so its that time of the year and i found out that im taking engines class next semester, and one of the perks of that class is that we can bring in our own motors to work on.

i figured id take out the engine in my 86 iroc with tpi. since my old mechanic said he had a 350 hydraulic flat tappet block that i can have for free and he'll deliver it. so i figured if i stash enough cash away all i have to do is buy the crank for a 400, new cam, connecting rods? pistons?, valves, valve springs, lifters, pushrods, timing chain, and all that jazz.

but my question is would it be easier to put in a 383 tpi or carb? id like to maintain the appearance of a stock engine, but not if it sacrifices too much power, people have told me before that the TPI will choke the hell out of the 383, so i was thinking i could get that new TPI intake from BBK when it comes out. also i know with a carb ill have to put in a new fuel pump. and with the tpi, ill have to get new injectors, and knock sensor. im trying to maintain street manners, but still have a mean car to take to the track.

im trying to do this with relative ease. seeing as how ill only spend 5 hours a day and 4 days a week in class working on it, for about 5 months. am i in way over my head? or is it feasible that i can finish this without rushing myself?

also do you have any suggestions when it comes to camshaft and pistons and connecting rods, by that i mean will i able to use the stock ones or should i get new ones. also i forgot to mention all the honing, hot tanking and machine work will be done by myself.

 

Unless you want the machining experience cutting down the journals of a 400 crank, just get a 383 kit with crank, pistons, & rings. 400 cranks are 2-piece rear main seal, your roller block is 1-piece - you'll need a $100 adapter to use a 2-piece crank. You can reuse the stock rods (5.7"), just specify the rod length when you order the stroker kit. An internally balanced crank would allow you to use neutrally-balanced damper and flexplate, which would make visual inspection easier.

In order to be emissions legal, your only choices are TPI or computer controlled carb. TPI would choke a 383 unless you do significant upgrades. I'm not sure the Holley (Weiand) Stealth Ram is emissions legal, but if it is, that's your best choice. Otherwise, conversion over to CC carb would certainly support the power better. Not sure whether you'd have to go through the "motor change" process for CC carb, most likely you would because your VIN says you have TPI.

Cam will have to be a computer compatible type.

 

First, do you have smog testing in your area?
Second, with a 383, it will be easy to get great driveability with a good carburetor if you don't go too wild on the cam. It's best to start with too mild of a cam and go bigger, for a lot of reasons.
If you want a stock-looking TPI, then even with the best parts, you'll still find the engine ready to be shifted by 5000 rpm. You'll also have traction problems in first gear, so how do you feel about that. Of course, you can tune the suspension until it can hook up all that torque.
Going carbureted, you can still keep a "stock" look, but you'll want to locate an L69 dual-snorkel air cleaner as soon as possible. You're facing a fuel pump upgrade whichever way you go. For the cam, you can go much wilder with a carbureted setup. But there's still practical limits.
The TPI will reduce cylinder wear, improve cold driveability and mileage slightly. The big issue about a stock look is you can't hide the headers that a 383 truly needs.

 

Listen he can go with a eagle 1 piece seal stroker crank.He doesnt need a $100.00 adapter.

 

This is a federal issue that falls under the EPA's jurisdiction. The main issue is more outward appearance of an "approved configuration" from 86+ car, although the EPA has been known to do tailpipe tests on top of visual as well.

This is a state issue that falls under state and/or locality's jurisdiction.

The local requirements by definition must be at least as strict as federal EPA requirements, and are often stricter.

Add tailpipe on top of visual depending on where you live.

 

i can get a "smog check" around where i live, so the tailpipe test isnt a big deal, i just wanted it to look stock if i was ever pulled over and had the hood opened by a cop.

as far as the TPI choking the 383, right now im leaning to the carb setup, the only problem is will i have to get rid of abuncha wiring? also if i stick to tpi cant i just get that BBK manifold coming out? or will that still not support the amount of air ill need.

also ive already upgraded my fuel pump from the stock to an accell pump, but i forgot how much more it flowed.

 

first, a 383 can run as clean as a 305. I've seen the test results. The 882-headed 383 was actually way cleaner.
As to that junk by Kenn: This is a case of it's only illegal if you get caught. (Except in Cali and Texas, for now) Where I live, we don't have any emission test with our safety inspection, run whatever you like as long as it doesn't smoke. But 100 miles from here, in the big city, you must pass the emissions test, safety inspection, and emissions equipment visual inspection, every year, to renew your registration.
This is why there was a 454 in my '84 Trans Am. Noone cares. It's not like I sit in rush hour gridlock, polluting up the air. Maybe 100 miles per summer, cruising for fun. No harm.
If he lives in BFE, then the air is crystal clear, 24/7, and he's not about to have any smog test anytime soon, and can go ahead and run a non-computer carburetor, so long as he won't be driving through Cali or Texas.
It is technically federally illegal, but laws aren't about the letters, they're aout the spirit. If the non-computer carb/distributor combo is well-adjusted, and he's running a catalytic converter and the EGR system, then he's 99% as clean as with a legal carb/distributor combo.
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If you can get a smog test, then it's probably required. Also, cops don't have the legal right to look under your hood, except in Cali and Texas, for now.

 

Sorry, Fun, this time you've got it all wrong.

First, look at the OP's location - "SF bay area". Makes pretty much everything you said moot.

2nd, kennn is exactly right. The law is federal, and it is illegal to modify emissions equipment anywhere in the United States. It's not about the spirit of the law, it's about the words of the law. It isn't just illegal to get caught, it's illegal to make unapproved modifications. Enforcement is state and/or regional, and is based on the EPA's opinion of a particular regions air quality - except CA (that's where "SF bay area" is, in case that wasn't yet clear), which is allowed to make their standards even stricter.

What exactly is "The" 882-headed 383 you keep talking about? A rotten-headed 383 - why bother?

gurk, I read your original post too quickly. You said "flat tappet cam block", not so good. And, nix a good piece of what I said in my first post. If it's 2-piece rear main seal, it's going to cost you more for an internally balanced stroker crank. You didn't say what heads you were going to use, somewhere in the neighborhood of 90% of factory 350 heads were junk - because a lot of them are 882 castings. So, what heads were you going to use? Your '86 TPI heads actually wouldn't be too bad of a choice with 1.94"/1.60" valves installed and some clean-up porting accomplished.

The horror stories from raising a CA inspectors suspicion are numerous. Keep the external evidence to a minimum, keep the tune so it runs clean.

 

I didn't notice SF Bay area. I'm not disputing what the lae says. I'm contending what the reality of the situation is.
Some few years ago, there was a court case that concluded that it is the spirit of the law. The 882 headed 350 being the one I saw the results for. Using an 882 headed one shows that since it can run clean with those horrible combustion chambers, it can run clean with most any decent head. 383 by itself won't cause failure of a smog check. Nor will using '70s heads. the amnount of valve overlap designed into the cam, can cause failure. Basically, any cam with no overlap at 50 will test clean in any pre-OBD2 V8 over 300 cubic inches.
Do you realize that it's still illegal, I don't recall which state, to drive at night without stopping every 10 miles to light off a roman candle? Laws that aren't enforced get ignored. Speaking of federally illegal, every pickup out there with a lift kit is in violation of federal bumper height law and federal headlight height law. Every pickup with the tires out past the fenders is also in violation. Neither of those gets enforced, even at safety inspection.
Sorry to get so far off topic, but this is an issue of realities, not technicalities. Most of the guys reading this don't live in Cali or Texas.
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That BBK intake won't look stock, and from the pic I've seen, It would require external EGR.

 

yeah i was thinking the heads were gonna be junk, i do have some extra heads lying around from a 2nd gen camaro but i believe they dont have accessory bolt holes, so i figured i wouldnt use them.

 

since the heads can be seen, they better carry a CARB EO number, otherwise if someone knowledgeable in the area of aftermarket mods will have their way with you on your court day... trick flow has some pretty good heads I think.. comp cams has 50 state legal cams as well...

 

What do I have to do to make 370+ hp and tq on a 383 with the tpi? Ive heard all the talk about the tpi being crap but I like the look and I wanna keep it.

 

My Q's r as follows:
1) go with original TPI or carb or newer TPI?
2) If a carb what manifold will be needed without a hood mod?

 

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