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Buying new engine, what should I go with?

Cambo

Cambo

Registered Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
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Safford Arizona
My dad recently gave me his Blazer that he has had since new. It has been sitting for awhile and needs a lot of work. It's a 1987 throttle body fuel injected 4 bolt main original engine. Going to put a new engine in it but not quite sure what would be best. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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What's the intended use? Anything wrong with the existing engine? Budget?
 
My intended use is to basically restore it the best I can. Not build it for mudding or rock crawling. I do like the idea of going with the tbi350 and optimize the drivability. Definitely want to change the gears as well. Pretty new to all of this and have been reading the forums for awhile.
 
If the motor that's currently in there is still good, just give it a full tune up and spend the rest of your money on restoration/drive-ability mods.
 
The current motor has had water sitting in it for over 4 years. Not sure if there is coming back from that or not.
 
L31 from gm performance, jegs or summit. Roller cam, votec heads, and one piece rear main. Will look like what is in your truck now.
If not that then a 383 stroker would be cool.
 
Wes Harden said:
L31 from gm performance, jegs or summit. Roller cam, votec heads, and one piece rear main. Will look like what is in your truck now.
If not that then a 383 stroker would be cool.
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Does the L31 play nice with the factory 87-91 TBI? Like, bolt in, no mods, perfect nice? I think I spun a bearing in my 90 and might be in the same boat. The LO5 solves my issue perfectly but is boring.
 
HankScorpio said:
Does the L31 play nice with the factory 87-91 TBI? Like, bolt in, no mods, perfect nice? I think I spun a bearing in my 90 and might be in the same boat. The LO5 solves my issue perfectly but is boring.
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You would need to get a different intake and a tune. L31 uses vortec heads with a different intake bolt pattern. You can use the GMPP intake if you REQUIRE the EGR for emissions, but if you don't need it, there are much better alternatives. If you go down that route, EBL flash ecm, or a chip from Brian at tbichips.com for the tune.
 
HankScorpio said:
Does the L31 play nice with the factory 87-91 TBI? Like, bolt in, no mods, perfect nice? I think I spun a bearing in my 90 and might be in the same boat. The LO5 solves my issue perfectly but is boring.
Click to expand...

The problem with the L31 Vortec engine running factory OBDI/TBI is the intake manifold. The L31 Vortec engine was not designed to run the OBDI/TBI intake manifold with an EGR. There is an aftermarket TBI manifold made for the Vortec engine, but it does not have an EGR port if passing smog is an issue. You can plumb an EGR into this set up, but if a smog tech knows what he is looking at they will know you have a modified engine.
 
I don't need to pass smog but I don't want a can of worms. I have other projects to be working on this winter and my 90 was going to be a backup while I work out an 8.1 swap on my 91. One truck worth of trouble is enough. An LO5 is a weekend job, that's not so bad. I have a TBI 454 setup complete that would work, but its not exactly a bolt in and go either and its heavy. I feel like if I need custom wiring and chips then might as well LS and then its never ending. Bolt in simplicity is worth a lot sometimes.
 
One of the things I plan on doing in the future for my TBI crew cab is taking the original 4-bolt main 350 block and stroking it to a 383. Edelebrock has a set of aluminum replacement TBI swirl port heads for these engines that have 2.02 intakes and 1.80 exhaust valves with screw in studs. I will then get a performance cam that plays nice with the MAP on a TBI engine. The cam will have a LSA of 114 with a single pattern lift and duration. My TBI is already modified to flow 20% more air, and has bigger fuel pumps to supply fuel to the adjustable fuel pressure regulator. All I will need to do after that is burn a custom chip for it. This engine should make at least 400 Ft. Lbs. of torque, and still be smog legal.
 
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Just took a closer look at Scoggin Dickey for that LO5. $2750 with FREE shipping, 1-3 day delivery and just $85 for liftgate to put it on the ground at my place. That is really impossible to beat for a brand new engine with a warranty.
 
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