What should I do with my engine?

[Mr. Potato Head]

I just bought a 91 LX. It has (engine):

347 stroker
TFS Heads 2.02/1.60
Crane 2031 Cam
Cobra Intake
Stock Ignition
MVIII Fan
1.7 RR
24 lb injectors w/ Pro-M MAF
75 mm TB

I don't know what the bottom end consists of as far as pistons, rods and crankshaft.


Should I pull it apart to find out, because I want to put a supercharger on it. I don't know if it's high or low compression or if it's forged.

The engine runs great and it doesn't leak or anything except for a bit of seepage at the valve cover.

The trans is a T5-Z and it has 3.73s.

Is it worth pulling the motor apart? The guy said it probably was around 280-300 WHP. He also said he thinks the Cobra Intake is choking it up.

 

[1SLO306]

I just bought a 91 LX. It has (engine):

347 stroker
TFS Heads 2.02/1.60
Crane 2031 Cam
Cobra Intake
Stock Ignition
MVIII Fan
1.7 RR
24 lb injectors w/ Pro-M MAF
75 mm TB

I don't know what the bottom end consists of as far as pistons, rods and crankshaft.


Should I pull it apart to find out, because I want to put a supercharger on it. I don't know if it's high or low compression or if it's forged.

The engine runs great and it doesn't leak or anything except for a bit of seepage at the valve cover.

The trans is a T5-Z and it has 3.73s.

Is it worth pulling the motor apart? The guy said it probably was around 280-300 WHP. He also said he thinks the Cobra Intake is choking it up.

give the guy a call that u bought it from(might save some time and trouble). But it he knew what he was doin then he prolly had forged internal put in.

 

[my289eatsrice]

I think that the guy would have to be an idiot to put a 347 stroker kit in a 5.0 and not use forged pistons and internals, so I would say you would be safe there. What does the car run right now? You should take it to a track and get a baseline, then decide how fast you really want to run and go from there

 

[Mr. Potato Head]

If the guy I bought it from knew what it had, so would I. The guy before him built the motor. Also, our tracks are closed for the winter plus the tires are basically bald so it would do no good.

However, I did race a stock 03 GT and an 03 with 373s, full exhaust, intake, TB, etc with 100 shot (I don't think it worked) and I pulled buslengths on the 03 and 5 or 6 car lengths on the modded one. It was a 2nd gear pull and I spun through 3rd with the tail wagging all over the place and feathering the throttle. I have no doubt it's a strong running car, but what about the Cobra intake? Is it restrictive for this motor?

 

[1SLO306]

If the guy I bought it from knew what it had, so would I. The guy before him built the motor. Also, our tracks are closed for the winter plus the tires are basically bald so it would do no good.

However, I did race a stock 03 GT and an 03 with 373s, full exhaust, intake, TB, etc with 100 shot (I don't think it worked) and I pulled buslengths on the 03 and 5 or 6 car lengths on the modded one. It was a 2nd gear pull and I spun through 3rd with the tail wagging all over the place and feathering the throttle. I have no doubt it's a strong running car, but what about the Cobra intake? Is it restrictive for this motor?

he prolly had it ported. i got a TFS for sale!

 

[Rick 91GT]

Only way to tell compression is with a P & G tester, very expensive.

Before bolting a blower on the motor I would pull a head so you can see the piston, only way to tell what kind of rod and crank it has is pull the pan.

Most 347 kits with a flat top will get over 10.5:1 compression, I woudl also be interested in the ring gaps....

If you do your own work it really will not cost a lot, if you don't do your own work it could get costly. Getting a hold of the old owver would be your best bet, you may be able to trace it back with the title to the car.

 

[Mr. Potato Head]

I can get it taken apart and balanced and blueprinted for 1000. Is that worth it? I mean, it doesn't really NEED it, and I could pull the head and pan the just check, but I don't know if it was quality work that put this thing together. Either way, I am going to pull the motor to work on the engine bay.... Should I get a trick flow intake or is the Cobra good enough? Also, I think the TFS heads are ported but I don't know how much. Do I have the right cam, etc?

 

[cjman15]

Yeah, probably want to upgrade that intake while you're at it.

 

[Rick 91GT]

I can get it taken apart and balanced and blueprinted for 1000. Is that worth it? I mean, it doesn't really NEED it, and I could pull the head and pan the just check, but I don't know if it was quality work that put this thing together. Either way, I am going to pull the motor to work on the engine bay.... Should I get a trick flow intake or is the Cobra good enough? Also, I think the TFS heads are ported but I don't know how much. Do I have the right cam, etc?

It should already be balanced.....

I would look into a Holley or RPM II personally, very nice blower intakes. The Crane 2031 is a very nice blower cam. We've made over 425/465 to the wheels with a 331, with cast iron GT-40's Cobra intake, A-Trim seeing 9psi etc...

 

[Mr. Potato Head]

It should already be balanced.....

I would look into a Holley or RPM II personally, very nice blower intakes. The Crane 2031 is a very nice blower cam. We've made over 425/465 to the wheels with a 331, with cast iron GT-40's Cobra intake, A-Trim seeing 9psi etc...

Would you recommend the A-Trim over the S or T? I don't want to split the block and cheaper is always better. On the other hand, people on here are always saying the A Trim is too small for anything but a 302.....

 

[Rick 91GT]

Yes the A-trim was too small for that combo and produced a lot of heat, we went to a YS-Trim on top of a DART block combo. They actually no longer make the A-Trim, it was replaced with the SC-Trim which is also a good blower.

I would go S-Trim personally (you get all the extras with it, fuel pump, timing retard, metal discahrge tube, blow off valve, etc) it will allow you room to grow and really is sized good for that combo, 500HP would be easy with the right components.

My buddies DART based 331 is 8.5:1, out of the box AFR185's, fully cut and welded Cobra intake, 70mm TB, 80mm Pro-M, custom COMP cam, 55# inj low impendence, AFM PMS, long tubes, full exhuast, S-Trim making 12psi on a serp belt set-up 530RWHP... With the cogs and 17psi over 600RWHP.

The T-Trim is too peaky, they are called "block breakers" for a reason.