Technical Small Block Chevy 350 Rebuild

I am not sure if I am in the right place. I love tinkering with cars, trucks, tractors and engines..

I do not know that much about engines. I am learning! I figure the best way to learn is to right jump in. I have always wanted to get an engine, do a complete tear down and rebuild the entire thing and run it on an engine stand to take with me when I take my hit.and miss engines to shows. Well, yesterday, I found a Small Block Chevy 350. This engine was going to be swapped into a boat but then they sold the boat. Last night, I was ale to do some research on the engine according to the stamped numbers. This is what I found:
4GM57LG General Motors 5.7L (not sure what the 4 or the G is)
D058 tells me April 5,1988
140936380 tells me 1987 - 1995, 350 car/truck 2/4 bolt main (mine is a 2) passenger stick, 1 piece seal, roller/flat tappet cam
V0407PJC tells me V=Flint Michigan, 04= April, 07=7th, PJC=1988 CI 350, HP195 equipment Manual Trans, Throttle Body Injection truck

It was a free engine. It is missing the intake manifold, carb, distributor, cam, lifters, pushrods, valve covers, 2 pistons, oil pan, and probably some other stuff.

First problem: All the parts places I go to online ask for year, make and model of vehicle. This engine was not in a vehicle. So how do I look up parts? Just pick a 1988, Chevy and a random car or truck?

Questions: How do I know what parts are the correct part when ordering? Example: the intake manifold, if it is made for a 350. are they all pretty much the same? Do they have different angles? Another Example: the Cam, I see I can buy the cam kit with the lifters, timing chain, pulleys, etc., Specs above say I can use roller or flat, How do I know which one to get? Are lifters all the same or are there different heights which would affect push rod length, etc.

The plan for this engine is to rebuild and run on a stand, not in an actual vehicle.

I will be getting a book to help guide me through the process. I will need a lot of help. I´m sure this is the first of many posts to come.

All help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

When it's all said and done, please paint the block and heads chevy orange.... Thank you!...

 

hi, this engine is kind of off topic for this place...but not completely.... as long as you plan to put it in an old (pre-65) hot rod, we can probably discuss it.

The application you already know, eh? 1988 Chevy pickup. Pretty sure they came with a flat tappet cam/lifters. The cars got roller cams at that time, but not trucks.

The intake manifold you need will fit 1987-94 models. I****ume you want to put a carb on it, all the original intakes were for EFI.

Usually when two rods are missing from a junk engine, it's because it spun a bearing or threw a rod, and the crankshaft will be in bad condition on that journal.

You might want to get the block magnaflux inspected for cracks, too.

 

These are such a common engine that it's pretty easy to get parts for. You may even find them by doing a search on local Craigslist ads if someone else has a 350 that's in the same era and has decided to part it out also. There are some aftermarket intakes that are setup to fit earlier two piece main seals, and later one piece main seals, so those work for all the variations. Otherwise the only carbed intakes will be later name brand aftermarkets as the factory intakes were for injected versions.
Valve covers wont be an issue, as there are plenty after the early staggered bolt pattern that fit. But if your heads are centerbolt style then you're going to need the late model valve covers.
The oil pan for a one piece main seal engine is completely different, and also has a passenger side dipstick. So none of the old oil pans will fit this era SBC.

 

If you want to run a carb, a factory GM intake from a 1987 Monte Carlo SS will bolt right on those heads and allow you to use a Quadrajet.

I should add, someone has pulled this thing apart and we don't know the reason why. That and you are missing a lot of parts (I also worry, as someone else commented, as to why it is missing two rods and pistons). If this is to be nothing more than an engine run on a test stand, you'd be dollars ahead if you started with a complete engine that was tired/in need of a rebuild or find an older engine someone removed in order to do an LS swap.

 

The two heads I have are as follows:
3998991 which I found out is 72-73, 307/350ci, 75cc chambers, 1.72/1.50" valves.
3886388 which I found out is 68-76, 307/350 ci, 76cc chambers, 1.72/1.50" valves.

They are different numbers. Different specs. Is it true either head can be placed on either side of the block?

I was looking at a flat tappet Comp Camshaft 268H. It says advertised duration 268/268, lift .454/.454. Another one was Summit Cam 1104, advertised duration 278/288, lift .421/.444. I do not know what the numbers mean.

 

I was told they were going to swap this engine into a boat which had a cracked block. Maybe they were going to salvage missing parts from the bad engine into this one. Obviously, I do not want to waste money on stuff I do not need or expensive parts. This is a just project I am doing for a learning experience (never done anything like this before). The goal is to learn and end up with a actual running motor. Which would make me want to do more!

 

I think you are in a refurbishment mode, not a rebuild mode? Ie you don’t want to take things into a shop, have stuff machined, buy new parts, etc? You’d like to use what you have, pick up some used parts to complete it, and do what’s needed to make it live on an engine stand.
I used to be mesmerized as a kid at the County fairs watching the hit and miss engines run.

 

I still am that kid. Then I had to have my own one-lunger.

 

Sorry, I****umed the heads and block were manufactured at the same time and sold together as a complete engine. If those heads are earlier (perimeter bolt rather than center bolt), a Monte SS intake will NOT fit.

Before you go rounding up roller cam/lifters, I'd like to see a picture of the lifter bores as I have had an issue with one of those early "roller" blocks not accepting roller components.

You got a block from one year, head from a much earlier engine, are missing two rods/pistons as well as a LOT of other stuff missing ... I dunno about this engine, keep in mind, free ain't always cheap

The comment above regarding possible reverse rotation is very wise.

 

If all you want is to learn, I would look for a complete 305. Tear it down, everything is there, The last one I bought
was $50, I have paid as little as 5. Rebuild kits are cheap, and you can do a learning rebuild that will teach you everything a 350 will. Putting together a motor from parts will also teach you a lot but will increase your margin for error.

 

Photo is to grainy to tell if there is a starter in all the engine parts but I think there is one. If so, see which way it spin’s. Timing set seems to be missing as well. Was it a two gear set for reverse rotation or a chain set?

 

The main cap bolts look to be the type that had a windage tray on it.

I'd have the block checked out well before spending a dime on it.

 

Does the casting number on the back of the block look like this ?

Tommy

 

It looks like you hauled home and educational experience. The only money in it was the gas to go get it and haul it home.
The first thing I would do is find a copy of how to rebuild your small block Chevy. Dave Vizards book was printed in 1987 and I am not sure that he covered the blocks with 1 piece main seals. I don't have my copy in the house on my reference book shelf so I can't tell if it covers what one would need to know about that engine that is different than other small blocks.
First step before you take anything apart is to check the rod and main caps to see if they are marked as to position. Some kind of hand stamped numbers or punch marks or ?? If not, mark the three middle main caps 2-3-4 so you can tell where they go back. Then mark the rod caps and rods so you know which cap goes on which rod and what hole they go back in.

When you take it apart put the caps back on the rods when you get each piston out. Then for the time being set them up in a nice little military row so they are somewhat organized. You will have to take the timing chain and gear off before you can remove the crank.
Note that it is very doubtful that it is or was a reverse rotation engine, In boats they usually only run an engine in reverse rotaton when it is the offside engine in a twin engine installation so the props counter rotate and keep the boat going straight. Two props with the pitch of the prop going the same way cause the boat to always want to be turning.

Back to SBC education. take the thing apart and inspect each piece as you remove it. when you pull the lifters if they are still in the block lay them out in order so they could go back in the same spot. This is learning right now and good/bad parts are decided during the learning experience.
Inspect the block and crank looking for obvious damage or cracks or ??
If you need an honest answer don't be afraid to PM me. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't ask here and you should as it is just an engine question not a car question. Most of the same answers outside of measurements that apply to a 283 or 327 apply to this engine with a few exceptions . A small block chevy is a small block chevy when you work on it even though there are a few minor differences.

 

Thank you for the hep so far. Without having the actual cam, how would I find out if this engine uses a reverse camshaft?

 

This is the engine that was going to be placed in the boat. It did come with a timing chain and cover but no timing gear.

 

I was able to get the engine up on the stand. It is held on the stand with just 4 3/8-16 x 3 1/2" Grade 8 bolts.

 

yes, journal between 733 and 756 does have a rust spot on it.

I put some feelers out today for a complete small block Chevy (80'sish hopefully 350 maybe 307, non LS, Non vortex, carbed not fuel injected) within a 50 mile radius of me, one place in Ottawa, Canada, (not sure how that works bringing an engine across the border) one in Saranac Lake, and one in Philadelphia,NY. Looked like they all had 100s of engines on their property (according to the photo) but kind of pricey ($400 and up)

 

To get a good deal on an engine, you need to wait for it to come to you (as you did with the one you have now). They're never cheap if you go looking as if you need it right now.

 

I would look for a complete small block, even then the machine costs and parts needed will probably be as much as a crate motor.

$2299 with a 3 year warranty.

JEGS Crate Engines - Small Block Chevy 350ci Crate Engine 195 HP - JEGS