Morning all, i plan to order a 383 long block this week and had a few questions i'm hoping someone can assist with.

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First, you need to determine if the engine you are getting has a one-piece rear main seal, or the older style two piece. If it is a one piece seal, your original oil pan will not work anyway. If it has the two piece rear main seal, you can swap your oil pan with no problems. You will need a Corvette specific oil pan if you decide to change it, regardless.
Check to see what oil pump they will provide with the engine...you want a high volume pump,  not a high pressure pump. You'll also want to make sure the crankshaft will accept the clutch pilot bushing/bearing....some stroker cranks will not.
Clutch-wise, you can't go wrong with a stock type, LUK set up. Most parts houses either stock LUK brand, or can get it.


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks Joel !

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Confirmed it's available as 1 or 2 piece rear mains, i have to specify. Just waiting on the pilot bushing answer !

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Might want to consider a needle bearing pilot bushing while you're in there.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

I've heard that's not a good idea because they can come apart. 

I have no experience myself.



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Hadn't heard that but they use them in trucks.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

Needle bearing pilots are fine, when used with a trans that originally had a needle pilot. If used on older applications that were designed for a bushing, the bearing rollers will eat into the input shaft, since the pilot end of the shaft is not hardened properly to use on a steel bearing surface. A properly installed bronze pilot bushing will last just as long, and in some cases longer than a needle bearing pilot. The bearings don't have a lot of room for lubricating grease, and what they do have eventually turns to muck, leaving the bearing and shaft with NO lubrication.
Bronze pilot bushings are oil impregnated, so they continuously have some lubrication as they wear. The biggest issue with the bronze bushings is folks that insist on schmearing grease in them when they install them. Grease stops up the pores on the bushing, and keeps the oil from lubricating the bushing, leading to early, sometimes terminal failure. Folks...NEVER use ANY grease on a bronze pilot bushing...install it as it comes...your trans and clutch will thank you.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

 Learned something new today. I will pull out the needle bearing and get a new bronze bearing to put in in its place. Glad I hadn't installed the engine yet. Thanks for the info.  Hope it comes out easily.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

Wow.. yes definately learned something new. I confirmed the crank is ready for a pilot bushing. So i think all my questions have been answered !!!

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While we're on the subject of pilot bushings, they do have a "front" and "rear" side. The side that faces the trans is beveled, while the side that goes into the crankshaft is squared off, or flat. You want the beveled side facing the trans to make it easier to install the trans. This is the beveled side....
 


Also, anyone replacing their pilot bushings need to make SURE the bushings is made of bronze. There are lots of them out there that are more of a steel/composite bushing that are really bad for the trans input shaft. If a magnet will stick to the bushing, run away!! And of course, always test fit the bushing to the input shaft of the trans to make sure it fits properly.....it sux installing a bushing only to discover later that the trans won't fit into it....


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

 Did almost what you are doing this past fall. I went with 1 piece rms. I purchased a 383 short block that came out of a mid to late 80's truck. You may need another dipstick. The 383 I have is on the passenger side and because of that the pan is different. The early Gen 1 small blocks have dipsticks on drivers side.  Purchased a stock type pan and had no problem. Every thing else interchanged on the small blocks, I opted for newer parts on my engine[ heads, intake, distrib, etc.] because the older parts had wear and in the 37+ years since the car was made, things have improved and been made better, even the metals in some parts.