OK I have finally gotten the sick 350 running good and am ready to take the next step. I would like to know if the plan I have is a good one.... This is a project with my son so there is no reason to throw out big HP ideas....yet....
What I want is a simple rebuild that has the ability to upgrade in a few years, once he proves he doesn't bury it fire wall deep into a bridge.

The plan is to buy a vortec (97+ truck) engine and let him do the tear down and rebuild. The engine in the car is an unknown year centerbolt head non-vortec which I could probably sell for the price of the new core. I am betting the engine we have is a non roller cam engine but the new one should have the roller already in it. Is there a good replacement cam that will work with the current computer? I have the 350 computer out of a 92 Caprice. We may get into tuning at a future time but to begin with I would rather make that an upgrade. So will the current computer be OK with the better heads? Any cam suggestions? I know I will need to deal with the intake and EGR to header issue but any helpful suggestions would be appreciated! Remember this is going to be a first car for a 14 year old boy.. It will not be a 400 HP screamer...mom would kill me!
Oh and we are on a budget so any value ideas would be great!
We can always upgrade later, just as soon as he starts making his own $$!!!!
Thanks in advance!

 

The stock '97 cam should play very nicely with the '92 Caprice tune.

 

Sweet! What about compression? Should I, or shall I say can I increase the compression? I am not sure what stock compression is on these engines and all of my experience is with old 70's engine so....

I want to be able to "step up" without going too far backward.... Thanks five7kid!!!

 

Stock Vortec 350 compression is about the same as stock 3rd gen L98 compression, in the 9.3:1 range. It wouldn't help much to increase compression unless you upped the cam, and then you'll probably need to start getting into custom ECM tuning.

 

OK. Then stock rebuild it is.. well of course with headers and either a new y pipe and cat or just ditch the cat, no inspections here in the land of OZ..... and the boy wants that Flowmaster sound. AAHHHH!! So glad he doesn't want one of those 4 banger fart tube mufflers.
Oh and can we just have something welded into the header for the EGR? I am still new to all this new fangled 90's technology!

 

You can do it that way. The manifold has a heat passage built into it that allows the EGR valve to work if you get exhaust gases up to it.

 

Five7kid, are you talking about the current manifold or the one from GMPP? I was wondering if anyone has drilled the vortec heads for the old style bolt pattern 'and' not had any issues with sealing. I am guessing since I have seen only one person post about that action that it is either difficult/expensive/doesn't work out too well..

Thanks,

I have found a 97 entire truck and a 40k 98 long block that was a new replacement engine. I am actually leaning tward the entire truck as I would be able to sell some stuff and maybe make the engine free or possibly make money!! Wouldn't that be nice.

 

OK so my son and I dropped some coin on a new core engine to rebuild. Hope I did OK. We will see when he opens her up. It is out of a 98 Tahoe. Engine block is the 880 casting and is most likely a 2 bolt main which will be more than fine for what we need. The cylinder heads are 12558062 with the 3 peak sawtooth on the ends. It had a slight knock in the bottom end, hopefully only spun bearings. I have read here that this is a tiny cam, and five7kid you told me to just reuse the cam but with it apart should I move up one step? Also I have a question, can I do the new manifold without the egr? Will it throw a code until I can do some tuning?
After looking at this thing changing cams with the engine in the car would be a ginormous task...and as I live in a state with no inspection I can get away with no EGR, except that I had heard they help mileage under cruise conditions....

I finally found that the engine in the car is the UKA 93 L05. I have been running it around KC about half highway and half stoplight city driving and got 21 the last tank and I believe a little better this tank. I am sure the L03 exhaust is killing even this engine, as the PO reinstalled the original manifolds.

Now the fun and education begins!!!