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383 vs ls

Stroker or LS

  • Stroker

    Votes: 16 44.4%

  • LQ4

    Votes: 12 33.3%

  • Other

    Votes: 5 13.9%

  • Built 5.3

    Votes: 3 8.3%
  • Total voters
    36
Chevman88

Chevman88

I don't know what I'm doing
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I know these threads are a dime a dozen, but after reading through them, I'm still undecided...

My blazer is NOT a daily driver, even if I went LS w/an overdrive tranny, I'm running 37s on 4.10s (currently) and don't expect to see good mpg numbers. This is a play truck where I may drive it to work once in a blue moon.

383 plans would be vortec block and heads (96-99 truck) w/roller cam and rpm air gap or regular air gap (not sure yet) w/my current carb and distributor setup.

pros: simple and straightforward swap, built a 383 before, no need to modify anything on the truck (exhaust, fuel, etc.), nostalgia
cons: not as efficient as an LS, reliability? (I live at about 4500ft, but I figure as long as it's maintained it should be fine.)

LS plans - stock w/maybe a cam

pros: very efficient power, mpg?, reliability
cons: a lot more involved than just the motor - need to upgrade fueling, add harness and ecu, adapter to current th400, mounts, exhaust

Right now I'm leaning towards the stroker (can you tell...hehe) but I'm open to ideas. Main concern is cost and time. Stroker would cost about the same for me to build as the LS (could be wrong here, basing this off my last stroker build), but it will drop right in without supporting mods, LS is going to require supporting mods.

Truck use is mainly camping, off-road trails, and some lighter rock crawling.
 
Yep. Stroker. Fitech or sniper. Done.
Also, I built my stroker from a 4 bolt block I had and theres over 4 grand in it and thats with iron heads. I bought my other stroker thats in my boat with aluminum heads from Blueprint Racing dyno’d with a warranty for 3800. I like building my own engines but it’s definitly more expensive unless you have half the good parts already.
 
LQ-4, mild cam. Yes you need the supporting stuff, but you only need that stuff once. Get a lowish mile pull out for less than half what a 383 build will cost, spend the rest on some of the extra BS you'll need to complete the swap...have beer money left over. Still out perform the 383.
 
tRustyK5 said:
LQ-4, mild cam. Yes you need the supporting stuff, but you only need that stuff once. Get a lowish mile pull out for less than half what a 383 build will cost, spend the rest on some of the extra BS you'll need to complete the swap...have beer money left over. Still out perform the 383.
Click to expand...
I wanna see it out perform my 383.
 
Well, I guess it depends how much you can get a take out 6.0 for. Around here they are not cheap. And then its only 320-350 hp and how many miles on it? And hows it been taken care of? You can pick up that Bluprint motor with a 30 month warranty with zero miles other than the dyno pulls. 430+ hp 450+ tq. It was 3800 when I bought mine. Looks like its 4k now.
 
I think if you had to buy fresh parts new from scratch the $$$ would be pretty close

Used vs used or new vs new
A used engine vs starting from scratch is a bogus comparison
 
Well one big thing with LS engines is the complete and total lack of wear. Ever seen a ring ridge on an LS? Not even in person, I mean anywhere on the internet, youtube, forums anywhere? The liners are brutally hard, so much more than the OG blocks. Bearing wear? Seriously, if you're OCD you could throw in some new bearings on a 100K+ mile LS engine, but most don't need em.

If the pull out has had even mediocre maintenance a clean up, cam swap and tune with get a 6.0 into the 500 hp range.

The 5.3 with the same treatment is easily capable of the 430-450 hp range.

I swapped my snowblower (new 28" Cub Cadet two stage...paid $1500 for it) for my LQ-9, 4L65e, and BW AWD T-case. ECM, full harness, engine cover to oil pan, all accessories.

They are lego-simple to work on and build too...then there are the gaskets. No RTV, no "I hope it doesn't leak" BS. Stock heads that flow nearly 300 CFM. OK, they're not as classicly pretty as the OG sbc, or bbc. That's about it.

If you have a retro itch to scratch...sure go sbc or bbc. When you are seriously looking at pros and cons, go pick up your LS.
 
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