Dino0987

Hello everyone I'm new here and i want to get some ideas from everyone. I just picked up a 84 c4 with no engine. I would like to know what i can swap in without going through hell. I want little bit more horse power. Maybe the stock engine with cams and headers and getting rid of the crossfire system? Or another engine swap? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you everyone

Nowhere Man

any small block chevy will fit

Dino0987

Would that be just a drop in or any mods needs to be done? Thank you for the reply

Nowhere Man

depends on what year or generation your talking about and what cylinder heads it uses for accessory mounting and what fuel delivery your going to use

ghoastrider1

the engine itself is a drop in. Loes of small details to do if you want it street driven. Race? , drop it in and go.

billschroeder5842

Unless you keep your Cross Fire system you will have significant electrical mods and computer/sensor changes.

Now, it has been done, but it won't be a plug and play.

Cjunkie

Put an LS in it!

ex-x-fire

A tbi truck engine will run off of the crossfire harness & ecm. You can even use a small cap distributor.
To get it to run with a carb, all you need is 12v to the hei.

Dino0987

Thank you all for the replies. Im trying to stay away from electrical. I am very mechanically inclined but when it comes to electrical im alittle iffy. I want more of drop in and build on top of it.

Dino0987

I want to get over 300 hp or more. There's no engine right now. Im trying to get ideas before i start buying stuff

Dino0987

What if i was to build on top of the original c4 engine? Cams, headers, ecm chip and etc etc?

prlwng

In a recent magazine, they had an 84 crossfire with some mods. Not extravagant but reasonable. It was into the 11 sec 1/4 if I remember right. Rear gear, Cai, nitrous are some of what I remember reading.

There is also a large crossfire section in c3 that covers much of what you may encounter. I have used this info for my c3 croosfire.

Dino0987

Thank you for the reply. I was thinking getting the same engine build that up with an fuel pump from 85 corvette. Nitrous sounds like a good idea. What about Cams?

ghoastrider1

the crossfire system uses around the same fuel pressure as a carb. That 85 uses a FI fuel pressure of around 35 , the CF only around 15 or less. That means you would have to get an adjustable fuel reg or gas will over power your carb. That's if I remember right.

Dino0987

Thank you for the replies. I want to be able to make some horsepower over 300 hp but i dont want to go through ls swap. Its not going to be a daily driver. There is no engine in it right now

v8vette84

Put an LT in it!

Dino0987

Would i need to change the wiring harness?

billschroeder5842

Dino... Can you give an honest assessment of your mechanical skill level as swapping out your L83 for something different will be a trick---- unless you pay someone.

Dino0987

I can do all of the mechanical stuff with no problem at all. When it comes to wiring i dont know too much thats why i want to stay away from doing ls swap. If i had a guide for wiring i can but i looked everywhere and theres no real guide

v8vette84

I bought a standalone harness for the LT1 and wired it into my factory harness so the gauges would work correctly. You will need to change the harness for any engine unless you are going back the the L83. I liked going LT1 in my 84 as the LT1 was a factory engine from 1992-1996 so there are parts and factory parts at that. Going LS is very expensive. People around me want WAY too much money for an LS1. 2k-4k for 120k mile examples then on top of that extreme money for the special swap parts. No thanks... Maybe if I got the actual LS engine cheap it would be fine but I refuse to pay what people are asking for LS engines around me. I picked up my LT1 complete for $75. No joke.