Engine Chosen..

[ssn696]

New idea. 1996-2002 GM HD truck replacement 'R' engine. You don't have to buy from Summit, but they have an ready description of the crate engine. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12530283.

This is a late model, one-piece rear main seal with basic Vortec heads, roller cam and lifters, and four-bolt main caps. The pistons give 9.4:1 compression withe the Vortec heads. Swap in a better roller cam for <$200, and Vortec intake for another $150, and the appropriate flywheel and you have your basic go fast motor. One catch is that you need to swap the gear on the end of your distributor with a 'melonized' one (10456413) so it does not eat the steel roller cam. A fair cam to consider is the one used in the Ram Jet 350, the 14097395 marine cam. It is compatible with the existing 'R' motor Vortec valvesprings. It uses the same 'R' motor lifters and timing chain. You'll be in under $3K with this approach and it has a 3-year warranty.

The 19210007 GM crate motor looks like their 330HP 350. Hydraulic flat tappet cam 24502476 is best used with high zinc oil, whereas roller cams are less at risk. Heads are the same, with somewhat lower overall compression, 9.1:1. You'll still need the Vortec intake and flexplate. I'd go with the 12530283. You'd still have budget for some roller rockers!

 

[don4life]

a good engine builder could do you way better than all this back and forth about crate engines

 

[pencero]

Who cares if the engine did have a roller cam or not. If the OP really wants to use his programming skills on a block he should opt out of roller cam and go full turbo w/ flat tappet. Then he can utilize his skills. If I was going to do a turbo I'd choose the chevrolet performance w/ flat tappet and skip all the roller cams...

 

[pencero]

a good engine builder could do you way better than all this back and forth about crate engines

That's really the only reason I even brought up such a weak engine. I wouldn't want to spend more than a few thousand on something I don't necessarily trust 100%. $1600 is about the line for me. Blueprint stories always end the same; cracked block coolant hose blowing off, young college guy comes out trying to make you feel like its your fault so they can get out of the warranty. When my friends Goodwrench failed the dealership just wheeled it away gave him free coffee and donuts and put another 1 in. He was treated like a king at the dlr ship...

 

[Doug Trahan]

My budget for the engine was around $3k.
My budget for installation labor is $1k.
Misc. parts maybe $200, but the lower the better. Most parts will hopefully transfer from my current 350.
My goal was to be in the 12's, but I'm fine with mid to low 13's for now with a GBody Monte Carlo SS. 373 gears and street tires. 99.9% street car.

I do not want to do anything to the engine during the warranty period, ie: swap cams, heads, etc...
I will not be doing any of the work myself. I have a mechanic, but in the instance I can't get a hold of him, I'll be going to a shop.

They all seem very similar and have good and bad stories. ATK has West Coast Customs and Overhaulin vouches...repeatedly. Blueprint is all over every hotrod magazine, along with YEARONE.

Why no 383`s? You get the torque on the low end which is great for the street. Are you running an OD trans? I have a 383 (60 over now) with a 700R4 and 3.42 gears. Very good gears for the low 1st gear in the trans. and good at highway speed as well. The only thing I found on the stroker motors is a problem with the cranks cracking due to being balanced externally (a 400 harmonic balancer and flywheel). I pulled mine last fall to have it freshened and that is what the machine shop found. Since I needed a new crank anyway they worked the crank so it is balanced internally using a 350 harmonic balancer.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Who cares if the engine did have a roller cam or not. If the OP really wants to use his programming skills on a block he should opt out of roller cam and go full turbo w/ flat tappet. Then he can utilize his skills. If I was going to do a turbo I'd choose the chevrolet performance w/ flat tappet and skip all the roller cams...

Because modern motor oil lacks enough ZDDP for flat tappets. I would go with a rollor cam motor these days to avoid having to buy ZDDP additives.

 

[Kansas Bu Wagon]

Who cares if the engine did have a roller cam or not. If the OP really wants to use his programming skills on a block he should opt out of roller cam and go full turbo w/ flat tappet. Then he can utilize his skills. If I was going to do a turbo I'd choose the chevrolet performance w/ flat tappet and skip all the roller cams...

Not sure what being a computer programmer has to do with turbo'ing a carbed sbc.

I'd talk to some of your local engine builders about what you're looking for. Never hurts to keep your options open.

Plus, if something goes wrong, you know exactly where to go and who to talk to.

 

[truracer20]

Why no 383`s? You get the torque on the low end which is great for the street. Are you running an OD trans? I have a 383 (60 over now) with a 700R4 and 3.42 gears. Very good gears for the low 1st gear in the trans. and good at highway speed as well. The only thing I found on the stroker motors is a problem with the cranks cracking due to being balanced externally (a 400 harmonic balancer and flywheel). I pulled mine last fall to have it freshened and that is what the machine shop found. Since I needed a new crank anyway they worked the crank so it is balanced internally using a 350 harmonic balancer.

Honestly with his budget a reliable 383 is impossible. Cheap cast cranks break. Good forged cranks rarely do but are nearly one third of his budget.
Just because an engine is externally balanced doesn't mean it'll break cranks. It's either caused by using inferior cranks or the engine builder doesn't know how to build engines. In all my circle track racing we've used a lot of Chevy 400's and 383's, turning the snot out of them and no crank failures.

 

[gbodytoys]

Just a few things...

I'm not buying anything without a roller cam. Everywhere, and I mean everywhere, I go people say opt for the roller. Unless I came across some old lady selling her husbands stuff out the garage for 80% off, there's no way I'd go flat tappet.

"swap this, swap that"....ummmm, no. I know it's in some of you guys nature to say, "just remove the...and boost up ....then add some spray"....I'm not doing any of that. That's the entire purpose of a crate. If I wanted to do that stuff, I'd grab a motor from the yard and have it machined.

A 383 is a great option, it just requires a little more money. I've definitely checked into those because of the torque.

I'm also keeping my options open with some local guys. I do love the fact that if you buy it locally, you have a place to go back to. I'd have to find a place though that offered the same value + labor.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Not sure what being a computer programmer has to do with turbo'ing a carbed sbc.

I'd talk to some of your local engine builders about what you're looking for. Never hurts to keep your options open.

Plus, if something goes wrong, you know exactly where to go and who to talk to.

If it is turbo carb SBC with a CCC system. Most G bodies are computer controlled from the factory and I still run mine. However, tuning a CCC system requires EPROM burning.