This is for an 88. It has the ZF-6 speed, originally a 4+3 so it has the D44. It also has 130k miles and likes to smoke and make noises some times, so I figured it's a good time to upgrade. I'm looking at some of the crate motors, but I wanted some advice. The car is mainly street driven, some Auto-X, and I want to get it to the strip sometime too. I'm looking to spend $5- 8k at the most and would prefer to keep the engine looking close to stock ( ie, TPI ). I'd also like to see about 400+ hp, but I don't know if all those add up or not. I'd prefer as little extra wrenching as possible ( I've gone as far as replacing the heads on my 85, but I'm no mechanic ). Now that I've wasted all that space listing my preferences, any suggestions? I've been scouring the web, but have been less than impressed by most of what I've found. I've found the Scoggin Dickey SD360VTPI, but that's a bit less power than I'd want. I've found a few others, but seem to fall into the same category. I have seen a number of Mini-rams that would fit in the budget, but I'd prefer to stick with the TPI look. Also, has anyone used this http://www.strokerengine.com/TPIsystems.html on a motor? It just seemed too much for the $$$ to me, but maybe it's just a good deal. I don't know. I'm definitely rambling at this point, but any suggestions are appreciated. I am planning on visiting a local engine builder too, but I don't know how much he'll know about the TPI and getting that much out of it. Thanks.

 

do you know anything about DIY? this can be done over about 60 days if you have the space and tools.

Don't take this project to an engine builder that knows nothing about injection. It will be a mess.

If you order an engine, remember, expect a minimum of $200.00 to ship it.

 

I have the space and tools to pull out the old one and put in the new one, but doing all the work myself is beyond me. I can do some, but I'm no mechanic. Thats the main reason I'd rather spend a few $$$ and have less work to be able to screw up. I really don't know a whole lot about the local builder except he came recommended by a few people I know.

 

Too much money I would say.
They say a SR costs 3500$, last I checked it was 1150 new.
Check around, if you want the stock look. Send the plenum to LPE for porting, buy AS&M runners, and a SR base, and a 52mm TB. There ya go.
Good luck!

 

Also, look closely at horsepower ratings. Most of the engines that will have the greatest appeal will have been rated with a carb on top. A stock TPI will be a major power killer on an otherwise powerful engine.

RACE ON!!!

 

That price is for a complete SR manfold with injectors, electronics and wiring. But it is shown with an old Gen 6 ECM which Accel doesn't even service anymore. Their new systems are all Gen 7 and the do retail or should I say sell for around $3500 on the general market.

 

Your goals are achievable with a "stock-look" TPI...it just takes the right combination of parts and a competent machinist to get it all together.

Follow the link into my home page and look up "Recipe for a 400 HP SBC" and you'll see how I got there, including a parts list. Your major expense will be heads...the stock heads won't flow enough to get you there. You can port the stockers, or go with an aftermarket head that has everything done. The expense will be "about" the same. All depends on how "sneaky" you want to be.

 

Check www.golensenginservice.com He has a 405 hp/383 and a 460hp/383. Click the "Chevy engines, Hot Rod, FI buttons." The main difference between the two is the cam and induction. The former is rated with TPIS large runner and the latter with Miniram. The induction is over and above the listed prices. Either can also be had with the Super Ram too. But your budget might need tweeking by a couple thou. The TPI is the main restriction due to length and relatively small volume. IT just kills top end performance because it is so restrictive.

 

The upper end of your budget looks about right for the engines in my first post (I was thinking of just the lower range when I wrote it). That should cover a chip and a converter too. Either base engine is about $5200-$5,300, plus induction. Chad owns the place and is very helpful via EMail for questions. He can dyno tune it anf burn a custom chip too, but that starts getting up around $10-g's. It seems to me his shop got a pretty good write up on a carburated 383 about a month ago in GMHi-performance mag.

 

Turn you engine into what you want.

$1000 stroker kit.
$1500 SuperRam
$250 Headers
$500 Machine Shop Work (probably less)
$1500 New Edelbrock or Brodix or Holly or ?? Heads
$300 Hot Cam or Lingenfelter 219
$50 Timing Chain
$35 Gaskets
$30 Oil Pump

Optional:
$150 Roller Rockers
$50 Stud Girdle
$100 Cloyes Hex-A-Just Timing Chain
$100 New Roller Lifters
$150 Miloden or Canton or ?? Oil Pan

Can the stock heads and poke some piston top up in the combustion chamber, that'll get you a pound or two of torque. Just don't go overboard here. Probably 10.5 is about all your're going to want to try and cope with. Anything more and you'll have to give up a lot of the 'goody' by retarding the timing. I know some of these guys are running more but I bet'cha they were VERY careful and selective getting the ol quench right before and during the build or their engine builders were.. Probably were careful selecting the cam for dynamic compression, too.
10.0 would probably be even better for a regular street car using old generation SBC technology.

Build it yourself or get a gearhead bud to show you 'the ropes'
preferably one with a big set of mics., bore gauges and a handful of engine building tools.
That's how I started building these things about 35 years ago.
Had several guys show me a lot of stuff. Then I read books about it.
The more I read, the smarter those guys got. LOL.

I'd build it for you if I lived 'up north' there. Whoops, you're in Virginia, that's still southern territory, sorry.

What did I leave out? ~5000 clams will get you close.

If you want to keep your current engine, go down to the junkyard and buy an engine core. All you are going to use is the block anyway.
Get the one with a 'one piece' rear main.. the dipstick will be on the 'Corvette' side with one of those.
Seems all the 2 piece ones I have got the dipstick on the 'other vehicle' side.

 

The one piece rear main seal started in 1986. The right side dipstick started in 1980. Therefore, there are 6 more years worth of blocks that will have the desired dipstick location. A truck block is likely to have 4 bolt mains, to boot. No two piece seal block will be roller cam ready, however.

RACE ON!!!

 

Thanks for the advice and suggestions everyone. I would like to learn how to do some of this myself, but working 70 or so hours a week, mostly nights and weekends, tends to make it hard to get with anyone to get something done. Plus, this being my daily driver, I can't have it off the road as long as it would take me to do that. I'm still looking into this, but I have a possible line on an an LT4 car, so I may end up selling the 88 instead. If not, for the money, I may end up going to something like the mini-ram. I think the power for the money ( since I'll be buying most of it instead of doing it myself ) wouldn't be worth it for keeping the TPI look. I'm flexible.

 

I have a two-piece 1970's 4-bolt main block and when i test fit the driver's side dipstick tube. It fit perfectly for inbetween the primaries on my LT's. Call me crazy but I believe there are a lot of L98 guys having problems with the dipstick tube on install on LTs. In other words, it may be the "wrong" side, but its worth checking into as it makes LTs a ton easier!