ok i have this motor--http://store.summitracing.com/partde...3&autoview=sku. my question is, how much power can that handle? it is a 4 bolt block.

 

20 views and no guesses??

 

Well it is a four bolt block but that does not mean squat unless you take it past 500. I've seen people make a lot of good numbers out of these engines but they also just bought the short blocks to. They are so inexpensive if one comes apart.... order another one. But they do last quite a while as long as you don't take them past their limits. Like trying to take the rpm's up to 7500 with a rotating assembly designed for 6000 at the max. Or trying to throw a 250 shot of juice to the thing. Change the heads and cam, raise your compression a little put a good ignition and intake on it. Then you have a respectable street motor.

 

550 hp or so, IMO. Fair crank (nodular iron), very good rods (Powdered metal LT1), but not so wonderful pistons (cast aluminum). The pistons limit your juice to about 250 on a very well prepped system, or 100-150 for recreational use.

Weak places on the shortblock
Pistons
Crank
Rods
Block

In that order but to be honest I see nothing wrong with those rods and the block at all unless your planning on doing like bookoo RPM or Nitrous. And even then the block is not your weakpoint.

My advice? Cheap/easy route: Cam, port job, intake, headers, carb and ignition; maybe 325-350 hp. Less cheap route: The same as above + heads...just about anything is better than some of the heads that can come on that engine, I literally threw a pair of 369 heads away, they just looked like they belonged on a tractor not a Camaro. A set of L98 heads can be nice for a street engine, from the numbers I have seen they do alright to .5 lift...although after that is just waisting your time haha. Maybe a set of Vortecs is the key to some nice numbers.....

Or you could just leave it as it is and smile.

Your choice really.

You have the paper, make the painting. Its your art.

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