Anyone running a Golen Engine?

They have a LT1 long block thats supposed to be good for 500 horse for $7k.

Im wondering if anyone has experience with this builder?

 

Not personally, but I have heard only good things about them. I wouldn't hesitate to have them build my motor. I've seen many write ups in magazines about their LT engines.

 

This?
https://golenengineservice.com/lt1-performance-engines/

 

I considered using them for my builds but a couple people swayed me against their packages.

 

What is wrong with yours?

you can make 425 with the appropriate mods, and if you went stroker 383 it would be 500hp.

porting intake, new heads, Hot cam, headers, full exhaust 3", injectors, tune, 1.6rr's,
That is about 425-450 on a dyno over and over again on a 350.

 

Yes Sir.

 

I honestly don't remember hearing/reading anything bad about them.

 

Nothing is wrong with the LT1 nor the LT4, besides them having over 150k miles. The LT1s 4l60 is a little loose and sloppy so I am definitely eyeing an upgraded tranny. So looking at $1800 transmissions has me thinking about just doing the whole drivetrain, and what the cost would be like. Who wouldnt mind a 0 mile drivetrain in a c4??

Traditionally, this just means rebuild the motor, but my brother is still dealing with the engine he had built and doesent rive the car because of it. Hes getting too much blowby and the engine just hasnt been street able. I dont want to go thru that nightmare so crate motor seems like a good option. I LOVE the LS engines gm performance offers. A friend with a 2011 camaro ordered that gm ls3 w 525 hp and man is that car fast now, and hes got a warranty to boot. He got that motor for just under 7k. I wish GM still made LT1s..

I dont know of any engine builders outside of the guy me and my brother use, who built his non-streetable engine.... dont wanna go there. Sad part is I actually bought an iron headed 350 from him a few years ago when I thought I would get a L98 car. It was originally for a circle track build and has 9:1 compression with all the normal circle track stuff including the oil pan. Its unassembled but at least 4k in parts sitting in his garage.. I should prob go get this and put it on racingjunk.

So, unless I can learn of an engine builder that knows his stuff (LTx) and is reliable.. and close enough.. and wont screw me.. etc etc Im stuck considering places like Golen. Which, if they deliver on what they say should be a good deal, right? How much could I save by disassembling myself, taking the pieces to machine shop myself and then having a pro do the assembly of the long block with parts I procure?

 

IDK, I would think a ton.

Maybe just drop one in if you don't want to mess with it.

 

Just a quick Q. F bodies can take a deep pan right? but is there any issue with a stroker crank / rod ends in the shallower 7" corvette pan?

 

I looked at Golen pretty seriously. I liked the long rod they use and the fact that the crank and rods are supposedly new parts and not remanufactured. For me the long rod is the dealmaker. I actually made a thread about Golen engines awhile back, but that spanker Pheonix97 wrecked it.

 

That guy.. sheesh

 

change cams, circle engine are built for high revs , something you will mot use in the street and maybe the heads are flowing way to much air which kills low end,,, remember the ford clevend heads folks popped onto a normal engine,,killed low end

 

OP: Anyone mulling over an engine upgrade is money ahead if they start with a specific goal and then do the research to find a tried and true formula that demonstrates the expected performance outcome.

In other words, know exactly what parts and what machining is necessary to achieve your goal. Don't let someone sell you on unnecessary parts or even parts that result in impeding the goal. (From memories of my youth: "Hey, what you need instead of that carb is a (Holly or whatever) 750 double-pumper!")

In the end, you'll save a ton of $$ on parts and avoid unnecessary machining too.

Just a suggestion from a graduate from the SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS!

 

tpi421vette does these all the time, that pass smog too. You could even send him the car for install or fly him out. Tuning, too. Know of a few local places but dont trust them nearly as much.
A 383 with a nice head, reasonable cam, set of dougs shorties will run pretty well.

 

I bought there 400hp long block LT1 for my 95 vette that I threw a rod and sawed the oil pan in half, it was a bolt in operation and everything fit the way it should, I have had it now for 3 years and put on 15k miles without any issues ( other than a dead opti but they did not supply that ) with a 2400 stall converter and stock 3.08 gear it gets 14 in the city and 20 on the highway, I would recommend getting a bigger radiator than stock or you will overheat in the summer with the air on if you get stuck in traffic

 

I'd love to do something with him, big fan. I'll have to DM him.

 

​​​​​​​Did you have to find someone to handle the tune ?

 

I tuned the vehicle myself with Tuner Pro http://fbodytech.com/tutorials/tuning-software/
it took about a year of me farting around with it to get it where I liked it, there is a lot of info on the net, The engine dose have a slight lope and I did change the injectors to a set of 32lbs bosch units but the build was mild enough to where it would start and run with the stock tune

 

does this work on OBDII?