Cheapest Roller Cammed GM Crate Engine.

[39deluxe]

The topic came up at Frank's yesterday as to what was the cheapest Chevy roller cammed crate motor. I found that the standard passenger car and light truck  Gen1 small block replacement engines for applications up to 1995 were both flat tappet cams. To get a roller you need to step up to the ZZ4.

If you want to save a grand Pace sells a ZZ4 long block (no intake, water pump, pulleys ign. ect) for $3249.

Here's the link.

http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=194848

Tom

[Leon]

I bought the 350HO a lot cheaper than the ZZ4 and changed out the cam.  Wasn't that expensive to do, and the block was machined to take it.

[wayne petty]

one thing.... for any kind of moderate performance application..

i don't like hypereutectic pistons...

i don't like powered metal rods...

i don't like premium aluminum bearings..

small block chevys are so easy to build.

350 blocks are cheep to find.. and have machined..  

383 stroker kits are easy to install... come balanced and with pistons, rods , bearings and rings..

brand new vortec heads are still cheep...


i guess i am just griping about cheep parts for a LOT of money...  


so forget everything i have said...

[purplepickup]

I was who asked the question at Franks.  

I've been thinking about what engine I'm going to run in the Rambler wagon.  I want it to be able to get fairly crazy if I want it to (run in the high 12's), but still be reliable and get pretty good mileage....and tow trailers if necessary.  The ZZ engine in my pickup does all those things.  I could just get another one but I already have a couple of roller cams, heads, intakes, water pumps, an HEI, and most everything that comes on a full ZZ assembly.   I only need a shortblock but don't know which one is strong but cheap.  

Frank told me that most all the crate motors are machined for the roller cam retainer(and Leon reaffirmed it) and I didn't know that, so deciding what to start with should be a lot easier.

[wayne petty]

this one is cheep


http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=184534

the compression may be down a little from a full fledged ZZ but i am not sure...


this is the same from another vendor

http://sdparts.com/details/gm-factory-replacement-parts/12556121

here is the same one... thats been blueprinted and better bearings

http://sdparts.com/details/gm-performance-parts/12556121bp

summit sells it for 400 bucks more...

[ACEMAN419]

tom did ya ask the wife about chryslers  tire pressure sensor fixes yet?

[39deluxe]

Sorry, It slipped my mind, what there is left.

She says it sounds like a bad sensor if it won't learn the new position.

Tom

[Crosley.In.AZ]

you will want   a decent set of heads to get the air in   and out   of the short block.


hyperutectic pistons are fine for moderate performance..  forged rods are better.  One of the  reasons the  engine rotating kits are so popular is price and purty decent parts in some of them

[purplepickup]

you will want   a decent set of heads to get the air in   and out   of the short block.

I've got a new set of 58cc aluminum heads. They'll work fine.  

I'm not ready for the engine yet so I'm just checking options right now.   I've got a lot of parts but there's a lot I don't have too.  It looks like whatever way I go, if I want a moderately healthy engine, I'll have about the same invested as a full ZZ assembly costs (4K).

[brucer]

machine work on a block isnt cheap, to get a block done correct you'll be over $500 easy.

most of the budget 383 kits such as eagle and scat are junk..and need to be rebalanced, i've seen 2 of those kits rattle your teeth because they were out of balance and they were complete rotating assemblies.


summitracing sells quality speedpro forged rebuild kit fairly cheap.also northern auto parts sells good forged kits.


i would try to find a high mileage newer model 350 and rebuild it, hone cylinders, new bearings, rings and swap in new forged pistons, and swap in the roller cam of choice, and rework the heads.. have it balanced



if its a streetrod and your not running nitrous or boost a cast piston will run just as well as a forged piston, i have cast pistons in my racecar, 10:1 compression and i shift at 6500rpm its been together for years.

i just built 2 engines last year, one is a budget build for my T-bucket, i had $1500 in it complete. 355 with hypereutectic pistons,set of 5140 rods with arp waveloc bolts, stock crank, .488/.468 lift hydraulic flat tappet cam, rebuilt 461 heads, roller rockers, stainless undercut valves, machine work consisted of cleaning, boring, deck honing. rotating assembly balanced...



2nd was an lt1, and i havent assembled it yet.. machine block  was $650 consisting of precleaning, beadblasting block, bored, honed ,decked, linebored.. speedpro forged engine kit from summit $650, lt4 hotcam with springs locks and retainers was $200, timing set $100. I still need the assembly balanced $200 at minimum. i still need odd and end stuff for this lt1 engine so the cost is going to be about $300 more because i need a electric waterpump, and a tune..

nonetheless, if you decide to rebuild an engine, i recommend always getting the rotating assembly balanced especially if you swap in pistons and or rods or both, i would get it balnced anyways, the engine runs so much smoother.

my budget T-bucket engine