Sounds healthy!

Which Holley system were you trying to use? I am good with most of them, heck, I helped with their design years ago. I am not sure how I found this thread, I was researching the difference between the GM 454 and 496 and found this engine. Really intrigued. I have a 1996 Dually that needs help. The 454 is tired. A friend is trying to get me to put a 496 in there along with the cooling system and front accessory drive. Now I see this engine. I would really love to hear how you all feel about this engine and what sets it apart from the 496. I can easily stroke my 454 but the stock heads will be a limiting factor, even if I do some porting on them. This is a tow vehicle, will never see north of 5500. I will stick with EFI and yes, it will be running off a Holley Term X Max so I can control the trans also. While I have HP Tuners and know it, I prefer the Holley system.

If you are on Facebook there's a group for these engines called 8.8 PSI big block chevy world. That's the best source of info on the 8.8 we have

It was the Holley Terminator EFI system.
The biggest issue I was having was crank and cam sensor syncing.
I eventually put a flying magnet crank trigger on it and it cleaned up quite a bit... but I still preferred a carb setup... so that is now on the engine and is deadnuts reliable.

I still havent gotten the engine into the boat... and am now rethinking my camshaft choice... Im concerned I may have gone too big with the cam and may have water reversion issues with the stock wet exhaust.
I have a brand new 496HO billet cam on the shelf... so I may play it safe and swap-in the smaller HO cam just for peace of mind.

Hey man, found this post via Google, I have an automotive shop in Winder, and am living in Cleveland currently. I see you sold your spare motor off, but if you wouldn't mind private messaging me (I can't send a PM yet, new member) I'd really like to pick your brain a bit if that's OK. I'm interested in building a frankenmotor for my 8.1 dually. Thanks!

Also, for anybody else - where do you get gaskets for the 8.8?

8.8 fuel rail fit 8.1?

no

psi

Stock 8.1, ported 8.8 psi head, raylar head.

It’s an LS head design, but it hasn’t been enlarged enough to support high RPMs with 535 cubes. It’s only got a 2.19” valve. There may be potential there, but you’d be wasting lots of time porting cast iron.

Looks like the stock 8.1 could support 570hp, the ported 8.8 665hp, and the raylar up to 700hp.

Not a lot to love here except the price for a used one. There may be a decent cheap combo to be built with a bigger cam in a stock motor, but otherwise normal aftermarket bbc stuff is a lot better. The 8.1 is not siamesed. The 8.8 head doesn’t look like it can handle high lift or big springs with out mods, according to this guy in the video.

If this guys cnc program is reasonable, and the stock PSI pistons can clear enough cam, there’s potentially a decent cam+head stock bottom end combo possible on the 10/1 compression natural gas version. You might need intake porting to match and fuel system changes to work on gas though.

8.1s have a piston that isn’t ideal and a weak rod. Not sure how the PSI compares here.