Where did you buy your GM Crate V8?

[Boyd67]

A little above your $$ amount. $2600 longblock 310hp/360tq.

http://www.blueprintengines.com/inde...ase-bp35511ct1

[sleepertruck72]

I purchased the 350 H.O Crate ..I shopped around online for the cheapest price I could find. I printed the page with the price, then went to the local GM Dealer parts department and asked about price matching it. They matched it, it was delivered to them within a few days, and they loaded it into my truck.

[MotoPhotog]

Originally Posted by ptc

You guys crack me up talking about engines that are 'dogs' and other 'crate' engines "throwing you back" by a 290hp mouse motor that kids used to build in auto shop 3 decades ago and now whole motor plants cant get them right in the factory???? Really thats a sad state of affairs.....

It sounds like you (OP) are not really impressed by large HP numbers and that is good because the under $2000 long blocks dont offer too much of that. and they certainly dont offer anything really considered to be REAL PERFORMANCE from a GM built Mexican Crate engine....

The first order of business in motor building is what are you gonna do with it? You want to do burnouts in front of a high school? well you dont need a 3000hp Donovan Hemi for that.... just change out the ring and pinion to about a 5.43 ratio behind a 4-banger and you'll be leaving your rubber everywhere..... Thats all about TORQUE....

You're pretty fired up.

I'm pretty sure, if you read, you'd see I stated literally what I'd be using it for, and at what typical speeds.

I also said I had a fully built 427 Chevelle that was a true shaker. It got MAYBE 4mpg. No. Thanks. Never wanted to drive it.

I'm also at a point in my life where dependability/reliability overrides the need for burnouts and 4mpg.

Plan is for the crate, swap over some items from my current engine, and enjoy it!

[MotoPhotog]

Originally Posted by Boyd67

A little above your $$ amount. $2600 longblock 310hp/360tq.

http://www.blueprintengines.com/inde...ase-bp35511ct1

Damn that does look nice. Good internals, higher compression.

Originally Posted by sleepertruck72

I purchased the 350 H.O Crate ..I shopped around online for the cheapest price I could find. I printed the page with the price, then went to the local GM Dealer parts department and asked about price matching it. They matched it, it was delivered to them within a few days, and they loaded it into my truck.

Good stuff!!

[MotoPhotog]

Originally Posted by Boyd67

A little above your $$ amount. $2600 longblock 310hp/360tq.

http://www.blueprintengines.com/inde...ase-bp35511ct1

So I look further. Same engine with vortec heads BUT it also comes with an intake manifold already........

$500 more. 25% more hp. DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DECISIONS.

[Nitis]

I say you go one of two ways

1 budget wait for the jegs sale at $1299

2 call west coast and give them your specs probably get you out about $2000

[drewbert41]

Originally Posted by sleepertruck72

I purchased the 350 H.O Crate ..I shopped around online for the cheapest price I could find. I printed the page with the price, then went to the local GM Dealer parts department and asked about price matching it. They matched it, it was delivered to them within a few days, and they loaded it into my truck.

Do you happen to remember what the dealer charged for labor? Having the warranty would be nice if you never wanted to modify it or anything. I hear that sometimes smaller shops will take your old engine as part of labor cost but you would not get a warranty with them. Only certified GM dealer shops right?

[mikecaddy500]

Find a 500 Caddy,or GM big block of your preference put in a cam and edelbrock intake and you can pull anything you like and get 17mpg.

[Boyd67]

Originally Posted by Boyd67

A little above your $$ amount. $2600 longblock 310hp/360tq.

http://www.blueprintengines.com/inde...ase-bp35511ct1

Originally Posted by MotoPhotog

So I look further. Same engine with vortec heads BUT it also comes with an intake manifold already........

$500 more. 25% more hp. DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DECISIONS.

They are supposed to be pretty good motors. And a pretty good company

[Coach]

Back in October 2014, I purchased the 350/290hp with the chrome dress up kit through F.H Dailey Chevrolet in San Leandro, Ca. (parts manager gave me a great deal, due to the fact that I had just bought the truck a week earlier and had only driven it 125 miles before the valves were burned up, but that's a story for another day). I got all the parts recommended by Chevy (Chevy aluminum intake, Chevy HEI distributor, Chevy bow-tie wires and Holley 670 Street Avenger carb). I had the engine professionally installed (warranty is 24 months/50,000 miles as long as it is installed by a GM dealership or licensed repair facility). The truck ran great at the top end, but lagged at the bottom end, especially shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. What everyone is a saying is correct, the cam (though it sounds great) is too big for the low compression engine (8.0 to 1). I changed out the cam and lifters for a mild RV cam (MTC-1) and the truck is like night and day. Great low end torque, good top end, nice idle and quality shifts without losing power. Hope this helps.

[slikside]

Sub'd.

[Coley]

One thing about engine options that is worth considering in the 'locally built' vs the 'crate engine' choice is the made in the U.S.A angle.
This matters to some people.
The crate engines are mexican made for the better part...so that money doesn't hang around mostly and explains the wow/cost factor that everyone enjoys during the purchase which comes as a result of low cost labor.
If you contact and contract a local (quality) engine shop to build you a motor you are keeping money around locally and putting/keeping Americans at work.
You are going to have to pay more....that is a fact....but everyone defends that.....at least they defend it....when it come to their own employment but that's usually on a different day..lol.
Changing the behavior pattern of finding the cheapest (or 'most economical') off shore or out of country purchase option seems to be a going trend tho'.
One approach would be to find the crate engine you prefer and take the ad/info into a local (quality) engine builder and ask how close he could come to that pricing for that result. You might be surprised at how willing he would me to maybe work with you a little bit on it at least if the 'buy America' option/angle matters.
It never hurts to ask...and some good food for thought.
either way.
All Good
Coley

[Tomahawk30]

Originally Posted by Coach

Back in October 2014, I purchased the 350/290hp with the chrome dress up kit through F.H Dailey Chevrolet in San Leandro, Ca. (parts manager gave me a great deal, due to the fact that I had just bought the truck a week earlier and had only driven it 125 miles before the valves were burned up, but that's a story for another day). I got all the parts recommended by Chevy (Chevy aluminum intake, Chevy HEI distributor, Chevy bow-tie wires and Holley 670 Street Avenger carb). I had the engine professionally installed (warranty is 24 months/50,000 miles as long as it is installed by a GM dealership or licensed repair facility). The truck ran great at the top end, but lagged at the bottom end, especially shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. What everyone is a saying is correct, the cam (though it sounds great) is too big for the low compression engine (8.0 to 1). I changed out the cam and lifters for a mild RV cam (MTC-1) and the truck is like night and day. Great low end torque, good top end, nice idle and quality shifts without losing power. Hope this helps.

Do you recall what cam you used? I'm strongly considering either swapping my cam out like you did, or replacing the heads with something with smaller combustion chambers to get the compression up.

[Coach]

The cam and lifters were Melling MTC-1 from Summit Racing. I think it was about $120-125 total for both.

[Classic Bowties]

Originally Posted by Coley

One thing about engine options that is worth considering in the 'locally built' vs the 'crate engine' choice is the made in the U.S.A angle.
This matters to some people.
The crate engines are mexican made for the better part...so that money doesn't hang around mostly and explains the wow/cost factor that everyone enjoys during the purchase which comes as a result of low cost labor.
If you contact and contract a local (quality) engine shop to build you a motor you are keeping money around locally and putting/keeping Americans at work.
You are going to have to pay more....that is a fact....but everyone defends that.....at least they defend it....when it come to their own employment but that's usually on a different day..lol.
Changing the behavior pattern of finding the cheapest (or 'most economical') off shore or out of country purchase option seems to be a going trend tho'.
One approach would be to find the crate engine you prefer and take the ad/info into a local (quality) engine builder and ask how close he could come to that pricing for that result. You might be surprised at how willing he would me to maybe work with you a little bit on it at least if the 'buy America' option/angle matters.
It never hurts to ask...and some good food for thought.
either way.
All Good
Coley

Said well and helpful post in MotoPhotog's thread. Mel

Originally Posted by ptc

You guys crack me up talking about engines that are 'dogs' and other 'crate' engines "throwing you back" by a 290hp mouse motor that kids used to build in auto shop 3 decades ago and now whole motor plants cant get them right in the factory???? Really thats a sad state of affairs.....

It sounds like you (OP) are not really impressed by large HP numbers and that is good because the under $2000 long blocks dont offer too much of that. and they certainly dont offer anything really considered to be REAL PERFORMANCE from a GM built Mexican Crate engine....

The first order of business in motor building is what are you gonna do with it? You want to do burnouts in front of a high school? well you dont need a 3000hp Donovan Hemi for that.... just change out the ring and pinion to about a 5.43 ratio behind a 4-banger and you'll be leaving your rubber everywhere..... Thats all about TORQUE....

Torque my friend is what THROWS you back in your seat and not hp at all. You dont need much engine to have alot of torque if you have a granny first gear or very high rear end gear ratio. If you dont have that then you have to figure out where that torque range is going to be in your motor build.... that is decided upon by many parts, but your cam plays a large part of that and the heads do too....

Check out this build, note the components used and then reconsider your "crate engine build"....

This one, not so much... No one was needing/asking for information on how to do a burnout in front of the high school.

[Tomahawk30]

Originally Posted by Coach

The cam and lifters were Melling MTC-1 from Summit Racing. I think it was about $120-125 total for both.

Perfect, thanks!

[Boyd67]

Did you ever figure out what engine you are going with