Future engine possibilites

[lochenjons]

Currently I have a 350 in my 77 k5. It has headers, dual exhaust 2.25" IIRC, series 40 flows. Eventually, I would like to get a little more power out of my truck since other than that the engine is stock. Now I could put some money into my current engine with heads, lifters, etc. Or I could find a stock 454 and drop that in and probably be pretty close to being set. Or I could could get really lucky and find a caddi 500 and really be set. But I doubt thatll ever happen. So what should I do? Whats worth it for the money/ most cost effective? And yeah I already feel plenty of power with the 350 and 4.56 gears and 35"s but I always want more

EDIT: Also I hear that people are getting about 8-10 mpg with the 454 and I hear (but dont really beleive) people are getting 15 with the 500?? As much as I really dont care too much about mpg (not my dd), my 350 is getting 8 mpg now. Is the 500 really that much of an efficient engine??? And is 8-10 about right for a 454? Seems a little high, but not nearly as much as 15 for the 500

 

[boz42]

Cheapest route would be to upgrade your 350. Especially since you say you already feel plenty of power. If it is not a high mileage engine & doesn't smoke just put some cash into it.


My personal choice would be a stroked 500.

 

[romeolimagolf]

Well.......in case you ever win the lotto: http://www.falconerengines.com/prod04.htm

 

[dremu]

Fuel economy will decidedly depend on driving style, tires, gears, etc.

Note that putting a 454 into your truck is tricky, as you're in the smog era, right? The ARB would want you to get an exemption and file lots of papers and register your truck funny and get *annual* inspections if they found out it has a motor in it that doesn't match the VIN... LOTS of work.

Doing upgrades, with their CARB EO stickers, is easier

Or get a pre-smog truck ... this is partially why both mine are '74's

-- A

 

[lochenjons]

The ARB would want you to get an exemption and file lots of papers and register your truck funny and get *annual* inspections if they found out it has a motor in it that doesn't match the VIN... LOTS of work.

Is it supposed to be like that for any truck with any unoriginal engine? Thats strange cause my current engine is not original and a lot of guys I know have the same situation but dont need any anual inspections

 

[boz42]

EDIT: Also I hear that people are getting about 8-10 mpg with the 454 and I hear (but dont really beleive) people are getting 15 with the 500?? As much as I really dont care too much about mpg (not my dd), my 350 is getting 8 mpg now. Is the 500 really that much of an efficient engine??? And is 8-10 about right for a 454? Seems a little high, but not nearly as much as 15 for the 500

I can't say what a stock 500 would do as mine is heavily modded. I also don't drive like a sane person. Mine has been getting 8 or so, but I just got threw running it for a 500 mile breqk-in period. I would think the mileage will improve as the engine wears in, but not more than a mpg or 2.

The caddy swap is not a quick swap either. You will need to fab engine mounts, swap transmissions, & figure out how to run exhaust. There are ways around some of that, but I don't like shortcuts.

 

[lochenjons]

I can't say what a stock 500 would do as mine is heavily modded. I also don't drive like a sane person. Mine has been getting 8 or so, but I just got threw running it for a 500 mile breqk-in period. I would think the mileage will improve as the engine wears in, but not more than a mpg or 2.

The caddy swap is not a quick swap either. You will need to fab engine mounts, swap transmissions, & figure out how to run exhaust. There are ways around some of that, but I don't like shortcuts.

Yeah I know there's a lot involved. Which is a big part of why itll prob never happen. That and mostly because of cost. But just to make me jealous, how do you like your setup/ what have you dont to it?

 

[boz42]

Yeah I know there's a lot involved. Which is a big part of why itll prob never happen. That and mostly because of cost. But just to make me jealous, how do you like your setup/ what have you dont to it?

I really like it, lots of 42" tire smoking power. I gotta get some more video tape for the old camcorder so I can post some video. Are you wanting to know the engine specs? or what I don't like? There is nothing I don't like about it.

 

[lochenjons]

I really like it, lots of 42" tire smoking power. I gotta get some more video tape for the old camcorder so I can post some video. Are you wanting to know the engine specs? or what I don't like? There is nothing I don't like about it.

Eh sorry I meant to say "how do you like your setup/ what have you DONE to it?" So yeah specs is what I'm wondering, I cant imagine there would be anything to not like

 

[boz42]

It started life in a '75 eldo.

It has been bored & stroked. It is now a 547 cubic inch engine. The rod journals were offset ground to hold a BBC rod. That achieved the extra stroke. The crank was re-balanced, nitrited & re-polished after that. It has Ross pistons, Seal Pro rings, Eagle ESP 6.800" BBC rods, ARP mainstuds & ARP rod bolts in the bottom. The block was blue printed, bored, painted in & out, & the oil passages ported. It has a Melling high volume oil pump. The heads are the "no smog" 903 casting with 2.19/1.88 vavles. The heads have been bowl ported & have had small amount done to blend the intake & exhaust runners. ARP head studs. It has a fully adjustable full roller Potter shaft rocker set-up w/ a 1.7 ratio, that is very similiar to a Jesel rocker system. Port matched Eldobrock performer intake w/ a Jet Performance stage 2 q-jet. Davis Unified Ignition hei dist w/ there house brand 9mm wires. Flow Kooler water pump. Cloyes roller timing set. West Coast Innovators fluid dampener. Page Brothers custom made long tube headers w/ header wrap. Comp Cams custom grind flat tappet cam. .562 advertised, .230/.236 @ .050, & the lobe seperation is 112. Comp 3/8" pushrods. Carter brand Oldsmobile 455 muscle car series fuel pump modded to work on the caddy. It all breaths through a single 4" exhaust.

I think that covers most of it.

 

[dremu]

Is it supposed to be like that for any truck with any unoriginal engine? Thats strange cause my current engine is not original and a lot of guys I know have the same situation but dont need any anual inspections

If it's a different type ... replacing a 350 with a 350 (or even a 305 with a 350 as they look the same is do-able ... but changing the motor type makes it fail the visual inspection, IIRC.

-- A

 

[lochenjons]

If it's a different type ... replacing a 350 with a 350 (or even a 305 with a 350 as they look the same is do-able ... but changing the motor type makes it fail the visual inspection, IIRC.

-- A

Well, in my case it was a 400 swapped to a 350 of about the same year

 

[Cajun4x4]

how much that all set you back Boz?

 

[Kp]

My burb started life with a 350, and the PO swapped in a 454. Motor was tired when i got it, and I put in a rebuilt 454.
Plenty of power, and mine is basically stock.
MPG's are right around 10 in mixed city/hwy driving, IF I keep my foot out of it.
One of my buddies drives a heep with a TPI 350 out of a Camaro. We ended up at the same stoplight on the way home from work the other day, and he was WAY surprised that my 6000K beast was breathing down his neck and he couldn't really pull away.
Dont get me wrong, its not a racecar by anymeans, but it pulls strong all the way thru the 85 mph limit on the speedo. Of course, at that point, it starts to feel like it wants to fly, so I havent ventured much past that.
Specs are:
83 sub, 454/400/208 10B/14sf
I'm guessing it has 3.73 gears, but I dont know for sure. Theres no sticker in the glovebox, and I havent popped the covers on it yet.
Tires are 265/70/16's, just under 32 inches, according to my tape.
My vote is go bigblock.

 

[BKinzey]

Lochenjons,

You should probably check on CA's State web site but basically I think it's if you change engines to a newer year you need to have that year's smog stuff as well. So if you make obvious changes to your engine be prepared to have questions asked the next time you go for a smog check.

 

[boz42]

how much that all set you back Boz?

I dunno, Take my advice, Never total up the reciepts, NEVER! It will just make the old lady's skin crawl, & blood boil.



I

 

[lochenjons]

Basically after looking at some used 454's around here locally, I'm serioulsy considering it. At least eventually. I figure for the amount of money to get more power out of my 350 I oculd have a mostly stock (with a few neccessary mods of course) 454. And anything I do to the 454 will be a lot easier than doing anything to my 350 because the 454 would be out of the truck. Maybe Ill get lucky and find a 1 ton parts truck with a 454 and a d60

 

[original balzer]

I am a die hard small block fan. Nobody can argue that a small block chevy is hands down the cheapest to build. Just look for your self and price a stock master rebuild kit for both a 350 and a 454. Then look up stock HP ratings for the 2 as well. Ill bet its more than twice the price for a 454 and youll only get 20-30 hp more than the small block. Plus the small block can appear stock, make good power, and pass the sniffer.

ALSO you said the 454 would be out of the truck..... used rebuildable 350s are easier to find than 454's. Just get another long block 350 to build while you drive the truck. Then the swap, with a few friends, can be done in a few hours.

This is all just my oppinion, but the price facts are solid.

Balzer

 

[Avery4jc]

Another option (being that we're here in Cali) would be to find a Big Block Vortec out of a 3/4 or 1 ton newer truck thats been wrecked...then you can swap the entire engine, fuel injection, computer, smog stuff, heck even grab the 4L80E since you'll have the comp to run it....

My buddy runs a FI'd 5.0 Mustang engine in his old Bronco and all he had to do is go have a visual inspection by DMV and after they approved they changed his registration so now when he goes in to get it smogged the computer thinks its a 5.0 mustang DMV allows swaps like this b/c the newer engine (even if it is bigger) is in theory going to pollute less than the original engine...

 

[Greg72]

Ill bet its more than twice the price for a 454

I'd agree with that statement...

...and youll only get 20-30 hp more than the small block.

I doubt anyone would agree with THAT statement.


100 extra cubes is a LOT more energy potential... all things being equal, the larger motor will produce more power in almost direct correlation to it's extra size (on a percentage basis).... in this case, the 454 is just about 30% larger than the 350, so the horsepower will also be 30% higher.

I'd say that the "real" way to save money is to figure out what the horsepower objective is FIRST, and then pick the engine that most closely matches that goal without requiring exotic parts or machining....