I think I'm going to be having a new motor built in the near future. Right now I'm running a forged 383 stroker LT1 in my '94 Firebird, but I have always wanted a car running some kind of forced induction. The high compression of the 383 isn't exactly blower friendly since it was built for nitrous, so it looks like I'm gonna have to sell it and start from scratch. Would you guys recommend building a low compression 355 for lots of boost or a low comp 383? Which one would be more cost effective? Also, what internals would you recommend? Thanks.

 

Well, I'm not an expert on forced induction, but if you've already got the 383 and it's all forged then why not just rework the engine to accomodate the boost? Do you have 6" or 5.7" rods in the 383? If you have the 5.7s then I'd just get a dished piston that is boost freindly and there you go.

 

Can you just install a different piston with no other engine work? Not even any honing or anything? How difficult would that be?

 

What are the heads like on the car? You can open up the combustion chamber to reduce compression. Even if you got it down to 9:1-9.5:1 you'd most likely be fine for FI assuming a good tune, and intercooler and some good 94 octane gas.

 

Not as difficult as building an entirely new engine but obviously it will have to be tore down completely. As long as the cylinders are good and within specs, then you would just hone them out and put in the new pistons with the corresponding set of new rings. Honing is not the same as boring incase that's what you were thinking. Honing will just break the cylinder glaze so the new rings can seat. But thats as long as the cylinders check out ok.

 

Have run 10x1 on a 10PSI set up and made over 500 to the tire with no ill effects on pump gas.The unit is a daily driver and used to tow a 26' boat.

 

I think I might just do that. If I were to tear down the motor and install some 30cc dished pistons, do you think that would bring down the CR enough to run maybe 12 pounds of boost. Also, how much horsepower do you think that combo would put to the wheels with some free flowing heads and a well matched cam and a good tune?

 

Don't know your set up now so hard to say.I think 30CC's is a little much,if you have not decked the block and are still running the piston .020 in the hole. You can get 6+ more CC's from the stock castings which would make them 60CC's and a .039 gasket,but again I don't know what you have and would be affraid to GUESS.

 

ive been told with a fully forged 383, that stock heads, and 20 cc dish pistons were a GREAT super charger or turbo setup, and can even have a good shot of nos and run very well, my builder recommended i do that but im not gonna, but if you are interested i do have a set of brand new je forged 20cc pistons, for 5.7 rod, brand new still in box only used on a dyno test

 

Right now I'm running SRP forged 16cc dished pistons. There isn't any way to make those blower friendly is there? Can't just punch a few more cc's out of the heads and run a taller gasket?

EDIT: what are you asking for those pistons?

Another EDIT: I'm running 5.7" rods. Not sure if the block has been decked or if the heads have been milled though. I didn't have the motor built so I don't know a lot about it to be honest. I guess its a trip to the machine shop for me to get it checked out.