Joebatz

Deciding on which motor would be better for my 82 but I am not sure what to go with.
Jasper makes a nice motor for 350-350hp for around $2,666. The ZZ4 is much more expensive and seems that the performance is about the same.
My local performance shop suggested the Jasper motor saying that the warranty is better and that is has much more of a loop to the idle.
What do you guys think, I drop the baby off tomorrow morning, then I have to decide which motor is best. Also crossfire or carb.

QuickVet

zz4 for sure. much more reliable and you know the warranty is valid :cheers:

Metal Wulf

Jasper :yesnod:

Birdie2000

I'm not very familiar with the internals on a Jasper, but the ZZ4 is pretty cool. It's got a lot of torque, and it's an excellent engine to build on in the future.

Aluminum heads, 4 bolt mains, forged crank :steering: :thumbs:

Older Than Dirt

:iagree:

BSeery

Look at the parts in the motors.

I can build you 350 HP for about 1K. Would it be nice to drive daily - no. Would it last long - no. Would you want it in your car - no. But it would make 350 HP.

List out the parts.

I have the ZZ4. It starts right up, idles smoother than the L-48 it replaced and is a very smooth runner. Just flex the right foot and you got TORQUE.

I would rather have a smooth running 350 HP and a smooth torque curve than a loopey motor putting out 400 HP way up high and no torque down low. A lot of the builders get the HP number way up there, but for street driving you need torque, and most of them have none or it's too high in the RPM range.

CDaniel525

ZZ4 and carb..and youll be able to do as I am in my sig ;)

As others said.....look at the internals of the Jasper....if they dont tell, then there is a reason....
If the internals are compareable, then look at the torque and Hp curves of each motor. remember, ZZ4 is a proven reliable performer.

GDaina

I wouldn't hit a dog in the bum with a Jasper...

I tore down a Chevy v-6 2.8L that was a jasper rebuilt...I can't begin to tell you how botched up this motor was....instead of resizing the rods they shimmed the rod caps, there were other issues with three rods, that were junk, had to replace them, both heads were junk....and the crank was junk.

Get the ZZ4, you will be a much happier man

markdtn

Keep the crossfire or Tune-Port it. Fuel injection is great.

I have no actual experience with a Jasper engine, but I have talked to them a time or two. They say they use top quality internals and will list them for you. I'd at least talk to the Jasper rep before you decide. Sounds like your mechanic has good experience with them. Maybe ask him to do replacement labor if that should become necessary if you follow his recommendation.

Sigforty

Roller Cam!!!!! Go with the ZZ4! There is nothing like a smooth idle that roller provides.

Spook

Is it just me or is it that the Jasper will only be the engine block and heads for 2500 where the ZZ4 is everything from the dampner to the flexplate and then some for 3200. I went down this same exact path awhile back before I got the ZZ4.

I was pretty undecided untill I had some email conversations with Jasper asking for a rebuild on my original engine block and one of thier people responded "that is not what we do" or something to that affect. I was like what the hell is it they think they do there then?

If I was you I would go ZZ4 style. Like everyone has said its a proven winner. I dont even think comparing one persons exact same Jasper to Jasper would give you the same results.

Spook
:reddevil

TTop Tony

I went with Jasper for my rebuild. It was <2000k and they used my block and were careful of the casting numbers. I doubt Jasper would give a three year warranty if they did shoddy work. I've had no issue with mine but it does eat a little oil(3.7 gears don't help). But if I didn't have my original engine I would definitly have gone with the ZZ4. Kick butt engine with a great idle. Just my $.02. Go with the ZZ4.

STING67RAY

i would go with the ZZ4, it comes with all new parts as opposed to jasper.
jasper uses a block of uknown vintage,and possibly other internal reconditioned used parts. i have used jasper products where i work and have used about 20 units. of that only two went bad right a way. one was a japanese engine put together missing an internal oil plug. that made a mess on start up. the other was a ford truck engine that had little or no compression. they did stand behind both with a no hassle exchange right a way . if it was just my everyday driver,i would go with jasper. but on a keeper. GM all the way.
just my 2 cents worth.
d.s. in n.j.

wcsinx

:iagree:

exactly .. getting 350 hp out of a SBC isn't that hard. Getting it reliable and streetable is the hard part. Go with the ZZ4.

Kevin Mason

Horsepower is cheap. Strength is what costs money.

Corvette_fetish

A new ZZ4 350ci crate engine and a good carb, let's say an appropriate Holley, could get me in the 12's for the 1/4 mile?

The goal for my '79 is "12.x", and the lower in the 12's the better without going into the 11's, because I want my Vette to retain it's stock appearance, and a roll cage does not fit into my vision. I'm currently running high 14's with my transplanted carbureted '85 L98 Vette engine, but the valves are warn out, she burning a lot of oil, and I can't justify dropping a lot of money on new valves, and the installation labor, for an old worn engine when I could put that money towards a new crate engine. I was thinking I would be looking at that new 425hp "fast burn" 383ci crate engine to get me to my goal, but I imagine that engine costs a lot more than the ZZ4 350ci., and the increased cost means a longer wait, and less upgrades in other areas. Can the ZZ4 meet my needs based on my goals and desires, or should I look at the "fast burn" 383?

Captain_Kaboom

I think it just depends on what you want to do with your car, and maybe what the rest of the car is worth.

I didn't want to spend as much on a ZZ4 as I paid for the vette. So I went with an ATK crate and she is a nice daily driver with 3 year/unlimited mile warranty.

If the rest of the car were really nice, and I had the cash...heck yeah ZZ4 all the way.

supervett77

i have a fast burn its related to the zz4 with the same bottom end. You should so go for the zz4 very reliable. The are pretty fast too.

77-C3 & 89-C4

ZZ4 ZZ4 new is new and rebuilt is old, well it's old. Young chick or old lady made-up which would you take

Ghostrider

I suggest a ZZ4. Very smooth, powerfull and reliable. Drop it in and drive away as a fully GM-engineerd engine Originally derived from the 1996 C4 LT4 engine...




[Modified by Ghostrider, 10:25 PM 9/30/2003]