Help me build my 350

[bigdnew]

I have an 86 silverado with a 305 and a totalled 73 blazer with a 350. I want to swap the 305 with the 350. The 350 is original from the oil pan to the air cleaner.

I want to build the 350 and looking for ideas on how to build a strong 350 on a budget. Looking to spend around 2500.

[bigdnew]

really no advice

[camshaftgsxr]

iron heads and a big cam and intake plus carb? not real specific i know but its a start

[bikes&bowties]

I cant help with internal specs but vortec heads would be a good start for a mild budget built

[camshaftgsxr]

Originally Posted by bikes&bowties

I cant help with internal specs but vortec heads would be a good start for a mild budget built

thats what i got SOB will chirp into third and squawl through second all for CHEAP

[spinem]

Originally Posted by camshaftgsxr

iron heads and a big cam and intake plus carb? not real specific i know but its a start

Big cam= poor relialibity.... this is what happens when you install a "BIG" cam..

Originally Posted by camshaftgsxr

thats what i got SOB will chirp into third and squawl through second all for CHEAP

Vortec, good, easy to find yes. HOWEVER: i do not like the fact that they require a diff more expensive aftermarket intake... and the powerband is a little wacky.

If you can find 327 heads at a junk yard with no obvious wear, use them!!! (please google to lean more)

This is what you want to do:
Dedicate your entire garage to the truck.
Lay everything out the way it was installed.(example...number 1 cyl: this exhaust rocker, this exhaust rod, this hydro lifter...so on and so on)

Plan a month /w/ money already in your pocket...no hanging paycheck to paycheck.

After pulling the pistons and heads, check the "lip".. if it snags your fingernail, eehhh... max you should go is .060 over. some people go .080 but wow. thats really close to the h2o jackets. If all machiene shoops are too expensive you can buy a drill honer from summit and jegs.

If you can afford it buy some foregided pistons, not cast. The foregided will run you about 230.00 delivered. They will out last you and your kids if taken care of.

Buy standard run of the mill iorn standard gap (not gapless) piston rings.

Buy an rv cam....will come with everything needed besides rods and rockers. re use rockers and rods..

Have the heads done by professionals that have a good rep. Say the key words.....you ready?... "do it, as you would do to your car"

carb, 200 rebuilt, 50 for a kit.... i reccomend having some one doing. carbs still blow my mind.

WATER PUMP WATER PUMP WATER PUMP!!!!

why whould u buy a hi volime waterpump? the water dose not have time to cool down in the radiator!!! its in, its out.
Buy a standard water pump (bring your old one in) and buy it new... NO REBUILDS. LET ME REPEAT.... NOOOOO REEEEBBBUUUIILLLDDDSSSSSS!!!!

intake: edelbrock performer, for i think 20 more you can buy a "air gap"... worth it!!! (if ypu have the doe!!) hahaha

spark plugs, go to napa, ask for a senior sales rep. believe me, if you dont, uggh. dont wanna talk about it or imma get all rialed up...

and lastly, chrome dont get you home.

IF I FORGOT ANYTHING, PLEASE PM ME. I WILL NOT BE MOTORING THIS THREAD AGAIN.
dont esitate to ask, everyone has to learn..... dont do the first thing anyone suggests, even what ive said, re-search, re-search, re-search!!!! google is your friend!!!!

please excuse my type-os

[oldschool18]

small block rebuild kits are cheap, new pistons are cheap these days also. check and see what heads are on there now, depending on what you got you might not need to spend the money for new ones. new cam and intake, carb you can rebuild it with parts staying under 1000........its all in what you want to build or what you what you want to do, you could bore it .30 over I think that makes it a 355 depending on the motor...or go 60 over......just get your block and crank cleaned before you rebuild it, smb engines are known to crack frim the inside out and make sure the trust is ok with your crank.............and I totaly agree... with research research research.........I learned from my father who has been rebuilding motors for over 40 years......find a local machine shop that does this stuff every day that has a good rep, and talk to your local speed shop for find an old head for some help an input......I grew up in these places and these guys love to talk. and if your doing it yourself buy some books print alot of pages, nake notes and pics of what your doing and take your time check everything......you dont need to spend alot to make a 350 fast......but if you do it wrong its not going to be cheap to fix and replace it........

[hotrod_991]

Just had my dad build me a 350. (im deployed otherwise i would have done it). Here is a run down of what i bought to build it. Just an idea for you and my toatl build cost minus theshipping charges was ruffly 2k. Of course i didnt have have to pay for any labor iether.

Machine work for block and internals-$483
Heads-flo tech allluminum-7222000-speedway motors-$700 for pair complete with valve guides adn 3/8 rocker studs.
Intake-edelbrock Torker2-3255001-speedway motors-$125.99
engine dress kit-black krinkle-141-758-$175.95-summit
Scored KB pistons from cousin-$100
Comp Cam-Mutha Thumpr-28216014-speedway motors-$154.99
Rhodes anti pump hyd. lifters-speedway motors-$153.39
Push Rods-Manley Chrome Moly-50525785-speedway-$37
steel roller tip rockers-91014015-speedway-$109.99
Total for engine=$1958.

AS stated above you might want to go with the performer or air gap intake if you can afford it. The torker is more of a high RPM intake I will also be going to air gap.

That is just the basic majoy list of parts numbers and were i got them. Hope it helps and good luck.

[bigdnew]

Has anyone used one of these eldebrock performance package kits.

Description Part #
SBC engine kit 410 hp w/hydraulic flat tappet cam #2098
POWER PACKAGE TOP-END KIT #2098 INCLUDES:
Part No. Description
7102 Performer RPM Hydraulic Cams & Lifters for early-model blocks
60899 (2) Performer RPM Heads, complete
6997 Timing Cover Gasket and Seal Set
7361 Cylinder Head Gasket Set for Performer RPM Heads
7501 RPM Air-Gap intake manifold
8504 Intake Manifold Bolt Kit
8550 Cylinder Head Bolt Set

[LMDGUY]

I had a friend use one of the Summit kits.. he is really happy with the performance. No dyno numbers yet.

[bigdnew]

Originally Posted by LMDGUY

I had a friend use one of the Summit kits.. he is really happy with the performance. No dyno numbers yet.

It looks like eldebrock did a really good job putting this kit together and yes hp and torque numbers are important

[ecniv]

Grab a cup of coffee, or a beer depending on your timezone, this could be a long one.

First things first, what are your plans for the truck? Is it 2wd or 4wd? What trans/rear end gear? Do you want a high RPM screamer, or a torque monster for pulling houses off their foundations? And, most importantly, how much do you want to spend? It's a slippery slope putting these motors together.

I'll assume for the time being that you want this thing to be a daily driver with some snot. The key here is keep it simple. I don't know that I'd go with forged pistons on a budget street motor unless I was planning on putting the nitrous too it at some point - cost/benefit doesn't really add up. Agree completely on using conventional rings, there's no reason to buy gapless. Spend your money where it counts.

Block prep is huge, have a machine shop hot tank it, bore it, install new cam bearings, and zero deck it. That last part is optional, but if you want to run a big cam, the extra static compression will help keep your motor driveable.

Screw that stuff together with some quality bearings and gaskets, and now we're at the top end.

Those edelbrock kits are nice if you don't want to do your homework and just want quick fast results, but I think you can do better, for less money. I like the Vortec heads for a budget build, but I like the conventional "Fuelie" heads more because they take a standard (read: cheap) intake manifold. Here's my philosophy on heads and flow numbers: Average flow is more important than the peak numbers that the companies advertise. If you choose a cam/rocker combo that gives you a net valve lift of .525 inch, does it matter what the intake port flows at .600? I'll answer for you - no. Also, if you have 2 cylinder heads that flow the exact same on the intake side, but one is a 200cc runner and the other is a 180cc, choose the smaller head. Port velocity is just as important as flow, it helps with cylinder filling and lower engine speed performance. Say it with me, "Torque under the curve is what we want in a truck motor!"

Cams. I was once the guy who just went to the bottom of the page in the Crane catalog, and said "I want the one with the most lift and the most duration! I want it to sound like a stock car!" Then I put it in a car with a stock stall in the trans, highway rear gears, and power brakes, and wondered why I hated driving it. I like high lift, smaller duration cams with a tight LSA (if you convert to a roller lifter setup, you open up a whole new world of lobe designs).

Call the cam company of your choice, tell them what you're looking for, and they'll spec you out a cam. Make sure to tell them what heads you're running, because matching all these components is important While you're on the phone with them, listen to what they tell you as far as valve springs. Remember that your engine is an air pump, and increasing the amount of air you're pumping into and out of it is going to make it rev faster and higher. Light valvetrain components are more expensive, but worth it in the long run.

Intake/exhaust. Run a dual plane, single planes like to live on the upper side of 4000rpm all day, and who wants that? Torque UNDER the peak is what we want, and a dual plane helps achieve that. Run the carb of your choice, but make sure to tune it right. That means playing with jets, not just the idle mixture screws. For exhaust, those cheapo Summit headers are looking pretty good for a driver, it's too bad they're so thin. You get what you pay for I guess. I plan to give 'em a shot on my truck.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is having a simple, MILD engine that lasts a long time. High strung, big cam picky motors are fun for a week, then you hate driving them. Matching the power curve of the engine to the rest of the drivetrain is equally important - if it needs more stall and more rear gear, get it, or maybe take it down a notch in the cam department. You'll be glad you did.

[bigdnew]

thank you for the advise ecniv. this is will not be a daily driver but i do want something i will not have to tune or adjust constantly and be an absolute torque monster. we live in a world of speed limits. i want a motor i can hammer occaisionally and fuse my butt to the seat. right now my plan is to reuse the entire bottom end of course after cleaning and polishing everything. it is also my plan to reuse the rods and pistons and just rering.

in regards to top end what fuelie head did you have in mind. i do want to stay with flat tappet cam and lifters. i was thinking eldebrock air gap intake, one inch carb spacer and basic eldebrock elec choke carb.

there is currently a set of hedman headers currently on the blazer and i am thinking on wrapping them and reusing them on the new motor.

[ecniv]

292 is one casting; other common ones are 041, 492, and 186. Some don't have accessory bolt holes. Look on late 60s impalas. Lots of people think these are specific to Vettes, but they are not.

[Tex_50613]

Edelbrok Performer 2 intake, 283/327 cam, roller tipped stamp steel rockers, if your going for street run a vaccume secondary holly 650 cfm carb and if your going anything else run with a manual secondary, good HEI with copper conductor cap and rotor (accell, Malroy, Blue Streak, ECT) good wires, (accell 9 or 10mm is my personal choice), good fluids and filters (going cheep after building a motor ain't the way to go)

[3r!c84]

what are the price ranges and kinds of intakes for the vortec heads

[bigdnew]

i dont think they are too bad. i think i might go away from the fuelie heads because no acces. holes.

[gchemist]

Vortec heads, XE262 cam, RPM aluminum intake, dual roller cam chain and good carb. Less thank $1k, as long as the engine has no major problems. You can get a used 96 Vortec and later engine. Remove the FI and add a carb and cam.

[wedgemon]

Why not crate it? GM Performance crate is about $1800.00 delivered. Leaves you $700 for a manifold, headers and incidentals.

I suppose it depends on your satisfaction or annoyance at building an engine...

- Dave

[camshaftgsxr]

Originally Posted by wedgemon

Why not crate it? GM Performance crate is about $1800.00 delivered. Leaves you $700 for a manifold, headers and incidentals.

I suppose it depends on your satisfaction or annoyance at building an engine...

- Dave

i think its cause everybody thinks they know more than the people that get paid to design this stuff

[spinem]

Originally Posted by wedgemon

Why not crate it? GM Performance crate is about $1800.00 delivered. Leaves you $700 for a manifold, headers and incidentals.

I suppose it depends on your satisfaction or annoyance at building an engine...

- Dave

very good point.!

[oldschool18]

If your just looking for a strong good motor rebuild yours with a bigger cam and a intake and a new carb.....rebuild kit 150.00.......block cooked and heads cooked 125.00...if that......and maybe some new heads.......see what ya got first......or find a set of 2.02 heads for sale..........I understand you want a little get and go, but your not racing it so dont get into a lot of money for stuff you dont need.......a cam, intake and a carb with some headers will do alot.......and you will still have a great engine that will last a long time.........but to be honest I just got home from the bar and Im not sure what I am even saying...................?????

[bigdnew]

So, gonna sell my 350 and my 305. Just bought a 2005 LS2 6.0 complete with harness and computer. It looks it's time to start a build thread