Ok I have found 2 Long blocks within 100 miles of me. Both are NON 53 blocks with around 80k miles. One is a 01 HO motor & the other is a 99 SO motor. I know the 01-02 HO motors have 17:1 Compreshion & the SO have 16.3:1. So my question is witch motor would be better to build? Its not going to be a race motor or anything like that. Its just going to be my daily driver that I would like to do a few more performance mods to. Seems like the higher compreshion would be good for a little more power seeing how im not going to be running extreamly high boost. Your input please. TIA

 

I believe the pistons in 01 HO motors received better oiling/cooling from underneath, but the vp44 on HO motors cannot support really large injectors as well as the SO pump.

 

Well its only the long block. None of the external parts are going to be used. I will be swaping oll of my parts once the rebuild is done. As of right now I am leaning tords the HO long block.

 

Im getting the SO long block. Going to pick it up today.

 

Why did you decide to go the SO route over the HO? I thought the HO had better pistons? Also more compression would give you some better turbo spool.

 

Well for one the SO was in mutch better condition. And like others have said the lower compreshion is better for building & I dont think .7:1 compreshion would have made that much of a diffrence.