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motor recommendations for '88 k5

dodgedude99

dodgedude99

1/2 ton status
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burbia of illinois
i found out i can get emissions exemption for my '88 k5.

the truck has 39.5" tsl's, 465/205/60/14 combo w/ 4.88 gears.

being that im like the 5th or 6th owner, i have no clue if the motor actually has 133k miles on it, or its more because its from something else, or its a rebuilt motor.

so here are my thoughts.
should i just go thru the existing motor.
i.e. have a valve job done, newer cam with a little more ummph, timing chain, gaskets, replace the main and rod bearings (is that even advised or just leave them?) and find a junkyard 350 in the mean time to do a 383?
how much would i look forward to spend on rebuilding a 350 to a 383?


or use my connection at the local chevy dealer and get a new motor.
and would GM crate motor would be a good choice?
Ramjet 350, ZZ4, 350 HO, stock truck motor, others?

as far as engine parts as what works with what and for what application, im clueless, if you give me the parts thought, i have no problems building it.

for example, being a 4wd truck, what would be a good cam choice, or compression? if im rebuilding a motor, rebuild the stock heads or get some aftermarkets?

and i guess, since emissions wont be a problem, should i stick with something like the Edelbrock MPI kit, do a TPI conversion, or carb it for simplicity?

thanks in advance
 
Great question, I am going through this very thought process as we speak. I am also looking at getting a 454tbi as a possible choice.
 
Well I think the person you should be asking your question to is yourself. You need to think about:

How much power you want
How much money you want to spend
What do you use your truck for? Street, Trail , DD, Hardcore, Multi use?
Do you want to keep the dependability of TBI? Spend money on aftrmarket FI.
Or go back an old carb.


Figgure out what you want to build your truck for, and how you will be useing/driving it. Then ask questions about how it shoulde be built.

But if you are looking for an engine that can be used with your TBI This would be a very good start: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7904892467&category=33615&sspagename=WD1V
With the roller cam, those 882 heads, a good chip, and some TB mods. It Wouldn't be hard at all to get 300 HP and some very good torque # out of that set up.
 
like i said, i have no clue what would be a good choice. it would be driven around the streets, to car shows, and the some mud.
i figured depending on what i going for is what i would pay.
I.E., i wouldnt pay $3500 for a replacement 350, but i would for something thats built up like a ZZ4 or 350 HO.

i dont want the truck to be a slug, but i dont need a race car either.
i would have to get a new TB because somethings wrong with my existing piece.
so i figured i could buy a carb for around the same price.
also the carb is setup seems alot easier to make power with.

are the aftermarket FI setups like Edelbrock, that tempermental?

what do you think of this motor setup?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7904904431&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr4_PcN__Stores
 
i would love a big block.
but my concern is that its seems like it would be out of my budget.
i could find a boneyard motor probaly pretty easy.
but im not sure how much it would cost to rebuild it.

what type of machine work would need to be done and the cost of doing it?

how much would i expect to spend for a decent rebuild build kit?

how much of my serpentine stuff could i swap over, or would i be stuck with the vbelt stuff?
 
I wouldn't recomend a junkyard engine for a builder core...to often they require to much machining to be reused. A new GM 350 block is available from Scoggins-Dickey chev from Lubbock texas for about $585. plus freight www.sdpc2000.com Keep im mind that for a daily driver a 350 usually gets better mileage than a 383 but does have less torque so its not as fun to drive. Please no flames on the mileage because there are to many variables to account for. To me a DD like you describe would get the biggest bang for the bucks from a GM 350 replacement engine. If this were mine all I can say is there is no replacement for cubic inches because gas mileage doesn't matter for me....go big block, I know budgets.....
George
 
when doing a big block swap, esp if its a FI swap, I recommend buying a factory big block truck and swapping over. I scored a beat to hell 88 burban, for like 1100 bucks, 14ff rearend, another th400, 454tbi, all the brackets, radiator, wiring connectors, everything.

The 454 was a 4bolt main so my initial plan of a stock type rebuild went out the window and now Ive got a 496 with 460hp and 650ft/lbs. In any case, a big block typically costs 1.5 times the price of a smallblock.

For a swap, you will need a new radiator(I have the burbans 4 core in mine, stays just a tick under center guage all the time), all the accesory brackets(why I recommend a whole truck), if you wanna keep the tbi, you will need a few different wiring connectors(or just get those sensors for a 350 that dont have the same plugs), and the computer chip reprogrammed, or a chip for a 454tbi put in(I have a stock 454tbi chip I believe). I believe the computers themselves are the same except for the chip.

I recommend www.flatlanderracing.com for rotating assembly, thats where I got all my stuff, really nice guy, upgraded my crank from a 5140 cast steel to a 4340 forged job because the 5140 was backordered and he didnt tell me.

If you just wanna talk big blocks, hit me up on aim, Ive talked to a couple guys about big blocks.
 
I have a newly reman'd h.o. 350 4bolt,, big valves... hypertectic pistons... 8.75 to 1 compression , 260h comp cam, edelbrock performer manifold, quadrajet, corvette valve covers, hi po water and oil pump, big stainless fan.... heck I even have an air cleaner.... its right around 280 hp... built by franklin engine for my personal truck (which sold)
Its still on the engone stand.... smog legal for cali to 87
I have 2500 plus in it

1600.... you couldnt get your done with cheapie parts for less

sb1.JPG
 
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