383 small block

95 Silverado · July 5, 2002

as you can see by my profile I have a '95 Silverado half ton with a 350 TBI engine, it now has 163,000 miles on it. I recently acquired a complete running 350 TBI engine as a spare, but it is high mileage also, I would like to rebuild it as a 383 using a stroker crank and pistons with the 5.7 rods, but I want it to be very mild, basically the 350 plus 33 cubic inches, and retain the TBI. I may swap on a TBI unit from a 454 in place of the 350 unit, but no major changes. What experience has anyone had with these engines, how do you think it would work for a daily driver?

MarkD · July 5, 2002

We did it on a '91 Camaro. To answer your question, I have several of my own...

How much ya wanna spend? (plan on 15% more)

Define daily driver (miles/day) (backup vehicle)

Mileage expectation?

Power/torque expectations?

Do it yourself?

July 9, 2002

IVE GOT A FRIEND WHO PUT A 350 IN HIS 91 S10... WE RECENTLY TOOK IT OUT AND WENT FULL OUT WITH A 383 ROTATING ASSEMBLY FROM PAW... BALANCED AND ALL... WE PUT A FEW EXTRA GOODIES ON IT OF COURSE FOR HP. ITS KIND OF A CHORE TO KEEP RUNNING BUT MOSTLY THAT INVOLVES KEEPIN THE OLD HOLLEY TUNED RIGHT... OF COURSE HAS NO COMPUTER BEING THAT HE IS RUNNING A CARB... BASICALLY A 383 IS JUST BASICALLY UP TO HOW YOU WANT IT TO BE... FROM WHAT I CAN TELL YOURE GONNA BE SPENDIN A LITTLE EXTRA ANYWAY BECAUSE OF THE FACT ITS GONNA HAVE TO BE COMPUTER RUN STILL... IM NOT SURE ABOUT WHAT KIND OF CHIPS, AFTERMARKET COMPUTERS, OR SOFTWARE IS AVAILABLE TO MAKE IT RUN SIGNIFICANTLY W/ ANOTHER 33 CUBES... GOOD LUCK!!!

95 Silverado · July 13, 2002

I want this to be a "daily driver", no special care needed, get in it and go all purpose, from a few miles per day to a couple hundred some week-ends. I'm thinking the bigger tbi from a 454 should increase air/fuel available, the computer should be able to maintain the proper mixture for the additional volume. I don't expect low 13's or smoking tires.I just want good pulling, cruising, towing power, and yes, besides the machine work I'll build it and install it myself.

MarkD · July 13, 2002

How much do you plan to spend?

95 Silverado · July 14, 2002

haven't thought it all out yet, I'm seeing 383 kits available for $600-$800, plus the other rebuild parts and machine work, probably around $1200-$1500.

MarkD · July 14, 2002

The most important part of a 383/396 small block is the heads. You need a good port velocity to maintain driveability. If you have someone port your heads, make sure they do not open up the runners very much. Just clean them up, try to straighten the pathways, and unshroud the valves as much as possible.

GM has some pretty good flowing heads in the GMPP catalog. With some cleanup work, they should flow what you are looking for.

BTW, go with a dual plane intake. Preferrably one of the air gap ones.

MarkD · July 14, 2002

Also, you might want to get an estimate on clearancing the block before you buy a crank.

95 Silverado · July 14, 2002

thanks for the info, others I've talked to have stressed the importance of the heads. I plan on speaking to a local machinist who has done some circle track engines to see whats needed and how much. Thanks again.

Tucson_02Silverado · July 15, 2002

The 383 requires a lot of flow...so echo previous posts. HEADS Trick Flow 23 or the better yet World Products Motown 220.

Have you considered just boring .030 to make 355CI and add the LT4 roller Hot Cam (or other equiv.), L31 Vortec Heads (you'll need a Vortec patterned intake), 1.6 roller rockers, 454 TBI and of course take care of the back side with high flow catalytic convertor (if required and/or wanted) etc..etc.

AND AND AND AND no matter which you do get the computer programmed so all the goodies will play nicely together.

Also remember racing engines are high RPM by nature and are not usually suited as daily drivers

MarkD · July 15, 2002

To give you an idea of how quickly strokers can get expensive, this is what we spent on the '91 Z28 350TBI

Clearance/machine work to block $1300

Heads/machine work to heads $2700

Pistons/rods $1500

Cam/valvetrain $1000

ARP fasteners $400

Ceramic/high temp coatings(bearings,pistons) $700

Labor $3000

Intake $1500

Plus headers,torque converter, tuning, waterpump, fuel pump, distributor, etc.

Numbers above are approximate, but pretty close.

regcab02HD · July 15, 2002

Hey Mark, aren't a few of those numbers a little high?

95 Silverado · July 21, 2002

racing engines are high RPM by nature and are not usually suited as daily drivers

I'm thinking just because it's a 383 it doesn't have to be a racing engine, I just want a 350 with 33 more cubic inches, if you don't build it like a racing engine, it wont act like one.

the big gains from the heads are probably found at higher RPM use where increased flow would be more critical, I want to emphasize low end torque, and keep it streetable. Thanks for the input.

Tucson_02Silverado · July 22, 2002

Check the specs on GMPP's HT383. GM uses 6" rods and maintains a compression ratio for 87 octane. One of the performance magazines is in the middle of doing a stock to highly modified profile on the HT383. I can't remember if it's Chevy High Performance or....

As for the racing engine comment, it was related to seeking advice from a race engine builder. Just make sure you let'em know your goal is a daily driver sometimes hauler. If you ever have any inkling to throw a blower on top (turbo or super) at a later date, build the bottom end for it now. It certainly won't hurt if you decide not to.

MarkD · July 22, 2002

Hey Mark, aren't a few of those numbers a little high?

That was my point. You might be able to find some deals to allow you to beat those prices, but we weren't able to. Our goal was a bulletproof bottom end and good/not great flowing heads.

Quality parts are EXPENSIVE.