NINETNINEVETT

Which motor is more reliabale 327/365 with solid lifters or the 327/350. I like the sound of the 365 but am not good a fixing cars so i want the one that will run the best. How often do you need to adjust the solid lifters. Mike

Allcoupedup

They are equally reliable but the 327/365m as you noted, needs some additional maintenance. You could probably get away with adjusting valve last every 5000 miles. Duke and JohnZ have a method that allows for cold adjustment (as opposed to hot and running). For this procedure all you need is a feeler gauge, a way to measure crank position, a way to turn over engine (I use a 1/2" ratchet), and a small ratchet to tighten/loosen the rocker nuts.

Solid lifter motors are awesome but if you want a little more low-end torque, the 327/350 is your motor. I was willing to sacrifice some low end torque for the additional 1000 RPM and went with the LT1 solid lifter camshaft instead of the 30-30 (365 camshaft).

brian

SWCDuke

GM's recommended mechanical lifter valve clearance adjustment is every 12,000 miles.

If you are "not good at fixing cars" adjusting valves will be the least of your problems when dealing with any vintage car. Even if you buy a fresh Duntov Award car, it's not like buying a new car with a warranty. Things go wrong. You will either have to do the maintenance and repair yourself or find a local shop that is competent with vintage Corvettes, and be prepared to pay $65-90 dollars an hour for mechanical work.

Most guys who own these cars do their own maintenance and light repair work. It's an integral part of the hobby. If you buy any vintage car and have to hire professionals to do everything, it's going to be VERY expensive.

For the way many of us use these cars - cruising and touring, the 300 HP engine may be a better choice. It's stronger up to 3500-4000 than the SHP/FI engines, and much more docile in traffic.


Duke

1965L76

I have owned both a 327/350 and a 327/365. I would recommend that you buy the 327/350. For every day driving the low end torque is very nice.

BarryK

I have a '65 with the 327/365 motor. I love how it will really rev high and you can wind her out a long ways, but I REALLY wish it had more torque on the lower end. To be honest, until you get it up to approx 3500rpm it feels like grandma's car but once it hits 3500rpm you can really feel the power start to hit. I'm seriously considering making a cam change to the motor next year to try to get some more low end torque. My friend had a '65 with the 327/350 and his car definately had more torgue lower down but it wouldn't wind out as high as mine so it's a compromise on just what you are looking for.
You know, it's kind of ironic - my neighbor has a BB car that i'm always drooling over (hey, it's a '67 427/425 L71 in showroom condition!) and while I dream of power like that, he was in my car with me once last year as we (well, HIM) were tuning it and while we were test driving it he commented how my "little" motor would just keep winding out more and more with no problem. I never drove a BB car but I guess they just can't wind out as much as some of the SB's can.

bottom line is that if you want to keep the motor stock, the L79 (327/350) will give you a little more low end torque but less high rpm range, the L76 (327/365) revs higher but with less low end torque. Dukes suggestion of the 327/300 motor could also be an excellent choice for standard driving and cruising as it has the best low end torgue.
Here are the numbers:

L76 (365hp) 350 lb-ft@4000
L79 (350hp) 360 lb-ft@4400
L75 (300hp) 360 lb-ft@3200
Base (250hp) 350 lb-ft@2800

With my L76, I only worry about adjusting the valves once a year. In the spring when it's time to get the car readt for the summer season and out of winter storage, the oil gets changed and the valves get checked and adjusted and they are fine until the following year. it's an extra thing to get worked on every year but it's not a big deal really.

hope this helps a little


Barry

L79vette66

How much better does the 365hp sound than the 350hp cam? I love the old rough lope. I have a 350hp in my car now but I want more lope.
Please help.
Thanks,
MIKE

Donny Brass

In a recent side by side taste test, the 327/350 recently topped the 327/365 by a 2-1 margin

NINETNINEVETT

Question?? Would you have the best of both worlds with a 300 H.P. motor and put a 30/30 cam with solid lifters and left the rest alone. Mike

JohnZ

No, you wouldn't - the "30-30" cam needs a high-rise intake and big valves to breathe, and 11:1 compression to make power; also needs a high (numerical) axle ratio to get up into its power band quickly. A "30-30" cam in a 300hp engine and driveline would be a slug.

ctjackster

yeah well on any given Sunday . . . .

let's just say Donny cut a nice light on the third run. Not to disparage his worthy opponent at the strip. Let's face it, the L79 is the gentlemen's SHP SB, the L76 is the boy racer's SHP SB.

anyway, the 365 is supposed to deliver a slightly quicker 0 - 60 time, but it really outshines the 350 in a track setting, where its sweet spot (in the higher revs) can be more useful. As for which one to choose, notice the comments ont he low end, off the line, torque. If you have a 4.11 rear end, I say go with the L76 / 365. If you have something like a 3.08 rear end, you might not care for the high revving clutch dump starts required, and the L79 / 350 would be a better street combo.

just my own little opinion. I have an L76, obviously

Donny Brass

I concur, in my young and foolish days I put a GK .488 / .488 302 / 302 camshaft in a otherwise bone stock 300 hp engine with 3.36 gears. The car would not even break the tires loose..........

jackster, you KNOW that post was meant for you

BarryK

Hi CT

as you know I have the L76 in my '65 also and I have a 4:11 rear gearing - low end "off the line" torque still leaves a lot to be desired and it's a slug until you get up to approx 3500rpm.
now maybe it's just MY car that is that bad and maybe the motor needs to get looked at further, but as much as I love my car I REALLY wish it had better torque. I wonder a lot if the L79 motor would have been a better choice for me.

SWCDuke

L-79 is 360 lb-ft @ 3600. These are peak torque values, and are not all that different, but SHP engines' peak torque occurs at higher engine speed, and the 375 FI engine produces its 350 lb-ft peak torque at a lofty 4600. It's even weaker down low than the 365 because it essentially has a "tunnel ram" manifold.

The really telling number would be torque at 2000, and the more highly tuned engines will be decidedly weak compared to the medium performance engines.

The poor low end torque of the 30-30 cam is why I recommend the LT-1 cam to replace it. The LT-1 cam makes almost as much bottom end torque at the L-79 cam and about the same top end power as the 30-30. Bottom line is broader torque bandwidth, which is what street engine performance is all about.

Duke

ctjackster

yeah Barry, I cannot deny the "slug off the line" issue with the L76, if pairing the L76 with the 4.11 rear still leaves you wondering, then I would have to give the nod to Mr. Brass's rise of choice

BarryK

Duke

I have no doubt your numbers are more correct than mine, I pulled them from another site that list each years, motor options, etc, and specs but I'm sure your information is more accurate and reliable.

Barry

Donny Brass

Jackster: is that your blue Avalanche in the background of your gallery pic ??

ctjackster

yup

best all-around vehicle I have ever owned. Pretty much 100% GM on my autos, have an Envoy SLT for the ever understanding wife. Best all-around woman I have ever been owned by.

Donny Brass

I have a dark blue 2004 Z-71 Avalanche, it is a great truck, I just don't like the nekkid ones........


My wife actually made me buy it because I always seemed to be borrowing someone else's truck to tow or haul........she drives a Monte SS

ctjackster

I agree about the WBH version (without body hardware, GM-speak), plus if you ever take it in the woods like I do the cladding makes sense, no offroad "pinstripes" from tree branches thanks to the cladding taking the punishment . . .

Donny, hit this forum for ALL of you Av needs, nice bunch there:

http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/

68shark

Although I have a C3, it's a '68 and has the L79 engine as noted in my sig. I've also driven the 300hp version of the 327 with the M20 and 3.36 gears. In all honesty? But for the odd time I "nail it" and love the higher RPM power of my motor, the 300HP engine is probably best for most needs. I'm not a road racer....and if I was to buy one again, or buy a C2, I'd go with the 300hp/M20/lower rear gear ratio combo. Decent cruise RPM's plus power in the band where most daily use takes place. I can hardly believe I just wrote this...heresy...!!