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Best Value Crate Engine??

bluecollarjock

bluecollarjock

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Might be in a jam with a toasted engine, torn apart at the shop...either pay a bundle to have them fix an old engine, or get a crate engine....

What is up with GMs crate 350 for the 87 truck being $1500, but only 200hp, while other GM crate engines in the same price range can be had with just as much torque, but 260hp and 290hp???????????? If Im going to spend $1500 on an engine, I might as well get some freaking horsepower out of it not a lame ass 200...

Any ideas, links, suggestions?? Its at the shop torn apart, I cant tow and stow it anywhere due to where I live, and they arent going to keep it on their lot waiting for me to screw around deciding what to do....

They said they do not suggest rebuild/reman engines from the big companies around here because they have had poor luck with them..and they are warrantied, but labor isnt...so if it goes, you got to pay labor to remove, swap, install another one....

Desperate poor bastard needs advice....

1987 350 TBI motor....
 
The reason for the HP differences is the TBI engine will have a different cam profile to be computer friendly whereas the others aren't and can get away with alot more cam which in turn equals more HP.

Best deal on a GM crate is Summit Racing and it has a factory warranty including labor claims.
 
I bought the 260hp over the 290hp as the 260 had 350ft/lbs over the 290's 330ft/lbs.

I bought it from jegs with an Edelbrock airgap manifold and 600 carb, HEI, Dress-up kit for like 2,200k shipped to my door. Dont know if this helps much or at all. But i thought it was a decent deal.
 
Thanks guys. So with a 1987 TBI engine and computer controlled, Im stuck with the crappy horsepower engine then? No chance at a higher output crate engine without going into the top end $5k Z crate engines? If so that kinda sucks, 200HP is lame.
 
You want me to get that short block from my friend? you will have to buy heads but after that just swap accessories from your motor to the short block. Bothwells can put it together. What about the link I sent you from ORD selling a TBI motor?
 
Ill have to go check that link, didnt get it yet!

Well, from the prices they were talking about just for labor with taking the heads off, and reparing them or finding other heads, it was pretty damn near the cost of brand new crate engine...so Ill end up paying the labor for a crate motor, but it sounded like the labor for them to put in a already new assembled motor is cheaper than screwing with the old one in there...
 
bluecollarjock said:
Thanks guys. So with a 1987 TBI engine and computer controlled, Im stuck with the crappy horsepower engine then? No chance at a higher output crate engine without going into the top end $5k Z crate engines? If so that kinda sucks, 200HP is lame.
Click to expand...

Don't get caught up in the HP game, for trucks you really need to be concerned about the torque not the HP. Keep in mind that you want the most torque at the lowest RPM with a nice flat torque curve, basically idle to 3500rpm or so is a good range for a truck engines torque output.
 
Matt. You might want to ask any of the guys on CK5 that live here in SoCal to install the motor for you. I know that several or more (Throttlechris, Chicken, etc) are more than capable and may even have the space to install it over the weekend. You may be able to work out something with them for their time and effort while learning something by helping them. I'd imagine it could be done in a day or so on the weekends. Worth looking at the possibility and may save you a bundle of money in the process.
 
Even the 200HP motor has 300ft lb torque, and it has a warenty, and will get your truck back running. You may not be totally happy with it but it's better then nothing. Can always get something else down the road when your more finacial stable. you need CHEAP right not not HP.
 
aww Matt I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. If you can swing it now then do it if you like the truck and are going to keep it, not like motors go bad every year or two. Top Rammen and cheap beer isn't so bad.................If not, as mentioned before, 200HP is fine, 300FTLBS is great since its a regular cab short bed, which may be more then you have now if the age and condition of your motor is on its way out. I hear you about not having a place to work on it or keep it. I pulled mine off the market. I will dump money into it when I can! :D
 
I had in mind when my goes south to do the HT383 as well. Buy the long block and swap on all my tbi stuff. Are you guys saying that won't work?
 
couple years ago, I bought a gm 350 HO outta summit with 330 hp & 380 torque for somewhere around $2,200 or maybe $2,400. Comes pretty bare, but if you have all the outters (water, ps, fuel pumps, ect. . .) it's a pretty simple deal. I never fooled around with fuel injection but carb was easy enough. Decent 350 motor, plus always have option of doing a stroker later on when more cash come in :D.


here's the link, $2,700 now & it doesn't come with the chrome dress up kit.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-19210007/
 
Got a guy in "Hemit" CA, shop that has a crate engine with 25k miles, will pull it from the truck and install it in mine all for $1300, with a 1 year 10k mile warranty on it....

Think its a few hours from LA, Id have to call AAA to see if I could get it towed there if it was worth it.
 
Another PITA thing, I cant play with another engine much because of Smog correct? I kinda gotta get something close to the original that will pass smog, unless I have the funds to figure out tuning in/dialing a different engine to pass?
 
Do not be fooled by the 200 Hp rating on the TBI engines. TBI engines are rated on NET horsepower NOT Gross Horsepower like the carbed engines are.
Difference is. TBI are rated with all accessories, exhaust and emission equipment installed.
Carbed and eariler 350 are rated on flywheel HP with nothing on the engine to rob power. That is why they SEEM to make more power on paper.
TBI truck engines acually make more power and torque stock, than any eariler stock carbed truck 350 since 1973.

FYI the 350 in carbed trucks before 1987 was only rated 175 NET hp 275 NET torque. which is pathetic compaired to the 210 hp 300tq that TBI makes.
TBI 350 even make more net hp than SBC 400.
So the 200 HP TBI 350 will have as good or better power than the basic crate goodwrench pre 1987 350. I highly recomend you get the 200 HP TBI engine. Unless you want to do some chip burning or dealing with other problems.Like TBI manifold will not bolt to older heads without doing a little machineing.

DO not put a engine designed for a carb in a TBI truck. The cam profiles are all wrong and you will need a chip burned to match the engine if you want it to work right. Also it may not pass Cal smog.
 
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