Just got another K5 and the PO claimed that is has a 383, but short of dropping the pan I don't know how to tell if it is or not, Is there something that can be done or check to determine if it is with out tearing it down?
CK5
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is it a 383?
- Thread starter Redfrog
- Start date
Check the harmonic balancer. Some 383's I've seen ran the 400 balancer and these have a notch on the outer rim of it.
Others I've seen ran aftermarket balancers, so those won't tell you what motor size you have.
Others I've seen ran aftermarket balancers, so those won't tell you what motor size you have.
Unless it's an expensive INTERALLY balanced rotating assy, it WILL have a counter weighted balancer and flywheel/flexplate. And it should be more powerful than a similar 350 
Joe Henderson
Registered Member
Your best bet if you want to know for sure is to just go ahead and pull the pan off and look to see if the block has been clearanced. Its pretty easy to tell. A lot of people will say they have a strocker just to say it but a lot of times its not the case. For your sake I hope she's a strocker. I've had a 383 and there is no comparison to the power you get through out the rpm range. Best of luck to you.
The only true way to tell is to pull a head and rotate the engine so that a piston is at BDC and measure the depth of that piston down the bore. a 383 should be 3.750" down from the deck surface.
SCOTT cant he pull a plug and stick a coathanger in and roll over the motor and check the travle lenght like that also?
Trying to do something like that would be hard since you don't know where the deck surface is. I suppose you could compare with another engine that is known to be a 350 BUT it better have the exact same pistons in it otherwise you could have a flattop in one engine and a dish piston in the other and that will screw up and comparison.
Ask the guy for any reciepts, machine shop paperwork, engine builders paperwork etc etc. Unless the seller can back up his claim, treat it as if it was a 305.
Rene
Rene
