Technical Small Block Chevy 350 Rebuild

This SBC has the bosses in the lifter valley that are D&T for the roller lifter retainer plate, which would tell me it was indeed a roller cam motor. If you go factory roller type lifters, you'll need this plate like I'm suing on my roller motor:



Factory type roller lifters are much less expensive than retrofit lifters with the links that keep the lifters aligned.
Since you're considering building this SBC, the first thing I'd do is have the block and heads cleaned, and magnafluxed so you know they're good before spending anymore money on it. Once they check out, then you can decide how you want to build it.
You may consider selling the mismatched heads and buying rebuilt heads, or turning them in as cores on a pair of rebuilt heads. Most shops don't care if they match, or what generation the heads are when using them as trade in cores. You might also consider finding earlier heads with perimeter bolt pattern to get something with smaller chambers that will result in a higher compression ratio than those 75-76cc heads have. Those heads with flat top pistons will probably be a miserable 8.25-8.5 compression, and a low HP engine. Just buying some 64cc chamber older heads will get you up around 9.5:1 C.R., and have a decent engine. The older heads bolt riight on, and valve covers are cheap and plentiful for this bolt pattern.

 

I'd be really surprised if a truck motor from 87 had rollers in it, regardless of the state of the bosses for the retainer plate.

We seem to be forgetting the application of this engine...which is a learning experience, to get an engine back together and running. It doesn't need to be built to last 150k miles, or to make any power at all.

 

That totally defeats the purpose of his adventure with the engine, which he stated was learning.

 

And education can be expensive, it is sometimes called a stupid tax.

 

The guy got a free engine that he wants to use to learn about engines. Are you just here to make rude comments?

 

Wow, we got a person that want’s to be a mechanic vs an R&R technician.

 

Ideally you would want both heads to match. If you're just in this for learning purposes, it probably isn't super critical if they're 1cc off. The heads can be placed on either side, that is true. With different chamber sizes from side to side you'll get mismatched compression, so you may get some accelerated wear from uneven loading. However, honestly the 1cc probably won't be noticable to most people. If you're running it on a stand for demonstration, who cares. If you're running it in a car, get matched heads. If you wanted to make more compression (power), a set of smaller chamber heads like Vortec would help gain you compression. They're not period, but you said you're in this to learn.

The Comp 268H is a decent cam without being overboard. It will give you a bit of sound but you don't need a bunch of crazy components to make it work. I am not familiar with the Summit 1104, but it's probably just fine as well.

 

If all he wants is a learning experience there are far easier and less expensive ways to start. A small 4 cycle industrial engine would be a great place to start and a hell of a lot cheaper. Same concepts, just a tiny package that you can store in a cabinet. I have one we were building for our unlimited kart cl***. Cool engines

OR

I bet there is someone local with a shop that could use some help. Start by helping break down engines 1 day a week. Sweep some floors, hang out and learn.

 

Then I guess I did it right then. Cox .049 engine to SBC.

 

I went from a Te***seh 3 hp to SBC. but OP is already into single cylinder engines, so this is the logical next step.

 

I’d never learned engines if my relatives bought those

 

Jim is right,,,,,,,the engine in my pic was not a roller engine .
I converted it by drilling and tapping the bosses for the spider .
I bought the spider and dog bones for the lifters from eBay .
I purchased brand new GM. Chevrolet lifters,,,,,excellent quality .
I then drilled the front of the block for the cam retainer plate,,,which I purchased online,,,,,,it lined up perfectly .
All the bosses were there from the factory,,,,I just drilled and tapped accordingly .

By the way,,,,,the fuel pump boss was not machined in my block either .
It was cast,,,but not drilled for mounting bolts,,,,or for the shaft and oil return hole .

Tommy

 

I re-read his first post. Seems like a silly plan but whatever............................

 

I've been toying with the idea of doing the same thing for some time now, except I'm even more clueless when it comes to engines. I have my eye on a local SBC tucked away in a dilapidated shed.
I'll be sure to watch this thread to get advice along with you. Best of luck and welcome to the HAMB!

 

I feel really fortunate to have done my first SBC overhaul when I was a teenager.....

 

Learning and challenging oneself isn't silly, it's rewarding.

 

You want to learn, this is a good candidate. Polish the crank, clean the pistons, install the pistons, rings learn your way around the engine. With what is missing your dollars ahead finding a complete engine to build check local shops for pullouts, you may still find a compatible parts engine free

 

The automotive shop at my high school had a number of SBC and SBF engines. Groups of students were required to take the engines apart and then re***emble them. We did the same with some old GM 3-speed transmissions. This was in the early 2000's. The point wasn't to get them running again, it was to understand the components and how everything fit and worked together. However, if you didn't put it together right, you tore it back down and figured out what you did wrong.

These were valuable experiences.

In fact I've been doing the tear down and put back together thing since I was a young boy, and still do today.

 

One thing going for the engine is he has it. ***uming bottle brush the bores and leave them standard, the same era rods and pistons should work fine for the purpose of the engine. I don’t think GM balanced each engine individually. Finding two used piston and rod ***emblies shouldn’t be cost prohibitive. I’ve a used SBC timing set I’d donate to the cause.
If you wander through a pick and pull you’ll find many engines with intakes removed, easy access to factory roller lifters, also have seen a few spider trays as well as the keepers still intact.
Even if the OP winds up spending a few hundred bucks, beats watching TV or spending a few nights out at a bar.
I’m in the Nike camp, Just Do It.

 

I’m all for what the O/P is doing. Good for him, this is how we teach Hot Rodding. You picked the perfect engine to learn with. Rockauto is probably your best bet for affordable parts, just look up a 1988 Chevy C-1500 with a 5.7 engine for your short block pieces. The only other advice I would offer is this: don’t spend money on the Comp 268 camshaft. It’s a great piece, but for what you are doing, buy a stock cam from the Rock. Save your money, things will crop up that you will need the extra dough for.

 

Same here; I felt even more fortunate that it ran when I was done!

 

Dropping the pan, rolling in some bearings, some rings and a couple gaskets.
Zoom zoom
And the **** ran.

Those were some fun times.

 

I would go to pick n pull, get the pistons etc and make it run because I am stubborn that way. The cheap part of me says another engine will be cheaper. The stubborn part say get an eagle reciprocating ***embly and build a 383, the cheap part of me found a 340 Buick online and my attention span is like a dog in a room full of Squirrells

 

Many many truck engines / vortex drilled for the crab for rollers that never had rollers in it.

I have 3 sitting here .

OP is the hole for the fuel pump push rod drilled ??

 

Firefighter, I’m not sure where you are located, but if you are close to me, I could teach you and my son, Little Truckdoctor, about engines at the same time. I have a 305 that is going be his first overhaul.

 

That's really strange? My engine came from a GMC van, and is a factory roller cam engine, but when I pulled the blank off plate for the fuel pump off, it was fully machined for a mechanical fuel pump, even though the GMC had electronic injection, and an in tank electric fuel pump.
So I simply bought the rod, and fuel pump plate and converted it to a mechanical fuel pump.

 

His first post said, "140936380 tells me 1987 - 1995, 350 car/truck 2/4 bolt main (mine is a 2) p***enger stick" The fact he has also got 2 bolt mains tends to lend more to it being a car motor, as most cars had 2 bolt mains.
So the number states it could be a car or truck motor, and could also be a roller motor.

 

Yeah, but he also mentioned that the suffix code told him it was from an 87 truck. Perhaps you missed that?

Of course it doesn't matter, for what he plans to do with it.

 

The OP does not have a Vortec V8 block.

Those did not appear until the split between 1995-1996 model years.

Prior to that the 305 and 350 just had center-bolt heads (referencing the valve cover bolts), with conventional wedge combustion chambers.

Vortec describes a very specific combustion chamber shape, first introduced on the 4.3L 90º V6.

Center-bolt heads have the four center intake manifold bolts pointing straight up.

Vortec heads have all intake manifold bolts pointing straight up.

 

lmao