Blown 346 Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 Build it yourself and save tons of money.... I built myself a $17,000 SBC for $10,000 by doing it myself. That includes have the block machined, honed, etc. I bought the parts myself, and put the motor together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 That must be nice! You know your engine inside and out, saved money, and probably learned a lot doing it. Ill calculate what parts would cost to do it myself, and see how much id save. If anything, i could get a built shortblock for $3,800 and throw my own heads on. That should save some cash too. Just got a lot of thinking to do. I will also have to get with zippy as soon as i decide so he can email me a tune for the new block so it will atleast run well enough to log some data so we can fine tune it... Lots of work to do. I want it on the road now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idahoBLKss Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 doesnt zippy still do short blocks? i know i was talking to him a couple months ago about building me one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 REALLY? wow... now thats an idea. I wasnt aware he did blocks.. Haha but im sure as busy as the man is, the last thing he wants is a call from me asking to build me a block. haha. I would be proud to drive around with a Zippy built and tuned motor... Its definitely a thought. I was thinking about trying to stay local, maybe hit up the machine shop in town and have a fully forged rotating assembly built, then hand pick a few parts and bring them in to be assembled. That way ill have a workmanship and parts warranty, i dont have to pay or wait for shipping, if it has a problem they are right here in town... The list goes on and on. Ill probably swing over there during lunch in an hour or two and see what they can do for me. Then ill have to beef up the 4l80 and diffs, but thats a project for a later date. Still havent decided whether to go 370 or 408. Im pushing towards the forged 370 for a street/strip build, i just dont wanna wish i went 408 when its all said and done.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown 346 Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 I was in your situtaion with my Big Block that I had built years ago. I was re doing the entire motor, everything was getting replaced. I wanted to stay with the 454, once my builder told me it would only cost another $800 to stroke it to a 496 I went that route. My opinion, is check around, and go with what you want so you dont wish you did it. Do the shortblock and worry about your heads later. Atleast then you have the main powerhouse done since thats what going to cost the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 Yeah, Id like the 408, only to make it perform efficiently, ill definitely need a bigger blower than the radix that i have right now on my 364. I can probably push 12psi in the 370, or 5psi in the 408. And a bigger blower is just more money. The 370 is real close to my current set-up, just want everything forged so its reliable and lower compression to 9:1. They are both powerhouse motors, just gotta pick and choose... Thanks for all the help so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wody Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 And the question still stands if my drivetrain will be able to handle it... just one of those things. the question is always going to be there even if its been modded or swapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 just one of those things. the question is always going to be there even if its been modded or swapped. Agreed. Nice Sig. by the way. Frickin awesome... I decided to go with the machine shop in town. They said i just need to come up with a block, which im ordering from work. Gonna get a LQ9 bare block out of the Chevy performance magizine. Then i gotta take it to "northern industrial" when it gets here. They will build me a tank of a longblock, fully forged, ported heads, bigger valves... Cant wait! Haha just gotta decide, 370 or 408?! im pulling my motor tomorrow morning and putting it on a stand so i can slap the blower on the longblock when the shop is finished with it. Ill probably drop my transmission and take that to a local shop as well to get it inspected and "beefed up". That way, the motor and trans should both be ready around the same time to be dropped in and will both be brand new. Ill inspect the diffs and change out the fluids while i have it on the lift. Not sure what the diffs are rated for HP and Torque wise... Anyone know? Should i put some work into those as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 Ill post some pics of the block in the morning when i pull it. You guys will get a kick out of it. Haha it was violent. And ill have plenty of pics and videos of the new truck when shes done. Thanks again for all your help so far guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowsniper3006 Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 Yeah, Id like the 408, only to make it perform efficiently, ill definitely need a bigger blower than the radix that i have right now on my 364. I can probably push 12psi in the 370, or 5psi in the 408. And a bigger blower is just more money. The 370 is real close to my current set-up, just want everything forged so its reliable and lower compression to 9:1. They are both powerhouse motors, just gotta pick and choose... Thanks for all the help so far. forgive me if I'm wrong, but the same blower at the same rpm will always compress the same amount of air into the motor, and since boost is the resistance of the air getting pushed in, 5 psi in a 408 is just as good as 12 psi on a 370 because the same volume of air is going into the motor. But the 408 will produce more NA torque and hp so you'll be "adding" the gain of the blower onto a higher number to even start with. You'll need a larger blower to get any "more" hp out of the setup but pound for pound its the same added amount. The lesser amount of boost on the 408 will also have less heat added. Possibly ZIppy or CHP or Krambo can chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 forgive me if I'm wrong, but the same blower at the same rpm will always compress the same amount of air into the motor, and since boost is the resistance of the air getting pushed in, 5 psi in a 408 is just as good as 12 psi on a 370 because the same volume of air is going into the motor. But the 408 will produce more NA torque and hp so you'll be "adding" the gain of the blower onto a higher number to even start with. You'll need a larger blower to get any "more" hp out of the setup but pound for pound its the same added amount. The lesser amount of boost on the 408 will also have less heat added. Possibly ZIppy or CHP or Krambo can chime in. You sir, are the man... Haha ive been seeking that info for a bit. I know the psi number wouldnt be as high in the 408, but it was silly of me to think it wouldnt be the same amount of air. You're a genious. Thanks for clarifying that for me. Supercharged 408 it is. Gotta start handpicking some internals and get a tune coming. Any other words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowsniper3006 Posted May 26, 2012 Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) I Just did a lot of searching for internals because i thought my motor was done. I was torn between the Callies compstar crank 50-53 pounds, the K1 crank at 52 pounds and the Manley super lightweight crank at 46-48 pounds. All around the $750 to $850 mark. I was also thinking about the lunati superlight h beam rods at 605 grams and $714, compstar h beam at 618 grams and $552, eagle lightweight at 550 grams and $599, K1 lightweight at 616 grams and $520. Pistons i would go with mahle based off zippy and my research. I was thinking manley crank with lunati or eagle rods(depending on rpm they can hold). I need a rod that can go 7500 rpm, As you'll be way lower then that i think just about any rod will hold for what you want. Zippy can also get a "house brand" crank and rods that are close to a compstar product, that he has had to over 1000 hp. If you have to save money somewhere, do it on the crank and rods and put the money into the heads. Your not going to make a 1000 hp so you don't need to spend the money to hold it. Buy a set of higher dollar heads ported by a reputable ls1 porter, not your local shop, and i prefer cnc ported heads with maybe a little hand work not hand ported heads. I always recomend TEA as a porter or to use trick flow heads bought from TEA(total engine airflow). What ported stock casting or trick flow head chamber depends on your piston choice . Piston choice should be set by zippy if he is your tuner, then i imagine he will spec out around a 10.0 compression or slightly higher. If picking out your motor is not what your into, then plenty of places can ship you a short block, like texas speed, or mast. Stroked out ss has been through this stuff, with zippy as a guide, a pm asking for his experiance and why he did what he did would be worth it. He may also be in your area..ish I don't know what your fuel pump or injector set up is, but i would guess a racetronics in tank with hot wire kit and a set of seimens deka 60 pound injectors(72 at our pressure) would work for you. Edited May 26, 2012 by shadowsniper3006 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 Got my engine pulled today and on a stand. Going to get ahold of a LQ9 bare block on Wednesday. The local machine shop is gonna do some boring/honing so I can start my 408 short block build. Not sure what heads or cam to go with. And ill just run the current supercharger until i can save my pennies or a bigger compressor. Not sure how small of a pulley is safe to put on the radix. Definitely going to hit up Zippy and Stroked SS for suggestions on cam and heads. I'm so excited... As for today, the blower was cake to take off and that really opened it up. You definitely need the room if you are to get the top transmission bolts out. Pulled the LT headers off next, had to remove the from driveshaft to get the drivers side header out. Then took off all the electrical connectors, removed the starter, took off the torque converter bolts, trans bolts, engine mount bolts, ended up having to take the accessory drive off the front so I could spin the motor sideways to lift it out. I pulled the grill, but not the electric fans or radiator. I'll post pics when im not replying from my iPhone. You gotta see the size of the hole in the side of the block. The entire block cracked in 3 pieces. I pulled the oil pan drain plug and it was solid coolant. About an entire gallon poured out. Got pics of the pieces of piston and connecting rods I found. The spark plugs were beat to hell... Haha it was a violent break. Going to put some Kevlar internals in the transmission while I'm waiting on the motor. Ill talk to our lead transmission guy, chace, to see if beefing it up will do, or if I'll need a swap. He really seems to know his sh*! Gotta do some research about the diffs yet, and then I need the tune. FUN FUN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 Before the pull Truck on the lift Solid coolant coming from oil pan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MID12sSSS Posted May 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 Blower out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.