I am new to the Camaro world. I bought my 89 IROC-Z just last week and it needs an engine. It has the 350 5.7 V8 with the TPI. I have called the dealerships and they tell me the engine was discontinued. What do I do?

 

First, welcome to thirdgen.org.

Second, why do you think it needs an engine? A little more detail would be helpful there.

Unless the block has a custom window in it, rebuild what you've got.

 

Cracked Block

 

In that case, you need to either find another '87-up block and rebuild it, or find a rebuilt engine.

 

That sounds like the best way to go in your case.

You'll need a block from 87-up; not hard to come up with, as LOTS of trucks and Caprices have them. Find such a short block and have it rebuilt if it needs it. Or, if it doesn't need to be, then just use it as is. Put your heads, accessories, intake, and all that, onto the other short block. Oil pan as well, if necessary. If the new one is different from yours in ANY way, use yours. Use YOUR cam and lifters, NOT the ones in the truck block or whatever. If you buy a rebuilt short block, see if they'll shave a couple of coins off the price for not supplying a cam.

Get YOUR heads worked while they're off; just yerbasic valve job. Freshen em up.

In NO case, let your heads out of your possession. Above all, don't turn them in as cores and let them give you "a set of 350 heads". You may hear, "they're all the same" (they're not), "they're just as good" (they're not), "these are better" (they're not), "costs too much to work up your heads" (no it doesn't, they just want YOUR cores for themselves), "your heads need too much work" (no they don't, they all need about the same), and any number of other lies. The goal of this will be to pry your 083 castings out of your hands and replace them with 70s smoggers, truck TBI crap, etc. DON'T let it happen to you!!!!