Strokers
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Castle Rock Co
Strokers
Has anyone here built their own? I'm not particularly interested in paying $8000+ for an assembled shortblock.
Here is what I'm looking at.
LS6 block (seen 'em at $700 on ebay)
Callies 4" 4340 Crank ($1700)
JE pistons ($600)
Eagle H beams (~$400)
rings gaskets bolts etc probably another $400
Balance recip assm, hone block $400
assembly- to be done by me.
I get $4200 for a 382 forged short. Am I missing something here?
Top this with ported LS6 heads and whatever cam to match, it seems I have the same as a $15000 tuner package, for alot less.
Here is what I'm looking at.
LS6 block (seen 'em at $700 on ebay)
Callies 4" 4340 Crank ($1700)
JE pistons ($600)
Eagle H beams (~$400)
rings gaskets bolts etc probably another $400
Balance recip assm, hone block $400
assembly- to be done by me.
I get $4200 for a 382 forged short. Am I missing something here?
Top this with ported LS6 heads and whatever cam to match, it seems I have the same as a $15000 tuner package, for alot less.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 7,820
Likes: 0
From: Burlington ON
Cruise-In I, II, III, IV & V Veteran
CI-I & II Auto-X Champ
Re: Strokers (Heretic)
Don't forget a double roller timing chain, camshaft, ported oil pump and ARP head and main studs which usually come standard with shortblocks.
I am not sure what $15,000 packages you are referring to but ARE's 436ci LONGBLOCK is only around ~$12K right now and that includes a resleeved block for larger bore, custom pistons, better rods, all ARP fasteners and their stage 3 heads all tricked out, AND a TWO YEAR WARRANTY. You could have it installed and tuned with larger fuel injectors for far less than the $15K you mention.
You definitely will save money doing the assembly yourself, but I don't think the savings will be as great as you think. You will basically just save whatever the assembly and blueprinting charges are. Just make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Also, one mistake in the assembly and you could end up with a pile of expensive chunks of 4340 steel instead of a running engine.
Best of luck if you decide to take this project on yourself.
[Modified by MattG, 9:46 AM 8/20/2003]
I am not sure what $15,000 packages you are referring to but ARE's 436ci LONGBLOCK is only around ~$12K right now and that includes a resleeved block for larger bore, custom pistons, better rods, all ARP fasteners and their stage 3 heads all tricked out, AND a TWO YEAR WARRANTY. You could have it installed and tuned with larger fuel injectors for far less than the $15K you mention.
You definitely will save money doing the assembly yourself, but I don't think the savings will be as great as you think. You will basically just save whatever the assembly and blueprinting charges are. Just make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Also, one mistake in the assembly and you could end up with a pile of expensive chunks of 4340 steel instead of a running engine.
Best of luck if you decide to take this project on yourself.
[Modified by MattG, 9:46 AM 8/20/2003]
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 702
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From: Castle Rock Co
Re: Strokers ('97 C5)
Is there anything different about assembly on a Gen3 vs say a SBC? (of which I've built a few)
I'm thinking about buying the parts here and there, then assembling and installing the engine over a winter. Its easier to spend $7000 over the course of a year than to spend even $12k in one outlay.
I'm thinking about buying the parts here and there, then assembling and installing the engine over a winter. Its easier to spend $7000 over the course of a year than to spend even $12k in one outlay.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 0
Re: Strokers (Heretic)
The 8K includes resleaving for whatever size CI you want which I'm sure is not cheap, also remember to check you deck height and deck cc's to make sure you are not running 15 to 1 cr, my heads guy took my chamber cc's to 68.5cc's and Wade (ARE) had my pistons designed for the correct deck height and deck cc's to maintain apprx 11 to 1. I'm sure the piston company that you order your pistons from could build you a set to accomodate your stroke, rod length and chamber cc's after shrouding, porting etc, also you may want to consider the 2.055/1.60 valves which would require new valves, seats, valve springs (maybe roller rocker setup) carefull on the valve spring heights etc, I'm not sure how much of this is required for using the stroker kit but you will deff save some dough on labor, and time will be in your hands--good luck, bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,294
Likes: 1
From: Coral Springs Florida
Re: Strokers (MattG)
....You definitely will save money doing the assembly yourself, but I don't think the savings will be as great as you think. You will basically just save whatever the assembly and blueprinting charges are. Just make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Also, one mistake in the assembly and you could end up with a pile of expensive chunks of 4340 steel instead of a running engine.
Best of luck if you decide to take this project on yourself....MattG
Best of luck if you decide to take this project on yourself....MattG
You might want to shop around ....Good Luck :chevy
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 17,096
Likes: 3,752
From: Charlotte NC
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'25
Re: Strokers (vstella)
....You definitely will save money doing the assembly yourself, but I don't think the savings will be as great as you think. You will basically just save whatever the assembly and blueprinting charges are. Just make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Also, one mistake in the assembly and you could end up with a pile of expensive chunks of 4340 steel instead of a running engine.
Best of luck if you decide to take this project on yourself....MattG
:iagree: Building the engine is one thing...getting it to run to your expectations is another :rolleyes: My stroker was much less than $15000 and I get periodic Dyno Jet/ LS1 Edit tuning and a 2 year warranty:yesnod:
You might want to shop around ....Good Luck :chevy
Best of luck if you decide to take this project on yourself....MattG
:iagree: Building the engine is one thing...getting it to run to your expectations is another :rolleyes: My stroker was much less than $15000 and I get periodic Dyno Jet/ LS1 Edit tuning and a 2 year warranty:yesnod:
You might want to shop around ....Good Luck :chevy
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 483
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From: Austin Tx
Re: Strokers (Heretic)
"Is there anything different about assembly on a Gen3 vs say a SBC? (of which I've built a few)"
SBC won't fit in a C5 Vette. But in general, building blueprinted engines is building blueprinted engines.
SBC won't fit in a C5 Vette. But in general, building blueprinted engines is building blueprinted engines.
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Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 26,794
Likes: 613
From: Elmhurst, IL (West Suburb of Chicago) & Home of MEGA Horsepower
St. Jude Donor '06
Re: Strokers (Heretic)
Don't forget that you have to have the LS6 Block Professionally resleeved to achieve the larger bore size and that needs to be done by an expert shop like MTI, ARE, etc. The best price i have seen on the alum. resleeved blocks are from MTI for $1,995 plus core, so i would just pick up a stock LS1 block for cheap and use that for your core charge and go with one of the tuners resleeved blocks.
Also, i would ditch your plans for the CALLIES crank and stay with LUNATI cranks as they seem to have the LS1 stroker engines perfected where CALLIES does not from what i have seen. By the time its all said and done, your better of paying a few grand more to get the motor professionally built with a tuner who will give you a full 2 yr/24K mile warranty as these big LS1 stoker motors are a bit more finicky than most people think or imagine and you are going to have alot of $ tied up into this engine.
Best of luck. :cheers:
[Modified by MTI 427 Roadster, 9:59 PM 8/20/2003]
Also, i would ditch your plans for the CALLIES crank and stay with LUNATI cranks as they seem to have the LS1 stroker engines perfected where CALLIES does not from what i have seen. By the time its all said and done, your better of paying a few grand more to get the motor professionally built with a tuner who will give you a full 2 yr/24K mile warranty as these big LS1 stoker motors are a bit more finicky than most people think or imagine and you are going to have alot of $ tied up into this engine.
Best of luck. :cheers:
[Modified by MTI 427 Roadster, 9:59 PM 8/20/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 6,147
Likes: 32
From: Dallas TX
Re: Strokers (Heretic)
dont forget rods and professional machine work and assembly will be around or over a thousand. Add another 2500 for head porting and 500 for cam.
Its really not toooo expensive. My 395 longblock cost me around 8500 or 9000.
Its really not toooo expensive. My 395 longblock cost me around 8500 or 9000.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 702
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From: Castle Rock Co
Re: Strokers (kumar75150)
Thanks for the responses. Seems like a few folks misunderstood what I was asking.
I do not want to go over 3.90" bore. A new, never run LS6 block from GM comes machined, and usually only needs a finish hone.
Second, while I apprieciate the warnings about assembly mistakes, I am not a novice engine builder. I moonlighted as an engine builder for a marine performance shop for a couple years, so I've built a few engines, most of which still run. :lol: Porting, blueprinting etc, are not foreign to me.
The biggest consideration for me is budget, I can get the Minister of Finance (my wife) to approve a few $2000 purchaces, but never a $12,000 request for a tuner to install an engine in my car, its simply not an option.
I do not want to go over 3.90" bore. A new, never run LS6 block from GM comes machined, and usually only needs a finish hone.
Second, while I apprieciate the warnings about assembly mistakes, I am not a novice engine builder. I moonlighted as an engine builder for a marine performance shop for a couple years, so I've built a few engines, most of which still run. :lol: Porting, blueprinting etc, are not foreign to me.
The biggest consideration for me is budget, I can get the Minister of Finance (my wife) to approve a few $2000 purchaces, but never a $12,000 request for a tuner to install an engine in my car, its simply not an option.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 26,794
Likes: 613
From: Elmhurst, IL (West Suburb of Chicago) & Home of MEGA Horsepower
St. Jude Donor '06
Re: Strokers (gt88306)
I think if you call MTI and have a heart to heart with them about what you want to build and they see you are serious, that you would then find that their prices are very comparable to the other major players like ARE, etc. As a matter of fact their prices on a resleeved LS1 block $1995 are about the cheapest i have seen. :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 6,147
Likes: 32
From: Dallas TX
Re: Strokers (gt88306)
Their strokers are not that expensive at all.
Their whole Z07 package is expensive. All you need is the long-block and you can do the other stuff yourself if you dont already have it.
Their whole Z07 package is expensive. All you need is the long-block and you can do the other stuff yourself if you dont already have it.
6th Gear
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas NV
Re: Strokers (Heretic)
Excuse any ignorance on my part as im still trying to learn all this.....but what does the Z07 package come with that the ARE engine packages dont? Clutch, intake, full exhaust, rails, and badges? 20K for MTI, and according to this thread around 12K for ARE? Thx for the info.
-Brett :confused:
[Modified by gt88306, 12:07 AM 8/25/2003]
-Brett :confused:
[Modified by gt88306, 12:07 AM 8/25/2003]