" & 5.7".

Aftermarket "Long" rods are routinely those longer than 5.7"... such as 5.85" or 6" or 6.125".

An aftermarket six-inch "Long" rod is a popular choice for sbc ... regardless if stroker or not.

Probably the least expensive 383 stroker combo is a 30 over 350 block, 3.75" (400) crank with mains machined down, 5.565" (400) rods and 30 over (350) pistons. IMHO this combo may've been the first "stroker" 383 sbc.

IMHO I'm also guessing majority of today's street 383 have 5.7" rods ... though many builders install an even longer rod. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that 5.565" rods tend to fail more frequently... particularly above 5K rpm. And there's plenty of discussion about short vs long rods as they relate to power band, torque, relative costs etc.
JACK:gap