Hello all, a few weeks ago I posted about what was a good engine and where to find it. Well since then I have chosen then engine that I'm pretty sure I want:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MLL-BP3830CT1/

So with that in mind I've been saving my money preparing to make a purchase. I'm getting close to having enough extra put back so I'm wanting to get a few other things straightened out to factor into costs and such.

First, obviously if anyone has any reason why I shouldn't get this engine please let me know. Also, is it better to get a 1 piece or 2 piece rear main seal. They've got both version of that engine for the same price.

Next, will my stock quadrojet 4 barrel carb work on this engine, or am I going to need a bigger carb? If I keep my stock carb I plan to rebuild it, and replace it later on down the road, just trying to save some money where I can spare it right now.

Will my stock balancer work with this engine? If not any recommendations on one?

Distributor, I'm looking at this one http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MSD-84741/ any suggestions on it, can I get one cheaper?

Spark plugs, do I need a certain kind, or certain gap for best performance?

Am I going to need to do anything with my computer? And what about wiring in general, will there be any major changes?

Are there any other things I should be aware of during my planning stage?

Those are the big items I think, but any other advice for someone doing this for the first time would be greatly appreciated. It would be great if someone was in my area (Lexington, SC) that would have time to help me out with my first swap when I start it in a month or two. I'd even be willing to pay someone for the help, I just don't want to pay someone to do it all for me for two reason, first I want to learn while doing this, and second I don't really want to pay that much in labor

 

Just looking a little further this morning and found this on blueprints website:

http://www.blueprintengines.com/inde...83-bp-3830ctc1

Would I be better off buying it fully dressed already, that comes with a new 750cfm elderbrock carb (assuming from the picture it's elderbrock, details just say 750cfm carb), distributer, wires, plugs, balancer, fuel pump, and water pump, for only 900 dollars more. Seems about what I'd spend to get all that stuff seperate anyway.

Also this one is a little cheaper but doesn't have quite as much extras, but puts out 15 more hp

http://www.blueprintengines.com/inde...383-bp3834ctc1

Can anyone tell me what the major difference between those two that I would see performance wise? I'm not really worried about 15 hp, but if the 2nd one is a higher quality engine or something I might would go with it.

One last thing, the first one says it recommends a 2000-2400 rpm stall converter. How do these work, I know it's something to do with the start out RPM, and do I still need one in a manual or is that something only automatics really need?

 

In my opinion, 1-piece is a superior design to 2-piece. 1-piece don't tend to leak.

Your q-jet might work on the engine, but it won't fit the intake manifold they put on it.

No. Note it says "external balance", and the "suggested parts" shows an external balance damper (sure wish people wouldn't call them "balancers").

That would be a good set-up, but a large cap, coil-in-cap unit would be cheaper.

Vortec plugs.

Your computer will be brain-dead unless you reuse the q-jet and distributor. Only major difference will be the wires you don't need if you don't reuse the computer q-jet and distributor.

I would never buy a "dressed" or "turn-key" package that included an Edelbrock carb. But, that's my personal bias.

The specs for the cam in the engine with less power looks like it should make more power. The 420 HP says 10:1 CR and the 405 9.5:1, but that doesn't make up the difference. They either got their listing information mixed up, or you can't believe anything they say.

Manual transmissions don't have torque converters, just automatics. However, you may want to consider changing out your rear end gears if they are currently anything less than 3.73. Of course, a 383 will be death to a T5, so you should be planning a transmission change, either to an automatic, or to a T56.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm definitely not going with an automatic. A sports car is no fun as an automatic IMO :-)

I don't know what my tranny is, stock for 1986 is al I know, but my local mechanic said it would be fine with a 383 when I asked him about it after I bought the car.

As for the balancer (hey its job is to balance so its a balancer :-) ), I could've sworn my stock engine had one, but I will have to look again when I have time.

 

Actually, it's primary job is to dampen harmonics. It isn't there to balance harmonics. Balancing is a secondary job with externally-balanced, long-stroke cranks only.

The stock manual transmission in '86 was a T5. The later "world class" T5 was stronger. The T5 is marginal with 305's with "aggressive" driving, with a 383, you're going to have to avoid any type of clutch dumps or speed shifting. If that's your mechanic's definition of "fine", I suppose he's right.