I'm planning to pick up an 88 Corvette short block with 87k original miles to replace my blown L98. I will have to use my stock F-body heads for now because of my budget, so will these bolt directly to the vette short block?

I searched these forums and saw that ,at least for 1988, the only differences in the L98 is that the corvette got the aluminum d-port heads and a different cam. Does anyone have the cam specs so I can compare? I read that the motors had the same flex plate but can anyone confirm this? I'll be using the 700R4 that came with my GTA.

I also read that I will need to use my GTA accessories and oil pan, which is fine. The vette short block only comes with an oil cooler, which I believe my GTA has too. Thanks in advance.

~Matt

 

I found this at corvette action center. Sound correct?

CAM 88-89 L98 10066049 In/Exh Dur@.050" 207'/213' Lift (w/1.5) .415"/.430" LobSep 117'

That is the same data that thirdgen.org shows here:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techdb

So they have the same camshaft then?

 

Anyone? I'd like to get confirmation soon so I can pick this up if it will work. Thanks.

 

Your '88 heads will bolt to the Vette block. No reason it won't work as long as it is in good condition.

 

I've read on here several times that the f-body and vette L98s had different cams. Unless my 2nd post is inaccurate, the 1988 L98 for the f-bodies and Corvettes were identical except for the Corvette's aluminum 113 heads.

I also recall reading that the Corvettes received a different distributor.

 

Different oil pan, different exhaust, different transmission details (stall, servo, etc.), probably different tune.

How "different" the cam may or may not be is pretty much irrelevant.

If the distributor is different, it wasn't for performance reasons.

 

Well I skipped on that 88 vette L98 because I couldn't hear it run. I've now found a complete 1990 vette L98 so I need to confirm how compatible that will be. I know that the vette L98 was SD in 90 so that will be different. The motor will come complete with serp system and wiring harness. I'm waiting to confirm if the ECU will be included.


If I completely pull out my 88 L98 and drop in this 90 vette L98, what do I need to change? I read that my f-body driveshaft may be too long. Should I stick with MAF or use the SD?

~Matt

 

Why pay for a control system you already have unless you want to do the MAP upgrade?
Motor doesn't care what is bolted to it so you can run your MAF computer on any Vette block or engine
Vette alum heads do not have the EGR riser if that is important to you

I any case the weatherproof ECM used on the MAP Vette engines is completely different
to a F-Body one that is mounted under the dash and the ECM connectors are also different
so the Vette MAP ECM is of no value to you as little will connect to your car

Why would the DS length change because you swapped a engine.
All SBC 's are exactly same dimensions

 

Sorry I was reading your post in this thread:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...amaro-tpi.html

But that was for a f-body and corvette 700R4 swap comparision. That obviously won't affect me since I am re-using my stock transmission


I will likely keep my stock computer then and run my MAF set-up. If I use the 1990 vette aluminum heads and TPI then is there anything else I need to change? Did the 90 vette have the 9th injector like my 88? I have no problem deleting EGR and AIR. The headers I will be installing have no AIR provisions anyway and I was planning on learning some DIY EFI tuning so I can practice with some disabling codes. Thanks.

~Matt

 

You retain your whole '88 control/ fuel system but need a '89 tune that has cold start fueling from the 8 injectors instead of the seperate CSI which was deleted on '89+ TPI
'89 ARAP is the most popular starting bin for MAF