what engine to buy

[geogolf]

I am going to buy a new or rebuilt 350 sbc for my 1990 corvette. could you guys tell me what would work best, or where to buy would like to have 325/350 hp and keep tpi system thanks in advance geo

 

[3dale1]

I guess it's all about your budget, but how about a crate engine? Jegs has several small block options that are reasonable.

 

[grumpyvette]

theres ALOT of options, and your budget will surely enter into this but ID STRONGLY suggest you put some careful thought into the purchase simply because youll need to live with the results and theres going to be a significant cost and work envolved.
the first thing Id point out is this is a GREAT tiime to do minor but significant UPGRADES as the cost now will be minor VS doing them later, and if you want to have your new engine work CORRECTLY with the re-used stock components like the tq converter and gearing youll need to stay close to stock on the cam, but that doesn,t mean you can,t make very noticable improvements.
ID think long and hard before purchaseing a 350 when a 383 costs only slightly more and will make a big improvement in performance
just as an example,
shop carefully but add a cam like this (http://www.crower.com/misc/cam_spec/cam_finder.php?part_num=00230&x=52&y=7)
to a 9.6:1 383 and youll get a noticable improvement (yes youll need someone to modify your cpu progaming)

http://www.revolutionaryperformance.com/ebay%20short%20block.htm

http://www.dallasexportsales.com/383390SB.htm

youll be in that 350hp area your looking for but youll have OVER 450 ft lbs of tq

 

[geogolf]

engine

thanks grumpy that is what kind of info i was looking for. grumpy will my brackets and accs. from my l98 bolt on to this engine, never did a engine swap before will my ecm work with this motor. probally have to get new chip any info that you wish to pass along will be greatly appr. geo.

 

[grumpyvette]

I don,t know exactly what parts youll reuse , but assuming youll use your old stock chevy heads after being reworked or aftermarket heads like the TRICKFLOWS, yeah the brackets and accessories SHOULD bolt back on with zero problems as most brackets bolt to the heads and the block threaded hole locations stayed reasonably standard. now you may need to shop carefully because some blocks & oil pans won,t interchange as theres both one and two peice rear seals and left and right dip stick locations and at least two differant crank to flexplate bolt paterns but if you ask enought questions BEFORE YOU BUY! and possiably swap oil pans that should not be a problem thats not easily avoided or overcome, BTW swapping to a BAFFLED HIGH CAPACITY OIL PAN IS A GREAT UPGRADE

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=MIL%2D31505&N=115&autoview=sku

ID also point out that you MIGHT be able to find a local engine shop that can BORE and REWORK your OLD engine and rebuild it with a STROKER KIT to be a 9.6:1 cpr 383 reusing your old block and all new parts other than the reworked or new heads and the stroker kit

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/aspx/display_id.3195/itemNo.383/qx/Product.htm

http://www.midwestmotorsportsinc.com/order_part.php?item=SP383SBF&line=MWM

 

[I_R_DA_ONE]

I put a ZZ4 stroker engine in my 87 and it worked out fine...go to
http://www.high-preformance-engines.com
or call Sallee chev. at 1-800-545-0048 also look on eBay

 

[Black Bart]

If you go with a 383 I would consider a different intake. The TPI will give you good torque but it will limit the power output of the 383. The TPI was designed for a 305 and on a 383 you truly would be induction limited.
Maybe you are not interested in power and it would work fine for you but i just wanted to point out that you could get a lot more performance from a 383 with a better intake.

 

[Edmond]

There seem to be so many engine builders out there. So many of them offer great engines but you never seem to know who builds good ones and who doesn't.

I know that Golen seems pretty popular. Are they any good? I definitely have to get a new motor for my car this year, the old 350 TPI just doesn't satisfy me anymore. Personally, I think I'd be happy with a 383 TPI system because I'm a torque fan. I know the stock TPI would severly choke the 383 but how would the TPIS Big Mouth and large tube runners fare?

 

[Black Bart]

I know the stock TPI would severely choke the 383 but how would the TPIS Big Mouth and large tube runners fare?

The problem with that is that for what you would pay for the big mouth with runners will cost as much as a good intake would. While the big mouth would be a improvement you could do better for the money.
All depends on how much you are willing to spend and how much performance a person wants.. If you install a really good intake then you will need better heads to take advantage of the intake after you have a good intake and heads then the cam becomes the bottle neck. A good running engine is made from properly matched components not just a hodge-podge of parts

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

There seem to be so many engine builders out there. So many of them offer great engines but you never seem to know who builds good ones and who doesn't.

I know that Golen seems pretty popular. Are they any good? I definitely have to get a new motor for my car this year, the old 350 TPI just doesn't satisfy me anymore. Personally, I think I'd be happy with a 383 TPI system because I'm a torque fan. I know the stock TPI would severly choke the 383 but how would the TPIS Big Mouth and large tube runners fare?

You can get 450HP 450TQ from a properly ported bigmouth setup with a 52MM TB, the right Cam and heads. I do not know if you can do it at Grumpy’s recommended 9.6:1 CR. I am running a bit over 10.5:1 and yes the quality of gas is an issue. I only run BP 98 that goes for $7.00+/Gal on this side of the pond.:ugh

With the bigmouth base and large runners you will still run of breath by 5200 RPMs. With Thunder that is at about the same time as the Euro-Trash that used to be beside me is disappearing in the rearview mirror.
If you hang around eBay long enough you can pick up the bigmouth cheep. A while back I posted a ¨how to¨ for boring out the TB to 52MM and adding roller bearings to the throttle shaft. Any small machine shop could do the work for less than a $100 or you can pick up one on eBay as well.

If you are not going to change the rear end and torque converter a better intake will hurt more than help. IMHO a streetable engine should give you kick-ass torque from 2000 RPMs to redline. With most of the ¨Better¨ intakes the torque does not come on until well over 2500RPM.


If you do go to a mini-ram, modified LT1, etc., intake then you should be thinking about a 2200 – 2500 rpm, torque converter and a rear end ratio in the mid 3’s which will require a good transmission oil cooler or you can kiss your 700R4 good by. Thunder has a small Perma Cool unit that seems to do the trick but I am only running a 2000RPM TC.

Really what I am trying to say is if you are a Torque Freak mod the hell out of your L98 but if you need the scream of a hi-revving engine you will be better off trading for a LT-1/4 that already has the gears, etc., needed to convert revolutions to power.

 

[Black Bart]

TPIS the people who make a big mouth intake and the mini ram have done dyno comparison. To read the reall difference between them go to this link.

http://www.tpis.com/index.php?modul...Number=17&catalogSubCategory=MiniRam+Manifold

 

[geogolf]

engine

hey guys thanks for all the info, i am going to hold off on motor until 07 but i am going to put a set of 3.54 gears in car. hope to see a big difference from 3.07 thanks again for help geo.