79mike

Well at first I wanted to do a lsx swap into my 1979 camaro, but its looking a little too expensive (about 4000 more expensive!) but I do want to make a big change with my car and was thinking of a Ram Jet engine, so my questions are... are these even worth the time to work on and the money to buy one? anyone ever have any problems with it? The numbers it makes sound pretty nice for a stock 350 and it was made for 1979 and older car (so says summit). Does anyone know of these comming in aluminum block/heads? And suggestions to any other engine is welcome too! Thanks everybody!

79mike

if I got the engine I want to put the edelbrock aluminum heads on it, and a 383 stroker kit in it as well with higher than 22lb/hr injectors that it comes with. since this engine is computer controlled, is there a diffrent knock sensor that I should put in it before I do these mods and could I reprogram the computer if I had to?

YenkoST

iTrader: (10)

Ok....lets see if I can help you out....try www.gmpartsdirect.com for a better price....usually a lot cheaper than Summit or even a GM Dealer. Now, the 350 Ram Jet was put on a dyno with 1 3/4" headers and made 360hp and 413 ft lbs of torque. So, having base numbers, they threw in a Hot Cam and Fast burn aluminium heads and made 430hp and 430 ft lbs of torque. Arizona Speed and Marine has a 383 Ram Jet, the numbers are not listed though. However, you are going to run into a problem tuning it with the GM supplied computer b/c nobody really tunes those things. I personally would go with the TPI computer system or a DFI unit for controlling the engine for easier tuning purposes. Upgrading to a bigger injector would be a good idea but the size is going to depend on what route you go.

79mike

thanks for the help and computer suggestion!

YenkoST

iTrader: (10)

No problem man. Let me know if you need anyother help.

YOUNG

iTrader: (3)

Arizona Speed and Marine can program the computer. The computer on these engines is the same one that Mercruiser uses on their small and big block Chevy engines. My boat had a 454MPI(same as a Vortec 454) with this type of computer and with the mods(cam,headers,heads)they programmed it like any other engine. You might just give them a call and see what all they have to say about what you are looking at doing.
As far as the RamJet 350 three of my buddies have them and have run them like they are out of the crate and not had any problems. They make pretty decent power like they are.

79mike

Ok, thanks I will give them a call, Im also thinking of just using a stroker kit, anyone have any suggestions of which companies to NOT use, or TO use?

YOUNG

iTrader: (3)

Well a friend of mine built a 383 stroker for his rock buggy and used a Scat crank and their I beam rods. It held together for almost a year until one day one the side of a hill. He was holding it at 6500-7000 and then it broke 7 rods. He know has built another and used Eagle crank and eagle rods and has great luck them. He runs the motor to 7000 and will hold it there for up to 3 minutes and has had no problems.

79mike

mental note: dont use scat crank!..... got it! thanks

YenkoST

iTrader: (10)

With the Ram Jet system and a 383, the system won't support the flow numbers to reach 6500-7000 rpms I've been told. The system is good from idle to 6000 on a 350 but it reaches its limits. The vortec stealthram will flow enough to reach that though.

YOUNG

iTrader: (3)

Yeah if you decide to go with the stealth ram my best friend has the complete system setting in his shop. We just took it off of his old motor that he use to run.

79mike

so your friend isnt using the stealth ram anymore? Im still thinking about what to do and for money and time reasons, I should probably go with a stroked kit, then just a small shot of nitrous too, nothing more than 100 though (if I do get it), Id like to have it when I need it but not too much and blow something. Ill probably get the eagle 383 kit, so is there a chart or something somewhere that I can figure out my max rpm?

YenkoST

iTrader: (10)

No, there isn't a chart or anything....it is judged on the combo that you are running. If you stroke that 383 then a cam would need to be added to keep the same power band. Just make your decision on parts and it will tell you what the limit is. For example: A cam will tell you the rpms band it which its more efficient like idle-4500 or 1500-5500. Look at the components and it will tell you what's best or if you don't know then ask.

YOUNG

iTrader: (3)

Yeah just like he said. Match all of your parts together to run the rpm that you want and go from there. I believe on Eagle's website they tell you what their cranks are rated for as far as rpm and horsepower. I good steel crank and H-beam rods will really take some rpm's as long as you have a cam and intake that will support it aswell.

1bdbrd

iTrader: (12)

ive said it a few times before on here but my advice isnt an expensive crate engine. this is evident here more than ever. theres really no reason to run a ramjet crate engine if you are going to change everything about it. heres what i would do.

find any 87+ 350 from either an fbody, caprice, truck, van ect. those are of course 2 bolt mains. the vette L98 was a 4 bolt main after 89 if i recall. if you get the 2 bolt, splay it for a 4 bolt setup and be stronger than a stock 4 bolt. then put a good forged 4340 crank in it. honestly ive never heard anything bad about scat products but the guy talkin about the rock buggy, 6500+ for that long of a time is not good on ANY i beam rod. they are just weak by design.

if i stay with the stock block in my car im going with a stock stroke forged 4340 350 crank from scat or eagle, eagle 4340 h beam rods, and speed pro coated forged pistons. thats a very budget minded setup but should take just about anything you throw at it. then i would pick out the set of heads you want. i say that because you have the cam ground per the specs on the heads and what kind of powerband you want for a properly matched setup. run the appropriate valve train (do not skimp here as it will cost you more in the long run but also dont buy too big because it will hurt power and maybe even parts), with a good timing chain. a good intake IMO is the converted lt1 intake. its cheaper than the stealth ram and will be easier to package as its very short. and then go with either a megasquirt ecu or maybe even a stock 3rd gen fbody ecu with the proper tuning equipment. that will be cheaper to get into and cheaper to tune in the long run.

that all even if you have a shop assemble it should run the same or maybe even less than a ram jet and make more power with a good amount of safety because the bottom end will be way over built. just remember, if you go with a 383 the block you use has to be clearenced for the stroker crank, and you will need to run a cam with a small base circle just to make sure you dont have crank to cam clearence issues.

firefighter

I'm finally finishing up my 383 SBC with all Eagle forged schizz in the bottom 10.5 comp aluminum Edelbrock E-tec 200cc heads (vortec style) a Comp XFI 292 hyd roller with a Holley Stealthram up top the Pro Sym says it should make 550 hp @ 6500rpm and 450 tq @ around 5500rpm. It's a lil down on tq on purpose I was looking to kill a lil it's going into a '65 C10 P/U (no weight in back) if I had run the 170cc the tq would have been up alot more. hopefully it'll be in the truck by July before the baby boy comes.

79mike

1bdbrd, yeah that does make sence, but isnt that almost the same as a lt1 from a vette, since they came with 4-bolt? and just made into a 383 and built up top? I was considering taking the lt1 out of my 94z and swapping it out, since I already got the car, and just part it out, like somebody said earlier in this thread.... think that is a good idea, and put a 383 kit in it? since the tranny, cpu, and torque converter have less than 2,000 miles on them all Id have to do is rebuild the engine...I want to make the engine really torquey (if thats a word) and with a good max rpm...just basically FAST for the street, maybe around 500hp/tq, is that possible?

79mike

that sounds good, do you have to have the vortec style heads with the stealth ram? heck I might as well sell both my camaros and just buy the new one when it comes out!....nah, I couldnt do that, I love my 79

firefighter

Yeah the E-tecs are vortec style and the vortec style HSR. It should be a screamer I'll find out soon.