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Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

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Old May 28, 2010 | 02:44 PM
  #1  
94_LT1_Z's Avatar
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Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

I just bought a smoker complete from intake to pan for $65 off of the Chevy team at my work. It has centerbolt heads and is 1pc rear main. I think it is out of a 91 GMC 1500 4wd. Factory roller/4bolt main I am assuming. Are the heads on these worth anything? This is going to be a possible stroker for an S10 project.
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Old May 28, 2010 | 04:48 PM
  #2  
watajob's Avatar
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From: Location, Location!
Car: 92 T/A 'vert
Engine: Mild .040 over L98 4 bolt mains
Transmission: Mostly stock 700R4, 2600 Vigilante
Axle/Gears: LS1 3.42
Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

I *think* that while it's a 1 pc RMS and has the provisions for a roller cam, TBI's used a flat tappet cam. It'll work fine for a rebuilder.
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Old May 28, 2010 | 05:04 PM
  #3  
joe2844's Avatar
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Lexington, VA
Car: 1991 Camaro Z28
Engine: Carb 5.3
Transmission: Th350
Axle/Gears: Moser 12 bolt, 4.11 gears
Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

agreed. it a roller block but no roller cam. heads arent worth trying to make any power with. those motors come with 175ish hp stock.
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Old May 28, 2010 | 05:13 PM
  #4  
ASE doc's Avatar
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From: Aurora, OR
Car: 87 IROC Z28
Engine: 355 cid TPI
Transmission: Custom Built 700R4 w/3,500 stall
Axle/Gears: QP fab 9" 3.70 Truetrac
Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

If the block and crank are good thats a good price on a 4 bolt one piece rear block. You done good.
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Old May 28, 2010 | 05:31 PM
  #5  
92RS_Ttop's Avatar
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From: Pennsylvania
Car: 1992 Camaro RS
Engine: Rebuilt 350 going in after paint
Transmission: WCT5, 7k & counting behind the 350
Axle/Gears: 4thgen disc rear w/ 3.73 Posi
Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

You got a good deal on that, and it should be fine for a stroker. However, those engines are not equipped with roller cams from the factory although the provisions should be there for the conversion. The heads are most likely junk, Chevy didn't put Vortec heads on the 5.7 truck motors till 96 IIRC. Its probably not a 4-bolt either, but as long as you aren't going over 550HP you should be ok.
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Old May 28, 2010 | 05:44 PM
  #6  
skirkland1980's Avatar
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From: morrow, ga
Car: 82 S10, 83 280ZX, 84 Z28
Engine: 355 smallblocks..na, 2.8 turbo
Transmission: 85:th350, 84:700R4
Axle/Gears: 85:ford9 4.85, 84:stock 3.24
Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

i have those heads on my s10. i like them but a 383 may not.
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Old May 28, 2010 | 06:40 PM
  #7  
game1939's Avatar
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Joined: Feb 2010
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From: savannah, ga
Car: 91 chevy camaro
Engine: 383
Transmission: 700r4 built with corvette servo
Axle/Gears: posi 3:73
Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

get some vortecs, my 383 loves them......mine off 97-98 5.7 truck....... machined though.....
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Old Jun 2, 2010 | 01:10 PM
  #8  
94_LT1_Z's Avatar
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Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!!

Upon teardown of the TBI 5.7 I just bought I found a few surprises.

1. Found out why it smoked.....#3 piston had a 1" section of the top of the piston broke off exposing the top ring.

2. Inside of the engine looks like the original owner used asphalt for engine oil. It looks like it was a Quaker State only engine.

3. Pleasant surprise #1 was a OE roller cam set-up

4. Pleasant surprise #2 was a 4-bolt main

5. Pleasant surprise #3 was a steel crank.

So since some of this stuff didn't add up to what I've read about TBI motors I am assuming that this engine was either a replacement shortblock or it at least had a the crank replaced and the roller cam set-up put in it at one time or another. Either way it looks like i got a good useable block and crank for a start to a stout 35x motor.
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Old Jun 4, 2010 | 03:52 PM
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ASE doc's Avatar
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From: Aurora, OR
Car: 87 IROC Z28
Engine: 355 cid TPI
Transmission: Custom Built 700R4 w/3,500 stall
Axle/Gears: QP fab 9" 3.70 Truetrac
Re: Tell me about 5.7 TBI truck motors....

Sweet!
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