Which engine would YOU choose? (update)

[-83MONTESS-]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (vote)

I had to vote for the aluminum block 5.3L. For a car thats gonna be autocrossed I would imagine a light engine up front will help alot and in stock form they have good overall power.

 

[307 Regal]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (vote)

I think for something you're going to beat the sh*t out of EFI is a big deal and thats why the 5.3 is obviously winning. If you wanted your car to have oldschool notalgia and you're a purist you should eliminate it as an option and the buick 350 is easily best choice carb'd, but I think everyone is just voting for the 5.3 assuming you were going to take advantage of the computer system. The 5.3 could take way more abuse connected to the right trans / computer - obviously... If it were me I'd just use a 350 and stay oldschool but for practicality the choice is pretty obvious to everyone. Also I for one think the 302 is a bad idea. It sounds like a good engine that makes a nice exhaust note for a cruiser but not for something you are going to beat up at the track.

Yea, it's definitely best from a performance standpoint as far as potential and stock form. And I would be keeping the fuel injection. Also, though, for the older engines I am heavily considering TBI because I figured it would make the engine more responsive. I left it open ended for the voting but most people are just assuming carb. I know TBI isn't quite the same as the fuel injection on an LS, but that being said I'm not looking to clean house at any event I show up at (when I do go to one).
Could you elaborate a little more on why you think the 302 is a bad idea? I was just starting to really like the idea but I'm still open to opinions.

 

[DRIVEN]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (vote)

I didn't know about it. Do you think an LT based 302 would have advantages over an older build? I don't know much about the LTs.

There's a variant of the LT1 called the L99. Its 4.3 liters and was used in some Caprices from '94-'96. The bore is the same as a 305 but has a 3" stroke and longer rods than other SBCs. You can use an LT1 as a base engine and replace the crank and rods leaving you with a roller cammed, aluminum head, long rod, EFI 302. Those would all be advantages over a traditional SBC.

 

[307 Regal]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (vote)

I didn't know about it. Do you think an LT based 302 would have advantages over an older build? I don't know much about the LTs.

There's a variant of the LT1 called the L99. Its 4.3 liters and was used in some Caprices from '94-'96. The bore is the same as a 305 but has a 3" stroke and longer rods than other SBCs. You can use an LT1 as a base engine and replace the crank and rods leaving you with a roller cammed, aluminum head, long rod, EFI 302. Those would all be advantages over a traditional SBC.

So you start with an LT1 (5.7L?) and give it the crank and rods of an L99?

 

[DRIVEN]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (vote)

That's it. The longer rods make it possible to use 350 pistons which have infinite choices compared to the 302.

 

[jdietschweiler]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (vote)

You guy are forgetting that theres only a 67lb difference between a iron and aluminum block 5.3. The biggest deal would be the cost to swap. Even if you run a carb, the kit is like $800 for the intake and msd box.

I could have put a bbc in my bu for the cost of the ls swap.....just sayin...


But hands down bar none a sbc 350 will do what your looking to do least expensive.

I chose the ls anyways for the challenge.

 

[307 Regal]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (vote)

You guy are forgetting that theres only a 67lb difference between a iron and aluminum block 5.3.

Actually I didn't forget. I didn't know! :lol: Although, I do feel like 67 pounds is significant. Even so, you bring up a good point. I need to find engine weights. Specifically for LT engines vs LS engines. This can help with the decision making slightly. I won't bother with the Buick 350's weight since I know I can't get aluminum heads. If I'm going that route it's just gonna be because it's a Buick engine anyway so the weight won't matter. If I do decide to go with the LS style then I'll decide which block to shoot for. But to tell you the truth, the aluminum block was my main selling point on the 5.3 engine even more so than the tech and stock performance. If the weight difference between an LT "302" and an iron block 5.3 is minimal then I'll probably side with the LT. I'm going fuel injected on either of those engines, so the cost of setting up fuel injection would still be there, but the LT 302 might be cheaper and would be more to my taste.
I need to do some research.
Thanks again for that post. You sparked some good thoughts.

 

[307 Regal]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (poll closed)

Thread updated. Check the first page.

 

[pencero]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (poll closed)

I think the 302 is a bad idea bc its a little off the beaten path and might take a long time to figure out mathematically and could cause you to have to visit endless auto parts vendors when one of these other engines is all just a set of matching sizes + you won't have to depend on any used parts / accessories most likely which would be bad bc you're planning to really get on this car hard at the track. The other options; when you go to buy your parts they'll be grouped together in 'kits' and you won't have to mismatch parts across several different vendors. I think its a really cool idea I actually want to see one of these 302 engines bc I have seen a lot of stuff around here but not that. I think it would be cool for a cruiser.

Anyway though, you know you're going to beat on the car so you don't want to use an engine like that has a wide variety of mis-matched parts bc this engine might actually blow up you never know dude... If somebody makes even the smallest mathemetical mistake on a car that's going to be ran hard at a track its a really big deal whereas if you had just used the car normally it wouldnt have shown a problem for thousands of miles. Why risk your investment when simplicity will protect the money you have already invested in this car. I'd rather be at the counter just buying a cheap rebuild kit w/ all matching pieces in a worst case scenario if it were me, and also you'll have the benefit of buying accessories over-the-counter instantly brand new or re-mfr instead of having to scrape by w/ junkyard parts and leave open the risk of having a problem at the track when you're really going hard on the car I'm sure that would be embarassing! In your worst case scenario if you screw up the car, you want an engine that's easy to tear down and put right back together again cheaply thats what Im trying to say.

 

[307 Regal]

Re: Which engine would YOU choose? (poll closed)

I think the 302 is a bad idea bc its a little off the beaten path and might take a long time to figure out mathematically and could cause you to have to visit endless auto parts vendors when one of these other engines is all just a set of matching sizes + you won't have to depend on any used parts / accessories most likely which would be bad bc you're planning to really get on this car hard at the track. The other options; when you go to buy your parts they'll be grouped together in 'kits' and you won't have to mismatch parts across several different vendors. I think its a really cool idea I actually want to see one of these 302 engines bc I have seen a lot of stuff around here but not that. I think it would be cool for a cruiser.

Anyway though, you know you're going to beat on the car so you don't want to use an engine like that has a wide variety of mis-matched parts bc this engine might actually blow up you never know dude... If somebody makes even the smallest mathemetical mistake on a car that's going to be ran hard at a track its a really big deal whereas if you had just used the car normally it wouldnt have shown a problem for thousands of miles. Why risk your investment when simplicity will protect the money you have already invested in this car. I'd rather be at the counter just buying a cheap rebuild kit w/ all matching pieces in a worst case scenario if it were me, and also you'll have the benefit of buying accessories over-the-counter instantly brand new or re-mfr instead of having to scrape by w/ junkyard parts and leave open the risk of having a problem at the track when you're really going hard on the car I'm sure that would be embarassing! In your worst case scenario if you screw up the car, you want an engine that's easy to tear down and put right back together again cheaply thats what Im trying to say.

I get ya. From the sound of things so far, the 302 build will just be a regular LT1 with a shorter stroke using a different "stock" GM crank shaft. The fuel system might be where things get altered because of the displacement change. I don't know yet. I've gotta double check this stuff first but if the crank is the only serious change then I should be able to keep it straight. I do need to check aftermarket availability on the L99 parts though. I feel ya about not wanting to get into a hard spot with broken parts. That was my main focus for the first two years of owning this car just because of the non-existent aftermarket at the time, and I'm still pretty timid with it even when I'm trying to have fun with it. I do understand that unforeseen things do happen though so I try to cover as many bases as possible before I act. Rest assured, same rule is gonna apply here.