Was there such an engine? I saw in a thread by a new member a few weeks ago, that he had heard of a a mid-90's truck with a factory TPI 454. Being the 90's, it would have beena serp motor too right? Has anyone seen or have details about this motor? I would love to look into finding one if they exist.

 

Up until recently (maybe even now) you could buy a Chevy truck with a 454 BB with, I believe, ram jet fuel injection. I was thinking these would be good engines to pick up used, but I've recently read an article in an auto magazine that make's me think that these engines have what is described as Big Block "peanut heads." The term peanut head referring to the heads having small air intake runners. Apparently these heads have more restrictive air intakes that the traditional BB oval ports. Anyhow, what I'm saying is that maybe these engines you're interested in have the "peanut heads." Hopefully, someone who knows more about this than me can provide more information.

 

I did a little reading, and found a site that offers parts for a 454, TBI, and has serp, is '95. I don't know when they stopped making it, but I would ber very interested in learning how long it was made, and if it ever had FI. I would imagine the intake and serp systems could be fit to a much better flowing block and heads.

I like the idea...I just want more info.

 

The following is based on motors I have seen and 2 I have in my garage now. It may be incomplete, but may help a little.

Chevy did produce a TBI (Throttle Body Inj) 454 with serp sometime after 88-89, as well as a Vortec Injection (poppet valve?) injection 454 with serp about mid 90's? These were for late, late 80's thru late 90's trucks. Don't know the exact years. These were mostly low compression (7.8:1?) small port (smaller than vintage oval port) head motors, Gen5 or Gen6 type. Gen5's had the non Mark IV type of cooling passages, Gen6 had Mark IV and Gen5 passages, and both had the non adjustable valve trains. There was not a 454 TPI (Tuned Port Inj).

I know that the 88 454 from a Suburban has TBI, non serp, and the parts are more adaptable to an earlier motor, as the TBI uses and adaptor to a standard spread bore manifold, instead of the later dedicated TBI only manifold. I bought a blown up SUb just to get this system for some (unknown) future project. This motor had adjustable valve train and a 4 bolt "Hi Perf Pass" block, same as was used in the 1980' GM LS6 crate 454 I believe. SOmetime immediately after this the motors changed to the Gen5 type

As it is with most things Chevy, one can mix and match between an 88 to get the spreadbore style TBI conversion piece for the intake, and a late model block (for the one piece rear seal, and if late enough, roller cam) and mid-late serp setup. I don't know how the factory serp setup will work in a C3 engine bay tho.

Best regards,
Tom

 

Here is a site where you can get one, plus check out the site on other parts.
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...ges=1&pkgid=84

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/perform...CATID=331.html

 

The 454 block in my car is from a late late 80's truck. It was mated with 67 vette big block oval port iron heads and a 68 aluminum big block intake.
I have no idea if this was originally a TBI engine or what car it specifically came out of.
I do know that it is a great foundation.
My block is a two bolt but I will be splaying the caps to a 4 bolt and having it built with all forged internals and blower pistons, dual keyed cam & balancer. Monster of a motor.
You will see some suburbans with 454's (late 80's thru 90's)
Might be a cheap find in a junk yard, but you won't use anything but the block b/c these engines were more for torque then hp. Besides, a TPI engine would require you to use the ECU computer and that would be more of a PIA than anything.

From what I have seen on here, most serp systems require you to notch the frame crossmemeber at the front of the engine to clear the larger pully. If you don't notch it, it may hit or be too close for comfort. BUT if you're pulling the engine, notching the frame is not that difficult.

Good luck.
Durango...your car is going to be a mutant monster. All these various parts from salvage is going to give you one kick azz car while spending half the $$$.

 

It's funny you say that, I was thinking of a good personalized plate to put on the car, and I like the way "MUTANT" looks...

Thanks for all the great input on this motor. I would likely take the late roller block, add better heads, and the serp. Then carb it, and call it a day.

 

You may be thinking of the 96-01 454 Vortec. It is a port fuel injected truck motor with serpentine drive. Good truck motor, lousy performance car motor.

 

Okay, good to know...but could I install better flowing heads or have them worked on? I'd imagine that's the bottle neck. And then would I be able to carb it? My goal for this imaginary project is a 454 cube big block with factory rollers and serp. Figure that'd be easy if the heads could be swapped out or modified.

 

The serpentine drive on a 454 Vortec will not clear a C3 hood. The intake plenum on a 454 Vortec is a double crossover design that is basically one giant runner. Good for torque but bad for horsepower.

I think you would be better off with a BB Ramjet manifold and a custom plenum. The GM small block serpentine setup can be adapted to the BB. I've done this and don't recommend it (it's a lot of fabrication and modification). Look at posts by Shafrs (sp?), he is making a plenum for a Ramjet manifold and (I think) has an aftermarket serpentine drive.

 

I have an L88 hood, and would want to carb it with something like an Ed manifold or a Weiand or something.

 

You gotta watch the factory roller setup from a 454 Sub. Try to find the torque specs. My engine came out of an '87 454 Sub, non roller and the cam specs had the torque peak at 1600rpm. Good for towing or hauling junk, not good for performance. It had eye brow pistons and peanut port heads.

I changed a couple things.

 

This is my 1993 serp 454 TBI in a 2500 4x4 suburban...

 

There are a lot of guys here running EFI. It's not THAT big of an issue to get the computer wired up.

 

No way that setup would work without major modification. Look how high that alternator is sitting, just at the part of the hood (L-88 or not) that is slopeing downward.

When I dissassembled my '89 350 Sub, I gave the serp setup about 30 sec before I decided to pitch it. Even after only 117,000 miles, the parts were corroded and pitted badly. The pieces would have required their own restoration to look goo again. Too much work to try and save a little money.

 

I don't really mind the work of trying to make a serp system work on a 454 for a Vette. I have options. I can move the accessories around, deleting the A/C, and installing the alt there, or maybe where the smog pump is. Minor mods to make those work.

I like serp, and I like roller. The motor I'm building for my Vette right now is a 400, with roller and serp. I like the look and the performance. My next Vette which I am tentatively planning, will be a '73, big block, serp, roller, 5spd. I'm the kind of guy who will buy and build a motor for a car I don't even have yet. I've done it many times before and will probably continue to do so.

That being said, I've decided I want my next Vette's motor to be a roller serp big block.

What was the first year for a roller 454? Was it a high torque low HP motor too? Were there any in that area designed for better HP?

 

Is that a blower on your Sub, or are you just happy to see me?

Where did you get it? I want one for my 454 RV

durango,
I have a 92 Rv with a 454 TBI and Serp. It's only got like 380ft/lbs and 250 hp??

 

Are you interested in selling the motor? I can mod the motor to make better HP. Is it a roller?

 

If you want a roller lifter big block, you can buy retrofit roller lifters for a Mark IV.

 

I adapted the 90-97 BBC truck serp bracket to use a standard rotation water pump. I had to add an idler pully to get enough belt wrap around the crank and power steering pump pulley. I also had to make spacers for the crank pulley (its a march pulley for a short water pump) and for the water pump pulley to get them in line with the serp brackets. Since I won't ever need an a/c compressor this was the best solution for my needs. As you can see I have the Eckelers Monza tilt front end and it has a pretty decent cowl styel hood. The alternaotor is about 1/8" from toching the hood. The power steering pump pulley is close to the frame as well. The small diameter march crank pulley clears the frame crossmember as well. The factory truck pulley won't.