A friend of mine needs a replacement for his Camaro. Strictly a street car but needs to be a performance engine such as a ZZ454 and in that price range or less.

Can anyone suggest a seller/builder?


Thanks!!!:thumbsup::beers:

How about this motor/ builder:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__454-475-CID-BIG-BLOCK-CHEVY-571-HP-PUMP-GAS_W0QQitemZ280244066991QQadnZCarQ20Q26Q20TruckQ2 0PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQadiZ2865QQcmdZViewItem ?hash=item280244066991&_trksid=p3756.m14.l1308

My take on this is, he likes how your's turned out after the head upgrade?

My take on this is, he likes how your's turned out after the head upgrade?

YEP!!!

His present 454 broke a valve spring, bent a valve, etc. and rather than deal with all that he wants to replace it. He knows I'm real happy with mine since I upgraded to the ZZ454 heads and I suggested he look into a crate motor.

How about this motor/ builder:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__454-475-CID-BIG-BLOCK-CHEVY-571-HP-PUMP-GAS_W0QQitemZ280244066991QQadnZCarQ20Q26Q20TruckQ2 0PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQadiZ2865QQcmdZViewItem ?hash=item280244066991&_trksid=p3756.m14.l1308

Looks like a deal, anyone had any experience with this builder?

Do a search on the vendor. Feedback is here on the site.
Heres one:

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218443

a 454 HO/425 HP, can be had for almost the same price from your local chevy dealer most likely,

a 454 HO/425 HP, can be had for almost the same price from your local chevy dealer most likely,

$5K+ for an oil burner is not a wise investment :)

send him to Mark Jones (Mike1231)

here's his ebay http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZvortecpro

$5K+ for an oil burner is not a wise investment :)

:yes:

send him to Mark Jones (Mike1231)

here's his ebay http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZvortecpro

I put up the link in my first reply for Mark's 475 HP 454 :)

$5K+ for an oil burner is not a wise investment :)

I've seen posts and saw feedback on Scoggins and Dickey about the oil consumption problem. Is that typical for all the GM crate motors or just the 454 HO?

James,do a search in the performance forum on 454 HO and oil burning..it is pretty mind numbing IMHO and very informative.

a 454 HO/425 HP, can be had for almost the same price from your local chevy dealer most likely,

:yes: James!!
And Scoggin-dickey is offering FREE delivery...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=2039014
Ain't nothin' like a GM warranty.
I thought the oil usage problem was due to installation of low tension rings which have since been replaced & problem corrected???
I'd at least call S-D and inquire...

Big James,

What Chris said about burning oil.

On a positive note, despite the small cam to get the big heads to work, Ben did crack a high 12 sec pass in his 68 SS Elky several weeks ago. He was running low 13s with DRs, stock converter, and 3.31s. Then he had 4.11s installed and went to a 4.11 R&P.

Just my 2 cents here on the 454 HO....
The good:
1. New unit, comes with forged parts:thumbsup:

The Bad
1. Low tension rings, oil burning in far too many of these engines.
2. Low compression to run pump gas but DAMN....a bit more CR would have been better.
3. Comes with a small cam
4. Has 'net lash' and whimpy valve springs so all this must be changed if you upgrade cams
5. The stock cam is pretty tame
6. The rect port heads are 'good' for a 454 but the smaller runner of an oval port head would be 'better'

IF you can afford it, the ZZ454 is a far better combo. Still subject to burning oil.....the GMPP heads have smaller chambers so more CR. The runners are 'right-sized'

For the money of a 454HO or 454ZZ, better to have Mark Jones build you an engine.

Ask Ben "RAMBO" about GM's warranty sometime...he mentions it in one of the threads about 454HO oil burning

I'm trying to steer my buddy away from the 454HO, I think the ZZ454 would be better for him. I also am going to suggest he call vortec pro and see if they will build an engine for his needs. He never races and only drives to cruise ins and shows, likes a little rumble to the idle but 400HP is plenty.

sorry Chris, I missed it :o

I spoke with Mark a couple of weeks ago. Straight shooter, no BS. Very knowledgeable. He works alone, and right now is about 40 days behind. His feedback on this site speaks for itself, though. Worth a call, that's for sure.

I spoke with Mark a couple of weeks ago. Straight shooter, no BS. Very knowledgeable. He works alone, and right now is about 40 days behind. His feedback on this site speaks for itself, though. Worth a call, that's for sure.

My buddy is going to call him this afternoon. He wanted to see if he could get something more to his purpose than the 500+HP engine he has on ebay. He wants to get up and running again as soon as possible so I hope they can work something out.

Jim. if your buddy is interested, I have a friend that just installed a new crate 502 in his Camaro and has decided to go a different route, BIG motor. It has about 10 hrs on it. If you are interested i could get you or him in touch with him. I don't know price or anything just he was looking to sell it.

Jim. if your buddy is interested, I have a friend that just installed a new crate 502 in his Camaro and has decided to go a different route, BIG motor. It has about 10 hrs on it. If you are interested i could get you or him in touch with him. I don't know price or anything just he was looking to sell it.

Is he in the Columbia area? That could be a good way to go.

He is in Blythewood. PM'ed you.

Update

My buddy bought a crate ZZ454 from our local Chevy dealer for $200 more than the cheapest on line price. Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be an oil burner!!!:thumbsup:

JMHO, he needs to run it on a good carb that he knows does not load up a motor.

JMHO, he needs to run it on a good carb that he knows does not load up a motor.

The carb on the engine that broke works fine so I expect that's what he'll use. I believe it's a 750 with vac secondaries.

Update

My buddy bought a crate ZZ454 from our local Chevy dealer for $200 more than the cheapest on line price. Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be an oil burner!!!:thumbsup:

From another guy in the "my GMPP 454 Crate motor burns oil" club- if he gets the GMPP Crate, tell him to take the time and expense to have it pulled apart and verify the rings are installed right, and have the block align honed...

I had read all about these before i bought mine and said the same "lets hope" line... and two years later it still burns it bad. not only does it burn it- it makes the car REEK after driving... i have a permanent exhaust fan in my garage now to suck the smell out after i drive it.

Its a great motor, don't get me wrong- but take the little bit of time to pull it apart and check the rings, and hone the block so it will seal up properly.

My $.02

If i don't sell the car, in the next year the motor will be coming out to be honed and have the rings replaced so it won't stink anymore. Honestly i could care less about the oil burned, but i sure hate that stink that fills my house after a drive.

As for how they run... it runs awesome... Best of 12.95 @ 106mph for me setup stock, could have gotten it down to probably 12.7 if i were to run Darryls 850DP again.... Very respectable and driveable for a motor with so much HP & Torque- with the big roller cam, you have a very very mild lope and it drives so easy your grandma could drive it...

As for the warrantee... for them to honor it you have to take the car to a gm dealer and let their mechanics diagnose it- then they will hand you the part. I had the water pump crap out on me after about 350 miles, i wasn't about to tow the car to a GM dealer, let their monkeys go over my car for them to tell me what i already know, and then have to tow the car home for me to install another waterpump.

Find out the specifics before you buy.

If i were to do it all again, i would have just had a 454 built up- but for someone who doesn't have any contacts for engine building, and just wants a powerful motor ready to go out of the box- then its a good solution.