Motor choice

[HatGuy]

I'm down to these 2 motors.
Crate Engine, 330 HP, Vortec Heads, Chevy 350 or
Crate Engine, 290 HP, Iron Heads, Chevy 350.
Is 40 hp and55 ft./lbs. of torque worth $600.00 more?
With Future Gas Prices looking to increase even more
will they both run in 89 octane?

[audioholic]

Id personally chose the 330HP motor, it would be worth the extra $ to me. 290HP out of a 350 is pretty anemic imo. And the extra torque makes quite a difference, especially 4x4'ing.

What octane fuel it will run on dpends on each motor's compression ratio. I wouldn't go over 10:1 or 10.5:1 compression and still expect to use pump fuel (92 octane). 9.5:1 is a fairly common 'street car' compression. At those HP numbers I doubt either of them is too high a compression to need to worry about.

[bpmcgee]

Remember that Vortec heads are designed to support higher compression ratio without detonation, and that they deliver BOTH better performance and mileage.

Obviously I'd go with the vortec

Brian

[Paul72]

Go with the Vortec motor. I've never heard anyone say they wish they had less power.

If you go with the smaller one, I would bet in 2 years you'll be looking to add the vortec heads.

Just my opinion.

Paul

[wingman]

Are the vortec heads cast iron or aluminum? If it is aluminum i would definitly go with that choice. Check out the difference like if one has a cast crank conpared to forged, and hydralic lifters and roller cam, etc.I just his year bought the crate engine with with 260hp/390ftlb and am pretty happy with it, but that was all i could afford at the time. No matter what you buy you will always want more power so go with the one that would better support that.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Paul72

Go with the Vortec motor. I've never heard anyone say they wish they had less power.

If you go with the smaller one, I would bet in 2 years you'll be looking to add the vortec heads.

Just my opinion.

Paul

Correct me if Im wrong, but I dont think you can add vortec heads to an older non-vortec motor due to their reverse cooling setup.

[wingman]

Vortec is standard rotation, all you need is a vortec intake, you are thinking LT1 family which is reverse cooling

[audioholic]

Oops yep thinking LT1's, my bad.

[HatGuy]

The 330hp motor heads are Vortec cast iron style with 64cc chambers; 170cc intake runners with 1.94 in. intake valves and 1.50 in. exhaust valves. Stamped steel self-aligning rocker arms.

Is it worth the 1000.00 to get the delux motor with everything but the
fuel pump and starter assembled?

I'm looking at Summit Racing for a sorce of this crate motor.
Any other suggestions are welcome.

[smokekiki]

Originally Posted by HatGuy

The 330hp motor heads are Vortec cast iron style with 64cc chambers; 170cc intake runners with 1.94 in. intake valves and 1.50 in. exhaust valves. Stamped steel self-aligning rocker arms.

Is it worth the 1000.00 to get the delux motor with everything but the
fuel pump and starter assembled?

I'm looking at Summit Racing for a sorce of this crate motor.
Any other suggestions are welcome.

Your old intake will not fit vortec heads.I would also put a new waterpump on a new engine.Do you have HEI ignition?Does Your carb need rebuilt?Check on those prices compared to the deluxe crate.It might pay to buy the complete deal.

[meathead95]

i have been looking at these also i think i am gong o go with the 330hp engine. if you plan on replacing the intake, carb, and dist. then it is worth the extra$ but if you dont mind using your old stuff i wouldnt buy it.
later
keith

[Huck]

I've got a 72 Blazer with 373 gears running 33" tires--almost strickly street use. It's got a reworked 350 putting out approx 350-375hp. Nice but---(there's always a butt) the HP kicks in at the higher rpm's. Care to guess where you are on a 4x4 with 373 gears at 4,000+ rpm's??? Nowhere! 95% of my time I'm looking for TORQUE in the lower end of the rpm curve. THAT is where most chev small blocks run--in the lower end of the rpm curve.
Vortec heads bring additional HP/Toque very efficiently---and are probably worth the extra $$ cost. When you're pusing the Blazers around, it's kind of like driving a big brick----heavy, lots of wind resistance, not the best handling-. So think about where and why you will be driving it, what are you wanting it to do??? If towing is common---definitely look for torque---looks and sound=any SBC will do----outright performance on and off the road==go for the most HP/torque you can buy! Hope this helps~~~Huck

[wingman]

Remember also that summit does price matching so what I did was find the cheapest price for the motor (it ended up being one of the larger chevy dealerships i think pace performance) and when I ordered I told the summit guy that I found it cheaper and gave them the internet website, they looked it up and beat it by a dollar. That saved me a coupe hundred bucks right there.

[aztxk5]

Hat Guy,
In our area Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet is probably the cheapest for Gm type crate motors or check Scoggins Dickey out of Lubbock. SD also has a web site just type them in on your search. That's my 2 cents worth.
Al

[HatGuy]

I want to thank every one that replied to my post.
You Guys are a belessing. I've learned so much on
this board. Looks like the 330 hp delux is the way to go.

Now the next question is howabout thatBowTieOverdrive?
http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...SUBCAT&CATID=B
But thats anouther post stay tuned.
Thanks again
Joe

[earl87gta]

DIESEL thats what im doing 6.5 turbo. Pulling a 383 with abought 2000 miles on rebuild and swapping in the 6.5.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I have the 290 horse crate motor in my blazer and I love it ...