I cant make up my mind. Need your opinion.

[x ReAcT x]

So im at the point where i will be putting a new V8 in the truck and i have reached a dilemma. Either carb or EFI. Kidding of course im going EFI but this is the real predicament: Ls swap or splurge and go for the crate RAMJET 350. One of the main things im hoping for with this swap is Fuel Efficiency. With the LS swap im going to need a variety of things: engine, harness, fuel, motor mounts and transmission adapter. I have a 6000 budget and i really would like to stay in that range. I can get the entire RAMJET 350 with a serpentine system for 6K. Brand New, Never opened, ready to go. So heres some info about the truck. 1986 K1500 with SM465 and 3.42 gears. I would love to swap the transmission and gears but I made the decision to spend money to rebuild the SM465 and put a 600 posi-trac unit in the back. So i cant swap gears or tranny out. So this is where im at.. Which is easier? which is better? LS 6.0L or 5.7L RAMJET 350??

[andrewmp6]

If it was me id go the lq4 throw the carb intake on it and get a msd ignition they make one for the coil packs http://www.msdignition.com/product.a...893&terms=6010 Its cheaper but your running a carb vs efi tho.

[Billett]

Why bother swapping a carb onto the lq4? It's one of the best candidates for a swap. Its cheap, easy to find, and you can swap out a ton of parts from engines like the lq9, l92, and even the ls2 and 3 depending on the part. It's what I plan to do once I get a bit more money...

For fuel efficiency in general the ls engine will definitely be better simply because of its newer more efficient design. However if you want the most fuel efficiency I'd consider getting one of the newer engines that has VVT or DoD. They probably won't handle as much power, but definitely better on gas.

[mopar346]

Not too up on this, but seems to me they should make a bellhousing that will connect the 465 to an LS without an adaptor. LS seems to be the power plant to have so why do it twice, if need be run the carb and MSD set up for now and collect the computer stuff for future mods.

[Jonboy]

I'd say LS swap as well. if you do some research, you will probably stay well under your goal od $6K.

[Billett]

Also, these are fairly expensive but since the SM465 is not the best tranny for gas saving you could try to find a gear vendors overdrive unit for it

[N2TRUX]

I would go with the LSx swap for your application. I love my Ramjet 350, but it has limited tuning abilities. With the LSx swap, the skies the limit. Since you don't want to change gears, the LS motor will allow you to build and tune more torque than the Ramjet has.

[beamn7]

Stay away from VVT or DOD (variable valve timing / displacement on demand) unless you want exploded lifters, flattened cam lobes and broken valve springs. Too many times I've seen the cam phaser on a VVT motor stick and wipe out a couple valves, etc and too many times I've seen lifters on DOD motors blow apart and worn cam lobes with low mileage..
I'd go with whichever you think you will be most happy with. LS motors are great and so are the 'ol smallblocks, just all depends on what you plan to do with it. The LS motor may be a better bet considering you have a 1 to 1 final drive and the LS reves a little higher, not that 3:42's rev all that high....
If it was me? 350 with a Quadrajet or TBI but that shows you were I come from....LOL

I think you've already made your mind up on the Ramjet. I would just see if you can get a better price. Shop around a bit, it can be had for less.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Those ls motors have a wonderfully torque band. Jeremy clarkson put a z06 vette in fith and rolled from a stop to 160mph. There is nothing wrong with a carb. Anybody that knows how to make a carb tune decent can make it do the same thing. Except idle when cold cause a computer does that for you. Hot rod mag did a test with an Lsx engine carb vs efi and the carb came out on top with more power which means efficiancy. Of coarse they tuned with a wide band o2 sensor
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[Billett]

I was actually just discussing the vvt, (DoD, AFM, whatever you want to call it), thing the other day with my uncle. He is a mechanic by trade, so not a total nobody, but he said that the majority of the cars that come in with vvt related problems are from the earlier models of the engines and that the second generation AFM's were set up much better electronically and he hasn't had any come in for those types of problems. I personally wouldn't buy one, simply because it really is just one more thing to go wrong, but I thought I'd play devil's advocate because I don't think they're all that bad anymore

[andrewmp6]

I forgot about the DoD isn't there a way to remove it from the engine or turn it off?The reason i said run a carb its easier and cheaper up front the down side to one is cold starts and a few less mpg.

[x ReAcT x]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I would go with the LSx swap for your application. I love my Ramjet 350, but it has limited tuning abilities. With the LSx swap, the skies the limit. Since you don't want to change gears, the LS motor will allow you to build and tune more torque than the Ramjet has.

Your RAMJET 350 setup is what made me consider it in the first place because it looked really clean and unique. Was it a pretty easy swap? Im just afraid the LS swap is going to get very ugly really quick. The fuel system is pretty much the same. But the tranny adapter is hard to find..

[x ReAcT x]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

Those ls motors have a wonderfully torque band. Jeremy clarkson put a z06 vette in fith and rolled from a stop to 160mph. There is nothing wrong with a carb. Anybody that knows how to make a carb tune decent can make it do the same thing. Except idle when cold cause a computer does that for you. Hot rod mag did a test with an Lsx engine carb vs efi and the carb came out on top with more power which means efficiancy. Of coarse they tuned with a wide band o2 sensor
Posted via Mobile Device

Your talking about Top Gear right? That was great episode. I would love to go with a carb but i dont know anybody that knows how to tune them that great.

[x ReAcT x]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

I'd say LS swap as well. if you do some research, you will probably stay well under your goal od $6K.

I didnt realize how cheap an LSx swap would be. Wiring harness from GMPP is $800. I can get the motor for $1000 from my friend (serpentine system included). The tanny adapter is probably $800 im assuming?? Get a holley fuel regulator and holley external fuel pump for $50 and $150 respectively. But what about the clutch and flywheel i cant find any info on them...

[spencer_41188]

Originally Posted by x ReAcT x

So im at the point where i will be putting a new V8 in the truck and i have reached a dilemma. Either carb or EFI. Kidding of course im going EFI but this is the real predicament: Ls swap or splurge and go for the crate RAMJET 350. One of the main things im hoping for with this swap is Fuel Efficiency. With the LS swap im going to need a variety of things: engine, harness, fuel, motor mounts and transmission adapter. I have a 6000 budget and i really would like to stay in that range. I can get the entire RAMJET 350 with a serpentine system for 6K. Brand New, Never opened, ready to go. So heres some info about the truck. 1986 K1500 with SM465 and 3.42 gears. I would love to swap the transmission and gears but I made the decision to spend money to rebuild the SM465 and put a 600 posi-trac unit in the back. So i cant swap gears or tranny out. So this is where im at.. Which is easier? which is better? LS 6.0L or 5.7L RAMJET 350??

below is some of what i got in my truck but i also have msd ignition kit (dizzy wires and box), fast ez efi, and a scat rotating assy them 3 costed the most and got the block from a machine shop he machined it arp everything, got patriot performance freedom searies heads, stock cam ... boooooo 6:1 rockers yeahhhh 500hp for under 6000 and it gets 20mpg on the highway

[spencer_41188]

heres a little trick to save money when buying from jegs they have a price match garentee .... use it!!! find what you wont on jegs go to google shopping search manufacture and part number arrange list by price from low to hi. you could save a fue hundred.

i saved $300 on my fast ez efi doing this and didnt buy from jegs but got a good deal by looking saved $400 didnt pay a core on my transmission

with edelbrock in most cases you will get a better deal at an engine machine/building shop they get the sweet deals

[x ReAcT x]

Originally Posted by spencer_41188

below is some of what i got in my truck but i also have msd ignition kit (dizzy wires and box), fast ez efi, and a scat rotating assy them 3 costed the most and got the block from a machine shop he machined it arp everything, got patriot performance freedom searies heads, stock cam ... boooooo 6:1 rockers yeahhhh 500hp for under 6000 and it gets 20mpg on the highway

Please forgive my ignorance but the 383 stroker is originally a carb right?

[x ReAcT x]

Originally Posted by Billett

Also, these are fairly expensive but since the SM465 is not the best tranny for gas saving you could try to find a gear vendors overdrive unit for it

I definitely appreciate that, when I start buying my parts this will come in handy!

[mopar346]

Originally Posted by x ReAcT x

Please forgive my ignorance but the 383 stroker is originally a carb right?

383 is stoked build on a 350/5.7 engine (different crank and rods, requires block clearancing in most blocks), it could have started life as an old style small block that was carbed or as an LX that was injected (as in his case). 383s were around before production injection so yes kinda they were originally carbed.

Hope this helps.

[x ReAcT x]

Originally Posted by mopar346

383 is stoked build on a 350/5.7 engine (different crank and rods, requires block clearancing in most blocks), it could have started life as an old style small block that was carbed or as an LX that was injected (as in his case). 383s were around before production injection so yes kinda they were originally carbed.

Hope this helps.

Yea that definitely helps i dont know what i was thinking. For a second i was thinking they were saying it was an ls block. But from what i understand its based off of the regular 350 block, meaning i wouldnt have to get engine mount adapters like i would for a lsx swap

[x ReAcT x]

but technicially any type of block could be a 383 if you bore it to those dimensions.

[gramps77]

Originally Posted by spencer_41188

below is some of what i got in my truck but i also have msd ignition kit (dizzy wires and box), fast ez efi, and a scat rotating assy them 3 costed the most and got the block from a machine shop he machined it arp everything, got patriot performance freedom searies heads, stock cam ... boooooo 6:1 rockers yeahhhh 500hp for under 6000 and it gets 20mpg on the highway

Not trying to hijack, but how do you like that FAST EFI? I realize it wont get the same MPG or have the same power as an LS, but I'm considering this as an alternative as well for my 300hp 350 with 700r4

[spencer_41188]

Originally Posted by gramps77

Not trying to hijack, but how do you like that FAST EFI? I realize it wont get the same MPG or have the same power as an LS, but I'm considering this as an alternative as well for my 300hp 350 with 700r4

really boosted the mpg's alot then again i changed the gears to 3.73 i put a nv4500 at the same time i put the ez efi on and i a little more power so the engine dont work as hard

a little the truck came with tbi and when i put the 383 in i took all that out and ran carb for a wile dual quads to be exzact lol got them dialed in and got bord with it so i set out to find 1000 cfm

1 stock tbi only flows 500 cfm and fast flows 1000cfm enough to suport 600hp ... more power
2 i dont have to adjust anything anymore and i dont have to worry about trips threw the moutains
3dont have to let it worm up just turn the key and go, dont have to worry about mpg's going to crap over a dirty filter

the only bad thing is this has nothing to do with timeing so you may get knocking witch means you got to change the weights, springs, or adgust vacume on your dizzy

other then that its sweet