Hey, I may have the opportunity to buy a running 454 out of a 91' truck for a couple hundred bucks. Anybody know anything about this motor, and how hard it would be to get it to work in my car? Yes, I know the 10 bolt and t5 will not hold up well. I just was wondering about fitment issues. I know the exhaust will be a problem. I assume this engine is roller? Vortec heads?

I do not believe it is a roller engine. It is definitely not a vortec. The only big block headers I can recall seeing for third gens are hookers at around $500. I think it would be an expensive proposition any way you look at it.

I've read about people doing a big block swap so it's definitely possible. I'd suggest a search, I can't remember the thread or I'd point you to it.

http://www.454ss.com/

Big Block swaps are relatively simple. Everything you'd need to bolt it in, is readily available.

But it would never be street legal. If you have a way to get an inspection sticker or register it on the streets, that doesn't MAKE it legal. Just means you got around the law.

The 454SS was actually pretty weak (in horsepower), in stock form. 230 horsepower, its strong suit was torque: 385 lbs/ft of it at a mere 1600 rpm -- the kind of grinding force that resulted in 0-60 mph in under eight seconds! Your rear tires will hate you.

The TPI 350s made more power & weighed less!

The 454SS is a TBI injection setup, so there would be a bit of ECM wiring to manage. Might be easiest to start with a 3rd gen 305 TBI harness.

I figure I would a cam swap right off the bat. Are the heads really just those junk TBI heads? That may be a deal breaker.

454s are big blocks. 3rd gens had small block. No comparison.

Yes they are "TBI heads", but nowhere near the same as a 3rd gen TBI head. The big block only had TBIs, so calling them "TBI heads" as any sort of downgrade/name calling, is a moot point. There was no other option.

If your gonna swap the cam out, swap the heads too. There is always an upgrade for everything.

91 454 is a Gen V block. It's a boat anchor. I just threw out some Gen V heads from a 366T engine.

The Gen V BBC engines were only made for about 5 years. They were the worst blocks produced by GM. The all have peanut port heads designed to fit specifically on a Gen V block and have a non adjustable valvetrain.

This really belongs in engine swap, but anyway, the '90 454SS had the same 230 HP @ 3600 RPM and 385 TQ @ 1600 RPM as the '90 1-ton pickups. for '91, the SS got a better exhaust system, giving it 255 HP @ 4000 rpm, and 405 TQ @ 2400 rpm. There's nothing inherently bad about the gen V blocks, they're worth about $200 around here just for the bare block. It will have 4-bolt mains on all 5 caps.
It has about 7.9:1 compression. Edelbrock offers some bolt-on 100cc heads just for that engine, that'll get you up over 9:1, plus they're about 70 pounds lighter, offsetting the disadvantage, and they flow better than the '70 LS6 heads. Also, get an aluminum water pump and an aluminum intake manifold to further help with the weight problem.

Right, and now that that is where it is, you can read the BBC swap sticky in the top section of this forum for details on what it takes to get the engine in a 3rd gen.

FWIW, I have one of those engines that was used to power a center pivot irrigation well. My brother is going to install it in an '81 pickup he has. They do have very nice cast aluminum valve covers.

The sticky is a personal page, which has the article I typed in, from Car Craft magazine years ago!

The article itself, was a part of TGO YEARS ago, when we started this site, Now it has to be found as part of a m embers personal page.

I guess it's good that it is accessible through TGO. I keep mailing my old text version of it to people, hre on TGO.

Your selfless service to mankind will not go unrewarded. . .

(Of course, it's up to you to not offset it with other actions. . . )

I haven't looked at all of the links in that sticky lately. We've had problems with some other links going dead on us.

For awhile, I was thinking of putting that irrigation engine in the Camaro with the LG4 CC carb system. But, I think I'll just stick with Vortec heads on the 350 for now.

I freely admit that my patience has grown short in the last 5 years.

Like....
Questions that are asked over & over & over &.......... Not only does the answer for the question asked already exist, many times over...there is a sticky on this one!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, but peoples lack of ability to gather information for themselves, constantly astounds me.

Just for the record, I was NOT asking about the swap so much as i was asking about the engine itself, and it's specs. And I am no stranger to the search button. In most cases, you get results faster than waiting for surly posts.

Sorry for the bunny trail.

Anyway, hope you gathered the info you were looking for on the Gen V BBC.

I got the info I was looking for anyways. The engine is too much of a pig as it sits in stock form to be worh the trouble.

I would garbage can the from the heads up on the SS454 engine, then install the heads and intake from the 454 Vortec. I used the ECM and wiring from a 1991 Z28. Anyway, that's not what I would do ... THAT' WHAT I DID!

dave w

that intake is just begging for a turbo