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How many of you all have done this swap? Is it as "plug and play" as the GM catalog says? Stock computer "learns" to tune it or need some Tuner cat/JET tweaking? Be nice to get a warrantied bigger motor in my 97.

Be nice if they had a slightly bigger cam in one too.

Gas mileage change much?

On a different line is the factory wiring compatible with a indivudual injector TPI intake? Scoggins and Edelbrock make a Vortec base, add a Lignefeler Super ram on top.

YenkoST

iTrader: (11)

The computer does learn it a bit; however, there still needs to be some tuning done to get the fuel trims, etc perfect. You can replace the cam with something bigger like the Lunati 213/219. When you do that though, a tune is definitely needed.

As far as the wiring, you can wire it up to be more like the TPI but you will need to basically do the Marine Intake wiring harness swap.

Skip Fix

Howell or anyone make a plug in harness? Or is the marine a plug in?

How would a 5.3/6.0 swap go?
Although I know my buddies new 6.0 get worse mileage pulling a car trailer than my tired old 350 Vortec!

The Fast burn headed 383 has a little to obig a cam I think for a puller, and maybe the factory computer.

acethedragon

iTrader: (2)

they do have a ht383E thats supposed to be a direct swap. i would still have the computer tuned for it. properly tuned the mileage should be better than the old 350. if your interested in towing, i believe the cam is good enough. might just wanna swap in 1.6 roller rockers. put long tube headers and full exhaust and will be a huge difference over the old motor.

Skip Fix

I was thinking of adding the 1.6s if I had the heads/spring/retainers clearanced.

I was just wondering if it is just as plug and play as GM says.

A friend has the JET(old TunerCat) we can tweak it with if need be. I still think it is strange it can do any OBDII GM vehicle 1996 to current, the new LM-2 can log any OBDII parameters but HP Tuners,Diablo tuner and the others can't work on the old Vortec computers.

1Bear

iTrader: (1)

TunerCat’s in its original form, while seeming a little antiquated to most can get the job done. No, it doesn’t have logging capabilities on its own and requires additional software to do everything you need or want to look at. As you mentioned, it is one of the only options available for the ’96 thru ’98 Vortec equipped vehicles, but does have it’s limitations by only servicing vehicles thru the Gen III models or in other words ’07 Classic trucks. It does not cater to Gen IV vehicles I.E. the NNBS style trucks. Another nice thing is you can tune as many vehicles as you desire without needing to buy credits or it marrying to the VIN of a certain vehicle, as long as you have the BIN files necessary to tune whatever model vehicle. But as I said, it does have its limitations and will not replace HP Tuners or EFI Live; it’s just another handy tool for people that do find the need to work on the older vehicles. Also for people that don’t know, TunerCat’s in its original form is no longer available to the public for purchase due to selling out to Jet and updates are only available to original purchasers. Anyone looking to purchase new have to buy the Jet DST software and it’s a different animal all together.

Skip Fix

My friend has about a 4 year old JET that has options for 4 vehicles. Two initial and he bought two additional. Support is spotty at best so we kind of go by the seat of our pants. Since some of the menu has all the options some of the newer computers can do it's hard to know which of those the older ones don't do, like turning off downstream O2 things like that.

Figure using either his OBD scanner/logger or getting a LM2 that can log wide band and OBD parameters are the way we are looking at tuning it. Got plenty of hot rods so just trying to optimize the daily driver occasional tow truck. With almost 200K on the old 350 it would be nice to have a little additional TQ to pull with, but so far it's like a Timex just keeps on ticking.

YenkoST

iTrader: (11)

The ZZ383 has a bit too big of a cam for pulling IMO with the Fastburns. I would skip over the Fastburns with there 210cc intake runners. I would take the vortecs and have them drilled for screw-in studs and replace the springs and cams with the Lunati unit and call it a day.

Tunercats will be used in this.

Also, make sure your exhaust can flow enough for the 383...making sure the head pipes between the exhaust manifolds and cats are modified especially (if you have a half ton). Those pipes are 1 7/8" and a 383 needs 2.5".

The ht383e is plug and play due to using all the factory components...it is a drop in deal with just a tune away from having a nice engine.

Skip Fix

Got under it this week man those are little exhaust head pipes! It even looks like they had to neck it down to go into the factory cat! Cat looks like it could take a 2" even.Heck even smogger late 70s early 80s Camaros had 2 .25" pipes.

Any larger exit exhaust manifolds that are a bolt on, maybe 3/4 ton?

Those little ones have to be hurting even a stock 350.

meangreenburban

Stock 5700 cats are 2". Have an exhaust shop do 2.5" head pipes on the 383 to 2.5" cats (I run Magnaflow High Flows and love them) then whatever catback exhaust you prefer. Any sort of longtube header will work well, and most have 3" collecters with 2.5" adapters for OBS trucks. I'm getting some mid length headers that have a pre necked 2.5" collector that is easier to make work with the stock setup, you might want to look into them.

As for rockers, 1.6 rockers will go right on no problem. If you're worried about clearance, go ahead and put Comp 918s on the heads and call it good, Comp 918s with their recommended retainer combo will allow the heads to go up to ~.550 gross lift at the valve with no other mods. An HT383 is direct drop in EASY. Something else to consider, but is not necessary to work, is to go up to a 411 PCM. The last year (1999) OBS suvs have a different PCM that allows HP Tuners to tune and log and is much easier to deal with.