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If you Had to pick an engine

S

Saxwonder84

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Location
Rockwall, Texas
I need despreatly to upgrade my dying engine, but I want something bigger. Being a college student money is tight but I don't mind saving for awile. So what do you guys think would be the best bang for my buck? Engine size and so forth. Thanks
 
just depnds on what you have to start with. odds are it is a 305. cheapest thing to do is get an overhaul kit and be done with it. or go to GM and pick up a crate motor and slap it in(way less time then messing with the old one)
 
after reading your post again...best bang for you buck

a late-model 454 with about some mileage that has been taken car of...you could find one for around $1200 complete (at least I did) and running..put it in and run it...

Chris
 
i went with a 383... about 2600 for the long block Oil pan to intake.. Went with the Edelbrock RPM Air gap should be around 420 horse +420 ftlbs......... Aproxx

then just use all the stuff on your motor water pump, alt, ps pump... might want a newer Distributor... Rebuild your carb, maybe put some bigger jets in it... of course there are odds and ends, but you should be good to go...
 
tyhink caddy500, usually about 500 bones - Ebay /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif
 
wanted the caddy but hated the cost. To rebuild one well and get it in was looking like $2000. Where can I find a 454?
 
"If you Had to pick an engine"

If I absolutely had to, then I think I could be forced into one of these...


GM Performance Parts Crate Engine ZZ502

small_2169003_6243666.jpg


Horsepower: 502

Torqe: 567 Ft. Lbs.
 
350 or 383 with a roller valve train, TPI, as much of a torque cam as you can get away with, nice flowing heads, Thorley Tri-Y headers, dual 2.25" exhaust, etc.

I have TPI and love it. My next motor will probably be something along the lines of what is above. A healthy motor with fuel injection.

Harley
 
Your cheapest bet for a 454 is to buy a rebuild-able 454 core for the best deal you can find, go to a mail order company like this http://www.pawengineparts.com/ for a rebuild kit, then take the block, heads, crank, rods, new pistons, and piston rings to a machine shop to have the machining done, and bolt together the engine yourself.
 
Did anybody say it had to be a gas engine? Get an oil burner! Well there is that small complication of the gas/diesel swap, but worth it for a DD. And you're in Texas, no need for a block heater. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
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Well unfortunatly it doesn't jive with my college budget
Still wondering if any one knows where I can get a decent 454?


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Gorrilla posted that he had one for sale above, am I missing something or did you overlook it /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif


/forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif
 
I found a 454 up here it was in a el camino payed 500 for the whole car runs great (just had to put in a fuel pump) /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gifwas going to rip it out and throw it in the truck then i realized that it is a 73 ss and all the numbers match came with a 400 too so now i don't think i want to tear into it might be worth something /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
still have to look into it
sometimes you never know what you'll find /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
A 454 around here will bring 500 easy,even if it barely runs,anything with no holes in the block is like gold--I have seen a few bargains on big blocks at salvage yards in the C60 and larger dump trucks and box trucks--seems people dont care for the "tall deck"motors,or perhaps they think they are all 366's--I pointed a guy at one salvage yard toward a C60 truck that came from my town's DPW fleet when he said he was looking for ANY big block--a few minites later,the engine was on the ground---he scraped the grease off the engine codes and it was all zero's except the last 3 digits that were hand stamped into he block,they matched the trucks VIN # last 3 digits.Then he wiped off the valve covers,and a sticker appeared from under the grease--"Targetmaster 454"---the casting numbers on the bellhousing side confirmed it WAS a 454!! Evidently it had been replaced--the truck came with a 366.The yard sold him the motor for 200 bucks because someone left the hood open,and a little water came out of the intake when they pulled it.The guy had it running later tht day on his trailer---he didnt even buy me a beer! /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
I look at every P series bread truck that comes in now too--I saw one go right in the crusher that I KNOW had a 454 in it--the loader operator said,"those things dont come with big blocks----do they????" /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gifYES!! They Do! and the come with cummings diesels too,I told him.He said,"Well,there all junk to me!"and in it went. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Another source of free 454's is to look for an old motor home--they have a hard time scrapping them,most yards here wont take them even if you are willing to pay--and many of the people who own them dont even know what size motor is in it!~.Its a bitch to get rid of the rest of the motorhome though,uless you can reduce it to metal pile size scraps and cash it in--alot of work,I've done it twice. /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well unfortunatly it doesn't jive with my college budget
Still wondering if any one knows where I can get a decent 454?

[/ QUOTE ]

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Even got a low mileage 454 I'll sell ya for $700, complete minus the power steering pump.



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look at the first post! shoot him a pm /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Did anybody say it had to be a gas engine? Get an oil burner! Well there is that small complication of the gas/diesel swap, but worth it for a DD. And you're in Texas, no need for a block heater. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

BINGO! Swap in a diesel. A 6.5 would work, a 6.2 would work, and a Cummins 4bt would work. There was just recently a 6.5 TD in the paper here for $600, complete running. I would have been all over it had it not been an electronic motor. 6.2's and 6.5's have a bad rap because of the old 5.7 diesel, so a lot of people will get rid of them for cheap.
 
lots of power a little expenceive and it might be a little big but a moter from overseas might do the trick:



rta96c_crank.jpg
 
Now THATS what I call a BIGBLOCK!!! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif
 
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