AFBCamaro

hey guys i bought a 3.75 stroker crank for my 350 block and i have a few questions. Im building on a budget and unlike most im not looking for lots of horsepower but torque. I estimate around 350hp and 440lbs. thats what i want. anyways to my question. i have short rods that were fixed to like new conditions (with stock rod bolts). will these hold up. i will never spin past 5500rpms. if i have to 5000. the cam will be relatively mild for a 383 probably a 214 224 cam. 882 heads ported polished. i want her to run till 5000 with power but dont care if it falls after that. on the street thats all ill need.
anyways will they hold. Oh yeah and this cam will it need balancing. alot of companies put in print "WILL NEED BALANCING".
THANK YOU GUYS.

mtx28

Hmm, i dunno about the cam balancing part.. but if the rods are the right length, yes they will hold up fine. i forgot the rod length at the moment.. shesh! shame on me! i have a 383 and cant remember the rod length

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• 83 Z28-- not a pretty site to look at, 200k miles and im sure it was treated like a rental car every day of its sad life(before i got it).. sold, thank the lord
• 74 Z28-- 383/400, green on black. pretty clean. FOR SALE!!!

Grand Prix

5.565"

Those rods are fine, in fact better, for what you want to do. Plenty of factory cam clearance and a little better torque down low. Probably would be best if you added a descent set of rod bolts. The cam sounds a little weak. I would go something a tad bigger like Comp Cams XE262, 218 intake and 224 exhaust. The 33 inches and ported heads should match up well with the slightly bigger cam. Keep the intake porting mild, work more on exhaust, thats where the heads need the most work anyways.

The cam has nothing to do with balancing. Its all about the crank, rods, pistons, rings, and bearing weights. Your new combo would be best balanced. If its a new crank it won't have any balancing done already. Chances of throwing it all together and not shaking apart are poor, even at 5000rpm. Get a 400 flexplate and harmonic damper then drop it off at a machine shop for balancing.

ede

i'd seap the rod bolts for arp wave lock bolts, have the rods checked and resized if needed. having the flash removed and peened isn't a bad idea either. as for the balancing i'm sure it means the internal engine parts, crank and rods. i'd consider a differant set of heads too if it were me building the engine.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

jcb999

you want torque? use vortec heads. That's what they are designed 4. Cost you less complete than you will invest in the 882s and make more hp and torque.

[This message has been edited by jcb999 (edited June 22, 2001).]

RB83L69

I agree with jcb, ditch the 882s. They are crap and will keep the motor from ever reaching its true potential. His suggestion for Vortecs is also good, they're perfect for the goal you have in mind.

I'd also agree with Grand Prix's cam selection, it should give you so much torque in a 383 that you won't know what to do with it all. Keep in mind that a cam will seem milder in a 383 than thesame one would in a 350, so you need to go with a little more than you might be used to. That would be a perfect long-trip highway towing setup.

Stock rods are fine; I would not re-use old rod bolts. If the stock bolts you already have are new then they're OK, if not, you're asking for trouble; if they're used, replace them, don't put GM ones back though, get something better. Never heard of "balancing" a cam, can't imagine how that would be accomplished. You will need to get the crank, rods, balancer, & flywheel or flex plate balanced together for best results.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

AFBCamaro

What I mean to say was balancing the crank. it is a brank new unit. i dont know if new cast cranks(its a steel unit) come balanced as a factory one would(i know factory is a poor balancing) but that should do. What im pretty much asking is will it have ANY kind of balance at all. or will it throw everything and its mother all over the place if left non balanced.

The heads I have already are ported/polished by me(so it was close to free).and i have done it before so I dont like most, take off material like crazy but rather optimize for velocity.
I saw a build up pull 345hp and 450lbs with a 383 and STOCK 1.94 1.5 882s. mine are polished and ported. I really dont want to much hp i want to keep my tranny alive for a little while before i get a strong unit.

hehe my uncle has double hump heads, a crazy cam on a 350 and stock rod/bolts he spins it to 7000rpms all the time. I guess luck!

thank for your further replyies, you guys help me alot.

82camaro

If you are using the stock 350 rods, they are 5.7. They will hold up just fine to 6000 rpm. I agree with the bigger cam selection. Just remember the external balance and you should be OK on the balance thing. Torque is what kills driveline items(like the tranny). 450ft lbs will probably kill a questionable tranny. You will probably be OK with stock rod bolts, but it's a chance I wouldn't take. Get a holley 750 and stealth intake and you will be set.


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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, current red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro

Bort62

If you Really Want More Torque, Get 6.0" Rods.


More Dwell, Too




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60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver 14.82 @ 91.1
Reader's ride -> My Ride

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

MikeH

iTrader: (10)

I think you have a good combo there for what you are after. I had almost the same setup on a 406. With 993 heads, same cam duration. With a performer intake and a holley 650. It pulled to 5500 easy but hit a wall and wouldnt rev any higher. It was a torque monster lots of fun on the street.

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Black 90 IROC, L98, A4, 323 gear. SuperRamed 406 in the works!

[This message has been edited by MikeH (edited June 23, 2001).]