ldyoung

Has anybody used a 383 stroker motor? I'm considering putting a 383 stroker into a '79 vette and am wondering if clearances will be a problem.

Thanks all ! :cheers:

Ryan77

Lots of guys here run 383's, and I'll be installing my own next winter :cool: . There shouldn't be any problems with clearence unless you are using a huge oil pan (like a 7 or 8 quart) :cheers:

C3 Shark Tank

I have a 383 and a 7 quart Milodon pan, no problems with clearance at all.

ldyoung

Thanks all. How do you like your motor? Who's heads, cam, intake and carb did you end up with?

Pat71vette

I have a moroso 8 quart pan no problem

Ryan77

I guess the big pans do fit :cool: . From the way they looked in Jeg's, I thought they would never fit a vette.

rob75383

I just want to relay my story...
I bought a cheepo chrome pan from Jeg's or Summit, and had problems with the steering relay rod contacting the front of the pan. (it was stock depth in back, but too deep in front)
To correct this, I re-installed my original pan.

The pan was mostly undamaged and unmodified, but the counterweight on the crank was very slightly contacting the pan baffle. I had to take out a ball peen hammer, and just gave it one 'dink', and there are no longer any issues.

I bought an aftermarket crank from eagle, that was specifically designed for 350 mains, is internally balanced, and has a stroke of 3.75, instead of getting a 400 crank machined and balanced.
I'm assuming that the counterweights on my crank are of differant size and shape compared to a stock 400 crank worked over to fit a 350. Maybe that's why I had oil pan clearance issues.
My other assumtion is that I'm an idiot and did something to cause this myself.

Red73

My oil pan on my 385 stroker.

rob75383

I 'borrowed' this pic to help illustrate what I meant in my earlier post...
See the area in front of the main 'sump' area of the pan, I think the depth of this area is very important for 383 users that run stock steering. Too shallow, and you'll have the crank punch out a hole in your pan. Too deep, and you'll have your relay rod to steering dampner ball joint bash into the bottom of your pan, not to mention restricting the amount you can turn the car to the right. I don't think the pan being a 5, 6, or 7 quart capacity makes much of a differance on the forward depth of the pan, where the clearance issues arise.
Maybe my steering relay rod is bent to hell, and can be blamed for all my clearance troubles. You might want to check the relay rod/ dampner ball joint, and see how much clearance there is between it and the pan. I assume that getting an aftermarket pan will usually reduce this clearance.

Fevre

What I had with no problems..... Well at least not with the oil pan. :mad

Make sure you check the rod bolt to cam clearence if you use the grind method and also make sure you check the rod to pan rail clearence, speed-o-motive didn't and it I am now running a 350. :mad

C3 Shark Tank

The motor is 100 tmes better than stock. Sportsman II heads, Comp Cams 284XE, Performer RPM and a AED Holley 750 mechanical.

ldyoung

Thanks and nice pics of headers. Mind giving me the spec's on your headers?

J75

My 383 crank contacted the stock pan.I used Summit #sum-g3500x with no problems.Pan rails and lower edge of cylinders must be notched for rod bolt clearance.It's wise to check rod to cam clearance also.

The Money Pit

I run the Moroso 7qt. kickout style pan on the 406,and there's a ton of room.
The strokes the same for the 383,so give it a try. :cheers: