Upcoming 95 K1500 350 Build

Matthew Kesler · Sep 26, 2020

I've decided to stay with fuel injection (I hate it but I'm learning modern tech lol) and with that in mind, I am planning a motor build for my truck.

My engine is a "stage 2" crate motor replacement that was put in about 8 years ago with an aftermarket MPFI system implemented into it. It's got more than stock power in the mid to upper range, but not enough on the lower end for daily driving as I want, plus I just want to rebuild it because it's fun and I enjoy have a fresh motor that lopes through town.

I've done tons of research and came up with a small, and possibly growing, parts list for right now. Here is that list.

Heads: SUM-162108 Aluminum head material, 62cc comb. chamber, 170cc intake runners/69cc exhaust runners, 2.020in. valve/1.60exh. valve, hardened valve seats. More info on summit.

Cam: Lunati 10120701LK Flat tappet Cam and lifters, 213in./219exh. @050 inch lift, 0.454in. lift/0.468exh. lift, LSA112. Advertised operating range 1000-5500.

Timing Chain: Melling 40400 double roller timing chain set.

Pushrods: COMP cams 7972-16 hi-tech chromoly pushrods, 7.800 in. length.

For now I'm sticking with my aftermarket MPFI system until any signs show that will make me go another route. Also when I pull the engine and disassembly it, I'll be able to determine whether the pistons/rods/crank etc. will be okay to reuse as well as the cylinder condition. Things I didn't mention in the parts list that are going to be a definite are simple stuff like all ARP bolts/fasteners as well as threadlocker/silicone pastes, bearings, seals and gaskets.

Let me know what y'all think!

PS: I may have forgot some things so i may come back and edit the post to add stuff or put it in comment section.

Schurkey · Sep 26, 2020

Any 5.7L engine that has solid low-rpm torque is probably NOT going to "Lope". If it "lopes", something in the tune isn't right.

I can't fathom the logic behind using a flat-tappet cam 'n' lifter set when OEM roller lifter hardware is thick on the ground at most Treasure Yards, and the block "should" accept the OEM roller-cam hardware with little or no modification.

I might have been better off to have used the Summit heads on my 5.7L build from a couple years ago. Instead, I used rebuilt Trick Flow Twisted Wedge heads that I already owned. That led to using a non-stock intake manifold, which led to a moderate amount of fabrication and invention, and many additional hours required to make it all fit and seal properly.

Pushrod length will be determined by your individual combination. Pushrods are the LAST parts ordered to complete a long-block, because so many things affect proper pushrod length--block and head planing, head gasket thickness, lifter pushrod-cup height, cam base circle, and the list goes on and on and on.

Are you using pushrod guideplates? If you use pushrod guideplates, you need hardened pushrods and NON-SELF-ALIGNING rocker arms. The stock rockers are self-aligning and CANNOT be used. If you use self-aligning rocker arms, you don't use the guideplates and you wouldn't have to have hardened pushrods, but the hardening won't hurt.

I have "almost" given up on RTV silicone sealer for use on engines. I put a bead of Permatex The Right Stuff (which may be polyurethane instead of silicone) across the China Walls under the intake manifolds instead of rubber seals; and four "dots" where the oil pan is formed to go across the timing cover in front and the main seal adapter in back. I don't think I used any RTV silicone at all on that engine; and not very much The Right Stuff. I like actual gaskets coated in any one of a dozen gasket sealers--Gasgacinch, High Tack, Copper Coat, etc.

Matthew Kesler · Sep 27, 2020

Schurkey said:
Any 5.7L engine that has solid low-rpm torque is probably NOT going to "Lope". If it "lopes", something in the tune isn't right.

I can't fathom the logic behind using a flat-tappet cam 'n' lifter set when OEM roller lifter hardware is thick on the ground at most Treasure Yards, and the block "should" accept the OEM roller-cam hardware with little or no modification.

I might have been better off to have used the Summit heads on my 5.7L build from a couple years ago. Instead, I used rebuilt Trick Flow Twisted Wedge heads that I already owned. That led to using a non-stock intake manifold, which led to a moderate amount of fabrication and invention, and many additional hours required to make it all fit and seal properly.

Pushrod length will be determined by your individual combination. Pushrods are the LAST parts ordered to complete a long-block, because so many things affect proper pushrod length--block and head planing, head gasket thickness, lifter pushrod-cup height, cam base circle, and the list goes on and on and on.

Are you using pushrod guideplates? If you use pushrod guideplates, you need hardened pushrods and NON-SELF-ALIGNING rocker arms. The stock rockers are self-aligning and CANNOT be used. If you use self-aligning rocker arms, you don't use the guideplates and you wouldn't have to have hardened pushrods, but the hardening won't hurt.

I have "almost" given up on RTV silicone sealer for use on engines. I put a bead of Permatex The Right Stuff (which may be polyurethane instead of silicone) across the China Walls under the intake manifolds instead of rubber seals; and four "dots" where the oil pan is formed to go across the timing cover in front and the main seal adapter in back. I don't think I used any RTV silicone at all on that engine; and not very much The Right Stuff. I like actual gaskets coated in any one of a dozen gasket sealers--Gasgacinch, High Tack, Copper Coat, etc.

Well I'm not sure if my motor is a roller or not, I just matched the cam to the heads and called it a day, but when disassembly happens, I will find out and will make adjustments from there.

The pushrod length should be just fine with this cam and heads, as long as its not over .480 or .500 lift then it's fine (I've used stock pushrods on bigger cams lol). Also I don't plan on going over 5000 RPMs and am buying a set of full roller aluminum 1.5 ratio rockers to go with it (that's the plan unless something changes) so the hardened push rods aren't necessary in my build.

Also to reply about the loping comment, I was just referring to cruising in a freshly built motor with some extra power lol but this cam has enough duration under a 112 LSA that even in the right tune it s h o u l d have a little bit of lope. A buddy of mine rebuilt his original TBI motor, kept the TBI heads no modifications, cam with .440 lift on int. and exh. with a similar duration and LSA, even though his is carbureted, it has quite a bit of lope idling at 700 rpms fully warmed up. Ehh, either way it'll sound good with a set of flows and some 3.5 inch tips hahaha afterall the power is reallllyyy what matters!!

Schurkey · Sep 27, 2020

Matthew Kesler said:
The pushrod length should be just fine with this cam and heads, as long as its not over .480 or .500 lift then it's fine (I've used stock pushrods on bigger cams lol).

Likely. No way to know until you measure for proper length.

"Cam and heads" are two variables out of a dozen.

Matthew Kesler said:
I don't plan on going over 5000 RPMs and am buying a set of full roller aluminum 1.5 ratio rockers to go with it (that's the plan unless something changes) so the hardened push rods aren't necessary in my build.

If those rockers are self-aligning, you're right. Hardened pushrods won't be needed. If those are typical non-self-aligning rockers, you'll be using pushrod guideplates, and the hardened pushrods are ESSENTIAL. I'm fairly sure the Hi-Tech pushrods from Comp are hardened. May want to verify, though.

The issue is that guideplates will gouge and wear non-hardened (OEM and cheap aftermarket replacement) pushrods.

When it was me, I used 1.6 ratio roller rockers; but with a more-mild cam (stock '96-up Vortec 5.7L).

EastOfGratiot · Sep 30, 2020

Fun project! I just installed a BluePrint crate engine - BP 3501 (vortec heads, roller cam that's a bit more aggressive than what you are spec-ing, low 9.1:1 compression pistons for 87 octane. I'm running a carburetor. It has decent low end torque and a lot of top end power (dynoed 396 HP w/ headers). My truck is super heavy ('94 K2500 Suburban) but I like the power combo. It would be easy to replicate.

Matthew Kesler · Sep 30, 2020

EastOfGratiot said:
Fun project! I just installed a BluePrint crate engine - BP 3501 (vortec heads, roller cam that's a bit more aggressive than what you are spec-ing, low 9.1:1 compression pistons for 87 octane. I'm running a carburetor. It has decent low end torque and a lot of top end power (dynoed 396 HP w/ headers). My truck is super heavy ('94 K2500 Suburban) but I like the power combo. It would be easy to replicate.

Yeah they are fun projects definitely, I've had 2 in the past, I plan to start some time in October, and will keep updating.

Upcoming 95 K1500 350 Build

Matthew Kesler

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Matthew Kesler

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