Hello everyone.

My old buddy Phil owned this 86' Vette and passed away a couple of years ago. Its been sitting for quite a while now. His wife has asked me to get it running again so I've come here for advice and any help for problems I might come across during the rebuild. The car is in pretty sad shape and honestly, not worth spending the money on. His wife however, really wants it running because of the sentimental value.

I'm a Mopar guy, and before you start throwing stones, am doing all of the work for her, no charge. I will be either rebuilding or replacing the engine and getting the car as dependable as a Chevy can get, so she can drive the car worry free. I'm here because I want to do this right but don't know the ins and outs of Chevrolet's.

The car has high miles and I remember Phil always changing plugs because they would foul out (I think it was burning oil). Eventually it wouldn't pass smog in California, so he parked it. After his passing, I went to pick up the car and it wouldn't start. After pushing it up on the trailer, I hauled it to Northern Nevada. I've played with it a little but its not getting fuel pressure so I figure a fuel pump needs to be ordered also.

So the plan is, while the weather is good, is to pull the engine and go thru it. I need advice on the best rebuild kits, or better yet, remanufactured long blocks. I don't need to go with the cheapest route. I'd like to go with the best bang for the buck route. The car is an 86' with the maunal trans that has an aux. auto overdrive. I remember Phil saying something about a package the car came with but I don't know the code. Its a red car with brown guts and is all stock, minus a cat back exhaust system that might need replacing.

Any help/advice/comments/tip/tricks on this is appreciated.

Mike

 

go to one of the vette recyclers and get a running motor from a wreck, they'll usually includ all the parts to make it run cheaper than you can do it in pieces.

 

Hi Humpy and welcome to the forum. The rebuild kit is nothing special, just an old small block Chevy with a one piece rear seal. Stock rebuild kits can be had for about $275.00 including pistons, rings gaskets bearings and you can have the crank turned for around a hundred or so. Hot tank the block, new freeze plugs and cam bearings, while they're doing that have the crank turned. Real easy to rebuild a SBC if you have done any other engines at all. Everything's exactly the same only different.

 

Pull the codes and complete your standard engine diagnostic tests (compression, spark, fuel pressure, leak down, etc.) to see what is wrong with the car before you charge off and rebuild or swap the engine. It may turn out to be an easied fix than you at first think.

Check it out....

 

I've talked with Phil's wife and she really wants to have the engine redone/replaced. The car has close to 190k on it. She also is going to have the paint resprayed and the seats and carpet done, but thats after it gets back to her. She's planning on spending the cash to get it right. Now since Phil's passing, she moved back east so once I'm done with it and its shipped back, she's on her own. I have heard that the GM Performance engines have a warranty valid at any dealer, which is appealing with her situation in case something goes wrong. Do any of you know of any crate or reman engines that will work for this car? I hear the factory EFI doesn't like modification, ie cams, head work etc. I"m capable of rebuilding it but it would be nice to just drop something in with a warranty.

 

Nice of you to help out the widow of your buddy. Its nice also she wants to drive the car as a legacy instead of letting it rot and become a home to all manner of critters. If the GM route is the way you wanna go, start here and see what she wants to do. There are different options available from GM. Heres the link:

http://store.gmperformanceparts.com/...Small%20Blocks

Drop in a screamin 383 and tell her to take up drag racin

Good luck

 

If you're looking for nationwide service you might also check with Jasper engines.

 

^^^
Just get a GM crate and be done with it.
Fuel pumps are cheap, injectors probably shot.
Vendor here sells em pretty cheap.

You can def. mod the engine and have the ECM take the right tune.

 

GM does not make a crate engine for this car. Yes they make many that will work there is no question about this. The problem you may run into when using a GM engine not made for this car is warrenty issues. I get most Gm parts at cost so last year when I desided to replce my 88's this was the issue I ran into. Lets face it all eairy SBC blocks are the same except main seal. and size differences. so they will work fine but by GM standardrs they do no longer have the Correct replacement. I could not get a 100% garentee about warrentee. In the end I went with jasper more or less did a ZZ4 build except used edelbrock performer heads intake and runners. Got everything at cost including install kit was 3350.00. 3 years 100000 mile warrentee

 

hooked073 this is BV85 could you tell me what is cost for a ZZ4 shortblock. TIA

 

Mine was complete with edelbrock heads and install kit for 3350.00.

 

Thanks for the info. I'm also gonna price out the rebuild at a local machine shop just to give her options.

Question:

What kind of upgrades can the stock fuel injection system handle?


I don't plan on having the computer altered. If the machine shop is replacing the cam and reworking the heads, do I have any room to work?