Engine swap. which one, where, new or rebuilt?

[Emmettology 101]

Join us tomorrow for another episode of- As the CK5 World Turns

Tell me about it!

 

[ryoken]

its like conversing with a wall...

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

I got it off ebay. Came with camel hump heads, edelbrock manifold, 10:1 compression speedpro flat tops, clevite bearings, moly rings, L-79 cam, and hydraulic lifters for $1535

You have an engine built on 35 year old technology. Basicallly, you wasted your money. A more modern camshaft and cylinder heads, and a lower compression ratio would have yielded a more streetable engine with more power that'd run on 87 octane. Yours is going to knock like a Diesel and those ancient heads and cam are really killing your power vs. the new stuff.

The other mistake you made is taking someone's word for it on Ebay. I can't possibly think of a worse way to buy a performance engine than Ebay. Obviously you've never done any machine work in your life. It's not easy, and if you screw up the parts, they're generally garbage. That is, unless you sell engines on ebay. CHA-CHING!!! Anything that you screwed up, or is less than desireable, you can just sell on ebay.......

Lol a ram jet 350 is a fat RIP OFF. I have a reman 355 with better numbers for 3 grand less.

Coming from a guy that just threw money at an engine with 35 year old parts, those are very strong words. Compared to what you wasted your money on, a ramjet 350 has more power, is more fuel efficient, and has better torque from idle on up than yours will have given the current parts selection.

I just read the posts you made lower in the thread. It looks like you made a fool of yourself and proved your ignorance, which means all the stuff I typed out above is probably already really clear to everyone.

The stock 350 will push a stock burb with a couple kids in the back up a hill just fine. If it didn't GM would have used a different engine.

Sure will. Gearing will give it more mechanical advantage against the wheels than a more torquey engine will.

Do we have a new Timmay on ck5? Too bad there's not an active band director around here.

No, even I think this wanker is a tool. At least most of the time I know what I'm talking about.

 

[ryoken]

No, even I think this wanker is a tool. At least most of the time I know what I'm talking about.

thanks, i just spit coffee on my keyboard.

that ones worthy of a sig line..

 

[dirtwarrior17]

I'm done bickering for now....


I don't know how much a shop would charge for a swap because i don't know anybody who's done it but if your husband has a slight knowlegde of how things work and a manual he could do it with a couple of buddies on a weekend or two no problem. If you have 5500 to spend on a ram jet then by all means go ahead and buy one... especially if you have limited knoweldge of motors. Just too much $$$ for the hp for my taste.

YOU HAVE A LOT MORE OPTIONS IF YOUR WILLING TO DO A LITTLE WORK LIKE INSTALLING A MPI SYSTEM. YOU SHOULD PICK UP A JEGS CATALOG OR GO TO JEGS.COM AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE CRATE MOTORS. THEY HAVE 10-15 GM CRATE MOTORS.

i JUST LOOKED AT JEGS AND THE PRICE OF THE RAM JET WENT DOWN 500 FROM LAST YEAR. iTS 4999 WITHOUT SHIPPING. (COMES OUT TO ABOUT 5500 WITH SHIPPING AND TAX)

HERE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO ..... GET THE "BASE"350 HO FROM JEGS.....BUY THE VORTEC MANIFOLD AT A JUNKYARD THEN TAKE YOUR DISTRIBUTOR, FLYWHEEL, TORSIANAL DAMPER, AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS OFF YOUR OLD MOTOR AND PUT THEM ON/HAVE THEM PUT ON THE NEW ONE.

YOU WILL HAVE A 330 HP MOTOR WITH A WARRANTY FOR ABOUT $2000 LESS THAN A RAM JET WOULD COST. IF THE STOCK TBI WON'T CUT IT THEN BUY THE EDEDLBROCK MPI SYSTEM FROM JEGS FOR $1000 YOU WILL STILL BE SAVING MORE THAN $1000 OVER A RAM JET. tHAT COULD PAY FOR YOUR INSTALLATION.

TO INSTALL THE RAM JET YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE NEW MEFI CONTROLLER AND ALL THE NEW PLUG INS. tHE EDELBROCK SYSTEM USES ALL THE STOCK COMPUTER PLUG INS AND THE STOCK THROTTLE BODY.

 

[Emmettology 101]

All personal crap and bashing aside..... We can do that on PM"s more if you like, but it is not what this thread is about...


Your 330hp HO Vortec is a viable option... However, it comes with a cam meant for a carb. Sure it can and will work, but you woul dmake optimum power with a cam designed towards an efi system...

This route will save some $$ But there will be alot more work involved even if you leave the cam in... You still have to install and tune the EFI system. Not everyone has a laptop or the know-how to configure the Edelbrock system to make the most power. And not everyone wnats to mess with spilcing and tying in the Edelbrock system into the factory harness.

The Ram Jet can be had for around $4920.(best price I found on the 1st or 2nd page of a google search). The 5.3 Vortec at AA is around $5500... Both only need a few wires hooked up... The Vortec 330HO w/ Edelbrock MPI is about $3500 but needs tuning..

 

[dirtwarrior17]

It looks like you made a fool of yourself and proved your ignorance, which means all the stuff I typed out above is probably already really clear to everyone

hell Yeah it does... if you just read the quote, go back and read the post. that is out of context.

The block is 35 years old ... the rest is still used in 600 hp street rods today. the cam is a remake of the l-79 and has hydraulic lifters. It's a crane cams remake of the l-79. Has all good **** in it. the camel humps and the cam specs are the only thing that is 35 years old. the block was hot tanked, magnufluxed, honed, and bored and just got a complete rebuild. not even broke in yet.

The thing runs fine on 89 and has more hp than a ram jet. A ram jet doesn't make more torque off idle than the motor "i wasted my money on" desktop dyno says 383 ft lbs of torque from 2000 rpm. I highly doubt a ram jet equals those numbers. I have a 2400 stall converter to help it all out. Im not gonna try and convince you any good motors are sold on ebay because you got it in your head every motor sold on there is a peice of ****. I'm ignorant because i bought a motor off ebay that i looked for 3 months before i found a reliable seller with over 3000 feedbacks that i talked to for a week before i bought the motor? That's your opinion bro. I was the one who did the checking and researched all this ****. yall just sat down for 5 mins at your comp read one post and think you know if my motor is a lemon or not. ****in hilarious. i didn't search for 350's sit down and bid.
i looked for 3 months so i wouldn't get screwed.

Coming from a guy that just threw money at an engine with 35 year old parts, those are very strong words. Compared to what you wasted your money on, a ramjet 350 has more power, is more fuel efficient, and has better torque from idle on up than yours will have given the current parts selection.

Did you buy one of these things or what? The ram jet and my motor will run for the same amount of time. You say it has better mpg how much? The benefits don't outway the downside which is cost. they would if my motor didn't have more power and only ran half as long as the ram jet but it has all brand new **** just like the ram jet, but with tbi and a little more power. Otherwise the headers wouldn't smoke on startup and you can tell he had the block completly aprart because of the fresh paint job. the guy has sold over 3000 motors on ebay with all positive feedbacks....

Wastin your money is paying that much for a ram jet. If you read 4 wheeler magazine you would see that you can get a 6.0l gen 3 engine with 35 more hp and 20 more ft lbs for 2 hundred more and it comes completly turn key. I suggest you get something to back what your saying up.

if the vortec doesn't work then drop a 6.0l in there. will take some minor adapting but once its in there all you have to do is turn the key.

go to www.turnkeyenginesupply.com they have 6.0l complete turnkey with computer system for 5600. Makes more hp than the ram jet and more torque. Also weighs about 100 pounds less


My last post on this one......

I hope.

 

[Emmettology 101]

go to www.turnkeyenginesupply.com they have 6.0l complete turnkey with computer system for 5600. Makes more hp than the ram jet and more torque. Also weighs about 100 pounds less


My last post on this one......

I hope.

Ok, you save some weight and spend about $700 more for the 6.0l... The 6.0 would be a nice choice. But another thing that would be a concern is that you have to either buy new accessories for the front of the engine or figure out a custom backet set-up.... Where as with the Ram Jet you can reuse the same stuff off the TBI engine.

I just went and looked at the turn key site and their 6.0's are $6674 and $6974... The $6674 engine is 392 HP and the $6974 engine is a 345hp engine... You're only gaining 42 hp for another $1700...

Ram Jet still seems liek the better deal to me. And with the Turn Key engine, you dont have a GM warranty... GM's price(Paceparts.com)on the LS2 is $5900, but you would have to do alot of wiring as it is made for a replacemnet in a Vette...

Advance Adapters seems like the best bet if you want an LS based engine that is turn key..

 

[dirtwarrior17]

thought the mag said it was 5600. the site says 6600. with the 6.0l you are getting an engine that is literally turn key meaning bolt it up hook up the radiator and go plus it has 42 more hp and 26 ft lbs more torque with better power throught the whole rpm range than the ram jet. the 6.0l has better technology, weighs less, and comes complete. It's 1700 more but you will spend that on having a shop do the ramjet swap. all depends on your budget and what you want to do.Advanced adapters makes the little pieces needed to adapt and it's really easy to do. You won't have to have this installed by a shop where as the ram jet you will. mpefi controllers are complicated and not that easy for somewhone who is new to wrenching to configure even with long instructions. YOu will also have to bolt up the pulleys, starter, flywheel, exhaust manifolds, sensors, smog, etc but those aren't the problem. I don't know your skill level but if you would consider having a shop do a motor swap then you won't want to mess with mpefi controllers.

the 6.0l is on the really easy side however and would be do able for you but again i don't know your knowledge.

the 6.0l's came out in the 2001 silveradoes and are hightech beasts. If you are going to spend big bucks for a brand new motor why not get one with more power and better technology with 100 pounds less weight that is ready to go. You will end up spending that extra 1700 having a shop do the swap. maybe more.

SHE CAN EITHER HAVE A SHOP DO THE RAMJET SWAP UNLESS THEY CAN DO IT WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO OR THEY CAN GET THE 6.0L AND DO IT THEMSELVES.

I still say get the 330 hp vortec base gm crate motor for 3500 with mpi otherwise i would go with either the ram jet or the 6.0l.

 

[Emmettology 101]

in the mag it says it was 5600. the site says 6600. with the 6.0l you are getting an engine that is literally turn key meaning bolt it up hook up the radiator and go plus it has 42 more hp and 26 ft lbs more torque with better power throught the whole rpm range than the ram jet. Advanced adapters makes the little pieces needed to adapt and it's really easy to do. You won't have to have this installed by a shop where as the ram jet you will. mpefi controllers are complicated and not that easy for somewhone who is new to wrenching to configure even with long instructions.

the 6.0l's came out in the 2001 silveradoes and are hightech beasts. If you are going to spend big bucks for a brand new motor why not get one with more power and better technology that is ready to go. You will end up spending that extra 1700 having a shop do the swap. maybe more.

Why are you so dead set against a Ram Jet? Now you're saying the Ram Jet HAS to be hooked up by a shop?? Only things you need to hook up to the Ram Jet are a 12 volt supply and fuel lines!

 

[dirtwarrior17]

no.....

she was asking how much it would be for a shop to do the swap...If she asked i doubt the ram jet would be a feasible swap. the mpefi has to be setup its not just fuel lines. mpefi controllers are not something a novice can do.

 

[laketex]

blah blah blah

stfu

 

[dirtwarrior17]

lol eat sh*t and die

 

[djsblaze]

For what its worth, Im having the same dilemma. My mechanic (who I trust) likes Jasper Engines pretty well. Hes replaced alot of motors with them, and had no real problems. Another consideration is gears. Alot of people are throwing around some nice h.p. numbers, but bigger gears will help alot, and you can still have a relatively weak, yet dependable motor. I have a stock TBI and I have 4.88 gears with 38 inch tires, and outside of full on redline situations, I get around fine, if not faster than stock. Id consider gears and a mild 350 or med performance 350. More hp and torque usually equals more maintenance. Just my .02. Good luck whatever choice you make.

 

[Emmettology 101]

no.....

she was asking how much it would be for a shop to do the swap...If she asked i doubt the ram jet would be a feasible swap. the mpefi has to be setup its not just fuel lines. mpefi controllers are not something a novice can do.

I agree with Laketex.

Do you know what an MPEFI controller is? It's the comp that sits under the intake. The Ram Jet was designed so the backyard builder could have a nicely built EFI 350 without having to mess with all the BS of playing with chips and computers. These were designed to bolt in, hook up the power and fuel and go... Thats how they were advertized in the beginning and still are. They were desinged with minimal wires for that purpose..

*Edited to be nice*

 

[dirtwarrior17]

****in relax.

take this **** personal... i was talking about motors... all this **** started because you think im stupid enough to get screwed.

all it says in jegs is it comes with controller and detailed instructions.

idk if she gets a ram jet........

still say get the 330 hp vortec base gm crate motor for 3500 with mpi otherwise i would go with either the ram jet or the 6.0l.

 

[Emmettology 101]

I am not taking it personal and I dont think you're stupid or that you got screwed... Just defending my opinions.

The Ram Jet may not be the choice for you or anyone else.. But it's hard to beat the ease of installation and having a nice EFI set-up... Sure its a few more bucks, but it doesn't need tickering with...

Cut and Paste from the GMhightechperformance.com website:
"The truth is, more than anyone else, GM has got their EFI calibrations spot-on. It is no different with their crate engines. Of course the RamJet crate engines come fully assembled, but they also include a self-contained MEFI 3 controller. Engine swaps just don't get any more plug-and-play than this: the end user must simply supply fuel and electrical power, hit the key and stand back and enjoy the rumble. Absolutely no calibration or additional electrical work is required. There is no erratic idle or missing, and throttle response is crisp and sharp."

Link to the article on a Camaro install: ARTICLE

That to me is worth the extra $1500 or so for piece of mind and less headaches. If it is not to you, thats fine..

 

[dirtwarrior17]

I just thought the mpefi controller meant headaches. In that case get the ram jet instead of the 6.0l if you have the money... if not the vortec takes more work but is cheaper.

 

[Emmettology 101]

It's nice how they designed the RamJet for the backyard enthusiest.... from what I hear, the AA Vortecs have a similar set-up and only require a 5 wire hook up plus fuel. I just read more on them and they come with almost everytihng you need! All the front accessories, Exhaust Manifolds(rear dump), ECM hanress airfilter, etc!!! Not bad for $5514 and 310hp!


Link: Direct to AA page

 

[rage889]

Unless you plan on topping your motor off with a bigger throttle body and burning lots of chips I would also recomend the GM stock replacent or a local rebuild.

The GM TBI crate motor makes like 250HP and comes with a 12 month warranty for under $1500.