Engine Advice

[varmint2506]

The '89 is starting to suffer a little. Noticing some smoke and pretty good loss of power. This came about after a very hard incident in a bad mud hole. She saw well over 6000 a few times. Made it out of the hole though.

 

Anyway... I was thinking of getting a junk yard 350 (can not afford a new crate motor) and was wondering if I could swap one out that had a little more uumph. Would I benefit from a 350 out of a Impala or Caprice or whatever? I was planning on reusing my TBI and intake. What would be a good 4 bolt car engine to acquire from the junk yard?

 

If I had the time and motivation I would build a nice little 350 and sit a Holly 700 on her. Unhook the computer and roll on. Just no time.

[BDBWTE]

Man I wouldn't mess with getting a motor that you don't know the history of or what dumba$$ has had their hands in it...buy a rebuild kit from Summit or Jegs...bore or hone it if need be step up the cam and run it for another 100,000 miles...that's my opinion

[Guest Friz]

Man I wouldn't mess with getting a motor that you don't know the history of or what dumba$$ has had their hands in it...buy a rebuild kit from Summit or Jegs...bore or hone it if need be step up the cam and run it for another 100,000 miles...that's my opinion

I agree. the only exception would be if you know a very reputable scrap yard  and they'll hook you up with the same motor from a low miles, totalled car or truck.

[Colorado Kid]

If it's just smoke and power, no bad noises, rebuild is the wayt o go, and that'll be less work than the crazy talk of putting an LT1 (reverse flow cooling system for starters) in and reusing the TBI.

 

You know what's going to happen if you put more power in an old truck that you're already beating on don't you?  The drivetrain parts will start failing with alarming regularity...unless you want to buy them ALL, stay close to stock power.

 

Just my advice, and worth every penny you paid to get it!

[Black02Silverado]

Rebuild what ya have. That is the best part of it, getting in there and doing it all yourself, and then seeing the end product when your done knowing it was done right every time you turn the key.