I want to build an engine to someday swap into the RS. A 350 block, stroked to 383.

Can I find a 350 block at a junk yard and work with that? Does it have to be a certain type of block to work with TBI?
If the block is used, what steps do I have to take to restore it?

And for extra credit, what would it take to increse disp. to 396?

 

stroker kit to make it a 383 is easily bought, 396 is a more custom stroke and would need lots of custom parts to work. ie oil pan mods, block rail mods, etc

any 350 block would work fine, unless you want a roller block then you'd need a newer engine with roller provisions.

 

best cores to find at U-pick yards would be roller blocks. I'm not sure if Caprice/trucks with 350's, after 1988, would be a roller block. That'd be a good find.

All other 350 blocks are pretty similar, 2bolt or 4 bolt won't change much for your app. Best bet would be one in better shape (duh!). Try to find the '82 caprice, with 100,000 miles on it, and a dust covered engine bay. If it hasn't been touched in 10 years, then it's better than some goofball messing with it. Unbored, etc, is best. If heads are off, and it's rusty, keep walking.

You'd want to bring the block in to your local machine shop, and ask for a hot tank and magnaflux. Assuming the block checks out, then you can get it bored/decked. I like to just get it bored, then bring it home BAREBONES, and clean it up, paint it, etc etc. Then after putting in pistons, you can see how much you want it decked, etc etc.

 

i don't bother putting my own engines together at all. the $300 you save in labor isn't worth it if it blows up on start-up. Let the professionals take care of it and sleep easy at night knowing it was done right.

 

but thats half the fun!! always second guessing and wondering if you covered all the bases, then you just get used to it after awhile, when they start to work right.

 

i can't imagine spending $3700 for a motor then realizing had I spent $4000 it would have been done right and something I missed they wouldn't have. Now for the motors that I just screw around with and blow up regularly I'll get them, re-ring and put in new bearings and see how it goes, when it's a $350 motor you don't care nearly as much as something you plan on keeping for a while.

 

I can't agree with that one xpndble. I guess I just don't trust "experts" anymore. I mean, i'm no expert, but i'll go over it a zillion times until i'm confident... Plus best way to learn is to build one, having someone assemble it for you doesn't teach you a thing. you can barely call it yours. Like the guys with new vette's, just 'cuz it's fast, doesn't make you a car guy, unless you've built it.
But my main beef is this - I know i've had work done by good mechanics, even the "best", dealership mechanics, $110/hr. They still screw it up. They specialize in cars, not MY car, so there's bound to be some sort of ambiguity. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that once upon a time you've taken a car to a mechanic, and had them screw something up? We all have...

I would assume that engine builders are the same way, I mean, it only takes one little mistake, master builder lets his shop bit** finish up bolting up the crank, he does something to a ford spec, something silly, whatever it is. Boom, something goes wrong. They're still a business, and will make the most $ if they throw the highest # of engines out the door, so...

 

i wouldn't even have the cash to buy all the PROPER dial guages that professionals use to test something. I don't know a single shop around here that won't guarantee their motors, or a shop that has some minimum wage kid putting together a 4k+ engine. Someday when you get past the ego of saying you hand built the motor and realize that when you're making real power that the only option is to have professionals build it then you'll know. Did you build your trans? setup the rear end? etc etc. If i'm building a crap motor for cheap like I already stated then yes, I can read plastiguage and put it together. If I want something to last, then I will have it built by a reputable shop. A 2 stage nitrous motor is much more different a build than a typical street motor that won't see huge cylinder pressures, bearing loads, or high RPMs and be expected to stay together.

Fast, reliable, cheap....pick two, since you can't get all 3. Look at the show pinks, guys who build parts out of spare parts can't even get them to last 5 passes on national TV.

 

Ok, 396 is no longer an option. I'll stick with the 383.

I will most likely have a shop build my engine. The only thing I may do is attatch the TBI unit and work on the chip.
Like xpndbl said, I will not have the endless tools nor knowledge that an engine building shop will have.

Do you guys recommend I get the full long block assembly done by the shop (heads, cam, etc), or just get the bottom end built and I should play around with the heads, cams, drivetrain, intake myself?

 

i would speak to the particular builder of your choice, typically the extra labor at that point to have them bolt up everything is worth it, usually only another $50 or so to get the heads, and cam installed. Sometimes they won't warrantee a motor unless they build the whole thing, it's really up to each builder. I'd speak to local racers at a track to see who they use, or talk to local speed shops for recommendations.

 

to make a stroker all you need is a crankshaft ,pushrods ,and connecting rods all out of a 400 smallblock.

 

typically cheaper to buy a 383 rotating assembly from somewhere and you won't use the 400 block small rods and can use regular 5.7" rods instead.

 

also get rid of the tbi go carb and hei egnition 1 wire no computer needed i just bought a carb intake from salvage yard for 35$ im doing the same my blocks out of a blazer thx for upto date info on strokers

 

I will look around for shops and talk to people I know.

I'm sticking with TBI. Computers are my thing, so I feel it will be a nice challenge.

 

well, I had machine work done at the shop, then measuring it up with expensive tools isn't necessary, 'cuz the parts should up to spec. I did plastigauge for peace of mind though. My next motor will be a big HP one, which i'll break down and buy the big dollar tools to assemble it. (and measure it, etc)

I didn't touch my trans, 'cuz there's nothing wrong with it yet (touch wood..), but I did rebuild my rear, myself. All in the learning process here, I couldn't diagnose a problem unless I knew how the motor/whatever, works.

My first build (a semi cheap build), is all me. After that, if I want some guarantee, maybe i'd let a pro do it, but by then I have the experience so...

 

I want this 383 to act like an engine in a brand new car off the lot, dependable and a long life ahead of it (with care taken on my part).

Maybe when I yank the 305 for the swap I'll use that as a learning block.

 

well the stock 305 or 350 TBI wont have fun on a 383... you can grab a 454 tbi outta some of the trucks of the day and tune it for that but really if your gonna build a 383 try a decent setup up top GM tbi is junk but holley makes some awsome complete 4 barrel TBI setups for a really decent price that a monkey could tune with the programs they give ya... you dont want to toss all the money into building a nice stroker capable of loads of power then choke it off with a stock TBI setup...
its like putting premium in a geo metro... your not going any faster just wasting 50 cents a gallon...

 

I here ya weze. Putting the stock TBI on a new 383 never crossed my mind. I was planning on getting the Holley two barrel. I wasn't aware they make a four barrell? I assume that needs four injectors?