Chevy & GMC Vans

It is a nice feeling to be able to put some parts together. I would say the only problem I have is the money. Now I have to wait for the funds to come in for the heads and rockers and intake.... I say its a problem but if you really think about it, I can take my time- not hurry and it makes me appreciate what I have done verses having enough money to buy anything I want and sometimes not understanding the process or paying someone.

I must admit, once the block got painted I really made me want to finish it right away...

I'm still stuck on the Pro comp heads. Read...
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/after ... heads.html

Besides learning, what is the benefit of degreeing your cam. I did the intake and exhaust @ .050 and it pretty much was what the comp cams card said and I also did the intake centerline method. This also cam out very, very close to the card. I figured the duration also which is very simple. Are cams ever off? Why do companies sell offset bushings for the cam gear?

I had never bought a degree wheel and other related items until this build and thought it was high time to learn. Now that I did, I’m a little disappointed... Thought it was some magical/misterous process and would be increasing performance by X% and gain noticeable HP by doing so.

Well, I can say I'm glad to know but not sure this will be of significant future use...

Jim-considering various source parts like cam chain and gears,crank index'ed key,piston pin,cam pin,all coming together on one engine is the reason why the process came into being.The other reason is some race car builders retard or advance the cam timing to take advantage of the effects of doing so.

Jinmajay wrote:I'm still stuck on the Pro comp heads. Read...
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/after ... heads.html

Seems like a mixed review of the Pro-comp heads.I am not a big fans of off shore head casting because of QC issues with the castings.Pro comp,Patriot Performance and alike had praztivity(sp) problems with castings where they leaked.It is kind of a open question for the long term.For me looking to buy a set of heads, I am looking at where am I going to be @ 150,000 miles down the road.Rockwerx opened my eyes to the new cast iron series from GM and I feel over the long term the price difference is well worth saving more money to buy them.Really there isn't a time deadline on projects like these,so to get the parts on my wish list is a better buy.I have seen the history even with GM aluminum heads and they do require repair more often like valve guides than the cast iron versions.I think it just inherent in the aluminum material,but I have to amit they have gotten much better with aircraft a aluminum materials being used and the thicker castings on more expensive casting like World Products,AFR,etc.Just my two cents worth Jim.

Thanks Gary!

Need some help please.
If I go with the E-tec 200 heads, I want to make sure that everything will be compatible and work well.

I would like it if you guys can look at my cam profile (back a few pages-3 I think), the compression which is 9.8:1 (with standard head gasket and 64cc head chamber), 383, 4.10 gears, 1.5:1 roller rockers, and I think I am going with a modified high flow TBI (as opposed to the dual tbi). There is so many unknowns with the dual's that I can't work through them. I figure that when it is up and running, I can go back and play with the dual's.

Main question is having just the single TBI with the 454 injectors, will the TBI be able to flow enough CFM for the larger cubes and head size? I believe the e-bay TBI guy claims 700 CFM flow on the TBI's but I doubt that.

And I need a recommendation on a good intake and Torque Converter stall rating too.

If you would, look at this as if you are shelling the cash out. I want to order the heads soon and they are huge in the output and component matching. Thanks a bunch!!!!

PS
got scared of the pro comp heads.

j

While I really don't know for sure,,, it would seem IF a 454 TBI can flow enough for 104 more cubes than a 350, it should be able to handle the 33 more cubes of a 383.

HPbyStan wrote:While I really don't know for sure,,, it would seem IF a 454 TBI can flow enough for 104 more cubes than a 350, it should be able to handle the 33 more cubes of a 383.

Stan, Very good point. The 454 has stock parts and flows. This motor has the cam, heads and headers. The actual TBI will still be the stock 4.3, 305, 350 tbi, just modified with 454 injectors and bored. I believe the modified bore will still be slightly under the 454 tbi stock bore.

This seems alittle on the big size.

http://marine-performance-parts.com/cfm ... bi74l.aspx


I know there have been members here that have used the Holley 670's with 383's.

On my donor 350 the owner before me had cop car injectors lifted and I was having a problem with a high idle.It got better after I sub'ed in regular injectors.The computer wouldn't communicate with the data link connector so I was working sort of in the dark.After removing the engine I found loose intake bolts that didn't show up by spraying with carb cleaner.So I think the cop car injectors would work for your application and keep up with the 383.Then it would be a matter of porting your TBI.The issue you might find doing this yourself is not knowing how much the TBI flows now after you are done with it.I do remember a home built flow bench using a shop vac that was a article in one of the hod rod mags in a how to section.That was yrs ago and I don't know how to find it now.Lockdoc I believe did a port job on one of his TBI 350 V8 vans.You might want to do a search for that link and he might chime in to add info.

Lastly there are a number of sources to mod TBI's.There are a number of listings in the links section of this forum.

GEJ wrote:This seems alittle on the big size.

http://marine-performance-parts.com/cfm ... bi74l.aspx


I know there have been members here that have used the Holley 670's with 383's.

On my donor 350 the owner before me had cop car injectors lifted and I was having a problem with a high idle.It got better after I sub'ed in regular injectors.The computer wouldn't communicate with the data link connector so I was working sort of in the dark.After removing the engine I found loose intake bolts that didn't show up by spraying with carb cleaner.So I think the cop car injectors would work for your application and keep up with the 383.Then it would be a matter of porting your TBI.The issue you might find doing this yourself is not knowing how much the TBI flows now after you are done with it.I do remember a home built flow bench using a shop vac that was a article in one of the hod rod mags in a how to section.That was yrs ago and I don't know how to find it now.Lockdoc I believe did a port job on one of his TBI 350 V8 vans.You might want to do a search for that link and he might chime in to add info.

Lastly there are a number of sources to mod TBI's.There are a number of listings in the links section of this forum.

Thanks Gary.

I will be able to use manometer from work to measure the cfm on the TBI when I'm done. Thanks for the links. I will give the information a look over.
j

I have run quite a few different aftermarket heads on strokers. You would not be dissapointed if you used the E-200 heads from Edelbrock on your new combination. These heads flowed better and made more hp than their RPM series. If you are planing on towing a trailer I would skip installing aluminum heads and go with cast iron heads. I used some GM performance heads on one of my engine combinations and am very happy with how they perform. They do not make quite as much hp and torque (only about 20 hp at top rpm in one of my combinations) as the E-200 heads (the GM heads use slightly smaller intake valves...2 inch vs 2.02 and has a larger combustion chamber by one cc) but they are a lot tougher and will take a lot more heat than aluminum heads. In my experience you get what you pay for when it comes to performance parts.

Remember what we said about the oil pan? (look back three or four pages) Well, the rod bolts hit the pan bottom with out a gasket installed. I took my dial indicator and installed it on the bottom of the pan and then rotated the crank until the rod bolt hit the pan, set the dial face to 0 and the lift was .120 without the gasket. The gasket is like .050 so it's like .070 out. I marked the pan and then dented it out so it will clear but I don't like the way it looks plus oil entrainment will be an issue with the crank riding so low in the pan. I think I have designed some mod's that will help with the entrainment issue and also be able to install a windage tray, increase oil capacity and help with sloshing during heavy breaking. The reason you can't run a performance pan is the front diff. clearance at the shaft and the bolt housing on the driver’s side is in the way. I installed the motor mounts into the sub frame (without motor) and made cardboard cutouts of where the pan would be.

My plan is to add a front the pan and a mid to back portion (just in front and back of the diff shaft) and then connect the two with two 1" or 1 1/4" hose to pipe around the shaft. I would have to install the engine, then put my hoses on, then fill the engine with oil.

I made this paint document to show what I'm saying.


Under the front pan mod, the oil would actually bypass the crank all together and return to the sump and maybe even loose some heat in the process. I will be putting 8 lifter valley breathers in to have the oil drain only in the front and back of the block. I am running a roller cam with roller lifters so the oil drain back holes are not needed. From what I have seen you can loose a considerable amount of torque if your crank starts to carry oil and this is in normal stock oil pans. The Astro converstion pan I have is even tighter because the rods are barely clearing as it is and it is all the way down the whole crank. Most stock pans angle to the sump. And remember this is not a 400 crank (scat). Thte 400 would have many more clearance issues.

What are your thoughts?

There really isn't a lot of money involved just a bunch of welding and grinding.

FYI- ANYONE wanting to do a stroker in a AWD astro/safari, please read the past few posts! It may not be worth the trouble.

Jim-just know I am reading your posts and don't have any good answers about a stroker/AWD.At the moment I can't even think of someone on the board that has done one to ref you to.I do know I have seen stroker pans that you might be able to "cut to fit" a AWD.Hope some one chimes in to help out.