|
|
Register To Post |
| Dale1990 | Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
 
|
As promised at the end of this thread, here is my first set of stupid questions regarding engine combos
 I'm starting with a 1990 Vette engine that has no known problems (according to the seller) and has ~90k miles. Coincidentally, this will be replacing a 90 but with 170k+ miles. So far, the only real plan I have is to make it a 383. Beyond that it gets foggy. I am not really up on all of the latest and greatest heads, cams, intakes, rotating parts, etc. so I am hoping I can get a little direction on where to start. What I would like out of the new engine: - Stockish driveability and reliability. The key word here would be "smooth". - I'd like to see a shift point somewhere near 6200RPM. No more L98 4800RPM stuff. - Decent low end torque. This will still be a daily driver so I'll still need to lug around town in high gears at low speed. - HP... dunno. I'd rather let the rest of the combo take shape and go from there. More power than a base C6 would be nice but...? I fell in love w/ the C6 engines in the cars I drove at Spring Mountain and I'd like to bring as much of that to my car as possible. Powerful but still smooth and quiet. What kind of ideas do you folks have on combos, parts, techniques that might make this all happen? I'm an engine rebuilding noob so any advice will be appreciated. This will be a pretty long term build up so I can wait on sales and maybe used parts where possible. It'll be a month or two before I finish painting the car. My mod budget took a hit with that one - forgot how expensive paint was. Thanks for the help! |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/19 16:58
|
|||
 Transfer
|
 
|
||
| bogus | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah
 
|
Have you considered an LSx conversion?
|
||
Posted on: 2009/9/19 18:35
|
|||
|
_________________
The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place. - George Bernard Shaw Education is the best tool to overcome irrational fear. - me |
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Durango_Boy | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Elite Guru
 
|
I agree, if you want LS power and LS charisma...you need an LS engine.
I don't know a lot about LS swaps in C4s but I'm sure it's been done. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/19 18:53
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Jeffvette | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Elite Guru
|
Quote:
Good luck with that Dale. You will not get that out of a Gen I SBC. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/19 19:01
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Dale1990 | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
I considered an LSx conversion but it would wind up being way too expensive after all is said and done. I would be better off buying a C6 - which will happen eventually.
So, you're all saying it is not possible to make a 383 that can rev to 6k, has a street-friendly torque curve and smooth idle? I find that hard to believe. I am well aware that I can't replicate an LSx engine w/o using one. That is why I said "as possible". |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/19 19:28
|
|||
|
_________________
86 Coupe: SR 383 90 Convertible: Stock L98 06 Z06: Stock LS7 |
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| bogus | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah
|
That about sums it up.
The Gen 1 is just not a smooth engine once you try to get power out of it. Your best bet is to build a mild 383 and then put a supercharger on it. That should about do it, actually. Oh, expect this to cost a small fortune... the supercharger alone is $6k. As for cost, a good, low mileage, used LS1 isn't that much. Figure engine and electronics is about $2000.00. Build me a GOOD 383 for that, I dare you. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/19 22:42
|
|||
|
_________________
The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place. - George Bernard Shaw Education is the best tool to overcome irrational fear. - me |
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Dale1990 | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
I would seriously doubt I could get a decent LS1 into my Vette for $2k. I could get the engine for that, maybe. But that is less than half the total project.
I just want to replace my tired L98 with something more powerful but still retain good driveablity and have a broader powerband than the TPI. Ignore the C6 comment. The 86 Vette in my garage with an LPE 383 is pretty damn close to what I am looking for - 365 rwhp, fairly smooth idle, and power up to 5500ish (SuperRam with stock base). It does have some drivability problems that could most likely be tuned out. But, it was built in the mid 90s and I had assumed Gen1 tech had moved on for the better. I also do not know what the specs are on that engine besides a SR 383 with ported 113 heads. This thread is probably shot to hell at this point - I had no idea that one off-hand comment about a C6 would screw everybody up so much. Forget I asked. I'll try again some other time. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/19 23:35
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Jeffvette | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Elite Guru
|
Dale, it's no big deal. You were asking if you could get something LSx like in a streetable SBC. You now know the answer.
What is your budget? And I'm talking the max of your budget. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/20 0:39
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Aboatguy | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
Quote:
With higher horsepower problem becomes TRACTION. However, if you ditch the TPI and use decent heads and manifolds you should be able to build stroker that hits your goals however, once again we are at the old trilogy of POWERFUL, RELIABLE, INEXPENSIVE choose two On a serious note when you factor in bang for the buck C6s are a performance bargain. I'll probably end up with one (new) sometime soon. However, I love surprising folks with a (slow ) C4, I believe spanking folks with a C4 that I modified myself will more satisfying than doing it with store bought performance. Mike |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/20 0:43
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| bogus | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah
|
I agree with you, Mike.
It's one thing to unass cash on the newest, greatest... but to take a fraction of that cash and build something... that's special. I guess I have never been a big fan of checkbook hotrodders... |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/20 2:10
|
|||
|
_________________
The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place. - George Bernard Shaw Education is the best tool to overcome irrational fear. - me |
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| dan0617 | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
I'm very happy with the manners on my AFR headed 383 with 230/236 duration cam. Slight surge and 2800 stall are the only things that keep it from being stock mannered. If I were to drop down to a 224/224 cam and a 2000 stall converter it would give up a little time in the 1/4 but would likely still run 12.50's on motor.
I love the HSR but if you are on a budget you would be better to do an LT1 conversion intake or buy a used miniram. LT1, Miniram, HSR or Superram, you will be happy with any of them. Build all else with used/budget parts but spend on the shortblock and the heads. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/20 2:37
|
|||
|
_________________
ยด89 Vert, 383, 230/236 cam, AFR 195's, LT Headers, HSR intake, 2800 stall, Zex 200 shot, ET Street Radials, tune by me. Runs were with D36 3.07's. On spray, 10.55 @ 132.78, 1.55 60 ft. On motor, 12.08 @ 113.15, 1.66 60 ft. |
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| SpectatorRacing | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Elite Guru
|
Quote:
That's whay I tell myself, too. That's what all of us poor folk say. But realistically, I'd be just as happy to spank people in in my new ZR1 if I had $100K lying around. Dale you can do all of the things you want with an L98 but I think you're going to find that it isn't cheap. I'd say my motor with a milder cam would fit all of the things you mentioned. But it ran well over $10K when all was said and done. Amd that was doing a lot of the labor myself... You're going to have $1500 - 2000 in heads alone. Machining to a 383 - another $1500. New rotating assembly - $1500 New cam - $300 Lifters - $300 Even if you go cheap and use eBay parts you're only saving 20%. Just scratching the surface... |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/21 14:37
|
|||
|
_________________
aka Scaryfast |
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| BrianCunningham | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
Thia is not a cheap hobby, that for sure.
LOL Build the car because that's what you want to do. Build it to impress your friends, you'll always be disappointed. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/21 14:48
|
|||
|
_________________
Polo Green 95 LT1 6-spd http://mysite.verizon.net/vzevcp74/ 383 LT1/Vortech Supercharger/AFR heads/Rod end suspension/Penske-Hardbar dual rate coilovers/Wilwood 6pot brakes NCCC Governor: http://BayStateCorvetteClub.com |
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Dale1990 | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
Quote:
Honestly, I don't have one at the moment. This whole plan is still in the spit-ball stage so w/o knowing what I need it's hard to figure out a budget. But, I am not looking to build something uber-expensive - judging by the other responses, just a mild 383. This car will not be regularly drag-raced and only occasionally autocrossed. Most of its life will be spirited daily-driver duty so the latest/greatest/most expensive parts are not really necessary. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/21 15:15
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Dale1990 | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
Quote:
My engine will be backed up by a ZF6 and I've never dealt with a performance car with an auto so you'll have to forgive me if I don't know how stall speed translates into driveability. I assume an engine designed for a 2800 stall speed would probably not be very street friendly with a ZF6, right? After having to R/R the SR on the 86 a few times, I'd rather never have to even look at one of those intakes ever again. I checked this link posted by vetteoz in another thread, it looks like the HSR or the MR might be a good match to my goal altho it looks like I might wind up losing too much on the low end with the MR. How does the LT1 intake compare as far as powerband? Somewhere between the HSR and MR? I'm willing to sacrifice high-end to maintain low-end driveability. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/21 15:19
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
| Dale1990 | Re: Engine buildup questions | ||
|
Senior Guru
|
Quote:
Haha! Ain't that the truth. Quote:
Thanks for the ideas on prices - it really helps with getting a handle in the budget. Those prices are not too far off from what I figured. |
||
Posted on: 2009/9/21 15:43
|
|||
|
Transfer
|
|
||
You can view topic.
You cannot start a new topic.
You cannot reply to posts.
You cannot edit your posts.
You cannot delete your posts.
You cannot add new polls.
You cannot vote in polls.
You cannot attach files to posts.
You cannot post without approval.
|
|