I am restoring my 91 Z28 and would like to drop in a GM crate motor and tranny. Long story short, I have a procharger F1 head unit, new.

This is a street car 100%.

I figure I drive the car with the motor dead stock till the warranty runs out, then slap on the f1.

Would the head unit be too big to be fun in the street? Too many revs needed to make boost?

How much pressure can these LS3s take with the stock bottom end?

once it is time to make more power I thing maybe another 200HP MAX, would be all I would ever want. I figure that would be past the limit for the stock bottom end right?

 

Unless they changed the warranty, they only have a 30 day warranty unless you have a dealership install it. Then it is 2 years.

Maybe that is different if you buy one of they engine/trans combos, but it was this way on the crate engine I bought a year or so ago.

 

Only if you constantly STOMP on the accelerator.

BTW.....The 525hp cam is a POS for boost.....and the ONLY difference with the different level crate engines are their cams!

A better route would be to get a 430hp crate engine and install a boost friendly cam. At the end of the day, you'll end up with a better combination for about the same cost!!

KW

 

KW, great suggestion on the cam swap.

Pace sells a 585 hp LS3 that has forged internals for $10k.

http://paceperformance.com/i-21955248-bpls4080ctf-ls-6-0l-408-stroker-585hp-efi-performance-engine-with-ecu-harness.html

better route...
thoughts?

 

No. Spending 10k on a crate motor on anything other than a classic like a 32 ford or 67 camaro id a waste of money. Either rebuild a junkyard 5.3 or get a forged longblock from a reputable vendor for half the money you posted and run the blower now.

 

100% don't want to deal with a junkyard rebuild.

I want something new.

In the end I figure around 600 rwhp is the power goal, but I want plenty of power down low, I have had motors that are all top end before and it sucks for the street.

I also need to take into account finances of course. Figgured the best way to go about things wood be to stay NA now, then boost later, with an OK boost cam while NA. I think the motor in the link has a boost happy cam and is already forged bottom end.

I am not interested in buying a long block and piecing together parts either. I want to get the motor, slap on a tranny, bolt it in, wire it up and drive it for 100k miles.

given my goal and desired level of turn key building, what motor would you recommend?

 

If you are set on a crate motor, get the basic 430HP LS3, then get a cam that will work for both boost and NA so it will be ready when you boost it.
As was said, the only difference between GM LS3 crate motors is the cam.

 

You seem to be confused about the definition of rebuild. Taking a JY motor, ripping it all apart and installing all new parts is just as new as a crate engine from GM.

With that in mind, you are much better off with the above example than a crate engine. You will get a better strong motor for less.

You're kind of all over the place...you want something new, not deal with the headache of a rebuild, but also want it cheap and to be solid. I wish it was that easy.

If you want simple, get a crate and be done with it. But it won't be cheap nor as reliable.

If you want something reliable and cheap, then build an engine from scratch. But it won't be as simple.

 

read my mind....." I want low end power, no junk yard, new motor that's dirt cheap and don't want to assemble anything." Good luck with that.....cheap, fast, reliable, pick 2. Spending 10k on a crate motor is dumb no matter how you slice it based on the goals.

 

Ok, I think I may have been using the wrong words.

I want something reliable.

I want to pay whatever it takes to make the power levels I am looking for.

I want the install to be simple and i don't mind hitting the boost a few years after the initial build.

given the statements above, what motor would you guys recommend?

 

and what most are trying to tell you is you're wasting money by just getting a gm crate motor. Honestly if you're not comfortable with buying a long block and then putting the accessories on, you probably shouldnt boost the car period. You could easily exceed your going doing it this way and it would be much cheaper.

 

Never said I am not comfortable doing anything. I swapped intakes on my sbc, installed the F1, FMIC, blow thru carb, etc.... I can do whatever, just looking for some solid informed guidance that consists of more than just "put together a junkyard block".

I am looking for aproven solution, not a maybe should work, not a "I saw a guy this one time" sort of build. Just a nice copy cat, been done before build that provides fun reliable hp for a street car around 600 hp to the wheels.

I thought a good place to start is a company that pumps out builds with actual power specs.

is there an alternative place to look?

 

not sure if you're on a pc or phone but on the right side there is a list of plenty of vendors that have proven setups, LME, Speed INC, Thompson Motor sports, etc. Etc. It's not a 1 off some buddy's friends cousins brothers uncle. It's what they do for a living. Don't buy a motor off ebay. They all offer "off the shelf" short or long blocks that wI'll meet your goals or if you're particular they'll build whatever you want. Something like this if you want a long block.
http://www.thompsonmotorsports.net/index.php?cPath=23_31_33_439_465_478

 

How is this any different than the Pace link I posted?

I feel like we are taking in circles.

I want something proven/crate....

build something custom, or a long block....

How about Pace 585hp stroker....

nope, not a good idea....

ok, then what?

How about a long block front a vendor....

maybe this thread is not direct enough. I though it was. I will continue my search. Thanks for any insight you have given.

 

Since you are installing this in a '91 F-body, I would recommend that you get the base, 430HP crate LS3, install a boost friendly cam that will also work well with a NA application, and mate it with the conversion package in the link.

http://www.brphotrods.com/products/3...cts/index.html

Of....you can go the 'dollar foolish' of piecing together a 5.3 iron block, get nickled and dimed out the *** amassing the necessary parts (decent heads/intake/cam, injectors, fuel rails, TB, coils, FEAD, ECM, etc, etc), and end up with a weaker performing engine.....particularly if you never get around to boosting it.

Seems pretty simple to me.

BTW.....the cam in that 585HP crate motor is largely responsible for that 585HP. And that cam is not at all suitable for a boosted engine.....19* of overlap.

The forged rotating assembly is nice, though......

KW

 

seriously? The pace 430 hp ls3 is almost 7 grand....you could nickel and dime to death and STILL not get NEAR 7000 on a 5.3.

 

Yeah the 525 hp crate motor has a really shitty boost cam.

 

And you know this.....how? From experience?

LOL!

KW

 

How would The ls3 480 Work with boost? I was thinking the 112 ls would be a little better than the asa at 110 ls.

 

Depends on your purpose for the car,supercharger, turbo, Turbo wheel, size, street car, track car. Will all need to be determined when choosing a camshaft for your build. I would recommend getting a custom grind cam to work with your total package.
Will it "work" yes. Is it optimal, not necessarily.

Torqstorm