Thought I had spun a bearing but as it turned out due to low oil pressure problems I cracked one piston skirt and broke a piece of another skirt off. The cam journals were rough which probably was where my oil pressure problem was. The crank will probably have to be turned at .010 over as it was a little rough also. But there were no spun bearings. The whisping noise I heard was probably the cracked skirt and one broken skirt.
I have seen others reporting low oil pressure problems and they might just end up having same engine cratering as I did sooner or later.

I can get a short block from Gm Target for $1285. This is a new block and internals from Gm crate engines. I have seen some engine roller assy's for around $895 to rebuld my original number block but then I take the chance of the original block having hidden problems.

Also by the time I get the old block rebored or maybe even resleeved as some cylinders had cracks and some cylinders had pitted areas like the engine sat for awhile with the heads off, then i would be around the same price as the short block.

I would like to go back with around 300hp so I can use the same ecm and stock converter.

Anyone have .02 input for me here?

 

here's my .02 - build the new block

By the time you get down adding up all the things you've got to to the exisitng block you're going to be ahead of the game with the new one.

 

if you keep it...why not go ahead and stroke it...get up to 350hp or so.

 

I thought about stroking it but thats getting into big bucks and for a street car thats just not worth it. Also when putting out over 300 hp then will need change ECM and the expense of getting the calibration right for new ECM.
I have seen to many threads of people here that just wanted to pull their hair out trying to get the ECM to work right after even going to 52 mm intake.
By using my old heads I should be able to get 300 hp don't you think? I really need know what cam to use to get the hp and not having to mod the ECM.

 

If your block has cracks it is effectively ruined. Very difficult to install sleves in the newer blocks. They are liteweight and thin. The blocks tend to crack on the deck surface by the head bolt holes while sleeve is being fitted. Most builders wont even attempt this on newer blocks. Regardless of the route you choose, blocks are cheap. $ 600 new from gm for a bare ready to go roller block. Good luck. Also ran a gm zz-4 cam for years. computer friendly, ran 12.80 and dirt cheap to buy. Also I am running a 383 with super ram, headers, no cats and stock programming. Don't rule out a 383 unless budget is the issue. The maf cars run well with minimal tuning. Map cars not so well


[Modified by Pete K, 2:26 AM 4/5/2004]

 

If you plan to change the cam , port heads, etc you will HAVE to change ecm calibrations too.. No matter what you do, do get a stable and well performaing car with mods to get you in the 300HP range, you'll need some chips burned..

 

If you do all the small bolt ons, including exhaust along with a nice cam & valve train you will be a little over 300chp, if you want 300 hp at the road you will also meed to do heads & headers.

Instead of a custom chip, add an AFPR to tune fuel flow. That should be enough for 300chp. My L98 builds close to 300chp with stock heads, cam & headers, tuned only with an AFPR.

I think a relatively mild cam, like a ZZ-9, with 1.5:1 RRs will work well for you.

I would also suggest you at least go to 2.00/1.56 valves with a 5-angle valve job if you don't want to port the stock #113s. This and the cam will give a very nice street machine.

BTW, I run a 52mm TB with a siamesed base and the stock GM chip with no problems.


[Modified by 65Z01, 9:27 PM 4/4/2004]

 

Since removing the engine was saying it nicely a Bigitch then I surely only want to go back in one time for many years to come.
Thanks for the heads up on the resleeve. That's why I posted here because I felt I would get some good experienced help.
With the ZZ4 cam would I need a stall converter? I really don't want to go to a stall converter as I just don't like them and how they drive.
I have the block at a machine shop and he felt he could easily resleeve it if necessary. This same shop resleeved a tractor engine for me and haven't had any problems. But at same time I don't want to put in a possible problem engine.

 

I didn't say there will be problems with the stock chip, but it won't be anywhere near optimal timing/fuel enrichment without tuning via the chip.
Coming home form the last time I was at the track last year (where I mis-tuned my chip and ended up only runing mid 12's and detonating), I ended up putting my stock '85 chip in the car and the car drives fine, just not 'optimal' that's all..

 

The 350 with the zz-4 cam had the stock converter and 3.07 gears. Pulled 1.700 60 ft times at track on drag radials. I felt no need to use a converter. Had the stock tpi manifolds on so it made great low end torque. Very fun drivable package. Please don't consider sleeve. I hang out at a machine shop and sleeves seem to be a last resort. Blocks are so cheap new it is unreal.

 

Ok now about the heads. What is the heads up for them. Sorry for the pun.
To get the 300 hp am I going to have to do alot of work on the stock heads?

The valve covers on my 89 are not easily removed as the acc. brackets are in the way to just lift them off. So I want to use the roller hyd lifters so I don't have to be adjusting the dang things all the time.
I really appreciate the help here as I am not an experienced gear head engine builder.
I would like to get this back running for under 3 grand. Am I in the ball park or not?

 

My heads on the 350 were at that time the stock 113 castings with about$250 worth of bowl blending and gasket matck. Very minor work on ports.Based on the et's I was running I suspect I was about 300 hp at that time. Like I mentioned very nice combination. Excellent milage and great manners. I also had a stock lower base manifold with about $100 worth of porting. I ported the upper plenum myself. A pro would probably charge $100 or so I assume for that. Stock injectors and throttle body also. Sounds to my like you are in the ballpark.

 

The probelm with trying to get the Eck program has nothing to do with the displacement, and in some ways-Cylinder. You have to realize the limitations of the ECM when choosing the CAM!!!!! IT IS THE CAM that will make it need/hard/impossible to tune.

You are in the situation where every rodder almost wishes they were in. No matter what you do (within reason), you'll spend the same money.

If it were me...okay so it ain't...just get the ZZ4 short block (this is basically a L98 motor) and install it.

Or (This is were I come in)
-New L98 block $700 retail! deck it if you like, but you will still have to hone it and install other items.
-Get a scat crank 3.75" - $275ish (you'll have $120 in your old crank before your done)
-Get scat 6" forged rods - $250ish (you'll should replace yours due to melt down)
-If you will never ask anything from your motor go with hyper-eurtic pistons for compression ratio of 10.0 to 10.33 (use head gasket diameter to trim CR) otherwise just use forged pistons for up to 10.66666666.
-get a comp cams xtreme lift 212 Intake/218 Exhuast (at 0.050" lift) 112 lobe separation (the norm is a 218/218 cam...but to keep it out of new chip territory...) The thing about these cams is that their high lift and area under to curve will produce more air=more power without adding alot of duration.

Since you are not doing anything to your top end, all you will have is a solid motor with more torque. Just have the heads rebuilt (3 or 5 angle valve job), bowl port the ports, and stiffer valve springs for the head. You can have a set of LT4 valves (extremely light wieght) installed to better help the cam "pop" open the valves.

Look to spend just under $2K for the short block and 500-800 bucks for the heads. Also leave the last $500 for the I-got-ya's

LOL dude

[Modified by ZD1, 9:27 PM 4/4/2004]


[Modified by ZD1, 9:29 PM 4/4/2004]

 

Its not the heads keeping your hp down, its the cam and the intake. Look the ZZ4 uses the the 113 heads and with a 1/2 point more compression makes 110hp more than our L98s. It does that with a better cam and a free flowing intake. The 113 heads are good to 400hp with a little effort and at least 355hp out of the box :cheers: