Damn...Motor Just Blew! Need Advice!

[sixtyfour]

On my way to work this morning a rod let go and motor started knocking. Was able to limp it home and here I sit waiting on a ride. The motor that's in it was either a 305" or a 350", I never took the time to figure it out. I want to go back in with a mild 350" and I need to do it as soon a possible. If I do have a 305" now, all the accessories, exhaust, and clutch/pressure plate will bolt right up...right? Anything I should look out for? Also, any suggestions on where to get a new motor? JEGS, Summit, etc...? I'd love to go back with a stroked 383" but I need to be realistic since this is my daily driver.

thanks

[jchav62]

Everything from a 305 will bolt up to a 350. Good luck! I've been there before.

[283 Man]

283 motor is a good builder just right can be a power house,tuff engines 327 are good motor too.Good Luck sorry to here about your motor.

[62 short step]

You can get a GM crate for about $1600 its rated at 290 hp. Summit or Jegs sells these. Also you can get one from your local chevy dealer.

[Chevy Fleetside]

too bad your not closer to here. I have two center bolt 350's sitting in my garage with harneses and tbi units. They came out of suburbans. You could always just go to your local GM dealer and check out the crate engines. I put one in my 4x4 in January of 2001 and have not had a problem with it. There should be about 50,000 on it now I would think. They make a 260hp and a 290hp version. Another option is to get one of the cheapy rebuilts from Kragens or Autozone which are under $1000 but you get what you pay for. I hear Autozone puts a 3 year warrenty on their engines though.. Or you could go to a pick and pull and try and find a good engine but good luck with that.. If you had a rod knock I am sure you scored the crank and would not want to rebuild that engine seeing there are so many out there that you can get for not much money. check this place out for starters.. http://www.crateenginedepot.com/?OVR...WID=3149188521 If you go to the search and type in GM crate engines you will get alot of options..

[jchav62]

I have an Autozone 350 in my 83. Runs real strong with no problems. Before I put the 327 in my 62, I ran a Checkers 350 in it. Ran great! I sold it to a friend of mine in Albuquerque and he's still running it, as it was, in his 59 Apache. Some people do have problems with these parts stores engines, but usually they back them with some kind of warranty..Usually 12months, 12,000 miles.

[Chevy Fleetside]

You can get a bad crate engine from GM also. Never know what your getting these days..

[TimE]

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

You can get a bad crate engine from GM also. Never know what your getting these days..

Ain't that the truth! I had one of the GM crate motors in a 85 Z28 about 10 years ago. It started and ran good but it would run hot(260*) at a stoplight and about 210* the rest of the time. I tried everything to help keep it cool. Bigger radiator, elec fan, external tranny cooler,header wrap, played with the timing, MANY different themostats, etc. NOTHING worked. If purchasing one of these, just be aware that they are "Hecho en Mexico" and the head castings are poor. I guess I just had a bad apple out of the bunch. Good luck with your motor search!!

[sixtyfour]

Ok, with your suggestions I've decided to go with the 290hp 350ci long block. I talked to the dealer and they will get me one for $1900.00 and only takes a day to get. I wanna go with a performance manifold and carb to match this motor, any suggestions? What size carb works well with this motor?

Thanks for the help guys!!!



Quite simply, the 290 HP 350-cubic-inch is the best small-block crate engine value offered by GMPP! With 290 horsepower and 326 lb.-ft. of torque, it makes a great replacement engine for countless GM vehicles, while its all-new construction provides peace of mind over salvage and rebuilt engines. The 290 HP is packed with good stuff, too, starting with the four-bolt-main block, aluminum pistons, and a hydraulic camshaft. The durable iron cylinder heads process healthy amounts of air to deliver strong torque across the rpm range and great mid-range horsepower. Delivered as a long block assembly, you add items like an intake manifold, carburetor, ignition system, starter, balancer and water pump—all available from GMPP. Build it up to suit your needs, as the economical 290 HP will leave plenty of change on the table! Our lowest priced crate engine.
This HP 290/350 is the best value crate engine from GM Performance Parts, with 290 horsepower @ 5100 RPM, and 326 lb-ft. of torque @ 3750 RPM on 87 octane fuel.

The HP 290 horsepower will provide great durability because of its 4-bolt mains, PM steel rods, strong cast aluminum pistons.
The camshaft has .450" intake and .460" exhaust lift with hydraulic flat tappets.
The cast iron cylinder heads have 1.94" intake and 1.50" exhaust valves wit 76 cc combustion chamber. These heads have the conventional 90 degree with 12 bolt intake manifold attaching design used from 1955 thru late 1980 12 bolt postion @ 90° to the intake/headflange.
This engine was designed to work with the following components:
intake manifold 10185063.
HEI distributor 93440806.
balancer 12551537.
flex plate 471529.
Bolt on the starter,water pump, fuel pump, and your ready to run.

[62 short step]

I have an Edelbrock performer intake and an Edelbrock 600 cfm carb on my 283, also have the Edelbrock cam in it. It runs pretty well for a small engine. This should also be a good set up for that gm 350.

[fuelpump]

Good choice. I had one in a 37 ford hot rod and loved it.

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

Great over all choice. A Performer manifold and a 600cfm. carb. (1406 edelbrock carb.) comes with auto. choke. would top it off.

esll.

[Billla]

Originally Posted by 62 short step

I have an Edelbrock performer intake and an Edelbrock 600 cfm carb on my 283, also have the Edelbrock cam in it. It runs pretty well for a small engine.

Yep, this is the right combo - Performer EPS + Performer 1406 (or Holley Street Avenger)

REALLY important to ensure the seals are all wet and to pre-oil the heck out of these crate engines.

[sixtyfour]

I'll check out JEGS here in a minute for manifold, carb, and probably distributor. What would be a good manual for info regarding timing, torque specs, and so on for this motor? My 64 Chevy manual won't cut it I'm guessing?

[sixtyfour]

and will I need to pull the hood off for install?

[71swb4x4]

You can get it in with the hood on, but when it's only a couple bolts just save yourself the hassle and pull the hood. It makes life a lot easier.

[Hillbilly Deluxe 65]

i say go to ebay.com search under chevy crate engines, for 1900 u get a 350 block with everything except for intake and carb, and pumps, etc

rated at 300 hp thats good for a 350

http://search.ebay.com/chevy-crate-e...sPageNameZWLRS

[JohnnyG.]

wow, i just blew up my motor yesterday in my 65. i got my hands on a 283 so im putting that in this weekend. i had a mexican made 305. since ive owned it all i have had is prbloems. now im going to something that might run a little better, now i just need to get rid of my powerglide...

[72freak]

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

You can get a bad crate engine from GM also. Never know what your getting these days..

We put a Gm crate in a 69 Chevy and followed typical break-in rules....never raced it, didnt push the RPM's...nothing.

Rings went bad in 2 weeks.............

replacement crate did fine

Made in Mexico!!!!

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by sixtyfour

and will I need to pull the hood off for install?

What I did with the hood on my truck was to remove the front two bolts completely (the furthest from the firewall), and loosen the rear two....this allows the hood to pivot upward more, out of the way, but keeps it on the truck.

My buddy Rich, just got that same motor (290HP crate) a couple of months ago.

I installed it into his '67 factory A/C Impala, with all the acc, and stock exhaust, quadrajuck carb, the whole shot .

Let me tell you...that thing runs REAL good....heavy car, and it hauls ass.

You will be happy with that engine, I think.

I would go with the performer intake and 600 (max) carb on it for sure.

Good Luck !!!

Pictures of install required, though !!!!

Later

[sixtyfour]

So far so good. Ordered the Edelbrock manifold and carb w/electric choke. Was gonna order the distributor but they had a few options, with coil built into cap or separate and vacuum advance or no vacuum advance? Guess I need to look what's on there now.

[71swb4x4]

I assume you already know this, but wanted to throw it out there just in case. Get an HEI distributor. If you haven't already upgraded it's REALLY easy.

[Rc 415]

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

too bad your not closer to here. I have two center bolt 350's sitting in my garage with harneses and tbi units. They came out of suburbans. You could always just go to your local GM dealer and check out the crate engines. I put one in my 4x4 in January of 2001 and have not had a problem with it. There should be about 50,000 on it now I would think. They make a 260hp and a 290hp version. Another option is to get one of the cheapy rebuilts from Kragens or Autozone which are under $1000 but you get what you pay for. I hear Autozone puts a 3 year warrenty on their engines though.. Or you could go to a pick and pull and try and find a good engine but good luck with that.. If you had a rod knock I am sure you scored the crank and would not want to rebuild that engine seeing there are so many out there that you can get for not much money. check this place out for starters.. http://www.crateenginedepot.com/?OVR...WID=3149188521 If you go to the search and type in GM crate engines you will get alot of options..

How much would you let one of those go for?? My trucks carb system is killing me!

[sixtyfour]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

I assume you already know this, but wanted to throw it out there just in case. Get an HEI distributor. If you haven't already upgraded it's REALLY easy.

Yup, thats what I have now and that's what I'm going back with. I just looked at mine and it looks like the coil is built in with vacuum advance.

[sixtyfour]

Originally Posted by ChiefRocka

Pictures of install required, though !!!!

First picture....a crate!



Anyway, manifold, carb, distributor, and other parts will be here today. Fixing to go out and score a cherry picker. Once the motor is pulled I'll need to go out and find a clutch set-up. That's it for now...more pictures to follow.