I'm toying around with the idea of instead of buying a new 350 to just build a 383 with the one i have now, so what i was wondering was what i need to replace the 350 with a 383......besides the engine itself, cause i know all about the pistons, crank, rods, etc....but what else needs to be replaced??

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"When something breaks, it gives me an excuse to replace it with a performace part!"
1988 GTA
TES headers
Flowmaster exaust
TB airfoil
165 Tstat
K+N's
JET chip
kenwood head unit, xplod amp, poineer 3 ways
weird rattling noises
dying 350
crappy paint
700R4 on its last leg
hood that won't open

 

First off, you need a 350 block (the displacement of an engine is determined by bore, how wide the pistons are, and stroke, how far the pistons travel) because a 383 is just a 350 with a longer stroke. Then, you need a stroker kit (crank, pistons, rings, rods, bearings etc.) like one from Powerhouse products (www.enginekits.com), scoggin dickey (www.sdpc2000.com), or summit (www.summitracing.com). You can buy all the components separately, however, it's easier and cheaper to get a kit. Voila! you have a 383! no special heads or anything are required since it's the same externally as a 350. If possible, see if you can buy the kit already balanced. Make sure to watch the compression ratio of your engine when you buy the kit as you don't want to get it above 11:1 when running pump gas (I think it can go higher but 11:1 is a good limit to set).

 

If you kow about the engine changes then there is nothing else. Its a 350 block so everything outside the internals stay the same.

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Mark Lock
- 86 IROC-Z - SuperRammed 383/T56
- -= IROC Online =- - The site dedicated to the IROC-Z

 

what about the prom, heads, intake, injectors, cam, ignition etc??? or would some of these be in a kit?
i know that these probably should be replaced for peak performace, but i dont wanna kill my tranny just yet.....

------------------
"When something breaks, it gives me an excuse to replace it with a performace part!"
1988 GTA
TES headers
Flowmaster exaust
TB airfoil
165 Tstat
K+N's
JET chip
kenwood head unit, xplod amp, poineer 3 ways
weird rattling noises
dying 350
crappy paint
700R4 on its last leg
hood that won't open

[This message has been edited by dude12387 (edited January 15, 2001).]

 

Not true. A 383 is externally balanced, so the harmonic balancer and flex plate/flywheel are different from a 350.

Also, you need to match the rear main seal type to the block. There are 2-piece (older) and 1-piece ('87-newer) blocks and cranks out there. And, some block grinding will be required to get rod clearance by the oil pan rails.

Then you get to start talking about injector sizes, intake porting, runner replacement, head porting, custom chip...

If your tranny is on its last leg, this engine will kick that leg out from under it. Do the tranny at the same time and save yourself one unbolt/bolt-up cycle.

dude, how you going to do all this if the hood won't open??!!!???...

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LB9 w/ZZ3 cam, TBD heads, exhaust, paint, etc.).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

well it can be internally or externally balanced so you're both right. it depends on how you do it. internally is a much better choice and would use 350 parts but an externally balanced one will require 400 parts although the later model 350's (I believe all 86+) are externally balanced as well but I don't know if these parts would work since a 400 and 350 wouldn't balance the same but might could be made to work by the machine shop balancing the stuff. best to get with the shop to figure that out. Other than the shortblock, nothing NEEDS to be changed but there are many things that should be changed to gain any benefits. Otherwise you're just spending a lot of money. a 383 needs more air and fuel so to get the full benefit you'd need bigger and better heads, higher flowing intake with larger injectors, bigger cam and a computer chip calibrated to fit. You'd also want to change the converter to work along with the cam you go with.

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Kyle Osterholt
Okarche, Oklahoma
ASE Master Certified
86 T/A 383 TPI
89 TTA #1002 T-top/Leather
89 TTA #1358 Hardtop/Leather
80 T/A Pace Car
73 Opel GT

 

so basicly, screw it and just get a new 350???
cause that was the original idea, but the 383 was just and idea

------------------
"When something breaks, it gives me an excuse to replace it with a performace part!"
1988 GTA
TES headers
Flowmaster exaust
TB airfoil
165 Tstat
K+N's
JET chip
kenwood head unit, xplod amp, poineer 3 ways
weird rattling noises
dying 350
crappy paint
700R4 on its last leg
hood that won't open

 

no... you need a new 350, cuz i need your old one. Seriously though getting a crate 350 just makes more sense. Its cheaper, easier, and guaranteed to work, and your funds could be better spent elsewhere than building a 383.

 

How much you plan on paying for that 350?

I paid $1700 to turn my 350 into a 383. That was crank, pistons, shot peening the stock rods, internally balancing with mallory(?) only $50-not as much as everybody lets on, new oil pan, hot tanking the block, clearancing for longer stroke, assembly of short block, and dialing in the cam (includes all the costs of a normal engine rebuild -gaskets, ARP bolts, etc.)

Now, I paid more for the complete engine, but that was with adding on other performance parts that you would add to the 350 anyways if you're wanting to increase performance(ie. aluminum heads, better intake, bigger runners, all the nice hi $ items that any gearhead would add).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it isn't any more expensive (if you already have a 350) to make it a 383, than it is to dump $2500 - $3500 into a hi-po crate engine. Must reputatable engine shops will stand behind their engines, while a simple little thing as putting a different cam in your crate engine could void your warranty.

Sparks a flyin'

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1989 L98 IROCZ, Bored .030 over,400 Crank,Dart PRO 1 Heads 200cc intake,ZZ3/ZZ4 Cam,Crane 1.6 RR,Edelbrock 3860 Hiflo TPI Manifold, AS&M LTRs, Edelbrock 58MM TB, Ported Plenum, TCI Reverse Pat Man Valve Body, SVO 24# injectors,TCI Streetfight Stall Converter, 3.23 Gears on Auburn Pro Posi, Some Suspension Mods

 

I will probably be paying about 1500 for my new 350 from GM, and it wont be as much of a hassle as building a 383.
twiggy, since when do u want an engine that only runs on 7 cylenders??? i thought i was gonna rip off ponzi and sell it to him......

------------------
"When something breaks, it gives me an excuse to replace it with a performace part!"
1988 GTA
TES headers
Flowmaster exaust
TB airfoil
165 Tstat
K+N's
JET chip
kenwood head unit, xplod amp, poineer 3 ways
weird rattling noises
dying 350
crappy paint
700R4 on its last leg
hood that won't open

 

>Not true. A 383 is externally balanced, so >the harmonic balancer and flex >plate/flywheel are different from a 350.

if im right you can just use a balancer and flywheel/flexplate off of a 400...

 

ignore

[This message has been edited by sparks383iroc (edited January 17, 2001).]

 

Sorry Scoob,

Just reread your post and saw you were responding to something else. For some reason the board won't let me edit my post. Just ignore the above post.

Sparks a flyin'