hey everyone, i am looking for as much help as i can get, as this will be my first build and i want to make it a good one, but am on a budget, so i have to REALLY shop around!

i have a few simple questions though......
when can i use roller rockers? and what would be the deciding factor in the 1.5, 1.6, or 1.7's?

i also need opinions on a throttle body....52 or 58 MM (now i am pretty set in wanting the NOS 58MM throttle body, is this a bad investment?)
how about fuel injectors....i want NEW ones on my NEW motor, what kind and what flow/pressure (not sure how they are measured) should i get

ok, i know.....what are you building....well, i would like to build a 383, but would settle for a 350 if i couldn't stay within my budget
heads too..... 190 or 202 intake......open chamber/closed chamber?
64cc, 72cc, or 74cc??? what compression for NOS? forged crank and pistons are already on my list!!! i also plan on putting the big mouth manifold and eventually bigger runners for the TPI
have i left anything off??? long tube headers are a part of the plan
as well as the power effects exhaust system.
oh yeah.....what about cams???? hydraulic? hydraulic roller mechanical, etc.?

HELP!!!!!
thanks in advance for all the input!

 

85_togo,

Obviously, many things to consider when building your engine for the first time.

To me, one of the most overlooked mods to consider...is what is it you want to do with your heads?

The reason I bring this up, is because we all get caught up in the moment, and forget about 'valve cover' height requirements.

If you expect to use 'roller rockers' and possibly a 'stud girdle' then you need to make sure you purchase a set of valve covers that provide the proper clearances...and then some.

If you have 'center-bolt' heads, as do I...then there are not many vendors out there who have what we wind up needing. Sure, they can make some beautiful lookin' covers...perhaps 1/2" taller then stock...but that won't cut it if you plan on using some nice roller rockers with possibly 'lock-nuts', and stud girdles.

If you have 'perimeter mounting-head bolts'...then there are many more options for you.

Be sure to do your homework here. It could save you a lot of time, and money, from buying one cover after another, only to find out that still another cover is going to be required, to clear all the mods you want to do.

Good Luck!!

 

Hey dude, you've got my e-mail and phone number, and you know my feelings on the funny stuff(eeek).

Did you get a chance to look at PAW? How's that Brake Booster working out?

 

These are my favorite motors to build because they actually require more thought than most do... Any idiot can slap together a carb motor with off the shelf parts and have it run decently; but the same cannot be said of a TPI based mill. When we build these motors we take into consideration what the vehicle will be used for primarily and what the owner expects of it. Once that has been determined we work from the top down instead of the bottom up. TPI motors have radically different airflow characteristics than carbed mills do and it is best to start with the induction system. Afterall, your shortblock is just the foundation to build on; your intake and heads are the heart and lungs of the combo and your camshaft is the brain... Start from there and work your way down. If you choose to go the route of the stroker you can either go cast crank or forged... If you're planning on running N2O I would certainly recommend forged but you can get away with a cast crank up to about 150 horsepower. Definitely forged pistons, save money elsewhere. You can either use your stock rods by having them rebuilt with quality ARP studs and have them shotpeened, balanced, and the big end sized. Or, you can buy a set of aftermarket rods if your budget allows. I've seen 550 hp motors live easily with quality rebuilt OEM rods. Now comes the important stuff... The heads, intake, and camshaft: You've already said you plan on installing a big mouth manifold (excellent), but if you go stroker you need to pony up and go on and either buy some good large-tube or siamesed runners or (even better) an Accel SuperRam... You will be sorely disappointed in the stroker with OEM runners. What I do is flow the intake set-up and then match the heads to it. You want heads that flow the same or just slightly better than the intake. From there choose a cam with a profile that will best take advantage of the heads' flow characteristics. Putting a head that flows 300+ cfm on a tuned port will leave you wondering where your power is; a large head that flows a ton of air simply will overpower the induction and you would have to spin the motor far beyond the capabilities of a TPI set-up to make any power. Of course you would basically follow the same course to build a stock displacment motor except you wouldn't be purchasing the crankshaft... You can use your own. I would expect between 385 and 410 horsepower from a properly built TPI-style 355 and between 425 and 450 hp from a properly built TPI-style 383, but with a huge increase in low and midrange torque. If I can be of help, please let me know.
-Jeb Burnett

 

i did have a look at the PAW book, and they have a 383 long block in there for about 2100 but it doesn't have aluminum heads (page 62 in my catalog) and then there are the aluminum heads...WOrld Aluminum heads angle plugs 64 CC 202's hydraulic/hydraulic roller for 547.50 / 592.50
or the 72 CC 202's hydraulic / hydraulic roller for the same prices!
should/can i go with a hydraulic roller? and should/can i go with hydraulic roller rockers???? arghhhhh
come over some time this week and lets look at the catalog so i can start ordering stuff!!!!!
the brake booster is so far so good...i haven't even pulled her out of the driveway since.....Reid has my MAF and i have his, we are running swap tests!!!1

 

Hey Chris, a hydraulic roller cam is definitely better, but there is only one way to do it right, and that could get expensive. There is a page in PAW with stripped engine blocks, it says, "Call for '87 or newer blocks", you should call and ask on availability and price.

I've got to go to a class now, but I'll come over Saturday or Sunday and we'll work out a basic setup, then put it up to be fine tuned by everybody else.

 

cool....when we work it all out....can we put it on a desktop dyno????
when we complete this i want to see if i can share all my info with the vette public and show everyone my budget stroker....if its possible!!!!
see ya this weekend!!!