ok im going to put a 350 corvette engine in my 1988 camaro first off will the motor have to much power for the car im sure ill have more questions as i go along if you have any tips im starting this project wednesday so please pm me with tips
Thanks Tyler

 

Sounds like you got suckered into the "corvette motor" line, like so many others before you... Corvette motors were just as good, or just as bad, as the stock motors in the F-bodies. For most years, the motors were identical except for maybe 1 or 2 parts.

What year Corvette motor do you have? What motor is in the car already? You may be better off keeping what you have.

 

the vette motors out of a 1980 and it doesnt have a motor in it.

 

First time i heard expression "too much power"

 

so the motor i have is to much power?

Tyler

 

if you have a 1980 carb 350 most of the 305s availible in 1988 produced as much if not more power then that POS did. You're talking 'vettes under 200hp. I'd stick with the motor you've got, I hope you didn't pay too much for that 'vette motor.

 

It gets worse, 305's were available in 1980 Corvettes.

If your new engine is a 350 your good to go. Put it in and drive it. Modify for more horsepower as needed.

 

that motor is about is junky as what you already have.

double the horsepower, and ithen it'd be "quick"

 

The new Z06 corvette motor might add some fun.

 

It sounds like he's saying that the Camaro has no engine in it at all right now, in which case his garden-variety smallblock which just happened to have spent time in a Corvette will do fine for now.

But yes, just because that engine came out of a Corvette, it doesn't mean it'll be fast. In this case if it's still stock, it'll be dog slow.

 

I would go for at leaast L98.. Very, very easy to swap to, got good potential, and fairly cheap. you can buy egine + trans for about 1000$, even cheaper if you look better.

 

Good grief, people, he has an '88 Camaro with no engine and a 350 out of an '80 Vette. His question was whether that would present power problems for the Camaro.

And, the answer is, no it will not (as was stated by some of the more reasonable responses).

He wasn't asking what he could or should put in there, he just wanted to know if he would have problems with what he's got.

Now, another pertinent question: Did your Camaro originally have a V6 or a V8 in it? That's really where your problems will come if it's the "wrong" answer.

What transmission do you have for it?

Another pertinent answer: 3rd gens have too much power for whatever engine it has until it has subframe connectors. That's the first upgrade you should pursue once the engine is in.

 

Totaly agree..
If you had V6 then for V8 you must do a couple of things (upgrade fans? springs, sway bar..)
Then againg if you had manual trans and this is automatic theres also some work to do.

 

no it was a v8 so im good there and it was an automatic so will i need to do anything

Thanks Tyler

 

As long as you've got the right flexplate to bolt to your crank you're ok. You will need to do the usual things with fuel pressure, TCC lockup, etc.

 

I thought the ZZ4 engines were essentially the same thing as a vette motor minus the beefier short block and a carburetor? Same heads, right?

If that's true that motor will put out around 300+hp. Not "too much" but defintely a lot to handle if you stuff your foot into it.

 

heads, cam, valvetrain all different. would just share displacement. hell those old motors are likely 2 bolt mains too.


to the original poster -- the motor can work fine, but realize you will be ditching fuel injection.

 

what? what are you.....
what?

The 1980 SBC, in a corvette, or in a caprice, would be about a 165HP screamer. The ZZ4, a BRAND new crate motor, would be a completely different motor, in every way shape and form, except for the fact it displaces 350 cubic inches.
This "vette" motor, is just a 350 chev. I hope you don't pay too much for it, it's nothing special.

 

My bad. I didn't see he had a 1980 motor. I thought the 88+ roller motors in vettes were basically ZZ4s though. That is until they put an LT1 into them.

 

Vette L98's were 4-bolt, typically, had slightly better exhaust than the 3rd gen version, but were otherwise the same thing. The Vettes went to aluminum heads mid-86, therefore called "86-1/2", got a slight bump in HP due to higher compression. But, they were still a far cry powerwise from the ZZ4, primarily due to the cam. Better valve springs/retainers in the ZZ4 for the cam, otherwise same rockers, pushrods, etc.

But, a 1980 Vette 350 doesn't have any of that good stuff. Except 4-bolt mains, if you consider that "good stuff".

 

Oh, yeah, forgot one - the ZZ4 got a steel crank, L98 cast.

 

its a 4 bolt main for sure

 

So, are you going to run it as-is, rebuild it, build it up? What do you have planned?

 

run it the way it is til i can get some money.



Tyler