Rebuild 350 or new crate engine?

[jacaspary]

I am kicking around the idea of rebuilding my 93 k1500 350 TBI. It's got quite a few miles and is getting a little tired. Cylinders didn't look too bad when vortec heads where installed a year or two ago. The odometer wasn't working for some time until I fixed it recently but I would guess around 250,000 miles. I am not looking to build a hotrod, just a good strong motor that will get any work done and get me back from hunting and fishing. I hardly ever tow.

Advice?

[the 73 beast]

for me i wanted peace of mind for having my family in my 91 suburban, plus i use it to tow also. i went with a gm crate 350 engine. cause i didn't want anything to happen if i had a rebuilt and out far or towing, etc. i plan on keeping my gas gusseler for along time too. i brought mind at a local chevy dealer and paid 2,000 for it i called around different chevy dealers and for same 350 the price vary from 2,000 up to 5,000 for a 4 bolt main long block with a 36,000 mile or 36 mo. guaranteed. i know jegs, summit sells GM crate engines too. i now regret that i didn't drop a 454 instead for more power but it does get the job done well with the 350. hopefully this helps you on your decision.
'

[jacaspary]

Thanks for the quick response. The other reason behind this, I will be moving in a year or so after I finish up my degree and I don't want to be moving 1200 miles and have my motor go in the middle of no where. I will look into what the cost for a crate engine is. This one has definitely been reliable and I get about 16 mpg which isn't bad. Plus I want this truck to last 5-10 more years, new trucks are way to much money, plus I like working on mine.

Thanks for the reply!

[the 73 beast]

there u go keep it fresh and up keep and u'll have very few worrys glad to help. and yes new trucks are way to much especially how much value they loose as you drive out the driveway then not to mention the repair bills since they can't find the problems with all the high tech crap they got. this website is awesome cause i've learn so much from parts on my truck that i never knew what it was or let alone the part name or what it for. take care and glad to assist.

[Doober]

I think you could get a better engine by building it yourself and checking all clearances, etc., and it wouldn't cost as much. On the flipside you would have an engine with a warranty, but on the flipside to THAT I've heard sometimes the engines are poorly built, usually if they're remanufactured. If you put it together yourself and make sure you double check, you know it was put together right, plus if there are any minor changes you would want to make (true roller chain, oil squirter for the timing chain, etc.) then you can do so. For example even on a stock rebuild I like using the stock volume/high pressure Speed Pro pump that's about $40 on Summit, and the casting is the old, thick style unlike the newer, thin style that has been seen with hairline cracks around the mounting bolt. I've also put a Jeg's $10 pickup tube retainer on every engine I've built, just added insurance.

[jacaspary]

Are you talking oil pump? I went on summit and looked for it but couldn't find it. I did see the pickup retainer, pretty good insurance for a ten dollar investment. I do like the idea of having my own quality control. That is one reason why I do all the work on my vehicles, I know it is done right. That is another reason I want to stick with this truck for some time because the new ones have way too many electrical systems that are over my head.

You ever run into trouble getting a 350 running again after you rebuild? I have only worked a little on this engine so I am not sure of all it's ins and outs. Also, have you ever outfitted one with EFI instead of the TBI?

[Doober]

Nah they've all fired up for me first turn of the key so long as they have gas. I did have one I built that had a coil die... cranked on it for 5-10 seconds with nothing. Put a different coil on and the next cylinder fired right up. The only EFI engine I've done so far is the TBI 383 in the truck. I have a trade in the works for a TPI intake though, planning on using that either on the truck or on the Malibu.

The modern day electronics don't worry me so much, I just don't have the funds right now to look into a newer vehicle, plus upkeep on them can be more pricey... i.e. a NBS hub is like 90 bucks where you can spend $50 or so for bearings and a rotor for an OBS or OOBS.

My bad I meant Sealed Power... they're Melling pumps. They actually have the "M55A" tag on the pump case.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLP-224-4146A/

Thin vs. thick casting:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a26/vet85us/Melling%20SBC%20oil%20pump/M55tom10553.jpg

This is my pump I put in my Malibu:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Doober12082/81%20Malibu%20engine%20swap/DSC00134.jpg

I also have that pump in the 383. I've swapped a tach cluster in with an 80psi gauge, the last cluster only had a 60psi gauge. I haven't changed the sending unit yet, but until the engine warms up it holds at LEAST 60psi everywhere, then only when it drops below 1,500rpm or so does pressure fall to a lower level... I think it idles around 15-20psi at around 500-800rpm.

[96ImpSS]

Reality: Your odds of a trouble free next 100k to 200k miles are much higher with a GM crate engine than with anybody including yourself that can rebuild one for less than the cost of the crate engine. You'll get lots of arguments to that statement, but I'll stand by it. I've seen plenty of examples. Note that I said ODDS ;) Of course there will be exceptions.

[Doober]

If I were to get a crate engine it would be a new one, not a reman.
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Department/Engines-Components/Section/Engine-Assemblies/Brand/GM-Performance/Part-Type/Crate-Engines/Engine-Type/V8/Engine-Assembly-Style/Long-block/Make/CHEVROLET/Engine-Size/5-7L-350/Engine-Family/Chevy-small-block-Gen-I/?Ns=Price|Asc

[jacaspary]

Thanks everyone for the replies. If I do go crate I would only do new, I would rather rebuild than buy a reman crate. Thanks for all the info!

Ive looked at the GM Perfomance crates before and for the price, it looks like a pretty good deal. Any of you guys use the 290hp base crate? Any opinions on it?

[Doober]

If you tuned for the extra fuel requirements I say it would make a great drop-in replacement that doesn't feel sluggish as a typical TBI.

[jacaspary]

I wonder what type of mpg I would see out of that crate.

[Doober]

I'm sure it has a mild cam, if static compression is reasonable enough you may see a slightly better than a stock TBI 350 if it's tuned well enough.

[jacaspary]

The previous owner installed vortec heads on my current engine and there is definitely a noticeable difference between mine and a buddy's 92 stock 350. I am not sure if mine has been properly tuned either. My engine runs rough every once in a while, feels like it is missing, could this be from not being tuned properly?

[elwaupo]

for me i wanted peace of mind for having my family in my 91 suburban, plus i use it to tow also. i went with a gm crate 350 engine. cause i didn't want anything to happen if i had a rebuilt and out far or towing, etc. i plan on keeping my gas gusseler for along time too. i brought mind at a local chevy dealer and paid 2,000 for it i called around different chevy dealers and for same 350 the price vary from 2,000 up to 5,000 for a 4 bolt main long block with a 36,000 mile or 36 mo. guaranteed. i know jegs, summit sells GM crate engines too. i now regret that i didn't drop a 454 instead for more power but it does get the job done well with the 350. hopefully this helps you on your decision.
'
I have to aggree with the crate engine. I installed the 290hp crate motor in my son's Nova last year and it runs strong plus you get a warranty with it. I had a machine shop "build" a 350 for my 69 Camaro and it had a rod knocking. If you know how to build a motor yourself then build one, but most of us dont and you'll be at the mercy of the machine shop if anything goes wrong with their build.

I have a 95 K1500 that I've thought about installing that motor but I don't know if it's compatable for California smog laws or if it will work with the ECM.

[jacaspary]

I am going to go with the crate when i have more money to spare. The current engine is still running strong and some of the issues should be taken care of once I do a tune.

That 290hp crate seems like a great deal at right around 2,000 with a decent warranty. To me that is a bit more cost effective than rebuilding and shipping to a good machine shop. Plus a new crate would be easier and less time consuming for me than a rebuild.

Hopefully I can make it a year on the current engine, money is a bit tighter than I expected at the moment.

[todd1969]

Here's a nice TBI engine I found and I think they have a good reputation too...has a warranty as well. I'm entertaining this for my truck once it gets a bit more tired, but right now at 94,000 miles only on a 1995; I'm still good with the stock plant. :charge:

http://blueprintengines.com/index.php/gm-383-bp38301ct


Here's one by the same company sold at Summit...even has a dyno sheet and makes MORE power and torque for a bit more money. I really like this one!

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MLL-BP38302CT/

[GarrettCobb]

Buy a 602 or 604 crate motor from GM
We use them in our racecar and they run from 5000-6500rpm for 40 laps a race for about 40-50 races before we have to look at rebuilding
Good strong long lasting motors

[jacaspary]

I may have to wait more than a year for the blue print, almost twice as much. I haven't heard much about them either.

How is the flow of the stock heads on that 290 hp 350? You think that with a TBI and an EBL Flash ECM, it would be pretty easy to tune and get running well?

The goal is reliability, decent power, and at least similar mpg as what I get now. I get 16 mpg at 80mph on the highway.

[Doober]

It will be a cinch with an EBL. I have a 383 with a cam, Vortec heads, more fuel pressure, etc. etc. and it was a breeze getting the truck driveable.

Far as mpg, don't drive 80. Drop it to 65 and leave 10 minutes earlier (or whatever depending on where you're going), you'll probably gain 3mpg, my dad did doing the exact same thing in his '03 Sierra.

[jacaspary]

The 80mpg was on i-80 so the speed limit was 75. 55 on the highways gives me 20 mpg. So I completely agree on the speed comment. My 2000 Buick Century got 36mpg on a pretty flat freeway at 70mph with the windows down this summer.

[Doober]

I drove 75-80 on I-10 from Tucson-L.A. a couple years ago when I still had the v6 and managed 24ish mpg, it was also very flat.

[JokerZ71]

Go to www.newGMparts.com. They have a new L31HD (Vortec 350) delivered for $1985. 5 yr/100,000 mile warranty.

[zziggy]

I vote for a GM crate motor
3 yrs/100,000 miles Nationwide warranty.

Your rebuild? No warranty.
A shop's warranty if they do it? Bring it to us...........and then only maybe.

[masterhacker]

check this out:
http://www.blueprintengines.com/index.php/gm-355bp-35513ct1

i have a buddy who bought a engine from them, they do awesome work, hes been beating the hell out of his for like 3 years now, he put it on a mud truck

this one even comes with a custom tuned ecm (tuned specifically to the engine form my understanding) for throttle body injection:

http://www.blueprintengines.com/index.php/gm-383-bp38302ct

[rosedavid]

Hi;
It’s a great idea to rebuild your car engine on your own; I did it with my car too. I found an informational guide online to rebuild my engine, and got valuable insights about engines from hiperformer.com/installation-guide.html. You can check them out and I am sure it will be of help.

[GarrettCobb]

Hi;
It’s a great idea to rebuild your car engine on your own; I did it with my car too. I found an informational guide online to rebuild my engine, and got valuable insights about engines from hiperformer.com/installation-guide.html. You can check them out and I am sure it will be of help.

To rebuild your engine and it be reliable, you have to blueprint it basically.
At least rid bold stretching and cylinder bore honing, cam tunnel alignments etc.
Otherwise, if it has been run hard, all of those specs with be out and eat bearing and oil issues etc. even with a rebuild.

[GarrettCobb]

And as a result of that, you should get very good gas mileage for a carb'd small block v8(given it is done right)

[zeeohh6ex]

LS swap it and call it a day