It's from a 1990 Suburban. This is the second engine the truck has seen, I know it was replaced about 7 years ago. Anyhow, assuming its just a regular old Suburban 350, is this a good engine to build up, or am I wasting my time and money that could be better spent on something better?

I don't actually have the motor yet, so I don't know much else about it.

 

well i have one in my truck... and I would say, no its not a good platform. I mean-it could be, with a LOT of stuff. They are very tame engines from the factory...mine has 185hp + roughly 300 torque stock. It also boasts 182000 miles and is still not burning oil...im not exactly easy on it either. If you want any kind of hp out of it, you will definetly need some L98 heads [or better] because the stock heads suck... they dont flow for crap. Also the stock cam... sucks. Ive heard an LT1 cam is a big upgrade for them, even though very mild. Also the stock intake manifold... sucks, but works fine for a stock configuration.

So in conclusion id say they are great reliable motors for a driver... and a decent at best performance platform if you rebuild nearly the WHOLE thing, or at least most of the major top end components...like I listed above.

However, take what I say with a grain of salt... because I am by no means an expert... this is based on experience as well as a summary of what ive read up on truck message boards a while back...

 

Strip it and just use the block. Bore it and stroke it.

 

yea so basically all i'd be using is the block, i figured i'd have to junk the heads and cam...i really want to make a 383 stroker out of it...so it will be worth it...it's just going to be a summer project engine...i dont even have a car to drop it in! its definitely gonna be a carburetor car, i have a mean holley double-pumper just waiting to be bolted on to something...

thanks for the advice guys!!!

 

it might be a 4 bolt main


I sold a 89 Suburban 350 to Duke and it was a 4 bolt main

 

you're all probably going to laugh at me, but i've been wondering for the longest time...what does four bolt main mean?

 

The main caps each have 4 bolts securing them to the block as aposed to a 2 bolt main which has 2 bolts securing the main caps to the block.

Oh yeah...

 

on the downside though, my truck is a 92 and is a 2-bolt main... Maybe youll get lucky.

 

This is really your best bet... honestly when you add a new everything to get it back looking like an engine again, you may be better off just buying a crate motor.

 

very true, about buying a crate motor...

i dont know, i kinda want to build an engine...i'll have to look into the costs, and what's smarter...because in the end, its my wallet thats going to be building this thing...the neighbors keep picking my money tree clean...

 

Don't you hate the neighbors? They steal from the money tree, and they bitch if you start up an open header car at 3:00 am. Some people...