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454 vs. 383 which is more reliable??

S

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I had a guy who was running a 454 (the one that told me he was getting 14 MPG with a carberator on it) tell me the following; his buddy had a 383 stroker and claimed he had a LOT of reliability problems. had the same problems with 2 383's. one of them wore the bearings out every 8,000 miles.

now I don't know how good the engines were built, but the seems to know his stuff pretty decent when I was talking to him. that doesn't account for his buddy - he could have been a moron and built his own without really knowing how.

just wondering what everybody's experience is with the 2.

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<font color=blue> Jeff </font color=blue>
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I've got about 18k on my 383 and have no problems with it. Oil pressure is same as when new, 50-55psi @2000RPM when fully warmed up. I use no oil, have no leaks &amp; no blowby as of yet. Engine seems tight, runs well and doesn't mind hard work. Couldn't be happier except I wish I had even more power. Still looking and planning on that one point.

87 K5, D60 & 14FF, 5 sp & NP208 & 383 stroker. Build it Bulletproof and take it fishing!
 
The 383 motors are set up with loose bearing tolerances to alow them to rev up quicker. Thet is why the main bearings wear out quickly. I would go with the 454 because of the torque factor.

86 Blazer 4" lift 35" MTRs locked front, still 1/2 ton axles
 
Trying to get 450 HP for example, from a 350 or 383 is going to require a fairly radical motor. 450 HP from a 454 is not gonna be nearly as hard on the parts. You can have a more mild set up w/ a BB vs a SB and achive the same power. As far as the 383 eating bearings, that sounds strange. Maybe this motor needs the line bore checked. I dont see any reason why it would do this unless it was set up loose to wrap up kwiker as was said. There is really any number of reasons why it COULD do it, when you start getting into modified parts or aftermarket parts, maybe something was machined incorrectly. Theres really no telling. I cant see it being a 383 problem otherwise they would not be as hot of an item to have.


As I was prereading my post I thot of another poss. reason, is the correct balancer and flywheel on the motor?? If not it could be eating the bearings as a result of an out of balance vibration.

Out of 100,000 sperm, YOU were the fastest??
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yea, that pretty much sums it up I think. actually I had already decided to go the BB route, but I was kinda courious to see what everybody had to say about it. it sounded kinda odd to me.

I decided to go BB when I was asking the question about BB's and the MPG. once I figured out it was possible to build one that had decent torque etc. and still get decent milage I figured that would be the way to go.

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<font color=blue> Jeff </font color=blue>
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Go with the BBC and be done with it. Case closed.
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<font color=blue>Daddy told me while learning to pee......"if you shake it more than twice, then you are playing with it!!!"</font color=blue>
 
I can't say I have heard of many problems w/ 383's that aren't building related and I have never heard of setting up the clearances looser either. A BBC is probably gonna be cheaper in the long run for the same amount of power and w/ the right combo and tuning you can get some decent mpg..13 or so... but it also isn't uncommon to get 8 or so. But all depends on your build.. heck you want to go all out... get the BBC now Jeff... Then all you'll need for rig is the d60
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-Mikey
1987 Chevy K5 Blazer- 350 TBI
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/milnerlives_2000/blazer.htm>http://www.geocities.com/milnerlives_2000/blazer.htm</a>
 
Well the 383 won't be as reliable as a 454. Simply b/c the motor wasn't designed for the added stroke. If you've ever seen an engine torn apart after a few miles you'll see more "scratch" marks on the outside of the block. B/C when the piston is being pushed up the rod angle is greater than one with a stock length stroke. As for bearing clearances they should be the same. Unless you want it loose. There's no need for a high rev 383 in a blazer. If you did want a high rev engine I wouldn't stroke it I'd just put 6" rods and that would decrease rod/piston angles. Hopefully my point is clear and understandable. Another difference is the piston will go farther down and more of the piston skirts will show when it's bottomed out which can cause premature wear on the piston and the bottom of the bore. But besides all the reliability issues there's no substitute for displacement. Plus 454's are easy to come by and parts are available everywhere. No need for different cranks or pistons. Just my $.02........

Love, Peace, and Hair Grease...........
 
if you need HORSEPRESSURE that is my word for h.p and torgue. go with the LARGE one . the 383 is not as reliable. but whoever is building 383 that wears out bearins that fast has gotten soething wrong. there is no replacement for a LARGE cubic inch displacement!! AND YES BIGBLOCKS DO RULE!!
 
If I'm correct all the BB gods have spoken??? LOL (I sold guys)

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<font color=blue> Jeff </font color=blue>
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I've never heard of a 383 being unreliable as long as a moron didn't build it. I like mine alot!

I've got a mind like a . . . a . . . what's that thing called?

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/muddin4fun79blazer/>http://www.geocities.com/muddin4fun79blazer/</a>
 
I might as well chime in since the Big Block boys are trying to "tweak your brain" to our way of thinking.

I can't speak to all the reliability issues of 383 vs. 454 etc.....but I do know that a big block has a sound like no other.....PA-WHUMPETA..WHUMPETA.....WHUMPETA!!!!!

It is a great feeling to fire up the old K5 and listen to that engine warm up and settle into a nice deep and beefy-sounding idle. People who know the sound will give you the "nod" when you drive by in a big-block motor.

PLUS....It just looks so damn cool in the engine bay!!!!!
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Every other small block you see from then on will look just plain puny in that massive engine compartment.

....It's all in fun folks! I'm not trying to piss anyone off here.

-Greg72
396BB w/ 454 crank = 427 cu inches!!!! = !!!FUN!!!
 
I'd vote for the 454 any day of the week.

Beer!!!! Its not just for breakfast anymore!!.
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<a target="_blank" href=http://www.nashvillek5.freeservers.com>www.nashvillek5.freeservers.com</a>
 
TRY A 496!

74 Blazer
Zepplin
Check out my Blazer <a target="_blank" href=http://community.webshots.com/user/zepplin1976>http://community.webshots.com/user/zepplin1976</a>
 
you dont NEED 450hp (although it would be fun) 325 -375h.p is pleanty in a k5 that is geared correctly no matter what sized tires your running, it sounds like your more interested in milage and reliability the the "drag strip" h.p., which i can understand because i also drive my k5 EVERY day. in my opionion go w/ a decent built tbi 350 ---pleanty of h.p. and more reliability and parts availability than a 383 or a 454, just my .02
 
I pay for my own gas so I can't afford a BB!

LOL! I'm just messing with you guys...LOL!

*ducking*

I've got a mind like a . . . a . . . what's that thing called?

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/muddin4fun79blazer/>http://www.geocities.com/muddin4fun79blazer/</a>
 
hey now muddin i dont know how you can believe that a bigblock uses more gas than any other v/8 engine the big one works less and uses less gas than a small engine. I had a 1980 t ton 350 reg cab dually that got 6-7 mpg pulling a 2 car trailer i then sold it a bought a 1986 454 1 ton crew cab dually it got 9-10 mpg puling the same trailer . however around town empty they both got about 10 mpg. so i will never let the gas mileage wives tail get to me again p.s both trucks has 4.10 gears and 400 turbo transmissions. later.
 
I had an '82 dually with a 383 with 4.56's i believe. Pulled a big ol' gooseneck full of a horse and a bunch of other crap (moving 500 miles away so this was all of mine and Nick's crap in there) and I got inbetween about 9 or 10. In the city, empty i got 14 or 15.

I know several people who have big blocks. One guy has a camaro and can't afford to drive it as a daily driver. He also has a '01 crew cab dually 5 spd with a BB and my blazer still gets better milage with it's 383.
Then, another buddy has a BB '84 chevy that gets 6 or so in the city empty. That's what I have to compare to. *shrug*

I've got a mind like a . . . a . . . what's that thing called?

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/muddin4fun79blazer/>http://www.geocities.com/muddin4fun79blazer/</a>
 
size does matter!!! enough said!!!LOL

BIG BLOCK MAN
"MORE POWER"!!
 
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