its engine swap time and i am still torn between a crate engine or a rebuild. I have been leaning towards the 383 engine package from enginfactory.com but the cost is 10,000. i know you guys think that is a very high price to pay but is it realy for a complete turn key drop in dynoed engine with the custom tuned chip?

http://www.enginefactory.com/383_Mini_Ram.htm

i mean i know i could build a motor for half the cost but by the time i finished paying for all the assembly items and the nickle and dime cost that it would take to get the engine in and the cost of a chip, is that cost really to much?

i was on the phone with these guys for yesturday talking and the more i think about it, maybee this is the way to go.

its covered for 3+ years. he assures me that it is a complete turn key drop in engine that will mount straight up to my existing trans and mounts. the stock radiator will cool it properly. No modification of any kind will be needed

has anybody out there used this package? if so how is it?

 

I don't have this exact package, but it is what my engine is based off. If you have the money to do it, it could save you alot of headaches down the road, especially if they cover it for 3 years.

 

when all is said and done it isn't that much less to do it yourself. my car has roughly 8000 in receipts for a completely tuned and done 357ci 420hp motor. your link would be a nice way to keep the headaches down, your other option is to copy someone elses combo that works, mirror their chip and then dyno it to make sure that nothing needs to be changed. do stick with the 383 though whatever you do, it's free horsepower.

 

thanks for the input.....as i suspected it isnt that much cheaper to do it yourself

 

10k & a 3 year warranty is a no brainer, go for it.

I got a SMOKING deal on my forged bottom 383 for 3k, as well as a brand new Miniram with TPIS TB for $800.
The other odds & ends have cost me about $3k (Headers, exhaust, Vig TQ converter, ect).
Labor will be a little over 1k.

I'm close to 8k and NO 3 year warranty.

Good luck.

 

It seems a little pricy on the surface, but I agree with you and the others here. I have quite a bit of cash into my 355 ci. engine when you consider all of the parts, machine work/labor, etc. it probably was in the neighborhood of $8K and I don't have any kind of warranty from the machine shop, so.....I like my AFR/TPIS heads a little better than Edelbrock's heads, but they are still good performing heads and if the dyno sheet is available to prove their hp levels, that is great....also the engine is a 4 bolt main compared to my 2 bolt stock bottom end....mine was studded on the rebuild, but the 4 bolt is still probably better.....the chip is nice too.....I like the miniram intake as well..I run the miniram and the 383 with the miniram is the way to go IMHO........you'll have a screamer right out of the box w/o any guessing games...I say go for it....

 

thanks guys....1 downer here is that its about a 2 month wait time for delivery.... but i guess that will do considering i still need to change the gears...its a dana44 with 3.08 now not sure of what gear to go for.. i will reserach that as well....

 

If I read the ad correctly, it likely has a cast scat crank, eagle I beam rods and hyper pistons.
I have less than 3k in a similar combo. Add 1200 clams for a miniram, and it still looks expensive to me . 6K for a warrantee and labor to assemble looks rediculous.

 

I stand corrected.
Shipping and the extra bells and whistles add some money, but it still looks like 5-6K at best

 

You can piece together a 434 sbc with much better cylinder heads and probably have enough change to pay somebody to do the engine swap than that 10k 383....

434 forged short block with quality aftermarket block = $ 4000
New AFR eliminator 227 competition cylinder heads = $ 2000
Hyd roller Cam and cam kit with timing chain, springs, lifters, etc... = $ 800
Miniram & fuel rail = $ 900 used..... $ 1300 brand new
Hooker super comps ceramic coated headers = $ 600
Fuel injectors = $ 300
Misc = $ 800 (pan/pump/fluids, etc...)

Total: Right around $ 9300 and dependant on the cam you have chosen, you should make right around a very streetable 550 HP with about the same in torque and never have to take the motor over 6000 rpm.

Good luck on whatever you decide on.....

 

some 434's for you
http://www.steveschmidtracing.com/en...ro-street.html
good price;
http://www.ultrastreet.net/engines/434_classic.asp

 

I think it's a pretty good deal. I'm working with a shop now that's done some work (MR,heads,cam, etc), and they've been struggling for a couple of weeks now with the tune.
My final cost is gonna be right up here with the cost of this package, and thats with my stock bottom end.

 

When considering your options, try Jim at www.tpis.com

 

The heads suck. (edelbrock) $1000
The Pistons are what I use for stock rebuilds. They cost me about $150.
The rings are the same I use, $120
Timing chain $80
Ibeams, $240
"Mystery" camshaft.. $250
Main bearings $50
Rod bearings $50
Cam bearings $25
Crank, $400
Push rods $35
Oil Pump $40
Balancer $65
Hyd Roller Lifters, $120
Flexplate $30
Chome pan/cover/etc $150
Dipstick $8
Miniram w/ rails $1500
Water pump (non-vette?) $50
30# SVO Injectors $250
58MM TB $300
Hei Dizzy (small cap) $200
Cap/Plugs/wires $100
Paint $12
Fuel Pump $108
Block cores $150 (priced locally)
Gaskets $150
Machine work $800 (priced locally, includes boring, balancing, hot tank,
decking for quench, checking / align boring mains, freeze plugs, etc)
Assembly add $400 labor

$6,853

Now we need to tune it.

Chip $250 + 12 weeks on the phone chasing down the 'tuner'.

$7,103

I think you could probably do H-beam rods (Add $200), Forged crank
(Add $200), and forged pistons, ($add 300)

$7,803

And then slightly better heads. (trickflow, add $200, or AFR add $500)

$8,003 (trickflow)

And we're much better, and under budget (10k)

These guys are probably using a lot of stock replacement parts, like the lifters (dead give away, if they were Comp or Crane they would promote it like the other parts, they're probably mellings). You could spend a little here and a little their beefing up the parts, drop it all off at your machine shop, buy a block off them (high nickel marine block would be best).


-- Joe

 

Do they know how to tune? With an emulator, it only takes an afternoon to do most combos, unless the cam has more than 80 degrees of overlap.


-- Joe

 

They (corvette paramedics in nj) are sending data they are collecting to TPIS who is doing the chip. Seems that it's gone back and forth a bit though. latest issue was a slight studder coming out under slight throttle.
I think i've got a pretty aggressive cam (261/263), along with my 220cc heads.. it's probably not something very standard.

 

Yeah that cam and heads are blowing the velocity right out the window and making it harder. That and the fact that its mail order (or phone order, email logs, whatever) is making it a total nightmare.

I found with big cams, it's easier to just run open loop, tune by plugs (since wideband's are useless with big cams too), and call it a day.

-- Joe

 

I wish I could do it that fast... j/k
I agree, a cam of 260ish presenting real issues as overlap would cause the 02 to do what it is supposed to do, read 02.

 

ok all thanks for the input but again here is the point i am looking for. I know i can build a motor for cheaper but will it bolt right up to my existing trans and mounts. what other hidden cost's will start making that budget skyrocket. not to mention i dont have any local vette shops around my area so im limited to the shops i know
from reading what you all are telling me maybe i need to do a little more research before making a final decision

 

do any of you know anything about Doug Herbert engines?