i think its time to build me a new motor... one i can call my own... been lookin around for a while now... cheapest sbc 350/383 kit ive found is from a company "Powerhouse" outta cali for $499... hot rod magazine used the same kit i teir build a while back with out any complaints... anyone have any input? thanks

I got my rotating assembly from my machine shop and it was over $800. I would definitely consult with a machinist before buying any parts.

I built my 383 as well and, honestly, if I had it to do all over again, I'd buy an LS1 type motor before building another 383.

I'd buy an LS1 type motor before building another 383.

X2

yeah i see what you guys are saying but you have to understand im getting a brand new edelbrock crate with a faulty bearing for free. and i am on a high school students bugdet right now so im doing what i can with my money knowledge and supplies. itl be a learning experience

yeah i see what you guys are saying but you have to understand im getting a brand new edelbrock crate with a faulty bearing for free. and i am on a high school students bugdet right now so im doing what i can with my money knowledge and supplies. itl be a learning experience


I bought a stroker kit from Powerhouse about 6 months ago. It was a big block kit (496Cu/In). Some of it was decent, but it wasn't exactly what they claimed either.... The flexplate was a used part with a coat of paint to make it look new. The machinist that got all the parts laughed when he saw it because it was so bad. I had to buy a new one, then pay to re-balance the complete assembly. He wasn't too impressed with the way they did the balancing of the pistons either...IIRC


I probably still saved a little money over buying everything piecemeal, but beware of the seduction of a low price. It's only a deal if you get what you pay for.


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If it weren't for the high school budget, I would put my vote in for the ls1 as well.

Why an LS1? they are only like 340lb\ft torque at over 4000+ RPM when a decent 383 stroker does 400lb\ft at 2500-4000RPM. The LS1 is a car engine, its a damn good one! but not really designed for offroad or pulling of any kind.

For the price of a bone stock pick and pull LS1 you could build a 383 stroker that would blow the LS1 out of the water. Don't get me wrong the LS1 is a great engine.

Now if you had the cash to stroke and LS1 that would just be tits!


EDIT: That kit for $499 is prolly all cast whereas most good kits are forged with H beam rods. But if it were me I wouldn't bother stroking it without getting forged. Just don't skimp on the gasket\seal kit.

buy yourself a decent middle of the road stroker kit, eagle and scat both make nice kits with steel cranks and hypereutectic pistons for about 750-800 dollars. rotating assembly is not the place to cheap out. which "edelbrock engine" do you have???

I bought a powerhouse kit a few years back. the components were good enough for $799 (which is the balanced price). I would definitely request that they do an internal balance though. When I got my kit they had added metal to the flexplate. That sucks if you ever need to replace it! Fortunately for me the shipper lost the harmonic balancer and powerhouse offered to pay a local shop to rebalance the assy (or send it back for complete replacement). I had it balanced locally and powerhouse paid for that and a new harmonic balancer AND an new flexplate (because I complained about their balancing method). Overall I am happy with the powerhouse deal but, unless it's changed since I bought my kit, the $499 kit is just a tease to get you in the door. You need the more expensive balanced kit for sure.

Regarding an LS1, all you have to do is change the cam and valve springs to get the powerband you need. The heads are far superior to the any factory style SBC head. I'd do a LSx or LQ9 engine in a heartbeat today but a 383 is going to be much more affordable in the short term.

Much of the low and wide range of torque in a 383 comes from the longer stroke. Just adding a cam to the LS1 isn't going to get you a power band like a 383 stroker.

It was said to just buy an LS1 rather than a build a 383. But all you are doing is paying out the ass for a new set of heads and intake. For the price of an LS1 you could get aftermarket heads for the 383.

He already has the block and I assume it has decent heads anyway since its an Edlecrate so his most cost effective solution would be the 383. If you are just talking about throwing a new stroker rotating assembly in a stock 350 that is one thing but he isn't doing that.


EDIT: :flipoff2:

EDIT: :flipoff2:



lol! Yeah reread my post. the 383 is going to be cheaper. I've never run a LS1 in a truck so I am speculating to some extent. I do know from experience that ALL I WANT FROM NOW ON is a LSx POWER. My sig should explain my passion. 19+mpg in the city and 25-26 on the highway tells the rest of the story.

Oh and Grumpy, I hear your barn door creaking and 700R4 leaking. Don't bother!! :flipoff2: :mrgreen:

this isnt about your transmission, doood. its about a stroker motor.

for my opinion: on a budget, build what you can afford.

the longer the stroke, the more low rpm torque, which means you will be able to keep the brake specific fuel consumption down. this means better mileage.

dont go hog wild with camshaft. a smaller cam will sometimes become milder than you thought with a stroker, as the crank has the ability to pull more air than the stock stroke did.

good exhaust is a must. If you want to improve the breathing of the engine, start on the exhaust side. the intake will do you fine at stock sizes, as the bore is restricted by diameter and shrouded. but if you dont get the gases out, you wont ever make it run.

use a cam with a .050 duration between 214* and 230*. use 1.6 rockers.


as for the trans, make it fit the application.

Take your time and save up for a little longer to do it right. Hindsight shows me I wasted alot of time and money in high school. I'm starting my 4th rebuild of the same truck in 5 years. It all hasn't been necessary, but I wish I could have skipped some of the steps.

x2 on the eagle stroker kits. I have a buddy who has an awesome 383 that he didn't put too much money into.

You didn't mention if you have a 1 piece or 2 piece rear main. That's going to make a big difference in balancing and parts costs.

This (http://www.cnc-motorsports.com/product.asp?ProdID=20137&CtgID=20134) kit isn't cheap, but it isn't terribly expensive either. It's not top of the line, but a cast steel crank, forged rods, hypereutectic pistons, Clevite bearings, flexplate, balancer, and a full balance job for about $700 shipped? Tell me where you're going to go wrong with that. Beyond that you should be good with some replacement fasteners, gaskets, etc.

Don't forget about extra machining costs though. Getting the holes punched, the block clearanced, the cam bearings installed, the head and deck squared up if necessary...it all adds up.

Oh yeah...that kit also precludes the use of Vortec heads unless you want to buy bling gas.

Why not just punch the thing .030, put in a decent budget kit, and put some Scroggin Dickie's Vortec heads on it? They are only $600 machined for a bigger cam. In the end I think you will end up with the results you're looking for without the cost of going to a 383.