Top End Reccomendations

520Fox

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Mar 29, 2020
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yuma, az
I've been wanting to do like a top end kit on my 87 LX for a while now. Looking to see what everyone recommends for heads, cam, intake, tb size, fuel injector combination that works well together. Keep in mind i would like to do a stroker kit either a 331 or 347, and would like a top end combination to work well with that in the future as well, so I don't have to buy twice. Also curious what should I expect for RWHP and torque from heads, cam, intake and 1/4 mile
 
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What are your goals? A Trick Flow 190cc head is great for a 302 and a 347 engine. There is no logical reason to do a 331. An 11R is a seriously aggressive head, and might not fit your goals. You can not go wrong with one of those Trick Flow top end kits. Great quality and the package keeps the price down.

Kurt
 
I'm not sure I would call a supercharger kit a good bang for buck option. An entry level kit is $3K and recommended for stock motors only. A non-intercooled vortech kit is around $4k and an intercooled version is $6K.

In comparison, an On3 turbo setup is $1800. A hellion kit is $4K.

Top end kit is around $2500.


None of this takes into account supporting mods like fuel pumps, injectors, ecu's, exhaust, etc.
 
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What are your goals? A Trick Flow 190cc head is great for a 302 and a 347 engine. There is no logical reason to do a 331. An 11R is a seriously aggressive head, and might not fit your goals. You can not go wrong with one of those Trick Flow top end kits. Great quality and the package keeps the price down.

Kurt

I want to make the car still streetable and be able to bring it to the track as well, it's not a daily driver
 
What are your goals? ... There is no logical reason to do a 331. ...

Kurt
Can you expand on this statement? It’s been a while since I looked into who is making the best kits. Is it the similar cost for more displacement? The oil and increased piston side load wear have been fixed? I do not need a short block today, but that can change quickly on an unknown mileage engine!
 
Can you expand on this statement? It’s been a while since I looked into who is making the best kits. Is it the similar cost for more displacement? The oil and increased piston side load wear have been fixed? I do not need a short block today, but that can change quickly on an unknown mileage engine!

Whatever makes the kit, there is generally no cost difference between a 331 and a 347. The side load and oil burning issues came from really old kits that use the stock 5.088" rod. Budget stroker kits have kind of become a thing of the past, as rods aren't that big of a cost anyway. A good 347 stroker kit uses a 5.4" rod which keeps the stroke/rod length ratio very reasonable (it's actually better than a number of Chevy engines from the factory), and positions the piston wrist pin away from the oil control ring to eleviate oil burning issues.

There is nothing wrong with a 331 kit, but given the cost of building a 331 and a 347 is identical, there is no reason to give up the displacement. Theoretically, the 347 sucks in more air, and makes peak power at a lower rpm. RPM is what really hurts these blocks. The difference is basically theoretical, but it's there.

Kurt
 
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I want to make the car still streetable and be able to bring it to the track as well, it's not a daily driver

That shouldn't be a problem. I would call Trick Flow and ask for recommendations. Both the 11R head, and the standard twisted wedge can be make streetable. However, there are going to be complications on the 11R head with a stock short block and the valve reliefs on the piston. Tech support is there for a reason, and they will give you better advice than I can.

Kurt