Has anyone bought an ebay stroker kit with good results? I am more or less just looking for the fun of it to kill some time before lunch, but still, some of the prices are pretty nice looking. I'm looking to build my first motor this winter so I am in the planning stages now. This 396 kit is an example of what I am talking about: ebay 396 (Eagle forged 4340 3.875 stroke crank, 6.00" EAGLE 4340 h beam rods, JE Forged pistons, King Alecular bearings, Mahle moly rings, ARP bolts).

It seems like a good enough combination. Add another $3000 for valvetrain, head work, block machining and extras for an approximate total of $4500 for a semi-budget 396 LT1. Any thoughts?

 

I think if your lucky you'll be able to complete it for an additional $4500 not for $4500 total. Good headwork and a cam is going to be 2K, leaving 1K for gaskets machine work and the "oh by the ways" that pop up. IE Oh by the way/oh buy the way while we are in here how about a timing chain, oil pump, water pump and opti?
Gaskets, machine work, bigger injectors and tuning are going to eat about another grand or two.


Look at what they give you then make a comprehensive list of what else it takes to make a motor.
Look honestly at what you have, and what you can do.
Get the prices of everything you need don't forget shipping charges/tax etc.
Look at how many hours of work you will have to pay someone for work that you can't do times the shop rate and you will be in the ball park.


I am not busting on your Idea, I just don't want you to be another of the guys with his C4 sitting out back under a tarp because the project quickly exceed the projected budgent.


I have looked into building an LT1 stroker a few times and my projected costs always exceeded my projected budget. If $4500 strokers were common more people would have them instead of the 10 to 15K ones.

However, I think a 6K stroker is realistic, (I am talking total install cost not delivered long block).

Still a 396 sounds great!
Mike

 

if you have the mechinical knowledge then a $4500 stroker is realistic.

I mean for under $3000 you can get all forged stuff crank, pistons rods rings etc(from eagle). then bore the block, deck, balance etc etc for another $500-800.
then install everything yourself.
add another 1000 for like he said oh yeas, injectors, cam, rrs, springs.
now thats just basic with valve train up grades. and add another 2 k for good heads.

and can your drive train parts take it?
so realistic is 6500 like he said... if you do install n stuff yourself. if not more like $10,000

 

The kit should be as good as the sum of it's parts. Does the listing give all part #s so you can price shop? Check cnc-motorsports.com. They specialize in engine internals and have pretty good descriptions for any given part #. Their prices are good too and they have packages. I got my crank, rods, pistons, rings and bearings from them for the stroker block I'm building. They put a custom kit together for exactly what I wanted.

 

Kid-

Thanks for the link. I checked on their Eagle 396 rotating assembly and they were about $150 cheaper than the ebay dude, which would pay. I will probably call them when the time comes to start buying stuff.

I also was looking at head porters and I like Advanced Induction's Stage 3 deal which includes any Comp Cam grind as part of their price.

edit:

I just looked at Precision Port's website and they have what seems like an even better value by adding things others charge for and have a lower cost out the door as well. Seems like no matter what though, to get some serious flow out of my heads and a matching cam, I'll be spending about 1800. Not too bad I guess considering those will either make or break the engine's performance.

 

I built my own motor and when all was said and done it was around $7500. Now $2500 of that was the AFR heads and $300 for the LT4 intake and porting so you could probably drop about $1800-$1900 from that if you port your stokers. I would definatly plan on at least $5500-$6000 for what you are planing because your going to have more machine work with the 396 then I did with the 383 and you will probably also need a small base circle cam. Most of the stuf is listed but don't forget about tuning $400-$500, for a good dyno tune and if you want to re-fresh the clutch. You are not that far off but I would slap another 1K min for planing and if you can do it cheaper great.