Thread: small block suburban

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I have a 1993 Chev Suburban. 350 FI 4/Wd with automatic overdrive Th700. I dont know the differential ratios but imagine they are somehwere between 350, 373 or 411, as the truck was equipped from factory with towing package. This truck has been absolutely great to me as all of my suburbans have, getting decent fuel milage, and not using or leaking a drop of oil. I really like this one and instead of getting a new one Im gonna stick witht his one. It has been meticulously maitained especially with regards to the engine and trans, both with 230K miles and never rebuilt (only repairs have been a H20 pump, new radiator, and new fuel pump). I figure within the next 20K miles the old girl deserves a fresh rebuild and Im looking for suggestions. The truck has always done well with low RPM power but the mid range has always been very weak (passing a car at highway speed is down right dangerous, as the power falls flat on its face in passing gear! If I remember correctly factory HP was maxed at 230 and I dont remember torque figures but it is the weakest power wise of any GM vehicle I have owned. Ok so my plan is as follows:

.030 recondition orig block
turn stock crank .010/ .010
Stock rods reconditioned with ARP hardware
Flat top cast, hyper, or forg pistons up to 9:1 ratio? Suggestions?
Stock heads with some cleaning up in the intake and exhaust runners with new stock sized SS valves.
Roller, roller tip, stock new rockers? Suggestions?
(Will stick with stock TBI fuel injection)
Ok CAM I have no idea, but its gotta have a little more umph than stock, want to stick with hydraulic. SUGGESTIONS?

Truck is my daily driver and pulls my boat here and there. Most driving is a mix of around town and some highway. Occasionally drive it on the beach in 4WD. I do not by any means beat the truck, but want some more all around power for the motor throughout the lower and mid rpm ranges (as a truck like this should really not have any high rpm operation)

Right now the truck runs a stock exhaust to ta high flow cat and then opens to 3" single into a flowmaster and 3" tailpipe (which when I put on increased power quite a bit. Im leaning towards some shorty headers..Any opinions and suggextions? Also thining about eliminating high flow cat? Finally if anyone knows of a manufacturer than makes a true dual bolt on system please let me know.

Ok sorry for the long post but wanted to give as much info as possible for good responses. Let the opinions fly and thanks in advance to those who respond.

Ummmmmmm. Sell it and buy an F250 crewcab with a powerstroke and a 5 speed???? Sorry, had to say it... Love my Ford's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well considering that the Caprice cabs and police cars, and the Tahoes and Yukons in NYC I personally know of are running 500,000 plus miles on some of them (funny how if you ask a cop if they would rather drive an old caprice, suburban or tahoe instead of the new Ford crown vic they all say yes, the fords are dogs.... wonder why)which you can imagine are beat to hell I'll stick with my suburban thanks. Nice try Mr. Severson, go back to blue oval land and fantacize some more about being the #1 auto manufacturer not the 2nd!

Now if someone wants to add something constructive Id really appretiate it.

Geez, Sorry. Didn't mean to ruin your whole day!!!! That's why I wrote what I wrote with smiles, etc. But seriously, if you think that SBC will ever outpull and outmileage a powerstroke, then one of us certainly is fantasiciing!!!!!! Chevy is #1, I guess the plant closings and layoffs are just more of my overactive imagination???? Chill dude, it was all said in jest.

If you want some respectable power out of that SBC, how about turning it into a 383 stroker, updating the heads and efi, a cat back exhaust system, shift kit for the tranny. There are a number of manufacturers offering crate stroker motors that would be equal to the task......

Originally posted by Dave Severson
Geez, Sorry. Didn't mean to ruin your whole day!!!! That's why I wrote what I wrote with smiles, etc. But seriously, if you think that SBC will ever outpull and outmileage a powerstroke, then one of us certainly is fantasiciing!!!!!! Chevy is #1, I guess the plant closings and layoffs are just more of my overactive imagination???? Chill dude, it was all said in jest.

If you want some respectable power out of that SBC, how about turning it into a 383 stroker, updating the heads and efi, a cat back exhaust system, shift kit for the tranny. There are a number of manufacturers offering crate stroker motors that would be equal to the task......

BAD DAVE,I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT.OH, DO I NEED TO REMIND YOU WHAT BRAND WINS MORE RACE'S THAN ALL OTHERS COMBINED IN ALL FORMS OF MOTORSPORTS.THATS RIGHT CHEVROLET.TOUCHE.

Well, if we were talking racing, I could only agree with you. Thought we were talking about street performance and towing. I raced sprint cars for many years, all chebbie powered. Even a couple of chebbie powered bracket cars, one Super Gas car, one rear engine chebbie powered dragster....... Brand loyalty is great, blind loyalty is dubious, at best!!!!!!

But then, that's JMO and not intended to offend ANYONE. Main reason I love my Ford's now, I am building cars only for me, and like to have something that stands out from the crowd a bit.

Originally posted by Dave Severson
Well, if we were talking racing, I could only agree with you. Thought we were talking about street performance and towing. I raced sprint cars for many years, all chebbie powered. Even a couple of chebbie powered bracket cars, one Super Gas car, one rear engine chebbie powered dragster....... Brand loyalty is great, blind loyalty is dubious, at best!!!!!!

But then, that's JMO and not intended to offend ANYONE. Main reason I love my Ford's now, I am building cars only for me, and like to have something that stands out from the crowd a bit.

(BLIND LOYALTY IS DUBIOUS AT BEST)I CAN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE WITH THIS STATMENT.SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE UN-CERTAIN ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW OR THINK THEY KNOW.DID YOU RACE 360 OR THE 410 CLASS?

Eric, I really hate to admit it, but it was before there even was a 360 class!!!! Actually, back before they put wings on them things!!!!! We ran a 410 on the big tracks, Brodix heads and Hillborn's. Had a 310 incher for a couple tracks with 310 inch limits, with a set of Brownfield heads!!!!! Our very first car came out of Ohio, was originally a single hoop cage car with a BOLT ON full cage!!!!!!!! Quit circle burnin' in 1977, guess that kind of dates me!!!!!! lol

Sorry about the thread hi-jack, 30 A Rider's original was about towing. Threw in a bit I know about chebbies, not sure my stroker recomendation would work with the TBI???? A lot more knowledgeable guys around than me on the injection and electronics......

Originally posted by Dave Severson
Eric, I really hate to admit it, but it was before there even was a 360 class!!!! Actually, back before they put wings on them things!!!!! We ran a 410 on the big tracks, Brodix heads and Hillborn's. Had a 310 incher for a couple tracks with 310 inch limits, with a set of Brownfield heads!!!!! Our very first car came out of Ohio, was originally a single hoop cage car with a BOLT ON full cage!!!!!!!! Quit circle burnin' in 1977, guess that kind of dates me!!!!!! lol

Sorry about the thread hi-jack, 30 A Rider's original was about towing. Threw in a bit I know about chebbies, not sure my stroker recomendation would work with the TBI???? A lot more knowledgeable guys around than me on the injection and electronics......

THE REASON I ASKED BECAUSE I AM GOOD FRIENDS WITH ROCKY HODGES NEPHEW.I KNOW ROCKY MADE IT TO YANKTON S.D. MORE THAN A FEW TIMES.

Rocky raced up in our area quite a number of times!!!!! Was a super great driver!!!! Tried getting around him once at a Sunday afternoon race in Hartford, SD........Wound up on my head a considerable distance away from turn 2!!!!!!!!!! If you see Rocky, tell him Hi from me, DeVries, and Fick!!!!!!!!

...(the swat team moves in to return the hijacked thread).....

30-A, I have a 94 sub with 217k miles just like yours. Keep her rollin'!

Your response indicates you were under the impression your post ruined my day. By far it did not. You gave a wise ass response to my inquiry, so in turn I was a wise ass back. It was all in good fun on my part. Maybe I should have put smiley faces all over my post to indicate my tone, but I always though those message Icons were rather gay looking; to each his own; I never felt hod rodscars and trucks correlated with gay smiley faces but maybe you do. The pathetic thing about my innocent enough post (looking for some experienced advice) is what has been a problem on this site for quite some time. Someone new posts, and a know it all wise ass veteran on here can dish out fun but cant take it back, and all othe other cronies on here jump on the band wagon. Sound familiar? It should thats why there are so many new people who come to this board, only to leave in short order due to the attitude among the regulars. You get few new members and thats why this site is so dead as compared to the sister site club chopper which thrives!

No I do not think my Suburban or any other gas powered vehicle can outpull or last as compared to any other deisel powered truck...its just not comparing apples to apples. As far as getting serious on this matter as you did; why I dont know. Lets see Ford was the first large scale auto manufactureer, yet GM had been #1 for how many years now. I dont care how many plants close or employees are laid off.... you can brag when Ford is #1, and for the past how ever many years it is they are not. Touche' bitch.

Well golly, you are also welcome for the advice given on a SBC for your Suburban that would build the torque and work well for the purposes you intended......... Sorry you turned everything personal and turned it into nothing more than the age old Ford V chebbie debate.

Your response indicates you were under the impression your post ruined my day. By far it did not. You gave a wise ass response to my inquiry, so in turn I was a wise ass back. It was all in good fun on my part. Maybe I should have put smiley faces all over my post to indicate my tone, but I always though those message Icons were rather gay looking; to each his own; I never felt hod rodscars and trucks correlated with gay smiley faces but maybe you do. The pathetic thing about my innocent enough post (looking for some experienced advice) is what has been a problem on this site for quite some time. Someone new posts, and a know it all wise ass veteran on here can dish out fun but cant take it back, and all othe other cronies on here jump on the band wagon. Sound familiar? It should thats why there are so many new people who come to this board, only to leave in short order due to the attitude among the regulars. You get few new members and thats why this site is so dead as compared to the sister site club chopper which thrives!

No I do not think my Suburban or any other gas powered vehicle can outpull or last as compared to any other deisel powered truck...its just not comparing apples to apples. As far as getting serious on this matter as you did; why I dont know. Lets see Ford was the first large scale auto manufactureer, yet GM had been #1 for how many years now. I dont care how many plants close or employees are laid off.... you can brag when Ford is #1, and for the past how ever many years it is they are not. Touche' bitch.

For towing you want to keep away from high compression ratios and long duration cams, unless you want to spend half your trips in second gear trying to cool the engine down after every little rise in the road. Been there, done that! Get a cam made for a tow truck or SUV, and put on a free-flowing set of exhausts, with X-pipes. The biggest radiator that'll fit is a good investment, too. Remember that, just because the guage says its running cool, that doesn't mean the valves and pistons aren't too hot.