Thoughts on 434 sbc for 99 suburban

[Moofus02]

My 99 k1500 suburban has had a week motor for 160k miles. Guess its time for a replacement. If I had a K2500 bbc powered parts truck I'd swap a 454/4l80 into it. Unfortunatly I don't. A sbc is a easy swap and a 383 seams like a good choice. Looking at options I see I can get a short block kit with a dart block for a 434 for about 5k from skipwhite on ebay, that and a set of his heads with a mild cam should make a nice driver. I think with an upgraded spider and ported intake I could have a nice high torque driver. I don't need a high rpm screamer just something that pulls hard without effort. I plan on swaping to a newer computer and running E85. Looking for opinions on my stupidity lol. How much compression and how much cam should i be looking at? I'm turning 2400-2600 at my normal highway travel speed. i want big torque from idle on up

 

[GoToGuy]

E85 ? Nope, it attacks hoses, not as efficient as regular fuel.
Converting food products into fuel is insanity on a new level.

 

[RDF1]

For power it's hard to beat E85 but your going to want more compression to take advantage of it.



I've done some 12.5-13CR LS engines on E85 and it's impressive at the difference it makes on the dyno.

But your going to use more fuel.

 

[Moofus02]

I want 400 ft/lb torque from off idle on up. I'm sure I could do that with a 383 and probably with a 350. I'm going to 0411 our p59 swap the computer. Figured a set of skip white ebay heads. I could rebuild a 350 cheep but don't have a set of flat top pistons. I'll have to look over got a marine motor with a cracked block of its got flat tops of swap the rotating assembly into a good block and mill a set of those heads to bump compression. I put 60k miles a year plus on this truck and want a stronger motor than stock. I know a sbc won't be as strong as the 8.1L suburban I drive but a strong torque curve will make it a much nicer driver and help mileage

 

[618 Syndicate]

If low end grunt is what you want, why not start with a big block? I know you don't have a 454/80 parts truck but you also don't have a 383/434, and a stock 60 isn't gonna live long behind the power you're planning anyway.

 

[Erik the Awful]

I can get a short block kit with a dart block for a 434 for about 5k

For $5200 you can get a brand new Blueprint 383 long block putting out 440+ lb/ft of torque.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

E85 ? Nope, it attacks hoses, not as efficient as regular fuel.
Converting food products into fuel is insanity on a new level.

WRONG on all accounts...Everything on a 99 is Ethanol safe, vortec engines have nylon fuel lines. E85 is also great at making torque. It is poor mans race fuel. The 383 in my Express van is cheaper to run on E85 than 93 octane pump gas and allows the high compression 383 to make close to 50 ft/lbs more torque.

 

[Moofus02]

How much compression can you run on a sbc with aluminum heads on e85 and what's the limit on 93

 

[L31MaxExpress]

How much compression can you run on a sbc with aluminum heads on e85 and what's the limit on 93

I ran 11:1 to one on both. ~230 psi of cranking compression. On 93 the timing does have to be reduced a bit especially at lower rpm and higher loading.

 

[Moofus02]

If low end grunt is what you want, why not start with a big block? I know you don't have a 454/80 parts truck but you also don't have a 383/434, and a stock 60 isn't gonna live long behind the power you're planning anyway.

When I get back in town I'm going to look for a donar truck. Bbc/4l80 would be great. I think the sbc would be better on fuel. I've got a donar 7.4L/nv4500 parts truck but that's going in a 95z71 extended cab short box. I've been working out of town for about 5 months. I need to get home and start wrenching on stuff