Chevy 350 V8 VS Stock rebuild with 89 EFI mod (1 Viewer)

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Dec 30, 2011
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Denver, CO
Hello All,

I am starting the rebuild on my wife's 1985 Cruizer. We don't plan on making it a radical rock crawler since we are low on time and money. Instead, I just want to build a daily driver.

Would be the better choice, a crate 350 V8 or a complete rebuild on the stock engine with the EFI upgrade?

Best regards
Mark O
 
The purists will tell you a 2F is the ultimate and only gas motor.

The wiring gurus with a good budget will tell you the amazing 5.3 GM V8 is the only choice.

I will tell you that a TBI 350 will run awesome, weigh less, cost less to repair and last just as long with routine service.

For about $600.00 you can pickup a complete TBI 350 in good condition. A person with experience can swap in and wire the motor in about 2 weekends as long as all parts are on hand.
 
here we go....
apples and oranges again.


5.3 vortec!
allow $3,500 for budget if you use your toyota tranny and TC.
 
Tbi 350 for the win if your on a budget and want ultimate reliability and simplicity with the benefits of fi. Cheap reliable good on gas i get 13 to 14 around town and 17 on the high way at 75. Double the horsepower and 100 more lbs of torque than the slow f.
 
Thanks for all the input! If it's more of an electrical issue than a mechanical issue, than I will go with the 350 instead.

It seems harder and harder to find a decent machine shop these days. Most of the ones I use to use are out of business or change of ownership with the "out-of-state-dick" in charge.
 
The purists will tell you a 2F is the ultimate and only gas motor.

The wiring gurus with a good budget will tell you the amazing 5.3 GM V8 is the only choice.

I will tell you that a TBI 350 will run awesome, weigh less, cost less to repair and last just as long with routine service.

For about $600.00 you can pickup a complete TBI 350 in good condition. A person with experience can swap in and wire the motor in about 2 weekends as long as all parts are on hand.


That may be the most accurate and succinct description of the popular options I've ever seen.

Which almost guarantees unanimous disagreement! :D
 
That may be the most accurate and succinct description of the popular options I've ever seen.

Which almost guarantees unanimous disagreement! :D

Like me! I TOTALLY disagree, your prices are WAYYYY off. I once saw a TBI motor for $599.98. Sheez, way to mislead the guy.:p
 
I just checked my local CL, there are two good candidates at $400...
 
I guess it would be kinda cool to have a 2fe, and if you have money to piss away or you just don't care have at it. A small block chevy is by far the most economical solution whether it be a tbi or a 5.3. What would be really sick is if somebody took one of the newer 6l80 tranny out of the tahoe/escalade behind a 5.3/6.0 in the landcruiser. Then you'd be able to get some sick mileage. I don't know what transfer case you could use though, don't know if anyone has gotten that agressive yet. At that point though, why not just get a tahoe?
 
TBI

I went through the same thing a while back and my 2F just kept nickel and diming me to death. If it wasn't one expensive thing it was another.
I finally went for the TBI and I couldn't be happier.
Now I did get an old donor engine but I had it reconditioned and re-equipped it with all new accy's.
The overall cost was really high compared to just getting a junk yard motor and hoping it was a good one.
I have less time than money right now, so I did the "do it once and do it right" method.
I have to say I don't miss the 2F at all!
The power is beautiful, but not so much that everything else starts breaking.
The simplicity is awesome. I picked up a spare ECU on EBay for $20!
My mileage isn't great (same as the 2F) mainly because I can't keep my foot off the skinny pedal.
Because its lighter than the 2F I could add dual batts a winch and nice bumper and the weight was back where I started.
 
I had an 80 with the 3FE which I swapped out for a TBI 350 with a recent rebuild.

The power difference made driving much more pleasant, and the mileage was a bit better than the toyota.

If I did it again I would look for a vortec with an auto and adapt to the toyota split case, or actually go with a manual. Though Im not sure which would line up with a vortec.

Anyway, the wiring and components for the vortec seems a bit intimidating if you havent done it, but its not that bad when get the manuals and slowly pick through it.
 

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