I posted this in the V8 section, but I'm putting in a thread here too so maybe I can get some more responses. I have a 4-bolt main 010 350 block, and an 8qt oil pan with the pickup. I want to build it into a 383, and I want to buy everything in kits. I want at least 400hp n/a with low enough compression to add a blower later on... 93 octane gas is as high as i want to go. The motor must be streetable, it'll be going into a weekend car, but it wont be going to the track much. I want to do this for as little money as possible, so any advice i can get is greatly appreciated. I've been looking at an Eagle bottom end kit thats about $2000, its all forged and 10.4 compression. Top end is an Edelbrock kit that includes Performer RPM manifold, heads, and cam, for $1600, bringing me to around $3600.... any ideas?

 

http://www.blowerdriveservice.com/techcharts.phpthis link will give you an idea of what you are getting into with compression and blower boost and pump gas. If you look into this section further you will find a post I made that contains a DCR calculator with octane this will help you also I believe it has boost # there too. It looks to me that the boost you want to run is going to be your deciding factor of static compression/boosted compression and 93 octane.

 

ill check that out later today... thanks

 

I think 8lb of boost would be adequate... So if I'm looking at the chart from that link right, that sits me right at 8:1 compression. Thats alot lower then i thought I could run... I was thinking i could get away with at least 10:1. Am I missing anything here or can I really not go any higher and run pump gas? Everything will be forged...

 

There alot of variables that could come into playlike cam timing combustion area design but I would trust the bds numbers. Once detonation sets in it is a destruction process forged internals may buy you time but eventually you will have problems. There are "tricks" that are used such as water alchohol injection to allow you to run more compression. I should have asked this before but what power level are you looking for with the blower?

 

the blower isn't a complete neccesity... I'm starting to think It may be better for me to forget about the blower for now seeing as I cant afford one, and instead go for a higher compression while still keeping it on 93. How high do you think i could go and should I still go with forged or can I be a little cheaper and wait to buy forged components when I decide to supercharge?

 

The run of thumb for compression is 10.5:1 for aluminum heads and 9.5:1 for iron heads. Thes numbers change with chamber design, engine temp, piston design, altitude, quench and dynamic compression. I dont know how familiar you are with some of the items I mentioned if you want I can explain further. The block you have is "rated" at 500 hp with bolts if you stud it it will handle more some say up to 600 hp personnally I think both numbers are high and are a tradeoff for reliability and I also believe once you approach the 600hp mark for the money spent to get there you might as well get a dart block or build a big block. So if you intend to build a engine of say 450 hp on a budget we can start to go through some parts. First off you want a 383 the 383 uses a 3.75 inch stroke crankshaft the crankshafts were originally obtained from a 400 then turned down to fit the 350 journal size today all the companies make them in the 350 size either in cast or forged. The original 400 cranks were externally balanced meaning you would need to use an externally balanced flexplate and hamonic balancer. Some of the new crankshafts are still this way, find one that is internally balanced. Scat or eagle Cast cranks are "rated" at 500 hp billit are above this and forged are above and beyond both(there are differnt levels of forged metals also) so the choice is yours the cast have a tendancy to flex more and the forged are heavyer. I like forged but alot of people run cast most crate engines in this hp range run cast check the prices it will help you decide. With the 3.75 stroke the block will need clearanced and depending on rod choice they may need clearanced also. I beam scat or eagle rods are sufficient for this hp range I have found scat bushed rods for $209 a set. If this is the type of info you want to hear let me know (its probably more than you wanted to know lol) we can get more into it another day its getting late ......

 

no... this is exactly the info I'm looking for, sounds like you have some good advice to give. 450hp on a budget sounds like a good idea. I looked at some crank prices and I thinkcast is the best way for me to go. If you would like, I would like to go through and cover most of the majorparts so I know what I'm getting into. Thanks alot for your advice so far

 

Ok round two.. the stuff I am mentioning is just from my experience a good machine shop is usally a good place for final advice but at least you will be on the ball when they shoot the questions lol. Normally a windage tray is utilized to keep oil away from the crank oil splash on the crank will rob power if excessive there a a few schools of thought on this if you are going to run a solid cam it is now being recommended not to use a windage tray they want to get as much oil on the cam as they can to reduce the solid lifter failure... if you run a larger oil pan there are engine builders that say you are better off without the tray no matter which lifter as long as you keep the oil away from the crank(good question for your machine shop). Oil pump really you dont need more than stock volume or pressure for this level the caution here is that there were reports of the standard melling pump having issues I dont know if this has been resolved I use the melling select .. moroso is also good. Make sureyou get the correct pump pick up for your pan and check the clearance. Pistons three choices(bacically) cast, hyperutectic or forged. Alot of people will suggest forged right off the bat but be cautious not all forged are recommended for everyday street use(the clearances are more than the hypers and they can give piston slap on the start) nitrous go forged, 450 hp n/a I am going to use hypers in the 350 we are doing now. I post a piston selection chart when I can find it. Without the heads on the engine the surface of the block where the heads bolt onto is known as the deck in smallblocks the stock deck height is 9.025 inches when you hear people say "we 0 decked the block" that means the block has beenmilled downto 9.0 inches for all practical purposes the piston will now be level with the block surface"0 deck" the reason this is important is to create an effecient combustion area. This all leads into quench area the quench area is the distance between the flat portion of the cylinder head chamber and the piston surface this area should be between .030 and .045 in height for effecient combustion and resistance to detonation. To estimate this height you need to know your piston compression height your deck height and your compressed head gasket thickness ex. assume piston is 0 deck height.. stock deck height .025 + head gasket .035= .060 this exceeds the recommended .030 to .045 to get the number within this range we need to either deck the block or run a very thin head gasket. Again I would consult your machine shop where cost allows I would deck the block.
How much you looking to spend on heads?

 

Ok... the oil pan that came with the block has a windage tray... it also came with an oil pump and the correct pickup, I dont know any details on the oil pump, but the guy i picked the block up from was a circle track racer. I was looking at this Edelbrock top end kit... it comes with the aluminium Performer RPM heads.