Theking

iTrader: (1)

Hi!

Been in contact with Al at Skip White cause im thinking of getting a 383 for my IROCZ. Read thru the web, many sites, many comments, many thoughts from alot of people, both customers and non customers,

Anyone got some more detailed inputs about Skip White Stage 2 383 Engines.
He builds and sells alot of them if you check the ebayfeeds, and his youtube channels, seems like 1 engines every 2/3 days.


Just wanted to see if anyone running any engines from this guy and been driving the engine for some years maybe? Need some inputs before im putting in $5500 on a Stage 2 engine.

Will be running Edelbrock High-Flo TPI intake and runners with Hooker 2055 headers on that engine.

Also found at jegs the ZZ383 GM built machine, but Skip Whites Stage 2 looks really good.

So any help / inputs on this is highly appriciated

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I have read a really bad experience of an engine a guy bought from him, he made an entire Facebook page about it. Lots of pictures. Do a search on Facebook. Some good recent threads on here within the last year about newbies building their engine vs long block vs short block. The experience I have with skip white is if it isn't a name brand then it is a Chinese made piece of unknown quality and your rolling the dice. I bought a chrome alternator from them, bad out of the box and the bearings sounded as if it was already questionable. If you go with him make sure he gives a YouTube video of it running and shows the block number in it Before you receive it. Then when you receive it make a video of the first time you run it. If something goes awry you have proof you weren't being neglectful with it. Really look for oil leaks and check the gauges on film.

Steve Mack

iTrader: (5)

Skip Whites stuff is junk.You can get a brand new GM 383 short block,throw on a set of AFR heads and have one nice motor that will last for years.

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

I got a set of patriot heads from him setup for a XFI cam… and they worked fine. Also got a cheapo fuel pump and regulator for a dedicated nitrous fuel system and it worked fine.

I build my own motors and if I can't I go for the best bc it matters. Some people don't care how they build motors.

rwright92

Their stuff looks and sounds real good until you try to get them to cover their warranty and then they refer you to the part manufacturer. Bought a set of procomp heads and installed on fresh SBC short block last july. 2000 miles late I was using a quart of oil every 500 miles. Last month I checked the valve guide and they are slap worn out. They gave a 2 year warranty on the heads and had dyno data etc that sounded great. They put me off on procomp (JUNK) which said they had problems with them because people were not setting up the valve geometry right. That's what my comp cams push rod length checker was used for and comp cam procedure.
Procomp is supposed to send me new valve guides I haven't received. Skip White doesn't replace valve guides and told me they would buy their NKB heads before putting another dime in these heads. Hell they sold them to me. I learned my lesson and have a new set of trick flows setting on my bench now. So you decide!

Steve Mack

iTrader: (5)

Buy the new GM 383.Its the best way to go. If you buy the Skip White motor you would be just throwing your money down the toilet.

rwright92

That's exactly what I did on these heads! Won't make that mistake again. Bad thing is I should know you get what you pay for!
Pay more from a vendor proven to stand behind what you get. Especially big ticket Items.

billybob6110

i got there procomp heads and mini starter. no issues with them at all.

rwright92

I bought the 210 CC runner models. If you start using oil and performance losses look at possible worn out valve guides. They apparently had valve guide issues in the past. Its great yours are OK. There are a lot of people that wish they could say the same.

Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

I think the point isn't that SWP only sells bad products, but like so many businesses, they sell brand after brand after brand, and no one would argue that some are simply better than others.

Two things. Let the buyer beware, and ya get what you pay for.

PAFORM350

Funny how that always applies isn't it?

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

I've bought thousands of dollars of parts from Skip white.

He sells name brand, generic, whatever he can get his hands on. On most of the cheap Chinese stuff it's been hit or miss. Some stuff was actually nicer than name brand, other stuff I threw out without using. (often the part costs less than shipping it back was worth).

I'm still not ready to try the procomp heads, but I've used a LOT of other procomp stuff including an intake recently and a lot of it is ok. Sometimes they will copy a name brand part and actually improve on the design.

-- Joe

-=Z28=-

iTrader: (3)

Tough to find a good engine builder these days. Most of the guys I know that own machine shops, dont or are getting out of building the engines anymore. Just machining and you find your own builder.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Most guys I know build their own engines...

-- Joe

-=Z28=-

iTrader: (3)

Well yeah, me too. But for a reputable machine shop to build a HP engine and hand it over to Joe shmo, who doesnt even know to prime the oiling system B4 start up, and throws a rod or what ever, Isnt worth the hassle to the shops. They would just rather not build for them. For there regular race guys/group, of course they still build, just not for Joe Shmo. Too much of a liability on a 10-30k engine build.

-Dan


(edit) I bet some/a lot of Skip Whites issues are because that customer is a idiot and has no clue what they are doing. And in fact, the product he provides is just fine.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Priming the oiling system
There's an old wives tail.
Do you also pre lube the system after the engine has sat all winter?
If you have oil in the pan, oil in the filter and used some sort of assembly lube there is no reason to pre lube the system.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

All priming does is wash away the assembly lube with oil.


What has failed that he has sold, and why? This thread as gone on with a number of posts but no actual examples.

The procomp heads are not his fault. He offers AFR heads as well. People are cheap, and want the procomps. If the guides fall out it's the buyers fault. We've been covering those heads for years on the forum and they are hit or miss.

If someone has taken one of his engines apart and shown bearing clearances way out of an acceptable range, or a rod installed backwards, or something like that than it's skip's fault. If a cheap part failed it's the buyers fault.

-- Joe

-=Z28=-

iTrader: (3)

Totally agree.


(edit) Except for priming comment.

-=Z28=-

iTrader: (3)

I was just throwing that example I've heard used out there whether its an old wives tail er not. I prime all my engines. It assures oil pressure and that you have no leaks. Also its how I was taught to do it when I went to school for building engines. The school Myron Catrel used to teach at back in the day.

-Dan

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Aside from checking oil leaks, or verifying a mistake in assembly (galley plug missing etc) it does wipe away the assembly lube.

On some motors I've done it just to verify I had no leaks, like in a boat for example where a pressurized oil leak would be a disaster. But on the cars I normally just fire them up.

-- Joe

brodysZ28

I was cheap and bought a set of pro comp heads from him. Turned out one of them had the rocker arm studs drilled way off so my valvetrain geometry was all screwed up. He tried convincing me it was fine, don't worry about it which was all bs. I finally told him it needed to be replaced and that's that. He replaced it but that's what I get for buying chinese junk. I wasn't happy with the product or the service.

There's my experience in a nutshell for what it's worth.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

That's odd. If you understand the manufacturing process, I wonder how a drill hole could be off.

With the procomp heads I'd expect the guides or seats to be the weak part.

-- Joe

antman89iroc

Skip's store is like any other, if you only buy the cheap stuff it's difficult to get quality every time. They also sell name brand too. I bought some pro comps heads and other components. When I went to my new build I didn't buy through Skip. I think for things like intakes you are probably ok with the off brand if you are prepared to do a bit of fitting (as with almost everything else) but can save a few $$. I couldn't imagine selling engines online and managing customers expectations. There's no wonder some customers are unsatisfied. Who knows how many are justified. I agree with what some others have said about building a motor yourself. I've done it both ways and the only builder who ever really paid attention to the details important to me was.... me. Example, with my current build, I don't know how much rod/cam clearance I have and would have to pull the engine and measure if I wanted to change cams. If I'd built it myself I'd know.

antman89iroc

You know I had the exact same experience? Turned out the rocker studs weren't concentric. But the exhaust valve location (I believe) has to be moved for big port heads. My AFR's are exactly the same way. But the stud magnified the problem.

Of course notice I referred to my AFR's? Didn't go Pro Comp twice.

brodysZ28

Definitely a quality issue with Pro Comp... one of the heads was fine but one was way off. IIRC a couple of rocker arms were almost half off of the valve.

Steve Mack

iTrader: (5)

Skip white sells Chinese junk heads and re names them every 6 months after enough suckers have bought them .His latest is called " New kid on the block" same old Chinese junk new name.You know Old Skippy might even be Chinese.

brodysZ28

Good ol Skippy boy...