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anyone have experience with Schwanke engines?

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Old 02-18-2006, 04:49 PM
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Default anyone have experience with Schwanke engines?

I'm looking for a complete engine, from intake down to dry sump pan, including the management sytem, for a project road racing car I'm building.
I came across Schwanke, which sells a complete LS2 engine with 525 HP for about $14K. Is this a good price for a complete engine set up? Does any one have any thoughts on how driveable a set up like this will be on the street?

Is there anyone else I should be talking to about a complete set up?
Old 02-18-2006, 06:44 PM
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525hp at the flywheel? That's week by our standards. Check out some of the engines we carry and give me a call. I have several road racing engines going together now and a few track cars out there. www.rapidmotorsports.com

Mikey
Old 02-18-2006, 07:57 PM
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I remember talking to Schwake at PRI. He makes those setups mostly for circle track cars. He even has engine rental programs etc.
I agree that HP is not stellar but he sets them up for long term abuse for a season.

If you want something very complete for a project car Im sure he could get it done. However if you spend some time here on this site and in the conversion section you could do something alot more suited to your needs for alot less if you were inclined to do the work and purchasing yourself. We also have a ton of sponsors that could set you up as well.
Old 02-18-2006, 09:30 PM
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knowing what class and org you will be racing w/ would help.
Old 02-18-2006, 10:09 PM
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Mikey (posted earlier in the thread) has done a lot of roadracing stuff.

525hp at the crank is childs play.
Old 02-19-2006, 07:14 AM
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Talking

I know you guys can make way more power than 525 crank! My bigger concerns are drivability and durability, as well as gas mileage (as wierd as that sounds). The car it's going into is about 2000 lbs, so I don't need piles of horsepower - 500 HP will be plenty to scare the crap out of me! Better that it has a nice, smooth torque curve from 3000 to 6800. The reason I need decent mileage (no crazy overlap cams?) is that the gas tanks only hold 11 gallons at the moment - if I'm getting 15 mpg, have to hit a lot of gas stations on the way to the track!

I have limited time and expertise to get an engine together, then tune it, so I'm looking to take the chicken way out - soup to nuts, ready to drop in.
Old 02-20-2006, 10:33 PM
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contact TPIS they specialize in road race dry sump gen 3 engines.they build engines for world challenge,grand am,t1 t2 and more.
952-448-6021
Old 02-21-2006, 04:07 AM
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Most of the posts you'll find here are rwhp. A stock cube ls2 with heads/cam could make 500rwhp. A 402 with a smallish cam could make 500rwhp and have a wicked torque curve. With a car that light I would think you would want to rely more on hp to win races to keep traction through the lower rpms.

Nate
Old 02-21-2006, 11:45 AM
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wadd- sent you a pm

We also build Turnkey motors fit to your specific application
Old 03-01-2006, 07:50 PM
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Me and ramairws6 live about an hour from there and took my car down there for a base dyno last Summer and I don't even want to begin to tell you about the time we had my cars TPS sensor wires burnt together so we really never got a good pull and he still charged me 200$...Just for the dyno!! He doesnt tune..

BUT the best part was during his 2 hour LSx speech and shop tour he told us about these PPstage 2 heads on the self for 1599.00 (I don't think he knew I have the same heads) and he was going on and on about them like a proud father, and I was like yea I got my heads for 800$ shipped and he was like Yea for one....., and mylsef and ramairws6 are like no for both...! Them heads went back in the box without another word!!

BUT like said above when it comes to circle track motors he knows his stuff I think. What he does is uses a truck motor 4.8 5.3 and 6.0 with the truck intake and then has a bunch of computers tuned in open loop or a base tune and just tunes around them with injectors and such to go in stock cars. He wanted to try one of them computers in my car but we where like how would that work Won't be going back there real soon.

I think one of the guys that used to work for him went to Katech a few years back. Can't recall his name right now.

Here is his site http://www.schwankeshortblocks.com/

Last edited by speedo; 03-01-2006 at 08:21 PM.
Old 06-03-2006, 12:38 AM
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Thumbs up Yes

I was at Schwankes shop last weekend chassis dynoing a Super Late
Model that runs at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin. We spent the day
doing pulls on a "developmental engine," that is fuel injected, and can run
different types of fuel. He was very nice to us, and is very knowledgable.
You wonld't be making a poor choice by getting one of his engines. They are reliable.

keithfnk@yahoo.com
Old 06-03-2006, 03:49 AM
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Originally Posted by wadd
I know you guys can make way more power than 525 crank! My bigger concerns are drivability and durability, as well as gas mileage (as wierd as that sounds). The car it's going into is about 2000 lbs, so I don't need piles of horsepower - 500 HP will be plenty to scare the crap out of me! Better that it has a nice, smooth torque curve from 3000 to 6800. The reason I need decent mileage (no crazy overlap cams?) is that the gas tanks only hold 11 gallons at the moment - if I'm getting 15 mpg, have to hit a lot of gas stations on the way to the track!

I have limited time and expertise to get an engine together, then tune it, so I'm looking to take the chicken way out - soup to nuts, ready to drop in.
so what car is the engine goin into????

is itid enginedby any chance???

Chris.
Old 06-03-2006, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by chuntington101
so what car is the engine goin into????

is itid enginedby any chance???

Chris.
I'm building a Lola T70 spider reproduction from Gardner Douglas in England. It's a tube frame chassis, with a an LS motor and Porsche gearbox. A couple sponsors from the forum were very helpful, particularly Taylor from Mizfit (really good guy), though I ended up buying a stock crate motor, figuring it had enough power with good reliability, at a very good price.

Car should be blazing fast when finished.
Old 06-03-2006, 04:52 PM
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Hey wadd thank you for the kind words I know you didn't buy a motor from us but I am gald you ended up finding something that worked best for your setup. Best of luck.
Old 06-03-2006, 05:15 PM
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My friend bought a Schwanke long block for his stock car mid-season last year. When they tore down the motor to put some better heads on, you could see that every piston hit the head. Last week I went to watch him race and the cam or lifters went out - could not be adjusted. From what he told me there was a delay in getting the engine due to some kind of cam problem. Apparently this problem wasn't fixed.

So, no I would not reccomend him.
Old 06-03-2006, 05:46 PM
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What type of engine was that? Was it a LS engine or a Gen 1?
Old 06-03-2006, 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted by MSURacing
What type of engine was that? Was it a LS engine or a Gen 1?
It is a gen 1. Still, engine machining and assembly don't change much. If anyone, including Schwanke himself, question what I am saying I can put you in touch with the owner of this motor. I am not trying to bad mouth anyone, just stating what I know. I have seen the heads first hand.
Old 06-03-2006, 07:28 PM
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And just how was that engine running before your friend decided to take it apart? My guess is that it was running pretty good. The cam didn't go flat until the heads were swapped...right?

Sorry, but if you're running a limited oval track class every little bit counts. Pistons that just brush the heads at max rpm are not uncommon for that level of engine. Its part of the program. Quench is made as tight as possible and the clearance volume is derived from much experience. Your friend should have called him instead of just assume as you are that its incorrect. There more than one oval track engine out there where you can read the piston part number on the cylinder head.

How does it run now?
Old 06-03-2006, 07:44 PM
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Anderek,
Agreed, these engines need every little bit of power you can give them.

NoMoreFWD,
Did Schwanke put the new stuff on or did your friend? To me it does sound like you are trying to bad mouth him, because if you weren't you wouldn't be telling all of us about and just keep business where it needs to stay. Just my $0.02!!!
Old 06-03-2006, 08:31 PM
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A member of the forum was asking about Schwanke and I stated a known experience, and was willing to put them in touch with the person 1st hand. Buy from whomever you want.


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