Scat Nodular Iron Crankshaft 3.750 inch Stroke
Stock Connecting Rod with ARP Rod Bolts Connecting Rods 5.7 inch
Lunati Custom Forged Pistons
Childs and Albert Ring Set Plasma Moly Ring Set
Clevite 77 H Series Racing Bearing
Melling HV Oil Pump / ARP Main Studs
Rotating Assembly Fully Balanced and Engine Blueprinted
Custom Hydraulic Roller Camshaft To Match Engine Combination
GM Timing Chain
Fully Ported Intake Manifold (58mm Throttle Body Ready)
LT1 Stage II Stock Cylinder Head
Hot Tank and Thoroughly Inspect Cylinder Heads
Fully Ported Race Prepped Cylinder Heads
Stainless Steel Manley Race Flo Valves. (2.02 Iron, 2.00 Alum. / 1.56 Exhaust)
Port Volume May Change But Will Match to Different Applications (Stroker, High RPM Etc.)
Competition 3 Angle Valve Job
Resurface Heads to Desired Compression Ratio
H-II Hi Tool Steel Valve Springs / Lightweight Retainers / Machined Locks
Viton Valve Seals
CC Combustion Chambers
Set all Valve Spring Pressures and Heights
Flow Testing with Print Out
Comp Cams Moly Pushrods, Crane Gold 1.6 Roller Rockers

I want to learn everything about engines at this point I just don't want to make any mistakes or regrets....opinions welcome thanks.

 

why not change over to LT4 heads and intake?
Also your custom cam doesn't tell us alot - what RPM range do you want and where do you want you peaks?
Absolutly get rid of the stock rods. anything forged 4340 will be better than PM (powdered metal) rods. anywhere from $260 to $1600. How much rod $ depends on compression and mainly power adders.
For your scat crank make sure you get 1 PC, for 6" rod. If you concentrate on lighter wieght rods and pistons, it'll make your balancing chore easier.
BTW on pistons, (I wish I found them sooner) Manley makes a 11CC dish piston...this will keep you compression ration reasonable with gm's small combustion chambers.

Finally buy these books; lingenfelter, TPIS insider hints, and any other books on LT1/LT4 engines

 

I don't see anything about that Canton high capacity road race pan. And a large oil cooler. And the long tube headers you will need. And what about the Griffin or Be Cool or Ron Davis aluminum radiator? I missed what tranny do you have? If it's a 4l60e or 700r4 don't forget about getting a new one in your budget. If it is one of those don't forget about putting in a Dana44 rear diff. And don't forget to budget for better brakes. More go needs more wow.

 

Never mind about the tranny and diff, I just looked at your profile and see you have the ZF6, good job.

 

:iagree: It will spin better also. PM rods are ok, but a set of lightweight high performance rods would be a better choice. You're spending the money on the other top-notch parts, why cheese out on one of the more important pieces of the engine puzzle.

 

I have heard not so good things about the SCAT cast cranks. And go with some other real forged steel rods instead of the GM PM rods. For not a lot more you can go with a complete EAGLE 4340 all forged reciprocating assembly. I don't know your budget restraints but going that route will at least give you a much stronger bottom end. I prefer Lunati rods and cranks or Callies crankshafts and Oliver rods. But these parts are expensive, while EAGLE is pretty darn good stuff for the budget minded. My friend that is a distributor for them runs two SG (Super Gas) class cars, they both are loaded with EAGLE stuff and they never break! Kenny has been running their stuff for at least the last 8 years that I know of. So that has to say something for EAGLE.

Also consider swapping out the main cap bolts for studs to increase stability. Keeping the GM main caps is OK for a mildly built 383. You should go with at least a 5.85" rod for a better rod to stroke ratio, 6" is preferred. If you plan on lots of Spray or a blower, then consider a 2 bolt main LT1 block from a F body and installing billet steel splayed 4 bolt main caps. You can convert a Y body 4 bolt main LT1 to Splayed caps but using a 2 bolt block makes for a stronger block when using a splayed main cap conversion.

If you plan on staying with the stock GM timing set, go with the OEM LT4 timing set. Its stronger than the link type LT1 chain, but not as strong as the LT4 extreme chain and its cheaper as well. If you are going with a real hot cam with lots of spring pressure then go with the LT4 Extreme chain. Its probably twice as strong as the stock LT4 single roller chain.

A word on valve springs, don't worry so much about names or brands. There are only two or three companies that make valve springs and the cam companies all buy from them. Don't worry about H11 or Vasco Jet or carpenter steel. The main thing is that whatever your cam is, the springs have to match that cam. So if you buy a set of AFR heads be sure that you know what cam you are using. They will need to know that so that they can install the correct springs in the heads and install them correctly to get the correct pressures. If you don't get AFR heads, then when you make that cam purchase be sure to get the correct springs and the installed heights of that spring to work with the cam you buy. That way you can supply the machine shop with the correct springs and installation specs to install into your heads whatever they maybe.

If I were you I would find a set of LT4 heads to port out. Or get a set of AFR 195 LT4 heads and have them built to your engine. The 195 heads with the competition port work is more than adequate for a very hot street engine. AFRs can be ordered either as partially CNC machined or competition ready with 100% CNC port work. Although it time is a concern the AFR heads are about 8 weeks for delivery. You will get a much stronger head than a OEM unit.

The Lunati Pistons are ok, but order the full skirt pistons like the JEs and order them in a 2618 alloy. Its much more durable and more resilient. Much toughter than a 4000 series allow as it has less silicon in the alloy.

I am not sure what your doing for exhaust, a 383 or 396 likes to breath hard. Get a good 3" exhaust system or a CORSA system, and at least a set of shorty headers if you intend to maintain the OEM CATs. A set of Long Tubes and bullet CATs are better if you don't live in the Republic of California where LT headers are not SMOG legal.

I kept the stock oil pan. It is more than adequate for the street and occasional drag racing. Bear in mind that the stock eliminator boys that run the F bodys with LT1 engines run them with 3.5 quarts of oil in the sump, and uses a super lightweight oil for that record run. VP Fuel makes a 00 weight oil that they use to burn off a 10.60 run! That is with a stock compression and stock intake, TB and stock heads with NO porting!


[Modified by tjwong, 6:01 PM 12/22/2003]

 

Alot of good info guys, I can't believe how much i need to know, I'm sure little things all take into effect to gain that little extra.
Thanks for the info, i have to read this thread twice to absorb everything..
:D
Would there be a big price difference from 383 to 396, that's my question.
I'm wondering if doing a 383 with 400rwhp is maxing the motor, i have to find out.
:thumbs:

 

I think a 383 with 400RWHP is about maxing it, you could get a little more out of it maybe. maybe 410/415 if you find a very smart/knowledgeable builder to throw together a set for you, but how much area under torque curve will you have? The sume of your area under torque curve with respect to time (or in this case RPMs) is your total impulse force, but just by 2 cents.
http://ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos2.html

check this link out though good engine combos. you will have to find the fuel injected equivalent but...


[Modified by mistaben, 6:03 AM 12/23/2003]