03blazer's L31 383 Build Thread

[03blazer]

Hey guys,

I've got my build pretty well planned out. I just want to run it by some of you guys before I go ordering parts. I need some opinions on the setup. All I have right now is a 350 short block, stock L31 intake, and injector wiring from a 98 K1500. I'm ordering everything else new.

Ok here's my plan:

Block

• Bored .030" over
• Cleaned and checked for cracks
• New cam bearings installed

Rotating Assembly (SCAT)

• SCAT Cast steel crank
• SCAT 5140 forged I-beam rods w/ARP bolts
• +7.00cc Flat top pistons w/valve reliefs
• Plasmamoly Rings and Clevite 77 main and rod bearings

Camshaft (Specs @ .050" Lift)

• .488/.510" Lift at Valve
• 112* LSA and 15* valve overlap
• 234/244 Duration

Cylinder Heads (Stock Vortec Castings)

• Slight port and polish
• Bigger exhaust valves
• COMP Beehive springs
• Stainless Valves
• Machined for camshaft clearance
• ARP Head bolts/studs

Intake (Stock Vortec Intake)

• Ported and smoothed runners
• Port matched to heads
• Intake spacer (between aluminum and plastic)
• Upgraded injector spider (see thread in 4.3 section... a buddy done it and it works great for him)

Exhaust

• Long tube headers (If I can find some that fit a Blazer)
• True Duals w/X-pipe
• Magnaflow hi-flow converters
• Spintech Pro-Shootout mufflers dumped at rear axle (yes, I know they're loud)

Transmission (My stock 4L60E)

• Performance Rebuild
• Shift Kit
• Billet Servos
• 2800 Stall

Rear Axle (Stock 7.5)

• Axle tubes welded
• C-clip eliminators
• New axles (don't remember brand)
• Eaton posi
• New gears (3.42 or 3.73)

Suspension

• Calvert Racing split mono leafs
• Cal-trac bars
• Tubular control arms
• QA1 Coil-overs
• QA1 Adjustable rear shocks

Other mods to the truck will include:

• 4" Cowl Hood
• Dyno tune
• Lowered 5/6" with suspension mods
• Roll pan
• New wheels 15x10 rear and 15x4 front
• New tires (not sure on sizes yet)
• New trans crossmember (to allow for dual exhaust)

I'm on deployment now, so this is my planning phase of the build. I will be ordering parts while I'm gone so I can hit the ground running when I get home. I'm just wanting a pretty stout small block in my Blazer. I'm hoping I can get it into the 13s at least. I'm pretty sure a 383 should suffice.

Just FYI, I plugged the info on the stuff I want to do to the engine in Desktop Dyno. I used flow numbers for stock Vortec heads and plugged in a 10:1 compression ratio. With a dual plane intake and a 650 cfm carb, it made 407hp and 475lbs of torque. I know those are just estimates, but it gives me a ball park figure of what I'm looking at. With the upgraded injector spider, it should be able to support 400hp fairly easily.

Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks,

Derek

[03blazer]

Wow, no input at all?

[s10w 91]

sounds pretty good to me, ive got a 91 s10 with a tb1 in it pretty pitiful i know but at least i dont have a honda any more lol. im also looking to do a 383 and eventualle have in either blown or turbo'd. not sure yet. but yes, yours sounds pretty nasty

[03blazer]

Heh, thanks.

The TBI motors aren't THAT bad... I'd take an S10 over a Honda any day...

[95xtreme]

what computer do you plan to run? Also even though you can upgrade the stock spider, I personally would convert the truck over to a multiport vortec manifold. Yes they cost money but the tuning capabilities are much better and the intake can actually efficiently support the rest of the motor.

What lb injector can the stock poppet injector be modded to?

[03blazer]

Gonna have my stock computer re-programmed.

The stock poppet injector can be modded to 36lbs.

I'm trying to keep the engine bay stock appearing. With the exception of a cold air intake.

[03blazer]

Few pics of my truck and the 350 block. I didn't get any pics of the short block before I took it apart. It had 4 spun rod bearings. The mains were fine so no machining has to be done there. Engine is absolutely disgusting as you can see in the pics below. Gonna let the machine shop deal with it when I get home from deployment. Engine had been sitting in a truck out in a field with the heads and intake off of it and no hood on the truck. I had to use a hone to clean up the cylinder walls so I could get the pistons out. Had to beat them out with about 2' of a wooden broom handle and a dead blow hammer. It was a bitch to get apart. Cylinder walls cleaned up ok, but have some dark places.

[streetf1]

badass...should be a fun ride when done...keep the pics and us posted...and good luck overseas, and thanx for your serveces!

[95xtreme]

Quote: Originally Posted by 03blazer

Gonna have my stock computer re-programmed.

The stock poppet injector can be modded to 36lbs.

I'm trying to keep the engine bay stock appearing. With the exception of a cold air intake.

What do you mean by reprogrammed? Are you talking about a mail order tune or actually taking it somewhere to be tuned?

The other question I would have is even ported out will the stock intake flow enough for the demands of the engine? What size is the stock throttle body?

And I am not sure I would trust the stock style poppet valve to keep up let alone last awhile. But thats me.

[03blazer]

Gonna get it reflashed then dyno tuned. Stock intake will have to do until I can build a MPFI setup. A buddy is running the modified injector and it works perfectly. He's making almost 450hp with stock ported intake. I have an LS1 throttle body I think I'm gonna modify to use on my truck...

[03blazer]

Any other input on this? Want to make sure before I start ordering parts. I don't want to order the wrong stuff...

[DIRTRIDER56]

dude sounds like a sweet build i believe this thing is gonna be running faster than 13s as long as you hook ha the 383 makes alot of torque being stroked and all but id still go with the 3.73 gears. good lucky over seas man yall are in our prayers thanks.

[03blazer]

Well, it's gonna be spinning like a mo-fo coming off the line. I'm gonna have to run it on street tires until I can find a Ford 8.8 or something to swap in. After I get that done, then I'll bolt some slicks on it and give her hell.

[DIRTRIDER56]

ya stock tires are deff not gonna hook im still tryin to find out a good rear end where i can trough some fat tires on i dont want it lookin like a drag truck just some beef so i can hook it is my DD ha

[03blazer]

Heh, I'm going for a semi-Pro Street look for mine. I'm doing some skinny tires up front and some pretty wide ones out back. Full length headers, x-pipe, hi-flow converters, and Spintech Pro Shootout mufflers... gonna be loud as hell...

[DIRTRIDER56]

hahaha sounds bad man just one question what made ya pic the blazer for this project??? just curious

[03blazer]

Well, I had wanted a black 2 door 2wd 2nd gen Blazer since I was in high school. After I finished my training school after boot camp, I saw this one sitting at a used car lot with 44,200 miles on it. They wanted $8k for it, so I went to the bank and got the money.

[03blazer]

Is anyone using the Hooker Super Comp headers?

[01cherryreds10]

I'm with 95xtreme. I think you'd be much happier with single injectors over the spider.

[DIRTRIDER56]

damn thats one hell of a deal good gosh id never get that lucky ha

[03blazer]

Ehh, I'm gonna try the spider first. If I don't like it, I'll buy an Edelbrock intake and build a MPFI setup.

[95xtreme]

weiland also makes a nice setup I am helping install on my friends 383 blazer build.

[carter]

subscribed. nuff said

[03blazer]

Heh, the wife gave me the green light to start pricing and ordering what I can until tax time. So, I'll keep you guys updated on things as they're ordered.

I'm open to any suggestions for changing parts of the setup. I do realize that I could get better performance from building a MPFI setup. However, a friend of mine is making almost 450hp with the upgraded spider and the mods I listed for the intake. I'm gonna give that a try first, then if I'm not happy with it, I'll build a new setup.

[03blazer]

As far as the intake setup goes, if someone can show me a way I can build a MPFI setup for under/around $750 and keep my stock computer and all then I might consider it. I wouldn't mind cutting the injector plug off and setting it up with individual injectors. I just don't want to have use some crazy setup. I'd like it to remain SOMEWHAT stock appearing. If that doesn't work out, then I'll just go all out with dressing it up.

I found an 8.8 rear axle for my truck. I know the differential is offset to one side of the axle. Is there any harm in just bolting the axle in? I'm sure the driveshaft would be slightly angled to one side. If I can get away with bolting it in and getting some aftermarket wheels in the correct offset, I'll just do that. I'm gonna be running different width wheels front/back anyways, so it wouldn't hurt to have different lug patterns...

[carter]

I was looking on Edelbrocks site and they have an intake mani for the vortec heads that uses an external fuel rail and separate injectors, im currently considering it.

http://www.jegs.com/p/Edelbrock/Edel...45090/10002/-1

$415 U.S.

[carter]

also this is the fuel rail kit

http://www.jegs.com/i/Edelbrock/350/3627/10002/-1

im trying to find a part number for the injectors, doesnt seem like too bad of a deal, theres also a 90mm TB to go on the front of that intake manifold sold seperately.

[03blazer]

Yeah, I looked at that setup. Only thing is that it would add about another $1k to what I'll be spending on the truck. Just have to wait and see what I get back around tax time...

[turbinesurgeon]

Quote: Originally Posted by 03blazer

Yeah, I looked at that setup. Only thing is that it would add about another $1k to what I'll be spending on the truck. Just have to wait and see what I get back around tax time...

If you want MPFI and are on a budget, why not just get a TPI manifold. All you would need is the SDPP lower intake for your vortec heads, a fuel rail and injectors, then just re-pin the wiring for a stock vortec ecu. Alot of these parts are had for cheap on craig's list and ebay, and TPI will give you some killer torque.

I've scrounged parts for my build-up after my next deployment. I only have $800 in my TPI upper & lower, fuel rail, injectors, and ecu. All i'll have to do is wire it all up when I get that far.

[03blazer]

Quote: Originally Posted by turbinesurgeon

If you want MPFI and are on a budget, why not just get a TPI manifold. All you would need is the SDPP lower intake for your vortec heads, a fuel rail and injectors, then just re-pin the wiring for a stock vortec ecu. Alot of these parts are had for cheap on craig's list and ebay, and TPI will give you some killer torque.

I've scrounged parts for my build-up after my next deployment. I only have $800 in my TPI upper & lower, fuel rail, injectors, and ecu. All i'll have to do is wire it all up when I get that far.

Hmm, you got a link to that manifold? The only one I could find was the Edelbrock one. It's almost $500. I do like that idea though. Thanks.

Yeah, I know the TPI setups make some really good torque. I drove a Corvette that had a TPI in it... that car was retarded fast. It had some unbeleivable torque.

The TPI intake with the cam I'm looking at in a 383 should make some retarded torque. If my calculations on DesktopDyno are even somewhat close, this engine is gonna be nasty. Hoping somewhere between 400-430hp and 450-500tq... Shouldn't be too hard to hook with some slicks on it once I get the rear end done...

Oh, one more thing... will my stock accessories fit with a TPI setup?

[03blazer]

Here's my dyno graph from DesktopDyno. Just an estimate I know, but it would be sweet if my engine came close to this. 428hp and 499tq. I might change the cam up a little to move the power band farther out.... not sure yet...

[01cherryreds10]

Quote: Originally Posted by turbinesurgeon

If you want MPFI and are on a budget, why not just get a TPI manifold. All you would need is the SDPP lower intake for your vortec heads, a fuel rail and injectors, then just re-pin the wiring for a stock vortec ecu. Alot of these parts are had for cheap on craig's list and ebay, and TPI will give you some killer torque.

I've scrounged parts for my build-up after my next deployment. I only have $800 in my TPI upper & lower, fuel rail, injectors, and ecu. All i'll have to do is wire it all up when I get that far.

This^

GMPP has a kit to do this but it's about double of what he spent, but it's alot shinier and I bet they give you nice stickers. I'm about to do something like you're doing, converting older system into a newer more precise and easier to use system. Except I'm doing a serpentine swap onto a SBC with v-belts. Projects are so much more fun when you have part numbers!

Here's a link for you I just found. Pretty neat stuff. Maybe I'll add that to the growing list of over 20 mods to do to my car
http://sethirdgen.org/tpi1.htm

[03blazer]

Quote: Originally Posted by 01cherryreds10

This^

GMPP has a kit to do this but it's about double of what he spent, but it's alot shinier and I bet they give you nice stickers. I'm about to do something like you're doing, converting older system into a newer more precise and easier to use system. Except I'm doing a serpentine swap onto a SBC with v-belts. Projects are so much more fun when you have part numbers!

Here's a link for you I just found. Pretty neat stuff. Maybe I'll add that to the growing list of over 20 mods to do to my car
http://sethirdgen.org/tpi1.htm

*Sarcasm*- Wow the GMPP kit sounds AWESOME!!! Didn't you know you can gain like 50hp each from the stickers?

Anyways... lol, I'm gonnal look into finding a TPI setup. I know where a wrecked Corvette is... gonna see about robbing the setup off of it...

[03blazer]

Hmm... has anyone tried the Weiand StealthRam intake? I got to looking at it since the intake (base and plenum) are only $360. It uses a TPI throttle body, and I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find fuel rails and injectors. Might be able to build this setup well within my $750 MPFI budget....

[turbinesurgeon]

Quote:

Hmm, you got a link to that manifold? The only one I could find was the Edelbrock one. It's almost $500. I do like that idea though. Thanks.

Oh, one more thing... will my stock accessories fit with a TPI setup?

I got my lower manifold off creig's list, paid $175 for it. The guy I got it from bought it new and only used it afew months. All the parts I plan on using would be expensive if all I settled for was new. That's half the fun I'm having right now, deal searching and junkyard crawls. I'm in no hurry to get mine done, and I have a moddest buget to begin with.

As for stock accessories, I'll give it a strong maybe. I've been matching up the parts I have, and doing measurements on my '03 4.3 to get an idea what will fit. I think everything will fit great until I try to get my throddle linkage in there, it's going to be a tight fit by my AC compressor. If it don't fit I'll either shave some material off the brackets that hold my AC compressor, or I'll fab my own throttle linkage brackets. I'm not interested in spending money on a new accessory drive (new or used), I'll find a way to make it work.

[03blazer]

Quote: Originally Posted by turbinesurgeon

I got my lower manifold off creig's list, paid $175 for it. The guy I got it from bought it new and only used it afew months. All the parts I plan on using would be expensive if all I settled for was new. That's half the fun I'm having right now, deal searching and junkyard crawls. I'm in no hurry to get mine done, and I have a moddest buget to begin with.

As for stock accessories, I'll give it a strong maybe. I've been matching up the parts I have, and doing measurements on my '03 4.3 to get an idea what will fit. I think everything will fit great until I try to get my throddle linkage in there, it's going to be a tight fit by my AC compressor. If it don't fit I'll either shave some material off the brackets that hold my AC compressor, or I'll fab my own throttle linkage brackets. I'm not interested in spending money on a new accessory drive (new or used), I'll find a way to make it work.

Yeah, the throttle linkage was one thing I was wondering about fitting. I was reading up on the Holley Stealth Ram intake. It's supposed to be a little taller than the TPI setup. I'm hoping the accessories will fit better with that intake. I can get the intake and fuel rails for around $500. I'll get a used TB and I'll buy all the sensors. I'll look around on LS1tech for some injectors and all. Just means I'll more than likely have to get a cowl hood before I can do my swap...