Dear Vette fellowship!
I am very happy to have a possibility to get assistance from you. Some people helped me from this forum about two years ago with rebulding my 4L60e transmission. Special thanks to STL94LT1 and Pete K for helping me!!!

My LT1 engine is garbage, or some name it blown. I need your advise on rebuilding it. Here is the story. My block, crank, some pistons and one head can not be used any more. Since I am in Kazakstan which is thousands miles away form US, its problematic for me to get crate engine or any heavy parts. It takes an eternity to get them here.
I can not afford myseflf shipping heavy parts via express mail. I found donor engine from 96 Camaro, as you know its the same LT1. It was overheated and can be used, except pistons with rings.
The plan is:
1. Take that block, cam, one head, crank.
2. Block and heads will be shaved.
3. I am planning to order rebuild kit,(new pistons, rings, bearings, etc).

Since all needed parts quite light they will get here within a week.

PLease advsie what esle I can upgrade without braking the bank. Yes, forget to mention, very tight budget. And actually its my birthday today, and I am spending my time to get my baby working.

I am not an expert on engine rebuild, but can anybody advise me on making 383 from 350? Is it boring old engine? What meant by making it 383?
Thanks,
Batyrkhan

 

Happy Birthday!
SOrry to hear about your baby!

Are you just going to do a stock rebuild?
One thing to think about is to have the camaro block drilled and tapped for splayed crank caps. Don't know what it would add to your build there though.

If I recall correctly a 383 is one size over bore and a stroker crank. If your going to do that do a search for the varios 383 builds that others have done. With the cost and length of time it takes to get parts to you it may wind up on your wish list for the next rebuild.

 

First, Happy B-Day!

I believe, and perhaps some one will correct me if I'm wrong, but the Camaro LT1 block is a 2 bolt main. The Corvettes got the 4-bolt mains. I mention this because it will important when ordering your crank and bearings.

As far as the build, I agree with doing a search here and ask alot of questions from those who have done it.

I recently spun a rod bearing, and had to go with a remanufactured crank. If I had the time and money, I certainly would have put a 383 in it. Since the engine is from a Camaro, you might want to google up some Camaro or "F-body" forums as well.

 

If you aren't going to use the timing cover off the 96 Camaro...I need it please...Contact me ASAP

 

I would think the cost of shipping a crankshaft for a 383 build would be a lot of $$$$$$ Good Luck on your build.

 

what? there is absolutely no difference in cranks or bearings between a 2 or 4 bolt block..

 

Hey, welcome back. Too bad it's not under better circumstances. GM is having a fire sale on the LT1's (~$1600 long blocks). Too bad you can't pick up one of those.


-Mike

 

I decided to get rebuild kit from summit racing which will include forged pistons. I just took block to boring/polishing place, he chekched and it turned out that it needs to be bored since some cylinders wider, you know what usually should be done with old engine and too wide cylinders. PLEASE tell me If I need to bore wider that just usual first boring? If you can advise me on porting heads as well. They definetly will be polished, but dont know if porting them will worth it. I dont really know what porting is, and if someone does porting locally. Please advise if it will add any power, decrease milage? Also, thinking on putting new valves, please advise what to buy?
Thanks
Batyrkhan

 

making it a 383 would just involve putting in a 3.75 crank, (out of a 400 or aftermarket crank) makes it a 383, the "boring" you can just bore what you need to get the cylinders round. if you bore it 30 over per say, and use the 350 crank, you would have a 355. which is plenty if you go with a nice 9.7 opr 10 to 1 compression, not sure what octane gas you guys use, i have 93 but detonation is a concern so i wouldnt go to high compression on low octane gas, if you go with a 3.75 crank, the block would have to be clearanced for the x-tra stroke, and you would have to use clearanced rods like Scat has, (or eagle) or grind on the stock ones to make it clear. leave that up to a good machinest. although some guys have done thier own here. i used a "small based" circle cam for my 406 form Lunati that worked nicely. a big cam may hit the crank on a 3.75 so watch for that, other than that i think those are the biggest concerns, good luck. bb

 

I'm getting a fully forged 383 long block done for my blower build

~$3k

Getting a GM longblock would be cheaper, but it's not fully forged, and wouldn't handle the boost.

 

There are lots of variables in what your getting into w/building a stroker motor.
If your not looking into specific high hp(kw) goals, and with needing a full rebuild, maybe a good quality crate motor would serve you best, and also give you the least grief in getting it up and running again. Otherwise it helps to be good with a wrench or have a nice bank account.