Building a 355, imput wanted
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,740
Likes: 2
From: Nebraska
This is a good thread. I've was completely set on doing a higher revving 355 using the stock crank and forged rods and pistons to handle a 200 shot. Well I just tore down my spare engine for my build and found a spun rod bearing that ruined the crank so now I don't know if I should find a different stock crank to continue or say screw it and go 383.... Didn't want to add another $1000 to the build but I guess at this point it's not that big of a deal.
396 Stroker gets My vote over a 383 
pretty much the same price for either but with a 242 @.05 solid roller with .650+ lift with 1.6 shaft mount rockers Youll have a Solid Foundation for 600hp at the crank & then throw some spray on top of that!!!
pretty much the same price for either but with a 242 @.05 solid roller with .650+ lift with 1.6 shaft mount rockers Youll have a Solid Foundation for 600hp at the crank & then throw some spray on top of that!!! For me at least, this is a pure street engine that will see some track time each year. So solid roller is out, completely.
From what I'm seeing for the $, a 383 with ported TFS heads should get me where I want to be. With ease really. The goal is 450 to the tire, more than that is a huge bonus but I'm not expecting huge numbers.
I'll start with a crank, then rods and pistons. That's a big chunk of $ there alone. Heads, cam, etc is easy 3k range. So maybe next year I'll have a bottom end, or jump band wagons and go LQ9
From what I'm seeing for the $, a 383 with ported TFS heads should get me where I want to be. With ease really. The goal is 450 to the tire, more than that is a huge bonus but I'm not expecting huge numbers.
I'll start with a crank, then rods and pistons. That's a big chunk of $ there alone. Heads, cam, etc is easy 3k range. So maybe next year I'll have a bottom end, or jump band wagons and go LQ9
Mines gonna be a Fun Street Strip combo & Ive got 3k in ported Dart Pro 1 heads then 2065.xx in Callies DragonSlayer crank & Howards Billet 5.85 I-beam rods... Im doin a solid roller but You can do a 396 stroker with atleast a 242 @.05 hyd roller & have a mean lil LT1
Just Dont skimp on Heads!!! My Darts started as 200cc 2.02 / 1.6 but Now theyre right at 208cc with 2.08 / 1.6 valves & flow 311cfm IF You dont wanna tie up a bunch in Porting get a set of Dart Pro 1 227cc heads or AFR 227cc heads & that 396 will Make You Smile every time You fire it up
Just Dont skimp on Heads!!! My Darts started as 200cc 2.02 / 1.6 but Now theyre right at 208cc with 2.08 / 1.6 valves & flow 311cfm
IF You dont wanna tie up a bunch in Porting get a set of Dart Pro 1 227cc heads or AFR 227cc heads & that 396 will Make You Smile every time You fire it up Not that I can afford them, but are there heads better than the big 227's? For the ltx? My budget is going to end up making me use TFS 21' ported by LE or stock casting ported.
I'm just curious about big boy heads lol.
I'm just curious about big boy heads lol.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 321
Likes: 88
From: Fort Wayne, IN
Don't cheap out on the exhaust. I have read numerous H/C/I LS1 cars picking up 15-20whp taking out a restrictive style y pipe like a pacesetter version. Once the heads are opened up with a matching cam and good compression, it is time to spend money on good exhaust. Putting Kooks TDE on my car with their headers picked up power over the pacesetter 1 3/4 with their y pipe. No doubt about it. I am not saying spend big money on kooks, but at least put a good merge in if you are going to run a y pipe. All the little things add up when you are trying to squeeze power out. The people that say it is easy to hit 450whp, are the ones that pay attention to detail. I would recommend running a MAF that is actually 85mm in diameter too if you end up running a LS1 style lid setup.
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Verdad Gallardo I've been wanting LPP longtubes and Y for a while. I am running a lid now with a ltx maf, but I may drop it for speed density. Not sure there just yet. I want to clean up my lid install, so that project will be handled spring time.
TECH Regular
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 442
Likes: 3
From: Raleigh, NC
So yea while it's possible and even feasible, it depends on the rest of the combo. For instance if one were to build a nice 383 or 396 running a stock pcm and aggressive HR cam, I'd not expect to see much more than 475-ish in most cases, and I'd consider someone to be doing quite well to make that number.
Even with worked TFS castings, I can count the number of cases I've heard of or seen where 490 was exceeded with a HR on one hand.
Yes you are correct. However, I've only seen these castings make that kind of power with a SR valvetrain. Never seen or heard of it happening with a street-oriented HR valvetrain and/or stock pcm. And if we're talking about GM castings, I cannot recall seeing 500rwhp out of anything other than the AI 200s.
So yea while it's possible and even feasible, it depends on the rest of the combo. For instance if one were to build a nice 383 or 396 running a stock pcm and aggressive HR cam, I'd not expect to see much more than 475-ish in most cases, and I'd consider someone to be doing quite well to make that number.
Even with worked TFS castings, I can count the number of cases I've heard of or seen where 490 was exceeded with a HR on one hand.
So yea while it's possible and even feasible, it depends on the rest of the combo. For instance if one were to build a nice 383 or 396 running a stock pcm and aggressive HR cam, I'd not expect to see much more than 475-ish in most cases, and I'd consider someone to be doing quite well to make that number.
Even with worked TFS castings, I can count the number of cases I've heard of or seen where 490 was exceeded with a HR on one hand.
And yes, the stock PCM has managed 500 whp SAE with a 383 SR setup.
I agree with you that 475 to the tires is commendable with a streetable HR setup, regardless of cubes. 450 with a stroker is a piece of cake.
I use ALL the torque of my 383...
How come the highest dynoing NA LT1's are always either a 383 or 396? Strokers can be just as well thought out as a stock short block setup. I don't see any 355 coming anywhere near 500RWHP as has been done numerous times with a stroker....and for little more $$.
ROAD TRIP----------541H/XXXT 385ci DART 13:1 solid XFI T56----*no dyno graph
SPEED DENSITY-----537H/501T 396ci AFR210 VictorE 236/242----*no dyno graph
OUTLAWZ----------529H/XXXT 383ci AFR227 12:1 solid XFI th400-*no dyno graph
ED WRITE----------503H/XXXT 383ci LT4 solid 4L60 unlocked------*no dyno graph
ELKYSS------------502H/XXXT 396ci AFR no data ----------------*no dyno graph
-PEPE-------------500H/442T 396 AFR210 solid Jessell-------------*no dyno graph
CALLAWAYC8------494H/XXXT 383ci CNC stock serodecked--------*no dyno graph
FASTFATBOY------463H/436T 383ci RHS solid pump gas ----------*yes dyno graph
2FAST77Z---------459H/441T 383ci LE2 12:1 LE4 REV T56--------*no dyno graph
NASTYNATE-------457H/433T 383 CMS ported 236/242------------*no dyno graph
RAMAIR95TA-------455H/XXXT 383ci AI200 4l60E -----------------*yes dyno video
SPLINER-----------442H/450T 388ci LE2 13:1 --------------------*yes dyno graph
INDIROCZ28-------431H/408T 355ci STOCK 230/236--------------*no dyno graph
PAT GISH----------425H/386T 350ci AI200 AIHR 4L60E Locked----*yes dyno graph
QUICKSHOTKIMBER-421H/428T 350 ported EBradly TH350----------*no dyno graph
BLKCHEVYZ--------420H/374T 350 CHS FMS ---------------------*no dyno graph
REALFASTVETTE---407H/354T 383 AFR210 Futuralcam ------------*no dyno graph
SCRMNWS6--------403H/378T 350 LE2 T56 ----------------------*no dyno graph
KRYCKTER---------400H/360TQ 350ci LE2 Boltons ----------------*no dyno graph
How come the highest dynoing NA LT1's are always either a 383 or 396? Strokers can be just as well thought out as a stock short block setup. I don't see any 355 coming anywhere near 500RWHP as has been done numerous times with a stroker....and for little more $$.ROAD TRIP----------541H/XXXT 385ci DART 13:1 solid XFI T56----*no dyno graph
SPEED DENSITY-----537H/501T 396ci AFR210 VictorE 236/242----*no dyno graph
OUTLAWZ----------529H/XXXT 383ci AFR227 12:1 solid XFI th400-*no dyno graph
ED WRITE----------503H/XXXT 383ci LT4 solid 4L60 unlocked------*no dyno graph
ELKYSS------------502H/XXXT 396ci AFR no data ----------------*no dyno graph
-PEPE-------------500H/442T 396 AFR210 solid Jessell-------------*no dyno graph
CALLAWAYC8------494H/XXXT 383ci CNC stock serodecked--------*no dyno graph
FASTFATBOY------463H/436T 383ci RHS solid pump gas ----------*yes dyno graph
2FAST77Z---------459H/441T 383ci LE2 12:1 LE4 REV T56--------*no dyno graph
NASTYNATE-------457H/433T 383 CMS ported 236/242------------*no dyno graph
RAMAIR95TA-------455H/XXXT 383ci AI200 4l60E -----------------*yes dyno video
SPLINER-----------442H/450T 388ci LE2 13:1 --------------------*yes dyno graph
INDIROCZ28-------431H/408T 355ci STOCK 230/236--------------*no dyno graph
PAT GISH----------425H/386T 350ci AI200 AIHR 4L60E Locked----*yes dyno graph
QUICKSHOTKIMBER-421H/428T 350 ported EBradly TH350----------*no dyno graph
BLKCHEVYZ--------420H/374T 350 CHS FMS ---------------------*no dyno graph
REALFASTVETTE---407H/354T 383 AFR210 Futuralcam ------------*no dyno graph
SCRMNWS6--------403H/378T 350 LE2 T56 ----------------------*no dyno graph
KRYCKTER---------400H/360TQ 350ci LE2 Boltons ----------------*no dyno graph
11 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 13
From: New Orleans, LA
My 355" could not make that much with the factory PCM, can't spin it high enough. I make the 1-2 shift at 7600, the 2-3 at 7900, goes 8600/8700 in the lights. More cam than you would want to use with the factory PCM. Something like the FAST XFI ECU really opens things up.
With the factory PCM, and if your buying a crank, rods and pistons anyway, I can't see why not just build a stroker. At least a 383". More torque = faster car. LT1 castings would be a limitation for making power. My 383" had LT4 head & intake castings. 225 cc intake ports.
With the factory PCM, and if your buying a crank, rods and pistons anyway, I can't see why not just build a stroker. At least a 383". More torque = faster car. LT1 castings would be a limitation for making power. My 383" had LT4 head & intake castings. 225 cc intake ports.
That Is a ton of rpm lmao. I think a 383 will be the most fun. I may toss heads and a ported intake on this engine and wait on a bottom end. Then just swap them over, it's all still up in the air. Parts for either spec 355 or 383 are picked at least.
There has been great info passed along here.
There has been great info passed along here.