morel

My Roadmaster's L05 is slowly eating itself apart so I picked up a complete ZZ4 on craigslist for $400. Needs to be rebuilt, have it half apart so far. I'm totally new to GM (only euro stuff until now) so I don't know what brands of aftermarket to trust, where to get quality stuff, etc.

The ZZ4 came with a 1709330 Rochester TBI setup, I'm thinking I can just reuse that or what's on the L05 and have it tuned in town. Or should I jump up to the 2" setup with 454 injectors? I'm not looking for big power (although if its easy to get I won't say no) just a reliable motor. The car had its fuel pump replaced and I haven't been underneath to see what model it is.

Can anyone suggest a good list of parts for this setup? Valves, springs, all that jazz. I feel like Helen Keller at an art gallery looking at all the options I have.

Thanks,
Morel

1991sleeper

iTrader: (-3)

Comp, crower , lunati, crane , Howard's, etc these are all big valve train companies ... And u will need some type of tuning plan to tune the ECM

Schurkey

First Guess: Given your application, there's not a thing wrong with the valvetrain components that you already have, as supplied by GM on the ZZ4 engine. That stuff is better than some of the aftermarket parts.

How you're going to get the computer to play nice with the ZZ4 camshaft is beyond my skills.

If you were to add a more-mild camshaft, you could still use the lifters, pushrods, rockers, valve springs and retainers you already have (provided they're not worn-out.) If they are worn, you could buy stock-replacement parts for a ZZ4 and be fine.

Among your issues will be the lack of an exhaust-crossover passage in the ZZ4 cylinder heads. You're gonna have fun figuring out how to retain the EGR.

morel

Well, I thought it was a ZZ4.
10243880 Block
14102193 Heads, 87-up, 305/350, 1.94"/1.5" valves
Don't know what cam is in there yet, only top end is disassembled.

And to my understanding these heads are the same heads that are on my L05. If I can find something worth upgrading to, I'll do that. Otherwise its just picking which set is in better shape.

Schurkey

LO5 heads are almost certainly sh!tless swirl-port junk. ZZ4 would have aluminum "Corvette" heads; an out-of-date design that's acceptable but a long way from state-of-the-art. They're an inexpensive "entry-level" aluminum head.

thomas1976

What is the budget and plans?

If it is only to cruise around for endless miles, the 193 heads would be my first choice.

morel

The Roadmaster is my $1200 everyday beater. Actually use it quite often as a shop vehicle. Low end grunt and decent mileage is ideal. So far I have $400 spent on this second engine, so another $600 as all I'd like to spend.

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

If its just a cruiser do a mild set up..
Get an RPM intake with a TBI adapter plate
Mild port job on the swirlies
1.6 rockers with a spring upgrade
And an S10 4.3 stall converter.
Full exhaust from headers into a MANDREL bent 3 inch exhaust with muffler of your choice.

That would be stupid easy to tune and could be done for less than a grand if you scower eBay or craigslist for parts and can do the work yourself.

Schurkey

Go back to the criminal that sold you a swirl-port engine as a ZZ4, and get back the $200 he cheated you out of. Two hundred is all a roller-cam swirl-port engine in need of a rebuild is worth. MAYBE $250, if the bottom-end turns out to be exceptionally good.

Do you at least have the roller-lifter version? That'd be stock in a Roadmaster in '92. The pickup engines were flat-tappet junk; I wouldn't pay more than a hundred.

morel

^ a bit late for that, oh well. My local supply isn't exactly booming, I'm in Bozeman, Montana. It was $300+$100 in gas to get the thing. It ran fine and is in ok condition inside the heads and piston tops, but needed to be cleaned up.

I'll know that on saturday once I get in the shop. Will it still be relatively plug and play if it's a flat tappet block?

Schurkey

As long as you retain the stock cam, or use a nearly-stock cam.

Don't expect more than stock horsepower, though. The way you describe your goals for the engine, you'll have what matters most to you: Low-end power, reasonable fuel economy, good durability.

morel

Yeah I'll be using a stock cam. Should I expect a drop in power over the L05 in there right now?

1991sleeper

iTrader: (-3)

If the LO5 in ur car now has roller lifters and the new block does not have roller lifters rebuild ur old block instead if the new one !

Schurkey

WHAT YEAR is your Roadmaster? I made the mistake of assuming you had a '92, but looking back over your posts, you've never said what year it is.

The 1991--'93 "B/D Body" (Car) engine should have roller lifters and flat-top pistons. (9.6:1 compression.)

The 1987--1995 pickup-truck engine has flat-tappet cam, and dish pistons. (9.25:1 compression)

Expect marginally LESS power if you replace a properly-functioning car engine with a properly-functioning truck engine, due mostly to compression ratio decrease. Cam specs on either engine are so mild as to make little difference.

When the original engine in my pickup died at 230K, I installed a "crate motor" intended for the '91--'93 cars, p/n 12513151. Power was up slightly from the original engine, but it wasn't night-and-day difference. Frankly, I was disappointed that the power increase wasn't greater.

Seems to me the oil pan is slightly different, too. The pickup pan may not have a boss for the "low-oil" sensor. used on some cars.

morel

Interesting. Thanks for all the info so far.

Marginal power loss is no worry for me as I've been babying the LO5 (not running on all 8, losing oil pressure) and have been happy with power on hand.