honitonhobbit Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 A mate of mine is looking to replace the small block V8 in his **-*** It's a 350Chev lump, put in there by myself almost 17 years a 280k miles ago. I re-built it before fitting. It is currently fitted to a TH400 and Nissan remote T box I have suggested three options Re-build the 350. Cheap as chips load of power. All the bits are there blah blah Buy in an LO5Chev lump for pennies, use the projection system off the 350 blah blah ****** or ***** Diesel He is unsure. He has been told the Magnum 5.9ltr version of the Chrysler LA318 is a better engine (it's not, it's pooh on a stick) And he likes the older Dodge 302/318 as well What other options are there? It's got to fit the TH400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 If **-*** is Hi-Lux I should think he gets a big enough laundry bill with a 350? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwriyadh Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Why change a successful combination? Fitting any different motor will have it's share of problems. I personally love the 318, good solid, unburstable motor but the 350 rebuilt for peanuts has got to be the way to go. If he wants a bit more sparkle then go to multiport injection and mapped ignition with FF's favourite bit of gear. Crispness with a bit more economy. jw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Either rebuild the 350 which would be time consuming and not amazingly cheap if you end up having to re-bore the block or re-grind the crank , or flog it for a few hundred on eblag and go with an lS1. You can get a low mileage LS1 for about £1500 with ALL ancilliries and it will bolt straight to the TH400- basically it's a drop in mod as long as you get ALL the ancilliaries including the ECU. it is a lot lighter than a iron block and, dressed, is lighter than an RV8. You also get the small matter of 350bhp and pretty good fuel economy- using the standard ECU and a prog called HPtuner you can happily cruise along at 26mpg and should average 18mpg around town if you don't have a too heavy a right foot. Now £1500 might be a bit steep but it will be good for another 300,000 miles without a rebuild (as long as it's looked after), and will save you a fortune in petrol- the difference is going to be around the 8mpg makr between the two blocks i reckon- from 14- 22mpg. 280,000miles at 14mpg will have cost, wait for it, £81,720 however the same distance at 22mpg will cost £52,003- a rather large difference of £29,717 which over 17 years is a saving of £1750/yr. Therefore he will save more in the first year by fitting an LS1 than he will byre-fitting the iron block. Of course subsequent petrol price rises will make an LS1 even more attractive than the old iron block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orange rover Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 currently thinking about engine options for the 90. ls1 sounds very interesting, where do i get one? what would be the best transmission? TH400 was mentioned, who sells them. heard that adaptors exist to mate them to a LT230? anyone put a ls1, TH400 combo in a90? cheers orange Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 currently thinking about engine options for the 90. ls1 sounds very interesting, where do i get one? what would be the best transmission? TH400 was mentioned, who sells them. heard that adaptors exist to mate them to a LT230?anyone put a ls1, TH400 combo in a90? cheers orange TH400 is nice as it's a bit shorter, good box as well. Chev engines are all available over here and cheapish. Check out the Drag scene (no not womens clothes on blokes) Best scource of lumps and boxes and bits to mate them to other bits is a bloke over Lieghton Buzzard way whose name escapes me but I will remember. Go four barrel holley on LPG as it makes more sense than being complex. Ian Luffman of Luffman engineering has a nice bobtail 90 with an AMG V8, Th400, Hurst shifter and LT230 combo. he rarely bothers with low ratio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bush65 Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 Ford Windsors are fairly light and can be moded for a strong 500 hp with great torque. Even better (but a little heavier), with enormous torque, are Ford Cleverland. LS1 simply don't compare. I don't have any Ford bias, just these conclusions from research, for my own benefit, when looking at options for my bushie. LS1's are easy for me to get and alloy engine seems to be an advantage, but I would use a Ford over these. The power and torque of a Cleveland would have been great fun in the bushie, but I finally decided on a V6 because of the benefits of a short engine for my particular case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 John, big problem with the Clevo is that it and it's bits aren't really available anywhere except here. IIRC it was only made in the US for a couple of years before production switched to Oz. Even DeTomaso sourced their engines from Ford Oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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