First time poster, long time viewer here :-)

So I have an '88 Iroc 350, the motor is on its last leg and I want to buy a crate engine for ease and instant performance upgrades. So I am looking for some advice on what to get.

I have seen crate motors from $1,600 up to $5,000 that seem interesting, but I need one that will work for me. I have a Holley Stealth Ram currently on the engine and am planning on getting upgraded Headers, Exhaust, 58mm Throttle body and Bigger Injectors. So I'm not sure what would work with my planned setup.

If I got the $1,600 crate motor, would it get weak when time comes to the mods? Also, would it be worth it to rebuild my current motor to a 383?

To many questions that I dont have answers for. Basically, Im budgeting around $3,000 for the engine installed, so that would make it around $2,500 on the engine itself.

Thanks for your time and thoughts.

 

THe question is what do you want and how are you going to use it?

 

Well Daz or should I call you Ron Jermey? :-)

This is my daily driver car, but I want it to be fun. I'm looking for a goal of around 400 hp when done. I also forgot to say in my last post that I plan to put in a T56 manual transmission from a 4th gen, but that wont be for some time right now.

 

The $1600 crate motor should only be considered if that is the intended end. Although there have been several magazine articles about bolt-on hop-ups starting with that engine, by the time you get done you will have spent $1600 to get a block. Everything else will have been changed (heads, cam, crank, pistons, rods - well, maybe the tin will transfer).

Building your current 350 into a 383 makes a lot of sense. Or spend $1600 for a 383 shortblock.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you want to buy a short block to put your heads/intake/cam in?

If that's the case, the only way to gain horsepower would be to bump compression and/or get more cubes!

If all that you want to keep is your intake, then that's a whole new world. A 350 is a 350 no matter what the price is. The compression it's built for, the strength limits of the internals, and the quality of parts will all differentiate cost. Remember that you get what you pay for.

If it were me... you already have a 350 to start with. Have them re-grind your crank, recondition your rods, get some pistons that suit your setup, new bearings, new cam (that goes w/ your Stealth Ram setup), and buy some quality heads, or work some over yourself.

2500 wont see 400hp I dont think unless you cheap out... and then the old saying comes in "reliable, fast, cheap. Pick two, it isnt the third"

 

The $2500-3000 I speak of is just for the engine, I am willing to invest more into it if thats the case. I know all to well you get what you pay for and thats why I am here. The best option would be to buy everythig at once, but I know I cant float that. I just want to get the best base to build off over time.

Lets say I could get a more expensive motor, what would be good then, especially for a final goal of 400hp? Also, how much have people spent in getting there engine rebuilt into a 383?

I havent found a 383 shortblock for $1600, anyone got a link for that to check out?

btw, Thanks for the response here guys.

 

I'm glad that you're so open minded and arent taking these posts offensively... people tend to do that, or post basically asking for other people to agree with them (which is annoying).

Now, with that being said... I'm in the midsts of building a 350 with 9.5/1 compression, all cast internals, and am not expecting to make any more than 250 rear wheel horsepower.... The top end will be a worked over set of 416 heads (from an LG4, 58cc heads) w/ 1.94/1.6 Manley valves. A ZZ4 intake, 1.5rr's, and a XE268h cam.

The machine work alone will cost you at LEAST 800 dollars... emphasis on LEAST

Then with 400 horsepower (i'm going to guess to the wheels, that's about what 525 flywheel horses)... that's stretching the limits of cast internals. You'll need a forged crank, a forged 400 crank at that. Then rods that will need to be some good aftermarkets. The pistons will need to be hypereutectic (if not spraying), or forged (if using forced induction or spraying)


The crank on eBay is roughly 600 dollars shipped. The rods you can probably find for around 300 shipped. The pistons around 450 - 500 shipped. Then you'll need some ARP studs and bolts... add another 100 or so there...

That's 1500 for the bottom end, not including buying the block. Then another ATLEAST 800 for the block machine work... THEN you have to buy the top end yet! And for the HP goal you have, you may be spending more along the lines of 3500.

 

I am willing to bet he means 400 crank hp. In which case, factory items would do. However, in the case of buying a short block or long block, or even a full motor, for that matter, there are a few good sides to that. As Sellman was alluding to, machine work is killer. With a short block, all that is done for you. Also, assembly. All the clearances are set, all that good stuff. If this would be your first assembly, then it may be an especially good idea.

 

Yeah, I guess I need to be more specific on the details here. When it comes time to writing on here, I alwasy forget stuff to say :-)

The 400hp I speak of is just a ballpark area I'm aiming for and would be 400 engine hp, not at the wheels. I know that will be just to much to achieve at this point. I am not looking to go over this estimate however, so 350-400 in a more realistic target.

This is my second 3rd gen camaro, the first one was stollen (burn in hell theives). I had that one modified to about 300 engine hp, I truley enjoyed it. So I want this one to be just a bit better and 400hp had a nice ring to it.

Anyone have experince with the Holley Stealth Ram intake? So far I like it and it has allot of potential I feel when i start upgrading. But that is all I plan on keeping, the block heads and so on will all be changed out eventually.

So I guess my best options would be to find a pre-assembled/crate block, crank, head combo. Then regardless of price, what would be the best one to get, or is rebuilding and getting new heads better?

I hope I dont sound repetitive, I am just trying to get everything planned out before the car goes under the knife.

 

A couple of months ago a guy in Colorado Springs was selling a fresh 383 shortblock on eBay for $1699 buy-it-now (plus shipping). He isn't listing any right now, but if you wanted I could get his phone # for you and you could give him a call. He did the machine work on the ZZ4 shortblock I'm putting together.

 

Well, since you are looking at a T56 anyway. Why not just sell off the stuff you have and install an LT1? Get some Econo port heads, a nice cam, heck run an LT4 Hot cam, LT headers, catback, and your at 425-475hp... And you can buy the LT1 with the T56 ready to go. $4k you get a well built engine and a T56 that meets all of your needs...

 

Now I live in Arizona, so I'm not sure what problems I might run into (emmissions wise) if I get an LT1 put in there, but that does sound good since I could get the matching tanny at the same time.

Im not sure how I would seel off my current stuff, would you recomend eBay for that, although I would sure hate to have to ship those parts. LOL

 

If you put a complete LT1 system in there, you wouldn't have any problems with emissions. You might have to get it inspected by a referee station to make sure all of the parts required are there, but I'm not sure it that's how it operates in AZ.

My brother bought a rebuilt L98-type longblock from these guys http://www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com/ last September. He's very happy with it. They list a 383, 1-piece rear main seal, for $1752, plus $205 core charge for a 2-bolt main or $305 for a 4-bolt main, plus shipping (probably another $200-$250). That wouldn't be a bad deal at all. They'll put in the cam and use the heads that you want (may up the cost, but didn't for my brother). He ordered it on-line, but they called him up to make sure he knew what he was asking for and make sure that it would work for him before they started to put it together - he was impressed with that alone.

 

I would definitely go with the ZZ4 crate engine with your setup. The Holley stealth ram will bolt right up (ZZ4 has non-Vortec heads) and Holley even has a custom calibration for the ZZ4 engine on their website. Plug and play for you.....