slow91camaro

Has anyone ordered a motor from autocenter? I'm considering ordering their tpi motor with the tfs head option and wondering if anyone has anything good or bad to say about their experience with autocenter or their crate motors?

RICH92RS350

I bought the 300hp 350 crate motor from Autocenter in August of 2001. Shipping to Northern CA was over $300.
http://www.goautocenter.com/300hp_tpi_1987-89.htm
Very happy with it. Currently has over 25k on it in my 92 RS daily driver. Ordered it with the tbi cam (Crane Compucam 2030)
It's been totally reliable and makes gobs of torque.
It's in front of a Tremec TKO and 3.73 gears, so it gets plenty of exercise.
-Rich-

chevyguy1969

iTrader: (7)

That is good ot hear Rich. I am thinking of buying their 300HP TPI long block as well. My IROC is my everyday driver and I would never need more than 300HP in Austin traffic.

slow91camaro

Thanks for the feedback Rich. I'm sending the money out tomorrow. It sounds like its been a good motor for you and I hope it works out as well for me. Just out of curiousity, how long did you have to wait to receive the motor after you ordered it? They told me it would probably take 2-3 weeks before they'd ship it. Now that I'm ready to buy; I'm already getting anxious. Thanks again. -Slow91-

RICH92RS350

It was less than two weeks after they received the check.
Probably about two weeks from when I mailed it.
-Rich-

slow91camaro

Sounds good. Thanks again.

Irocster

Sorry, look below......

Irocster

Hey guys, I don't know if you are all still alive because this is old, but I need help with the motor you are all talking about. First off, I have an '89 Camaro IROC-Z 350 TPI too. I need a new motor soon. This engine looks pretty cool for a daily driven car...no need for the ZZ4. BTW, I live in CA, so smog legality IS an issue. Will this engine pass the visual? Now that I got the most important question out of the way.....Does this company build this engine, or is this a genuine GM crate engine? I also noticed that the warranty isn't as good on this one as some of the others. If this is a GM, what is the part # on it? Does it have the same L98 heads that I have now? I do think the cam is larger though. Is this thing making more power (300) over the stock L98 just from the bigger cam? Oh, and will all my original pulleys and stuff bolt right on? Thanks for the help, sorry for all the questions. Later.

RICH92RS350

Mine was ordered with the tbi cam (which is a Crane Compucam 2030 HR) , though it's the same motor other than that. It's got over 40,000 miles on it now.
Mine passes smog in CA as a 305, though they could hassle me for the adjustable fuel pressure regulator if they wanted.
I had no trouble with the visual (with the stock air cleaner on)
Everything from the original 92 motor bolted right up.
You're gonna want a custom chip for it to run at it's best.
The motor's a 93 Caprice short block replacement with the better heads and cam.
Mine replaced a 170 hp 305, so it's been a huge improvement.
-Rich-

Irocster

OK, cool, I see how the cam is better but how are the heads? Aren't they the same as the stock L98 heads? Do these guys know what they are doing when they put the cam in? I mean I've never heared of them. Do they also install better springs for the bigger cam? I also wonder why the warranty is shorter.

Irocster

Basically, how is the engine offered at autocenter different than the caprice engine that scoggin-dickey offers? The one at scoggin-dickey is $1,512, while this one is $2,000. Oh, and I wonder why the guy at the GM dealer gave me the part #: 12465201? He said it the the stock replacement L98, but I can't find that part # anywhere on the net. Man, this crap can get confusing...thanks.

Irocster

Why are you guys running it with the tbi cam? Why not use the larger crane 2032? I'm slowly learning all this.

slow91camaro

The part number sdpc2000 uses for the l-98 shortblock is #12510737. Before I decided on the autocenter crate motor I took that number to my local GM dealer and found that they had a different part #. Either sdpc or my dealer are still using the old part # (I don't remember which)but it is the same part.

I am using the 2032 cam, but I went with the Trickflow head option and they came with a C.A.R.B. sticker, as does the cam so even with the iron heads you should be smog legal.

Irocster

So are you saying the 350 TPI engine that autocenter offers is basically the same thing as the GM L98 shortblock? I thought it was an L05? I am kind of turning away from this motor since I've heared the L98 heads (which I have now) are far better that the L05's. Uless they can put on the world sportsmans on it for cheap.....

slow91camaro

Sorry, I think I misunderstood what you were saying. You mentioned that you couldn't find any info on the part # you were given for the l-98 shortblock by a GM dealer and I was saying that might be because the part number you were given is either the old part # (and no one uses it anymore) or the new one(and a lot of companies haven't updated their part numbers yet).

I'm not saying that the l05 is the same motor as the l-98, but with different part numbers (sorry if it sounded like that).

If autocenter is just using an L05 longblock, part of the price difference between them and Sdpc might be that they install the crane 2030 cam into the motor. When I received my motor I also received the crane cam card and a C.A.R.B. sticker (which is why I was saying it should pass smog).

You also mentioned that sdpc gives a better warranty, I believe with a GM crate motor you get a 3 yr warranty, but only if the motor goes into the car it was intended for, such as an L05 into a caprice. Since your putting it into a camaro they would drop the warranty down to one year. At least that's the impression I got when I was researching motors.

The best thing to do is to e-mail or call autocenter and sdpc and ask them questions to get all the facts straight. I e-mailed autocenter a number of times before I ordered and always received quick responces.

Sorry this was so long, but I hope it eliminates some of the confusion I may have caused.

91DropTopTA

I just got this motor in Friday and I have a cam card for a compucam 2032, so I guess this is the cam they put in it unless you want something different. I'm not sure about the heads, has anyone figured out exactly what is on this engine? It was the best deal I found that didn't have vortec, buy another intake base, heads. It also comes with a balancer and looks like a good motor. I'll let you guys know how I like it when it's running.

91DropTopTA

Well, I got this thing finally in last week. I ended up using a tree as a motor lift, which actually worked out great. I'm having some issues with fine tuning it, but it runs great and sounds mean. I've got it dumping out of 2055 hooker headers and a y-pipe with no exhaust yet and it rattles the house when it's running. I have to say that I think this was a great motor for the price $1900.00. It came with gm goodwrench stickers in the paperwork so it's obviously built by gm before the cam goes in.

Just one thing if anyone is planning to get one of these. There are a few things that you will need. You are going to need a plug for the oilpan which is where an oil level warning sensor goes. You will also need a plug for the oil pressure sending unit near the rear of the intake manifold. It comes with a harmonic balancer, but you will need to reuse the old bolt or get a new one.
Other than that this thing has worked out great. I'm not driving it yet, but that's because of two bad front tires and the lack of exhaust. The test drive/break in runs I've made have impressed me even with the lack of tuning.

bubbareno

That great glad to to here it. I wonder how it would work with a tbi?

slow91camaro

Sorry 91DropTopTA, I should have mentioned those two things to you. I hope you had better luck coming up with that drain plug for the oil pan than I did. It took me nearly a week! No one carried any metric plugs bigger than an 18mm. I finally found a site on the net that sold metric plugs and also listed which size plugs different vehicles used and found that almost all suburus used that plug. I went down to one of the many auto parts stores that I had contacted while trying to find the plug who had said they had know idea where I could get a plug that size and they had a handful of them.

As for that other plug. . . I found that hole while I was priming the oil pump (big mess), how about you? I went with the aluminum head option so I didn't get any paperwork from G.M., did the paperwork mention that hole? That plug should have been in your other block-if you still had it.

Good to hear you got it going, good luck with it.

91B2L

This does sound like a good budget engine. If the engine gets the trick flow or edelbrock head upgrade, the hp rating should be around 330+. One question RICH92RS350, you chose the TBI cam, did it lower the hp alittle? I would like to know the specs on this engine. If the engine was dynoed using a bone stock TPI changing to aftermarket runners and intake should increase the hp rating even without getting the better heads.

RICH92RS350

I got it (the 300hp autocenter crate motor) with the tbi cam because I have tbi.
The biggest difference between the 2032 and the 2030 is the 117 degree lobe separation on the 2030, which makes for a strong vacuum signal, which keeps the computer happy.
Mine still made over 300 (317) hp with the tbi cam (flywheel hp).
-Rich-

91DropTopTA

I actually found out about the plug near the intake before hand, but the old one twisted off in the old block. GM uses the cheap ones anyway, so I hit the Home Depot and got a new one. Anything with the pipe threads can usually be found at a hardware store. I get any odd size bolts from a local place called Construction Bolts. They deal in large orders for industrial companies, but they sell individual pieces also for cheap. I actually got a bunch of bolts for the tpi intake for about 4 dollars. I got the large metric plug from them. I used a regular bolt and put some teflon sealant on it which worked great.

I'm going to have to pull my valve covers to fix a little leak I made when I had them off before. I'll try to get some numbers off the heads so we can figure out what is on this motor. I'll tell you one thing, I can barely keep my foot out of it. I get a boner everytime I crank it up. It still has a ypipe dumping into nothing and is loud.
Right now I'm having some tuning issues, but I have an autoxray scantool on the way and hopefully I can get this thing running right. I can't wait to get it broken in so I can take my "weak" 3rd gen TA vert out and smoke some local guys.

MilehighBird

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for all the info on that engine guys.I have been thinking about getting the caprice(l05) 350 to replace my tired lg4 for a long time.Do you guys (or anyone else) think that crane tbi cam would work well with my cc q-jet or should i just buy an unmodified Lo5 and install a more carburator friendly comp or crane cam myself? Thanks

seek007

it's been quite a while since you've guys have commented on this engine, it looks quite nice for the price/power ratio, my other choices were either the 350HO which will end up to be over 3grand. the caprice engine is cheap, but i'm seeking for more of a kick, this seems to have it, and fall in between the other 2.

was it a good bye? daily driver response? realiable? anyone run mobil 1 with it? sound good with headers and catback? does it produce the rated HP?

still a bit confused, this is a gm engine, with an upgraded cam i'd assume, what is the warranty that it came with?

thanks, anyone

RICH92RS350

Mine currently has over 45,000 miles on it since installing it a little over two years ago. Bought the car new in 92 and it's still my daily driver. Just passed CA smog for the second time since installing it (passes as the 305 it replaced).
It did a little better than the advertised 300 (317 flywheel).
I've run Mobil 1 in it since about 5000 miles.
It's essentially a Caprice short block with different heads and cam.
It Sounds great (people comment on it all the time)with SLP 1-5/8" Headers/Y-Pipe, 3" Catco Cat and 3" Flowmaster Cat-Back.
I believe the warranty was 12 mos or 24 mos for extra $.
Haven't had any problems with it at all.
-Rich-

91DropTopTA

I love this engine. Everyone always goes on and on about the gm engines in their catalog, but this one was the only one I could find with a roller cam, a better camshaft, brand new, regular heads not vortec, that made this kind of power, and at a great price. I wish you could hear mine. I've been running it with just a catalytic converter and no muffler and it sounds mean as hell. This thing has really showed me the shortcomings of my suspension. I put in poly motor mounts, but didn't want to mess with the trans mount at the time. About a month later, the old rubber trans mount had ripped in half. When you get on it you can really tell that a lot of the power is not reaching the ground but I have a convertible and get a lot of flex. This thing is fast now, but when I get the chassis built it will be a rocket.

seek007

i just want a warranty and i believe this is a better combination then the regular caprice motor. the 350 HO is real nice, but it'll cost damn near 4grand to complete that project, and thats just way over my budget, with this motor, hooker headers, and all new sensors, ect, for let's say near 3grand i think it'll be a better power/price ratio for my daily driver

to clear up some confusion, can you tell me what heads come on this motor? the caprice heads or something better?

i might just say screw the jasper engine, and pick one of these up next fall...

hey can either of you tell me exactly what parts you took from your old engine and put onto here, and exactly what parts you had to purchase and replace, i think this covers it for TPI:
22-24LB injectors, 350 knock sensor, Electronic spark control modual, 350 eprom chip (junk yard cheapest way), fuel pressure regulator? fuel pump stay the same? any other recommendations for additional parts to be replaced? would a new intake manifold help? etc...

91B2L

I looked at the 320hp aluminum head 350 with the 2pc. rear seal, 214/ 224, .442/.465 lift for $2295. This engine comes with the Corvette heads, some of the options are edelbrock heads for the same price and a 400hp version with a cam 234/244 .488/.510 and edelbrock heads for $2595 or add the trick flow heads for $100 more.I'm thinking with SLP runners,ported stock intake,52mm TB, headers, and a chip; I might squeeze 360hp out of the 400hp version. Any Ideas?

91DropTopTA

There are a few pieces that you will have to get. I would recommend getting your hands on some allen head intake bolts for the runners, and I used an arp manifold bolt set from summit. If you have a 91 or 92 car you don't need an ESC module because you don't have one. I ended up buying one before I knew that. I went to gm partsdirect and ordered a lot of stuff cheaper than the dealer could get it to me. I used a AUJP chip that you can get from gm for around $50.00. I would also get a set of good block plugs from summint. The upper oil pressure sender plug twisted off in my old block. It's really a lot of little things to finally get it to run. Check out some of the posts in the engine swap board about this engine to really get a wrap up for what you need. Later