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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
4.8 with dual huffers and a Holley 850 and MSD Ignition.. for retro.. best of all worlds and you don’t have to touch the gears!
 
Fastereddie said:
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.
Click to expand...

I've got a machinist/engine builder friend who can get parts for pretty close to cost and passes that on to me (as long as I get my machining done through him) so at this point I need to call him and see what we're looking at price wise.

I'm not opposed to the LQ4 idea, this is likely going to come down to personal preference and what's available when it comes time to pull the trigger.
 
Adding another option, I can get a 5.3 fairly cheap, so adding built 5.3 with the idea that I'm not always going to run 4.10 gearing...
 
Ok so I have a question not answer might change the conversation a bit.
I have a sbc400, and a sbc350.
Is a stroker 383, better in any way than a 400?
For fun I could probably swap things around and build 2 engines:
A stroker and a screamer. :)
Just curious about the benefits of the stroker versus the 400.
And I vote some type of efi no matter which engine you end up with.
Also a question for the masses, what is the 96-99 vortec engine?
Is some type of ls engine or just the precursor to the ls?
I believe the ls has a different firing order?
I hope this doesn't derail the conversation much:(
 
The 400 crank in the 350 block trick alleviates the nuisance issues common to 400s: head and head gasket, overheating, et al

I’d prefer a 383 with 6” rods if it were me. But that also increases the cost
 
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Chevman88 said:
Adding another option, I can get a 5.3 fairly cheap, so adding built 5.3 with the idea that I'm not always going to run 4.10 gearing...
Click to expand...

This is a great article using a high mile junkyard 5.3 LM7 and comparing all the factory cams, plus a trio of cams from Crane. The only upgrade was a set of beehive valve springs. Stock truck intake and injectors, with ECM/tuning etc done with Holley.

Baseline dyno results for the JY 5.3 was 353 hp at 5300 rpm, 384 ft/lbs at 4300 rpm. Tq exceeded 350 ft/lbs from 2700 rpm to 5300 rpm.

The final cam tested is from Crane, and the little junkyard 5.3 churned out 442 hp @ 6200 rm, and 412 ft/lbs at 5000 rpm.

$500 junkyard 5.3 with a cam swap makes nearly 450 hp.

Great article... http://www.hotrod.com/articles/ls-cam-test-comparison/

For me, the number one thing that makes these feel a little underwhelming in a stock environment is the soul crushing factory torque management. Fortunately when swapping in an LS 95% or more of that can be tuned out completely.
 
From the options listed, I'd say stroker with FI as mentioned before because of the 37s and 4.10s. You will need the low end torque. If it was mine, I'd lean towards an 8.1L for serious low end torque. You mentioned it's not a daily driver, right, lol.
 
I have a 383 with 72cc Dart SHP heads, edelbrock e-force 122 supercharger making 7 lbs of boost, Quickfuel boost referenced 750 cfm carb, MSD distributor with a 10* stop bushing. Timing is 26* initial/36* total. Lunati roller cam/roller rockers. Compresssion is 9.43 static, 8.1 dynamic, 11.49 effective. TH400 transmission with a gear vendors O/D, 4.10 gears, 35" tires, Hedman full length headers.

I have not had it on a dyno but it pulls well, MPG around 12 on the hwy.

Daily driver.....
 
Jeez, I think I stopped getting emails for this thread and missed all the new comments.

I found a pretty good deal on a DBC 6.0 with only 123k miles on it. They were looking to trade for household stuff (furniture, kitchen stuff, etc) to furnish a new place, and I had a ton of extras (PO for my house had it split with an apartment in the back). So no cash out of pocket leaves the boss (wife) happy. Now to start getting supporting mods...
 
imiceman44 said:
Ok so I have a question not answer might change the conversation a bit.
I have a sbc400, and a sbc350.
Is a stroker 383, better in any way than a 400?
For fun I could probably swap things around and build 2 engines:
A stroker and a screamer. :)
Just curious about the benefits of the stroker versus the 400.
And I vote some type of efi no matter which engine you end up with.
Also a question for the masses, what is the 96-99 vortec engine?
Is some type of ls engine or just the precursor to the ls?
I believe the ls has a different firing order?
I hope this doesn't derail the conversation much:(
Click to expand...

96-99 vortec engines are the actual sbc vortec engines due to the head design. They flow pretty well (especially for a stock head) and make a great budget engine build.

The vortec they use with the newer ls motors (99ish+) is just a name carry over.

Check out this article on them if you want to know more.

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/97458/
 
elyon said:
...TH400 transmission with a gear vendors O/D, 4.10 gears, 35" tires, Hedman full length headers.

I have not had it on a dyno but it pulls well, MPG around 12 on the hwy.

Daily driver.....
Click to expand...

How do you like your gear vendors?
 
Chevman88 said:
Jeez, I think I stopped getting emails for this thread and missed all the new comments.

I found a pretty good deal on a DBC 6.0 with only 123k miles on it. They were looking to trade for household stuff (furniture, kitchen stuff, etc) to furnish a new place, and I had a ton of extras (PO for my house had it split with an apartment in the back). So no cash out of pocket leaves the boss (wife) happy. Now to start getting supporting mods...
Click to expand...
Yeah something wrong with the alerts, i also get the same thing I stop getting alerts after a few dsys.
 
Chevman88 said:
96-99 vortec engines are the actual sbc vortec engines due to the head design. They flow pretty well (especially for a stock head) and make a great budget engine build.

The vortec they use with the newer ls motors (99ish+) is just a name carry over.

Check out this article on them if you want to know more.

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/97458/
Click to expand...

The big problem with the sbc Vortec heads is max lift they can deal with is about .440". If better springs were all they needed that wouldn't be a big deal, but they need machining. By the time you source some Vortec heads, and get them machined so you can use a real cam, valve job etc, better springs...well aftermarket heads that flow even better and are aluminum are just a way better deal.
 
tRustyK5 said:
The big problem with the sbc Vortec heads is max lift they can deal with is about .440". If better springs were all they needed that wouldn't be a big deal, but they need machining. By the time you source some Vortec heads, and get them machined so you can use a real cam, valve job etc, better springs...well aftermarket heads that flow even better and are aluminum are just a way better deal.
Click to expand...

Never had to machine mine to run .500 lift, used beehive springs to get around that problem.

I’d agree, cost a good chunk of coin to do seats, guides and plain them. Beehive springs were 3x that of normal springs fwiw.
 
I used those on my first 383 and they worked out fine. Had a comp cam 8-502-8. But I didn't run comp cam beehive springs, I ran ls1 springs.
 
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