Okay, I took your advice so far now I need more if ya don't mind...

[Daniel Brown]

So, I have been talked out of buying the LT1 for my 1996 Chevy truck. I am glad I was after reading your threads. Now I am considering going with a reman long block 350. Since I live in NC I have to stay with a 1996-1999 engine for emissions laws here. So, with that said, If I go ahead with the long block 350, what would be a good cam to have installed? I have to use the spider injection senerio , that could be modified I hope, to get a few extra HP out of the L31 ? I already have a set of BBK shorty headers and a 3" Magnaflow exhaust to finish the exhaust up. Another question is, I have 3.42 gears in the rear end I believe, should I change those out as well?

Again many thanks for your advice,
Dan

 

[skylark]

A common cam for that is the "395" marine/ramjet cam. It will work with the poppets but the mpfi spider is better.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

F/Y-car LT1 cam or 1996 LT4 cam work well in a L31.

I had a 1996 LT4 cam and 1.6:1 roller rockers in a GM Goodwrench crate engine in my Express van with shorty headers and a S10 torque converter. With PCM tuning it ran very strong.

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My brothers 1999 Suburban had a 95 LT1 F-car cam, 1.6 rockers, long tube headers, dual 2.25" exhaust, Volant CAI, PCM tuning and a S10 converter.

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That being said I would use the 357 HP SPO 350 cam in something I was using as a toy.

 

[884x4310ci]

If your getting a reman block take a look at the 383 block.should not cost much more then the 350 block.

 

[94burbk1500]

If your getting a reman block take a look at the 383 block.should not cost much more then the 350 block.

I'm not following you, the difference between a 350 and 383 is a longer stroke, the block remains the same.

 

[454cid]

I'm not following you, the difference between a 350 and 383 is a longer stroke, the block remains the same.

Isn't there some machine work that's done to fit the 400 crank?

 

[94burbk1500]

Isn't there some machine work that's done to fit the 400 crank?

That i couldn't say for sure, but I do know that the bore is the same for a 350 or 383.

 

[Jared Jackson]

If your getting a reman block take a look at the 383 block.should not cost much more then the 350 block.

I assume you just used confusing terms and you meant for him to check out a 383 crate engine?

Something like this:

https://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Pe...MIvpq0t62Q3gIV3LjACh0IegEaEAQYASABEgLzzfD_BwE

Edit: ok, now I want that...

 

[454cid]

That i couldn't say for sure, but I do know that the bore is the same for a 350 or 383.

Actually, if you run through the bore and stroke math, it's not a stock bore... that's only 377cid. 383 is more like .015 over, but I was thinking that there had to be some clearancing done for the rods, and the mains machined larger.

EDIT: it's .030 over.... I was adding the overbore to the radius, instead of half the overbore to the radius.

 

[Schurkey]

I am considering going with a reman long block 350. Since I live in NC I have to stay with a 1996-1999 engine for emissions laws here. So, with that said, If I go ahead with the long block 350, what would be a good cam to have installed? I have to use the spider injection senerio , that could be modified I hope, to get a few extra HP out of the L31 ? I already have a set of BBK shorty headers and a 3" Magnaflow exhaust to finish the exhaust up.

WHO is performing the "reman"?

Production-line rebuilt engines typically have horrible pistons that have been "destroked", an industry term for "low compression height". They use the cheapest parts available in order to maximize profits while keeping the retail price low.

Better check into the warranty-claim procedure. They may not pay to R & R the defective engine, and I'd want to know who pays the shipping back to the company for repairs. If there are minor repairs done "in the field", how do they pay for that?

If you have to deal with emission inspections, I'm not sure how you figure you're going to get away with hot-rod parts, unless you've got EPA exemption stickers for them.

Do you have the option of building your own engine? Ever since feedback fuel injection and overdrive transmissions became standard, bore wear has been dramatically reduced. I'm putting together an L31 short-block right now--I don't know the history of the core engine, but the main bearings looked so good I'm re-using them. New rod and cam bearings, new gaskets, seals and plugs. I'm re-using the pistons, oil pump, cam, lifters (took the lifters apart for cleaning one at a time) and timing chain. Having a usable timing chain really surprised me. The engine is in such good shape that "rings, bearings, and gaskets" is all the short-block needed. Well, OK, I had to bore one cylinder and buy one piston due to rust pitting from improper storage, and I had the block decks cut for reduced piston-to-deck surface (quench) distance.

I set up the original cam and timing set, and put a degree wheel on the crank. The cam timing events at .050 lift match the specs I found on-line within a degree. Didn't even need an offset key or multi-position crank gear.

Pick a good core engine, it's possible you could "ring & bearing" the short-block without machine work.