just trying to get an opinion on an engine swap

[MattyJ]

hi all, i have a 93 C1500 ecsb. the wheels in my head are turning and i am starting to think of what i want for an engine swap. I want to keep it simple and RELIABLE. i definitely want more power than the TBI, but at the same time, if i can, i want to keep the TBI setup just to keep things simple. My question is, Is 350-400 RELIABLE horsepower obtainable with a simple rebuild of the longblock?, or can i get a GMPP crate engine and put the TBI setup on it with a tune? like i said i want 350-400 hp. it seems with todays technology thats not an unfair thing to ask. I dunno... anybody done what i'm talking about? advise please?

 

[zraffz]

Vortec heads can attain 350-400 horses. The TBI swirl ports will not do that no matter how much porting you do.

 

[MattyJ]

like any vortech heads or the 906 L31 heads? and can i run my TBI with them?

 

[zraffz]

like any vortech heads or the 906 L31 heads? and can i run my TBI with them?

Any of the 5.7 casting vortec heads can attain descent power. They flow pretty comparable to the LT1 heads and their are guys doing cam/bolt ons in those things and achieving around 380 horses on stock heads (although they do have a higher compression and a less restrictive intake manifold). Yes they will bolt on as long as you switch your intake manifold to a vortec style TBI manifold.


Honestly you'd probably need to get a set of pistons to bump your compression and get that kind of power though. I'd imagine on 9:1 (about stock for the truck motors) you can still do 350ish horses.