Aside from getting ripped off on a short block I purchased online, the idiot that I bought the engine from shipped the crank in a box separate from the engine block. UPS apparently misplaced the box with the crank in it. How someone can lose a big *** 60 pound box, I still don't understand. Anyway, now I have a claim with UPS and they will be reimbursing up to $100 for the crank. I know I am going to get ripped off again because UPS can only issue a check to the shipper, the guy that screwed me over to begin with. He is the one that has to cash it and send me the money to replace the crank.

I've been looking around at cast cranks, and I have noticed that there is not a big difference in pricing from a 350 to a 383 crank if you are buying it new. I know if I went with a 383 crank, I need to run a small base circle cam, clearance the block where the rods come close, and I believe the same thing goes for the oil pan. There has to be much more to it than that however. I have been doing some research online, but I have not found a single complete source. What else is involved?

 

Depending on if it is internally or externally balanced, you will need to have the pistons, rods, and crank balanced together.

The flexplate for a 383 is 168 tooth, you may need a mini-starter, you may have oil-pan clearance problems(either beat on it with a hammer or buy aftermarket).

Do a search and you will find lots of info. It is not a direct swap out with the 350 crank.

 

Just to clarify, it is either a 350 crank or a 400 crank. There is no such thing as a 383 crank.

Thanks.

 

Being that there were never any 400 1 piece seal blocks, i'd have to say there are 383 cranks, not to mention the aftermarket internal balance 2 piece ones.

 

What I meant by a 383 crank, is a 400 crank that has already had the mains machined down to where it will fit a 350 block. Either way, thats not too important.

Does the rotating assembly need to get balanced when the crank is internally balanced, or externally?

I am running an LT1 flywheel, as I have a 6 speed. As long as the crank is a one piece rear main seal, I am assuming there are no issues, correct? Should bolt up without any problems.

I'm not sure why I would need a mini starter. Can you elaborate a little on that please.

Thanks

 

You need an 86 up block and a new crank for a 1 piece seal with 3.75" stroke, your existing stuff will bolt up, including your starter and flywheel.

 

Apparently, I am going to need different pistons. I wasn't aware that 350 pistons and 383 pistons are different. If I understood correctly, a 383's pistons have the connecting rod located at a point slightly higher in the piston than on a 350. That makes sense now that I think about it. If you didn't do that, it would make the piston rise too high in its bore as a result of the increased stroke. Someone please correct me if I am wrong...

 

Sorry to hear about your ups misfortune. I hope the same thing doesn't happen to mine, I've been tracking it and it's been in Lenexa Ks for 2 days .... Shrug.
Stroker kits are the way to go. The best bet is one from a reputable supplier, balanced with stroker clearanced rods. Stay away from the low bidder, you get what you pay for, any of the kits that are worth a schyt are competitively priced.
Doing searches of magazine articles is a way of finding out the basics. It's too exhastive to explain it all in detail, but basically putting a 1/4" longer stroke into a 350 (+.030) motor is what makes it a 383. But if you do that without changing anything else, the piston will stick up past the top of the deck. Hence a stroker uses a shorter piston, or a shorter rod.

 

I feel for ya but a crank is heavy, odd shaped and never packaged well enough. Its probably damage lost. They lost the box it was in and it got messed up anyways.

Them machines eat some packages. The night a few dozen boxes of bullets got stuck in the works was neat. big heavy stuff goes in the very bottom of the truck, and are kicked off the belt into it. You can't get your job even close to done right if you cared about peoples stuff. If its heavy you kicked it off the belt into the truck. Many a gateway computer took a beating through ups. and they will eat anything easily gotten into.

fedex/rps is much better. no union, no pressure, no slave dog labor trying to break you the first 90 days, never feel like going postal on packages.

But thats screwed up how he gets the check. You paid for the shipping and insurance. Its your money.

How much did you pay for that crank? is the seller gonna be able to skim the top of that check?

 

It gives me a wonderful feeling to think that for the past 2 days, some UPS guys in Lenexa Ks have been kicking my crank...

 

ups is scum. whenever i ship i use fed ex or usps.
as for building a 383 i really think you'd be way ahead to stick with a 350 becasue it sure sounds like it's your first engien and there is so much more to do and so much more expense involved with a 383.

 

Actually, this is my first engine rebuild. I've partially rebuilt outboard marine and small diesel engines before, but never a total rebuild, and never something that is going into my car. I was considering building the 383 if my expenses wouldn't be considerably higher. From what I've found out so far, I think it would be wiser for me to stick to a 350 this time around. I dont want to overlook something and blow the engine the first 30 seconds it runs.

I barely paid anything for the crank. I bought an 86 vette short block for $125, an engine stand for $25, brand new STD size Federal Mogul Bearings for rods, mains, and cam for $40, and a "complete" gasket set from Fel Pro for $50. Shipping was $100 from Michigan. So in total it was about $340.

Turns out the gasket set was not complete, contrary to what he said. I also sent the guy a picture of what the center of a roller block looks like and asked if thats what he had. I specifically wanted a roller block. When it gets here two months after he cashed my money order, its not a roller block. He also tried to rip me off by telling me that the block costs $245 to ship with the cheapest Freight Company and he suggests we split the difference. I called Forward Air, and they quoted me $90 to ship it. I called R and L and they quoted me $138. His story didn't hold when I emailed him back with two different quotes, phone numbers, and the names of the people I spoke with over the phone. Also, I had to threaten him with sending him a letter from the State Attorneys Office where my uncle works so he can ship everything out and respond to my emails. He had dissappeared for a while. Unfortunately, my uncle doesn't work for the state attorney. If not, I would've gotten a letter sent already.

I am just sick of this guy, and it pisses me off that there is next to nothing I can do. He had a great feedback history on Ebay, but the only thing I purchased on Ebay from him were the gaskets.

I'm hoping I get to see the check. Either way, I'm waiting for everything to clear out with the crank, before I report him to the Internet Fraud Commission.