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New SP383 V8 EFI Chevrolet Crate Engine: Live Photo Gallery

Chevy will celebrate 65 years of the Small Block engine in 2020, and to help kickstart the anniversary, the Bow Tie brand dropped a brand-new Chevrolet crate engine at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Dubbed the SP383 EFI, the new ‘eight is essentially a more modern version of the famous 383 Small Block “stroker,” and features all the convenience of a contemporary electronic fuel injection system.

Based on Chevrolet Performance’s ZZ6 EFI motor, the new SP383 Chevrolet crate engine bumps up the power and stroke. While the previous ZZ6 motor offered a 3.4-inch stroke, plus 420 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, the SP383 gets a lengthened 3.8-inch stroke. Peak output for the SP383 is rated at 450 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 436 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm, with a recommended maximum rpm of 6,000 rpm.

Highlights for the new Chevrolet crate engine include fast burn-style cylinder heads and a modernized valvetrain with beehive-type valve springs. There’s also port-style injection, with the injectors plumbed through a carburetor-style intake manifold to give it that classic under-hood aesthetic.

Digging deeper, we find a cast iron block with four-bolt main caps, a forged steel crankshaft, heavy-duty forged steel connecting rods, hypereutectic aluminum pistons, and a steel hydraulic roller camshaft. Premium pump fuel is recommended.

The new Chevrolet Crate engine is offered in two separate kits, including a Deluxe kit which comes with a throttle body, distributor, damper and flexplate, as well as a Turn Key kit with an air cleaner, front-end accessory drive, PCV valve, and starter. Both kits come with a wiring harness and engine controller.

Like the rest of the Chevrolet crate engine lineup, the SP383 V8 is part of the Connect & Cruise Powertrain System, which allows buyers to match their engine of choice with just the right transmission and components.

The SP383 Chevrolet crate engine will be available to order from the 2020 Chevrolet Performance catalog.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. This one looks to be an instant top-seller to those looking to upgrade their existing gen 1-small-block-equipped cars while stepping away from the limitations of carburetors and into modern fuel management systems. Other than an upgrade to the fuel-supply system (and possibly a change in flywheel/flexplate and/or starter), this should be pretty much a drop-in, plug-and-play swap.

    Reply
  2. What does it look like without the air cleaner in place? Is it running one of the after market injection units or something home grown from GM?

    Reply
    1. No, it’s not clear on my phone, and the article uses awkward wording. My bad.

      The injectors are pointed at the port floor and not at the valves (impossible with siamesed ports and the reason GM switched to symmetric ports). This causes fuel puddles in the ports which hurts throttle response and fuel runs into the cylinders, washes walls and carbon up parts (read John B.Heywood).

      My point still stands that you can find better tech in junk yards. A 383 based on the 5.3 is a fav of mine.

      Reply
  3. Meh. Throttle body injection is barely EFI. It was crappy in the ’80s and it’s still crappy. They could do something good with a short ram and modern injectors. Nevermind designing an 18° raised port head.

    Btw the 350 has a 3.48″ stroke, not 3.4″.

    Reply
    1. They’re not going to do a new head design for a crate motor. You’re correct on the 350 stroke but that’s not Throttle Body EFI. It’s Port Injected. The article not only states that but you can clearly see the two fuel rails in the pictures.

      Reply
    2. TBI? Oh yea, because that’s what port injection is…

      You’re either an idiot or know zero about fuel injection.

      Reply
  4. Glad to see this as a viable option for those who already have a Gen 1 small block and either don’t want to/ or can’t for some other reason go the LS route. I also like that it has the look of a carb but it is port injected. Being port injected takes the pitfalls of the TBI (throttle body injected) out of the picture and will make it run like a modern fuel injected engine. Good job GM!!

    Reply

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