383 Build...The start of the Process (pics)
11-13-2008, 12:49 AM
#21
Melting Slicks
11-13-2008, 02:08 AM
#22
Melting Slicks
If you have not bought the SRP's; Mahle(F1 Ferrari piston supllier) makes a nice LT1 piston:http://www.ellweinengines.com/ERE25/ERE25.htm
They are forged and German made:http://www.jegs.com/p/Mahle/756703/10002/-1#sbchevy
They are forged and German made:http://www.jegs.com/p/Mahle/756703/10002/-1#sbchevy
11-13-2008, 03:03 AM
#23
Uh huh, when they hear that cam....they'll know what's up.......
" Of course since '96 is OBD II, all they do is plug in and look for codes and make sure the correct flags are set. Fundamentally all this does is verify the sensors and PCM are operating correctly regardless of what is spewing out the tailpipe."
[/QUOTE]
" Of course since '96 is OBD II, all they do is plug in and look for codes and make sure the correct flags are set. Fundamentally all this does is verify the sensors and PCM are operating correctly regardless of what is spewing out the tailpipe."
[/QUOTE]
11-13-2008, 07:40 AM
#24
Le Mans Master
what's wrong with the srp/je stuff? here is a pic of a 16cc inverted dome SRP similar to what the OP is looking at using (hanging on a callies compstar rod). IMO, a bump up from using SRP/JE would be Diamond slugs.
that cam is not big at all, and once tuned will idle very smooth in a 383.
To the OP, looks like a nice build, good luck w/it all
that cam is not big at all, and once tuned will idle very smooth in a 383.
To the OP, looks like a nice build, good luck w/it all
Last edited by mseven; 11-13-2008 at 08:00 AM.
11-13-2008, 10:23 AM
#26
Safety Car
Nothing. Nothing wrong with the Mahle's shelf stocking stuff either. Some folks get a little hung up on the name game that's all.
A street car or bracket car won't know the difference. In a 500-550hp motor there's not going to be one iota of HP difference between them.
Will
A street car or bracket car won't know the difference. In a 500-550hp motor there's not going to be one iota of HP difference between them.
Will
11-13-2008, 10:35 AM
#27
SRP is what I used too, it kind of bummed me out to hear my cranky machinist say they were crap, but on the flip side he loves the JE pistons..., I just think he is used to building engines where money is no object. I couldn't afford the JE pistons on top of everything else. And I'm happy with the SRPs. 
11-13-2008, 11:30 AM
#28
Melting Slicks
I am not a knowledgeable builder of any sort, so my opinion is worth less than a cup of coffee, I was taken in by Mahle's impressive racing results.
http://www.mahlemotorsports.com/C125...TDP44365STULEN
http://www.mahlemotorsports.com/C125...TDP44365STULEN
11-13-2008, 11:45 PM
#29
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
I used SRP in my previous build and had no issues. Well made IMO. I have looked at the Mahle and the pistons are actually lighter than the SRPs I'm pondering. Both are inverted dome, -16cc. Lighter should be better but I haven't examined the details. Just gotta do a bit more homework 
MK82 asked about the intake...Yes, I bought another brand new LT4 intake. It matches the AFR heads. Somewhere around here I have pics of how much material gets removed from the intake runner roof to match an LT4 intake manifold to the 7777 gaskets. It's a LOT. I'll have to see if I can dig it up.
Definitely appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I think that is part of what makes the hobby fun.
Oh...and regarding the engine being clean Believe it or not it sees track duty in the rain (and once while snowing, which was really exciting!). However, I absolutely HATE leaks. So after every track weekend, the car gets a complete once over and gets cleaned up. Crazy, but it makes it easier to maintain without the gunk everywhere.
MK82 asked about the intake...Yes, I bought another brand new LT4 intake. It matches the AFR heads. Somewhere around here I have pics of how much material gets removed from the intake runner roof to match an LT4 intake manifold to the 7777 gaskets. It's a LOT. I'll have to see if I can dig it up.
Definitely appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I think that is part of what makes the hobby fun.
Oh...and regarding the engine being clean
Believe it or not it sees track duty in the rain (and once while snowing, which was really exciting!). However, I absolutely HATE leaks. So after every track weekend, the car gets a complete once over and gets cleaned up. Crazy, but it makes it easier to maintain without the gunk everywhere.
11-13-2008, 11:48 PM
#30
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
SRP is what I used too, it kind of bummed me out to hear my cranky machinist say they were crap, but on the flip side he loves the JE pistons..., I just think he is used to building engines where money is no object. I couldn't afford the JE pistons on top of everything else. And I'm happy with the SRPs.
I was looking at some Ross pistons and some Bill Miller Engineering pistons. I just couldn't stomach $1,000 for a set of pistons for a street engine.
11-14-2008, 06:11 AM
#31
Looking good Jim!
I ran the 280XFI (230/236 576/570 113) cam as you know which is similar to what you're thinking of getting. Once tuned I found it quite tame in the idle dept. yet still had tons of low end torque.
Since you're going custom, definately try to get that valve up higher to around 600". I actually had .612 lift due to my 1.7 intake rocker ratio.
Looking forward to hearing the results and your thoughts.
I ran the 280XFI (230/236 576/570 113) cam as you know which is similar to what you're thinking of getting. Once tuned I found it quite tame in the idle dept. yet still had tons of low end torque.
Since you're going custom, definately try to get that valve up higher to around 600". I actually had .612 lift due to my 1.7 intake rocker ratio.
Looking forward to hearing the results and your thoughts.
11-14-2008, 08:58 AM
#32
Le Mans Master
SRP is what I used too, it kind of bummed me out to hear my cranky machinist say they were crap, but on the flip side he loves the JE pistons..., I just think he is used to building engines where money is no object. I couldn't afford the JE pistons on top of everything else. And I'm happy with the SRPs.
11-14-2008, 02:30 PM
#33
Racer
Jim: your build & my 396 build have a lot of similarities except yours is on the much more serious side w/ the competition heads & the like.
Although I, too, like Tom at Carolina Clutch, I found you can get the flywheel directly from SPEC for $300, not the $400 Tom's charging; and Tre Performance will beat that price by 10% ($270).
Did you give any thought about going w/ the Edelbrock LT4 RPM Airgap intake manifold?
FWIW my AFR heads matched uip nicely w/ that intake which is the one AFR "recommends" for their 195 LT4 heads.
Bart
Last edited by 89FX3; 11-14-2008 at 11:57 PM.
11-15-2008, 12:03 AM
#34
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Jim: your build & my 396 build have a lot of similarities except yours is on the much more serious side w/ the competition heads & the like.
Although I, too, like Tom at Carolina Clutch, I found you can get the flywheel directly from SPEC for $300, not the $400 Tom's charging; and Tre Performance will beat that price by 10% ($270).
Did you give any thought about going w/ the Edelbrock LT4 RPM Airgap intake manifold?
FWIW my AFR heads matched uip nicely w/ that intake which is the one AFR "recommends" for their 195 LT4 heads.
Bart
Although I, too, like Tom at Carolina Clutch, I found you can get the flywheel directly from SPEC for $300, not the $400 Tom's charging; and Tre Performance will beat that price by 10% ($270).
Did you give any thought about going w/ the Edelbrock LT4 RPM Airgap intake manifold?
FWIW my AFR heads matched uip nicely w/ that intake which is the one AFR "recommends" for their 195 LT4 heads.
Bart
All kidding aside, thanks for the tip (and I really did order the flywheel!)
Regarding the intake....since Edelbrock says their LT4 intake matches the "7777" off-road LT4 gaskets and the AFR website says to not use "7777" gaskets (and Tony told me that during some PMs we exchanged) with the Competition heads, I elected to go with a new unported LT4 intake.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the numbers all of us generate with our builds.
11-15-2008, 09:33 PM
#36
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Yep, you can do that.
To really take advantage of the cam you need some cylinder head work. Gee....just so happens I'll have my lightly ported LT4 heads with my port matched LT4 intake up for sale in about a week. The heads are at the machine shop getting cleaned up/checked so that they're ready to bolt on
11-15-2008, 10:26 PM
#37
Melting Slicks
From talking to a few machine shops, I found out that Ross actually is the manufactorer for several other vendors, and is also one of the only piston manufactorers that makes "custom" pistons.
11-16-2008, 12:01 AM
#38
Ok Bart....you're pushing things a bit. You had to go and post great info and as a result I just spent $270 on a flywheel tonight
All kidding aside, thanks for the tip (and I really did order the flywheel!)
Regarding the intake....since Edelbrock says their LT4 intake matches the "7777" off-road LT4 gaskets and the AFR website says to not use "7777" gaskets (and Tony told me that during some PMs we exchanged) with the Competition heads, I elected to go with a new unported LT4 intake.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the numbers all of us generate with our builds.
All kidding aside, thanks for the tip (and I really did order the flywheel!)
Regarding the intake....since Edelbrock says their LT4 intake matches the "7777" off-road LT4 gaskets and the AFR website says to not use "7777" gaskets (and Tony told me that during some PMs we exchanged) with the Competition heads, I elected to go with a new unported LT4 intake.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the numbers all of us generate with our builds.
.......that answers that mystery. If I had to do it again, I would hunt down an LT4 OEM intake as well. Speaking of.....did you find a place selling new ones or did you already have one?
11-16-2008, 09:30 PM
#40
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Speaking of intakes, I just found out my brand new Edelbrock intake was warped by over 15thou on the drivers side.......that answers that mystery.
If I had to do it again, I would hunt down an LT4 OEM intake as well. Speaking of.....did you find a place selling new ones or did you already have one?
.......that answers that mystery. If I had to do it again, I would hunt down an LT4 OEM intake as well. Speaking of.....did you find a place selling new ones or did you already have one?
YearOne has them listed in their catalog... http://www.yearone.com/pco/G_0907/full.asp?page=122
