Hey,
Im sick of my stock 88 its time to start stage 1 of 3 stages of mod. Im going to stroke the block next week and i was wondering which kit to buy im not sure which one 383 or 396, i cant find anywhere to buy 396 kit so im guessing i will have to go with 383.

Any tips and extract parts i should get thanks!

 

Ok i was just over at speedomotive website, and i was looking at the stoker kit and there are so many :confused: :confused:
I have no idea which one to pick :confused:
383 W/6 INCH ROD BLOWER CRANK KIT
383 SUPERCHARGER CRANK KIT
383 FORGED STROKER WITH FORGED PISTON CRANK KIT
383 PRO-FORGED STROKER KIT
383 MIGHTY MOUSE
383 ALL FORGED MIGHTY MOUSE CRANK KIT
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

 

Call Callies and buy one of their Dragonslayer kits and be done with it... They sell complete reciprocating assemblies with 4340 forged cranks (with one piece seal), their absolutely awesome Pro-I connecting rods, and JE/SRP pistons in whatever configuration you want along with pins, rings, spiro-locks. You can have them balance the assembly too... You'll spend more money than you would from Speed-O-Motive but you'll get components that are much higher grade. Callies has both 383 and 396 assemblies for sale.
When I build a motor for a customer and they want good components but don't want to break the bank, the Dragonslayer is what I sell...If they don't mind spending big bucks and want to make major power I still use Callies' cranks... In fact I'm building a 383 for a customer's '89 Vette right now using all Callies pieces (the high dollar stuff though).
-Jeb

 

hey thanks for the info can i get a contact number or a website? thankyou :cheers:

 

http://www.callies.com
-Jeb

 

Not very impressed with their web site tho. I couldn't find hardly any prices on anything. I did manage to find the prices on the Dragonslayer cranks alone. I was kind of interested in the prices on their oil coolers. And what about that oil pump of theirs. Do you use that one? Looks very interesting.

 

I haven't really been on their website much...I get my Callies stuff through a distributor but I do know they've been selling some retail to the public. Probably best to call them. I didn't see their oil pump; I've never had a problem out of Melling's though so I would find it hard to switch.
-Jeb

 

Oh ya, that would explain the no prices on their web site. I did get my Callies crank from http://www.dougrippie.com. Here's about their oil pump tho:

Callies wet sump oil pumps for small block and big block Chevy V8's feature a newly designed plate which incorporates a pressure regulator system. This allows bypass oil to return to the oil pan rather than be super heated by returning to the drive gears. Each pump is individually flow tested with the oil temperature at 180 degrees. This test assures that the engine will receive the required oil flow at all engine speeds.
Maybe I shouldn'ta posted this here, sorry if I offended anybody. It does pertain to engine building tho and that's the original intent of the thread so might be relevant.

 

3 places I know of are:

www.strokerkits.com
www.speeddemonmotorsports.com
www.racenet.net

 

WOW!!!! THAT WEBSITE SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!! :U :U

 

Soul, lemme relate my little Speed-O-Motive story:

I drove 3 hours south to physically walk in the shop and check them out. I walked around abit and all seemed well. I ordered the motor.
I purchased their 391 shortblock and put AFR 210's on it. Cam is a Comp Cam Xtreme energy 242*/248* .050 110 LSA.
This was earlier this year. Well I have about 500 miles on it now. I literally just 5 minutes ago hung up the phone with them about some issues I am experiencing:
1) cylinders # 3, 4, 5 and 8 are fouling the plugs bigtime with oil.
2) timing cover bolts are oozing oil
3) rear main is leaking alot
4) lower row of head studs are leaking coolant
5) oil pan is oozing oil past the rails
6) the camshaft is chewing up distributor gears

In a subsequent visit, I was in their machining area just checking stuff out and overheard a conversation some of the guys were having about their cranks and rods. Their house brand cranks and rods are made in China. Looks like I got one of those cranks and H-beams. I chose SRP pistons tho.

They sales guy that I'm dealing with is August Cederstrand. Really cool guy. So even tho they told me they don't warrantee anything and all sales are final, he wants me to take the longblock back to them and he will fix it.

That is good, but I have to do all this work again. Seems like their assembly is sloppy. He was just transfered to the maching/building department to "straightrn up that department" since they are very backed up. He doesn't really do sales anymore but I figured I started with him, I'm gonna finish w/ him.
I'm happy they are gonna do it over for me, but looks like my Vette is gonna have more down time which sucks!
I would say if you deal with them, specify american made parts and talk to the guy. Be diplomatic/civil/cool and things go alittle better. I used to blow my top and get very angry at people, but that doesn't work alot.
Looks like they are a backed up abit if you want an assembled long block or short block. Ordering AFR heads thru them will take like 3 months possibly.
Let us know which way you go!

 

Don't judge them by the quality of thir website. They make engine parts and are one of the best out there for the money.

Also, check out http://www.flatlanderracing.com they have pick and choose kits and a very good pricing structure.

 

I wasn't going to say anything derogatory about Speed-O-Motive til someone else did first; but I've never heard of anything positive about their builds... I can even remember several years ago a magazine writer having a poor experience with their machining and assembly on a 383...

Don't knock some of the Chinese cranks/rods... Their alloys are actually very good because they don't have to deal with some of the EPA BS that US forgers do... A lot of them are also now machined on CNC centers and are as accurate as any Callies/Lunati/BRE crank I've seen. CAT is one that comes to mind; their machining and forgings are pretty damn good...On the Chinese stuff it's the heat treating that usually leaves something to be desired; but even CAT's heat treating is pretty decent, plus they nitride their stuff...I've built several motors with their components and all are doing very well. Don't get me wrong I would rather have American forged/machined components simply because they're American, but a great deal of the Chinese stuff has improved markedly over the past few years... Poor machining and assembly by the engine builder will screw up anything, though.
-Jeb

 

Soulja, what are steps 2 and 3 going to be? I think that might influence your buying. Someday I'll be going the same 383 route you can be damn sure the builder will be a good tuner also.
I got a feeling you should be talking more to JBurnett, don't know him but he sounds honest enough.
JMHO

 

Stage 2 : d-1 sc
Stage 3 : Pro fogger Nos system Stage 1

But im also going to buy a bodykit on the car so i think stage 2/3 will have to wait.

 

EEEE...If you're talking about stroking it, supercharging it, AND juicing it we definitely need to go over your components very carefully...Basically you're talking about a potential 1000+ hp mill here... You are going to spend some money, you know that right?? First off, forget about using a stock block unless you back down on your combinations somewhat; there's simply not enough meat to support the kind of cylinder pressures you're about to create. You also need to know from the absolute start that you're going to build a forced induction (s/c) application because your compression ratio will need to reflect that. You will need to machine either the block or the heads for loc-wire gaskets to retain the cylinder pressures you'll be seeing. Whoa...You're talking about a serious build here; knowing this now I will definitely tell you to STAY AWAY from SOM.
-Jeb

 

Jeb, you done anything with Cometic MLS headgaskets. I've seen a lot of people have trouble with Loc-wires. Mainly from improper machining of the receiver groove.

I put a set of the Cometic's on my Buick. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll get to really see how they work. :D

 

Yes, I've used them on some seriously boosted Outlaw 10.5 stuff; but loc-wires are just as good provided the machining is correct (like you said). I use a BHJ fixture for loc-wiring the heads and it locates properly every time because we bolt the BHJ torque plates to the heads which is dead nuts centered where it's supposed to be. For blocks I use a Winona Van Norman bore/surfacer with a special head attachment to cut the groove; use torque plates here as well...

I know a lot of the turbo Buick guys are using the Cometic stuff...When I start seriously playing with my GN (which maybe never) I'll probably use them.
-Jeb

 

hey,

thanks 4 the info jburnett, but i dont know if i should install the sc right away cuz i am only 16 turning 17 and i dont know if i can hand the power my goal at the end of the day is to build a RACE/SHOW car :smash: , so the s/c and nos will have to come in sometime.

Would i be able to get 500rwhp with jsut N/a Spec or do i need F/I