383 or not?

[Boogiedown]

Well my buddy wants to trade a gun I have for a 383 with trick flow heads , eagle crank and pistons and a crane cam. But what u want to know is how they rum as a daily driver?? I heard that they can over heat alot, but I have never owned one so I don't really know. Let me know want y'all think ? Either going in a 85 4x4 or a 77 2wd not sure yet.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Depends a lot on the compression ratio and the particular grind on the camshaft. If it's a high-compression engine (greater than 10.5:1) and/or a radical cam (something with a powerband that doesn't start till 3,000 rpms or more) and you think you might be driving it more often under that rpm range, it could run hotter. Find out more about the engine if you can. Changing the cam would be a peach but not much you can do for cheap about the CR. A buddy told me recently that a 383 is like running on the edge of a blown up motor, they're bored so far there's not much material left. May be so for a race engine but I know of people who get good use out of them if they're built right.

 

[Beatdown Z]

With everything set up right(timing, fuel, cooling fan, radiator, thermostat, etc...) I doubt you'll have any overheating problems with a 383. Go for it!

 

[skysurfer]

A buddy told me recently that a 383 is like running on the edge of a blown up motor, they're bored so far there's not much material left.

A 383 is just a 350 with a .030" overbore, the rest of the cubes come from the longer connecting rods. Hardly on the edge of blowing up.

 

[DirtyC30]

Depends a lot on the compression ratio and the particular grind on the camshaft. If it's a high-compression engine (greater than 10.5:1) and/or a radical cam (something with a powerband that doesn't start till 3,000 rpms or more) and you think you might be driving it more often under that rpm range, it could run hotter. Find out more about the engine if you can. Changing the cam would be a peach but not much you can do for cheap about the CR. A buddy told me recently that a 383 is like running on the edge of a blown up motor, they're bored so far there's not much material left. May be so for a race engine but I know of people who get good use out of them if they're built right.

I agree. Also, I think it depends on what block it is to begin with? I had a 383 stroker wild a mild camin my 81 Z28 and never had a problem. I ran a 383 LT1 stroker with a street/strip cam in my 97 Z28 for 50k miles with no problems before I sold it. I also ran a 408 LS stroker with a more strip than street cam in my 00 SS and it had 94k when I traded it. The cam specs are important as well as torque converter rpm range (if auto of course). I also ran electric fans on all of mine, with the LS having an electric water pump.

As far as trading...I'm gonna need some gun specs

 

[Boogiedown]

yea ot real sure about the cam specs, my buddy sold a 84 camaro with a 350 in it, had to repo the car back and when it came back it had all that work done to it.

As for gun specs, la lever action marlin 30-30 with a scope and a makarov pistol with hogue grips :shooter:

 

[crazy4offroad]

Those are both kinda cheap guns, he's not a felon is he? Would he be the kind of person to sell you a bad engine? I would approach with caution. I'd probably still go for it for all the good parts though lol as long as he's not a felon.

 

[Boogiedown]

lol no hes not a felon, ive known him since we were kids. hes just had this motor stitting around for a couple years and wants to get rid of it hes more into diesel power

 

[crazy4offroad]

Cool, unless there's some kind of sentimental value to the guns I would go for the swap!

 

[Boogiedown]

Cool, unless there's some kind of sentimental value to the guns I would go for the swap!

well i love all guns but i have 28 or um so it wont be that bad to let them go, hell i have 7 lever actions

 

[Swims350]

A 383 is just a 350 with a .030" overbore, the rest of the cubes come from the longer connecting rods. Hardly on the edge of blowing up.

uummm aint 383 longer stroke crank as in a 400 crank with 3.75 throw or stroke compared to 3.48 on the 350?

not longer rods.?

besdies that if it were to the point of running a blown up engine, why the heck would ANYONE spend big bucks building one, much less brag about having a 383?

sorry but your friend is way off.

I think he is thinking of when someone bores one out to .060 over. I have heard alot of ppl talk about the cylinders being too thin in that case, prone to crack, or overheat due to alot of heat build up and transfer without proper cooling between them etc.

 

[crazy4offroad]

I agree, he was off on his facts. And I think you're right about the crank/rods. If it had longer rods the pistons would have to be shorter lol. For the guns he's wanting to swap it would be a good trade. By the way I would check your local laws about transfer of ownership of firearms, they are changing so much. If they're registered to you and anything happens down the road it might come back on you.

 

[Boogiedown]

Hell I live in Texas, FTF transfers are legal. So everything is good, what do y'all know about running electric fuel pump there is not one in the block?

 

[bucket]

Easy, mount an in-line pump to the frame rail, so it's below the fuel level in the tank.

 

[Boogiedown]

Sweet sounds pretty simple, what's a good one cost?