Stroke it or rebuild it?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: mobile alabama
Stroke it or rebuild it?
well its getting cold here and it time for my winter project. the stock motor has 88k miles on it. headers, air-gap, holley 650 and a pertronix ignition. the tranny pump seal leaks and the valve seals on the motor need replacing. either way I am tired of kitty litter on the garage floor. the options are 1. year one stroker $2995. 2. gmpp zz383 $5000. 3. replace the heads with vortec and a new cam, oil pump, gaskets $1000. I might have 250hp now and she drives great. but if I am gonna pull the motor might I at least got to do something huh? I am a guy.It will also give me a chance to detail the engine bay. O sure I would like a stroker with a mean sound but $5000k. I'll never get the money out of it. the car looks pretty stock and drives great. any ideas?
Tom
Tom
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Option #4: Pull engine, rebuild bottom end as a stroker, top with Vortec heads. It would still cost you less than Year One stroker, and you'd have the fun of doing it yourself.
Take that opportunity to detail the engine bay and service the transmission.
Take that opportunity to detail the engine bay and service the transmission.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,477
Likes: 1,495
From: Little Rock AR
It usualy comes down to the condition of the bores. If they are still serviceable you can keep and reuse the existing botom end and just do an overhaul IMHO.
If it needs to be bored, the added cost to do a stroker over a rebuild is next to nothing. Highly advised if you have to buy new oversized pistons to go ahead and do the stroker.
-Mark.
If it needs to be bored, the added cost to do a stroker over a rebuild is next to nothing. Highly advised if you have to buy new oversized pistons to go ahead and do the stroker.
-Mark.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
If the bottom end is still strong, I agree with DB that a smart top (cam/heads) would be a great and relatively inexpensive approach.
If you're considering the rebuild route, there are certainly less expensive means to build a stroker. Bottom line is that the crank will require machine work, and the cost of that machine work will be very close to the cost of a NEW aftermarket cast crank. Ultimately the only difference in price on a 383 vs. a 355 overhaul (at the same HP/CID targets) is the $200 cost required to clearance the block.
If you're considering the rebuild route, there are certainly less expensive means to build a stroker. Bottom line is that the crank will require machine work, and the cost of that machine work will be very close to the cost of a NEW aftermarket cast crank. Ultimately the only difference in price on a 383 vs. a 355 overhaul (at the same HP/CID targets) is the $200 cost required to clearance the block.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 38
From: Cedar,BC
I would do some more searching and find a replacement motor in line with your budget,there is probably something available locally,that Year One crate may not be a bad option for the money.If you are going to go the rebuild/stroker route,just grab a used up SBC for a few bucks and use it for a core.Pull the motor and set it aside,who knows what the future may hold,assuming its the original engine.That also gives you the option of rebuilding the engine you took out later as a time filler,IMHO,you just can't have too many SBC's lying around.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: mobile alabama
should I do a compression check before teardown to determine the condition the bottom end is in? it has no knock and the only wisp of smoke is on startup when it is cold "valve seals?" what other way is there to check the short block. with my luck I would put new heads and a mild cam in her and she would start knocking from the additional compression and power.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 6
From: springfield ohio
Greetings TPJB57
You should look at just rebuilding the stock motor. Bore it if it is
needed go with high compression pistons, have the crank and
rod assembly checked out, install a taller cam,then top it off with
some ported and polished after market heads. This should cost
a lot less and give more horse power then the year one stroker.
With a stroker motor you would gain more torque which help the
car excel from a dead stop, but once rolling its more about HP.
The only other thought is you might go out and find a 4 bolt main
block instead of reuseing the stock 2 bolt, how ever the 2 bolt
should do fine up to around 450 horse power if not more.
You should spend some time researching cost differance, but
you should find the rebuild to be alot cheaper.
Just my 2 bits.
Riggs
You should look at just rebuilding the stock motor. Bore it if it is
needed go with high compression pistons, have the crank and
rod assembly checked out, install a taller cam,then top it off with
some ported and polished after market heads. This should cost
a lot less and give more horse power then the year one stroker.
With a stroker motor you would gain more torque which help the
car excel from a dead stop, but once rolling its more about HP.
The only other thought is you might go out and find a 4 bolt main
block instead of reuseing the stock 2 bolt, how ever the 2 bolt
should do fine up to around 450 horse power if not more.
You should spend some time researching cost differance, but
you should find the rebuild to be alot cheaper.
Just my 2 bits.
Riggs
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
Yes, do a compression and leak-down check to get a feel for the condition of the bottom end. A top is a weekend project if well-planned. And if you end up needing to tackle the bottom end later, no great loss...the new top just goes over to a new short block.
88K miles is admittedly right on the line of what I would consider a "for sure" top - but IMHO it's relatively low-risk if the engine has had good care.
88K miles is admittedly right on the line of what I would consider a "for sure" top - but IMHO it's relatively low-risk if the engine has had good care.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
It usualy comes down to the condition of the bores. If they are still serviceable you can keep and reuse the existing botom end and just do an overhaul IMHO.
If it needs to be bored, the added cost to do a stroker over a rebuild is next to nothing. Highly advised if you have to buy new oversized pistons to go ahead and do the stroker.
-Mark.
If it needs to be bored, the added cost to do a stroker over a rebuild is next to nothing. Highly advised if you have to buy new oversized pistons to go ahead and do the stroker.
-Mark.
Greetings TPJB57
You should look at just rebuilding the stock motor. Bore it if it is
needed go with high compression pistons, have the crank and
rod assembly checked out, install a taller cam,then top it off with
some ported and polished after market heads. This should cost
a lot less and give more horse power then the year one stroker.
With a stroker motor you would gain more torque which help the
car excel from a dead stop, but once rolling its more about HP.
The only other thought is you might go out and find a 4 bolt main
block instead of reuseing the stock 2 bolt, how ever the 2 bolt
should do fine up to around 450 horse power if not more.
You should spend some time researching cost differance, but
you should find the rebuild to be alot cheaper.
Just my 2 bits.
Riggs
You should look at just rebuilding the stock motor. Bore it if it is
needed go with high compression pistons, have the crank and
rod assembly checked out, install a taller cam,then top it off with
some ported and polished after market heads. This should cost
a lot less and give more horse power then the year one stroker.
With a stroker motor you would gain more torque which help the
car excel from a dead stop, but once rolling its more about HP.
The only other thought is you might go out and find a 4 bolt main
block instead of reuseing the stock 2 bolt, how ever the 2 bolt
should do fine up to around 450 horse power if not more.
You should spend some time researching cost differance, but
you should find the rebuild to be alot cheaper.
Just my 2 bits.
Riggs
Depends on condition of motor & your budget. Have guts checked by local Pro auto machine shop.
Simple cheap route to rebuild if crank & rods are essentially OK:
- Seems you have good aftermarket intake, carb, ignition & exhaust; verify carb & dist are well tuned.
- Have YOUR 76cc heads freshened & add new "Z28" springs.
- Have YOUR crank checked; it may need only polishing.
- Have YOUR rods checked; they're probably AOK.
- Install sealed power hyper pistons with very small dome (+3.5cc) ... part number H618CP.
- Install an inexpensive (<$100) cam & lifter kit like summit's K1103.
- Install felpro thin steel shim head gasket p/n 1094.
Static compression should be under 9.8:1 & quench height should be good at about 0.040"; should easily make 325 - 340HP at flywheel on pump gas.
Check w/ CF member dmaaero ... IIRC, he runs H618CP pistons w/ production heads.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: mobile alabama
thanks guys for the advise. seems like I am leaning towards the vortec heads and new cam. I have gotten prices around $1200-$1800 to rebuild the bottom end with new pistons. getting close to a HO350 in money spent. I will keep ya'll posted with pics.
tom
tom
