I have an '87 GTA with 144k on her. I have been reading older posts about this issue, so please don't blast me fellas. I am trying to get this project off the ground so I can be rolling by the spring. My question: will a Gm crate motor be the same as my factory L98. Will the performance be the same and will it fit without making any mods. I read in a older post that it will actually be eaiser to rebuild than trying to make mods on another motor. Also if i decide to rebuild what should I do to get the most out of the motor. I don't want to cut corners and go cheap,but I don't want to sink my life savings in it. What is an average price for a rebuild? I know a crate will cost arund $3500.Also I want to do the tranny. What do you suggest on that? Keep in mind this will be a daily driver but want to kick butt on all of the local Rustangs!!!

 

Come guys help me out

 

$3,500 for a 350 crate motor is to much unless it was with forged parts, blue printed and built for speed. Pro's about crate motors is you have the warranty. Cons about crate motor, warranty is good if motor is installed by an approved mechanic. (some companies not all)
Rebuilding your motor, Pro's You know what the parts going into your motor and built the way you want it, Con's no warranty unless the shop who rebuilds it for you will give you one.

 

Okay, okay, point the fire extinquisher at your hair already...

I assume you don't need to be driving this every day - that helps. If you did, I'd say go crate.

Let's assume you do your L98. There's really nothing basically wrong with it, so that's not a bad idea. Pull it, disassemble it, take the block to the machine shop and get the cylinders cleaned up (which really assumes they need it) with a .030" over-bore. Same for the crank, get it turned or polished, whichever it needs. Getting the big ends of the rods resized is a relatively inexpensive insurance policy. Have them tank the block and replace the cam bearings & core plugs while they're at it. When it's been determined exactly what the cylinders need, the rebuild kit, which will have flat-top forged or hypereutectic pistons in it, can be ordered.

By this time, you have collected the following: New roller cam (why not a nice ZZ9 or something similar from Crane or Comp?), World Sportsman II 64cc chamber 2.02/1.60 valve heads, 1.6 full roller steel rockers from Comp Cams, shorter higher flow runners, AFPR, and the incidentals to put it all together (oil pump, gaskets, belts, hoses, etc.).

Of course your exhaust is already up to snuff (headers, y-pipe, high-flow cat & cat back), or you'll get it that way while your at this. And, you'll want a higher stalling torque converter to help that cam get into its powerband where it can do some good.

Or, you can get some kind of a crate engine that someone's decided what's right for you (whether it is or not). Spend the same kind of money with most likely inferior parts somewhere along the way, or some things you'll want to improve eventually.

One advantage of getting a crate engine is you can have it all assembled and ready to install as soon as your L98 is pulled. It'll most likely have a warranty as well.

All of this probably means some PROM burning will be in order.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4, 2300 stall TC. Ported World 305 heads, Crane PowerMax 2050 cam. ZZ3/4 intake, oil pump, pan & baffle. Accel HEI SuperCoil & module. Hooker 2055 headers, 3" Catco cat & 3" catback w/dual-opposite Flowmaster 80. 2.93 limited slip. Spohn SFCs waiting to be installed. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily year-round driver. Best ET, speed TBD...
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7:1 forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Holley 750VS w/4150 conversion, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 700 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

I have been told that around here, the standard rebuild like what five7kid said will cost around $500-600. I will be doing a very similar buildup to what he said. I just got the block, and now i am in the process of finding a shop.

 

I bought a crate motor from GoAutocenter.com.
Been real happy with it,as this car's a daily driver.They sell a replacement TPI Long Block for $1855,with Crane Compucams for TPI or TBI
,all new gm parts,PM Rods,Hydraulic Roller Lifters,etc.Ended up being about $2200 including shipping to California (from Texas).
Rebuilding your own or having a pro build one with top-notch aftermarket parts is great if you have the time and/or money to do it that way.I'm building the big block for my other project car myself, but this will not be a daily driver.
Crate motor was perfect for my needs in my thirdgen.Didn't need tons of power,just reliability.Still 300 horses is a lot more than the 170 HP 305 it replaced,and it's still a very reliable driver.
-Rich-

 

Thanks for the input gyus. Think I might go with a crate. I went to www.goautocenter.com
and decided to go with the 350/330 engine. My only question is this motor compatible with my computer. I was told unless it has hydraulic roller rockers that the computer won't know what to do. Set me straight.

 

Do you know what "Vortec" means?

Say "expensive special intake base".

"EGR valve exhaust gas supply fabrication".

"Press-in rocker studs".

"Truck heads".

Okay, I'll admit my bias. I'd strongly suggest trying again. The 300 horse TPI engine uses the same shortblock & cam, different heads (okay, still press-in studs). Perhaps a better choice would be to get that shortblock & cam, put S/R Torquers 67cc heads on it. You'd get the Vortec or better flow out of them, screw-in studs, better over-all castings.