Where did you buy your GM Crate V8?

[drewbert41]

The fact he has a manual transmission probably has something to do with it. Still, plenty for me and for what MotoPhotog is looking for.

[Tomahawk30]

Figured I'd add my $.02 on the 290hp 350. My father in law installed one in my 72 K10 before I bought it back last fall. After bringing it home, I installed a new QuickFuel 670cfm (the recommended carb is a 670cfm Holley per the GM spec doc) and replaced the old cast iron intake with an Edelbrock Performer. So far, I'm pretty discouraged with it. After doing a LOT of reading online on several forums, the general consensus is that the compression just isn't where it should be for the cam they installed to upgrade it from the 260hp, primarily because these heads have the great big 76cc combustion chambers. Like has been mentioned, it would probably be fine on a lighter vehicle. My experience has been that on top of the low end lack of power, it makes pretty low vacuum, which seems to trigger a whole range of daily driver issues. The specs on the engine (link below) even state that normal vacuum at idle is only 10-12" Hg, and I've struggled to get that consistently. In fact I just got a vacuum reserve canister in the mail from Jegs today so that my brakes are more reliable while puttering around town.

All that said, if it was me, I think I'd go the 260hp route and put the difference toward higher compression heads and a cam. Keep in mind that I'm certainly no mechanic, and mostly self taught through a lot of reading, troubleshooting, and trial and error. I'm sure someone with more mechanical savvy could coax more out of it than I've been able to, but I feel pretty good about saying it isn't the ideal drop in and drive engine for a heavy truck. I miss my stage 2 Jasper 383 stroker engine from my K20!



http://www.chevrolet.com/performance...50-290-hp.html

http://www.chevrolet.com/content/dam...e-12499529.pdf

[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 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!!

[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?

[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

[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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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

[Boyd67]

Did you ever figure out what engine you are going with