It would cost more to go LS31 stroker , but it would be a strait forward install with minimal unknowns, decent reliability and power. And yet I hate this engine because of the plastic timing chain cover and the nagging oil pan/timing chain cover leaks.

The LQ4 is very appealing, but this is my DD and I don't want to go an other summer with out the truck or AC and am afraid of opening a can of worms.

The goal is to eventually put this truck in the 10s but right now, I don't have the budget nor the time to do the needed mods to make that happen.

Budget is 3k and for now, I care more about making my life easier while having fun than saving money long term.

What do you guys think, should I go for the swap or not.

It is your money, you do what your gut wants you to do. It would be nice to go to the LS engines someday. Because of the crazy amount of horse power they are getting out of them. The gas milage that is gotten with them. Myself, I like the torque you get out of the Big Blocks. That should have been an option for my truck. Just like the 6'5L diesel was. I chose the 383 with the whipple. You already have it might as well use it. That is my thoughts.

CrazyHoe wrote:

It would cost more to go LS31 stroker , but it would be a strait forward install with minimal unknowns, decent reliability and power. And yet I hate this engine because of the plastic timing chain cover and the nagging oil pan/timing chain cover leaks.

The LQ4 is very appealing, but this is my DD and I don't want to go an other summer with out the truck or AC and am afraid of opening a can of worms.

The goal is to eventually put this truck in the 10s but right now, I don't have the budget nor the time to do the needed mods to make that happen.

Budget is 3k and for now, I care more about making my life easier while having fun than saving money long term.

What do you guys think, should I go for the swap or not.

Whipple what you have for now and then take the money an and buy a LS motor and bigger injectors for it THEN get
a big ass turbo to work with that tall 1st gear/454TC OR
get a surpercharger and make MORE unbelievable and reliable power(than the L31/zz4/ or 383 style base engine) just waiting for the pedal to be pushed harder and wake up that BEAST



Last edited by stroker97k1500 on Thu Feb 16, 2012 8:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

Still think the 383 has more low end grunt than the 6.0 does for me thats what Im all about

How about just putting the money back for now and keep adding to the pile? You want to keep it simple? Go play a 5-1 on the horses to get your budget up 15,000 bucks, then slap in one of these little babies. If this doesn't get you into the 10s on its own, then it'll be time to go supercharging.

A more reasonably priced alternative would be a LS1 engine from a Camaro. This is a COMPLETE engine, all you need is to get a wiring harness and a computer. The air conditioning really isn't going to be a problem. I can find the link again if you want it, but over in S-10-land some guy came up with a way of high mounting an AC compressor to run in an S10. This will also work in a full size.

Speeder wrote:

slap in one of these little babies.

Yeah I want to stick with the small block.

And that is the direction I'm heading, just not untill I have buckets of money to burn. Idealy, I don't want my hard earn money to go into that level of spending. Easy money, that's another story.



For now, I have no choice to do something about my engine, the bearings are hurting and the thing is pissing oil like a fountain...

In that case, the easiest thing to do would be a long block from a rebuilder before you get stranded. You can ask them to shave the heads to boost compression a bit to make it a little more fun, then put the balance back towards the next step. With a reliable engine you can take your time.

Even cheaper - guartanteed salvage yard engine. Replace the head gaskets, piston rings, bearings and oil pump. Once again, put the balance back and do a proper plan. Right now you have a limited budget and a time constraint, and that is no time to be having to plan upgrades. This is assuming that you only have the one ride (I can't keep track of what everyone has).

If I ever come accross the Money Speeder, I would like to put the LS 454 in a 97 or 98 short box 2wd. Put on the Super Charger and go Drag racing. These new engines make a lot of HP. If Your engine is leaking like a sive Crazyhoe, stroke it for now. Put a stud girdle on the lower end to handle the whipple super charger. Then you wouldn't have to spend that extra money on a 4 bolt main block. Put a good set of heads on the engine. http://www.sonicinjection.com.au/index.php?page=main-stud-girdles

Do what Robbie did in between his 383 fiasco and the 454. He got a low buck low mileage L31 and tossed in to bridge the gap. Alternatively since you have lower end issues, take the time and few $$ to drop the crank, put new bearings in it and seal it back up. I agree being under duress to do an engine swap is not the way to do it. I take a page out of blackbear's tuning book. Dont try to tune and engine that has set codes or problems. Any mods have to start with a clean slate.


TJ

Speeder wrote:

In that case, the easiest thing to do would be a long block from a rebuilder before you get stranded. You can ask them to shave the heads to boost compression a bit to make it a little more fun, then put the balance back towards the next step. With a reliable engine you can take your time.

Even cheaper - guartanteed salvage yard engine. Replace the head gaskets, piston rings, bearings and oil pump. Once again, put the balance back and do a proper plan. Right now you have a limited budget and a time constraint, and that is no time to be having to plan upgrades. This is assuming that you only have the one ride (I can't keep track of what everyone has).

Ha!! That's exactly what's this engine was! Something until the LSX build. But then I got the problem with the foaming oil and the hippie Moroso oil pan want's to set the oil free...

I have a Windstar as a back-up but I hate the thing with a passion.

Chevy 97 wrote:

If I ever come accross the Money Speeder, I would like to put the LS 454 in a 97 or 98 short box 2wd. Put on the Super Charger and go Drag racing. These new engines make a lot of HP. If Your engine is leaking like a sive Crazyhoe, stroke it for now. Put a stud girdle on the lower end to handle the whipple super charger. Then you wouldn't have to spend that extra money on a 4 bolt main block. Put a good set of heads on the engine. http://www.sonicinjection.com.au/index.php?page=main-stud-girdles

I'm leaning toward stroking my zz4. The block is a 4bolt main, last year, it was checked for cracks, got lined honed, ARP studs all over, squared up and decked -.005. all that's needed is to be clearanced for the stroker.

Put the Whipple on the zz4 and save for the future blown LSX that will finally justify the name Crazyhoe...

98Blackss wrote:

Dont try to tune and engine that has set codes or problems. Any mods have to start with a clean slate.


TJ

I might buy a 98 or 2003 clunker to properly set-up the LSX when time comes...



Last edited by CrazyHoe on Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

CrazyHoe wrote:

Chevy 97 wrote:

If I ever come accross the Money Speeder, I would like to put the LS 454 in a 97 or 98 short box 2wd. Put on the Super Charger and go Drag racing. These new engines make a lot of HP. If Your engine is leaking like a sive Crazyhoe, stroke it for now. Put a stud girdle on the lower end to handle the whipple super charger. Then you wouldn't have to spend that extra money on a 4 bolt main block. Put a good set of heads on the engine. http://www.sonicinjection.com.au/index.php?page=main-stud-girdles

I'm leaning toward stroking my zz4. The block is a 4bolt main, last year, it was checked for cracks, got lined honed, ARP studs all over, squared up and decked -.005. all that's needed is to be clearanced for the stroker.

Put the Whipple on the zz4 and save for the future blown LSX that will finally justify the name Crazyhoe...

That sounds like a good plan.

If you have a backup vehicle, even if you hate it, then there's no worry about being forced into a decision then. You have the Whipple already? If you're going to stroke the engine you will need to clean the bore up too, and will likely need new pistons. So, no reason to go with the 10 to 1 or whatever you were talking about. Try an 8 to 1 or 8.5 to 1 and let the Whipple make up the difference. If you have the blower, put the details out and the blower guys can make recs on what to do based on what the Whipple can feed.

I think you're right Jim and Chevy guy.

I had this engine rebuilt last spring as a temporary quick fix until the lsx. But made a mistake on the piston choice. Should have gone for a 9.0:1 compression but ended up with 10.1:1. Which is too high for the iron heads.

Problem with the whipple and hopefully someone will correct me if Im wrong, But the 1.6 compressor is tiny I have a 2 5/8 pulley on my 383 to get 6 psi but I am also at close to 5000ft too. I dont know how small you can go with the pulley but seems to me I read on here that if you go much smaller in pulley size you start have having belt problems.

Belt problems, snapped crank snouts, it's a mess. And it just presented the answer to the belt slippage problem. And it's so simple, I don't know why nobody ever thought of it before.

People have been trying to go smaller on the SC pulley, but nobody ever goes larger on the other pulleys. I wonder why? Go with a 3 inch Whipple pulley, then figure out what diameter crank pulley you'd need to be the same as the 2 5/8 pulley with the stock crank pulley. You'd also need to oversize the rest of the pulleys to compensate. You could leave the alt pulley stock and get extra juice this way too. Larger pulleys would have more grip, which means less need to overtighten the belt to control slippage. Doh!!!

What's needed is a sprag driven cog pulley for the blower

http://www.atiracing.com/superpulley/Super-Pulley.wmv

http://www.atiracing.com/links/pr/super-pulley/index.htm



Last edited by CrazyHoe on Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:04 am; edited 2 times in total

Speeder wrote:

but nobody ever goes larger on the other pulleys.

ATI does

http://www.atiracing.com/products/dampers/charts/y.body.supercharger.kit.htm

Well so far so good I havent had any belt problems but Id still like to go to at least a 2.3 compressor IATs at 230 suck