Technical Small Block Chevy 350 Rebuild

Double check gaskets for all 3 pieces.
Intake, adapter and carb
I ran a cheap adapter for a square base carb to Q intake. One portion only had a sliver of gasket contact with the carb to adapter. Eventually created a bad vacuum issue.

 

Short answer - air/fuel particles do not like to make turns; the fewer turns, the more efficient the product.

If the reason is one just happens to have a mis-match, yes, it will work; but most folks on this forum are about power mods, and this isn't one.

Jon

 

Exactly, this is a driver. I have no issue the direction this is going.

 

Shore luuk's purdy...

 

Replace the two sticks attached to sides of block with at least 1.5" square tubing., Ideally the rear mounting should incorporate a manual trans. bell housing with a plate bolted to where the trans would bolt to. Think how an engine is secured in an actual car. Good chance one sharp crack of the throttle and that deal is going to twist and fall over. The bottom front to rear square tubing needs to be spread further apart, like where the casters are located for stability.

 

Does battery size matter? I´m looking at a 550CCA ($99) or a 750CCA ($109). For an extra $10 I´m thinking the 750 is a better deal. The battery will be used for starting, running, charging (63 amp alternator), power for gauges, sending units, electric fan, and electric fuel pump.

 

Years ago I ran a factory cast Quadrajet intake with an open adapter that allowed for a Holley 600 square bore carb on an '80 P-up. Later I changed the intake to a flea market procured Performer intake that allowed the Holley carb to mount without an adapter. The change was very apparent in a good way. With the open adapter, there is a lot of cast intake manifold "webbing" (the framework between the "barrels" on a factory manifold) that very likely causes issues with the flow of gas and air.

As stated, on a P-up (which wasn't a high winder at every stoplight) the difference was very obvious.

 

I was able to get a little more work done on the engine yesterday. Got the starter installed (used two shims to get the 1/8" clearance). Connected the kill switch and starter switch on the control panel. Hooked up the battery. The engine turns with the starter. AWESOME! Sparkplugs are not in yet, manifold not on yet, and and carb is not in yet. Installed the oil sending unit and the oil pressure gauge. Question: The needle on the oil pressure gauge peaks out at 100 psi when I put the wire on the sending unit's only terminal. If I take that wire off and just hold it in my hand, the gauge still peaks out at 100 psi. If I touch the wire to the side of the sending unit or anywhere on the engine block (grounding it), the gauge goes to 0. Why? Does the engine have to be running for gauge to work? I would think with engine not running, gauge should read 0. I doubled checked to make sure the gauge's + side and - side were connected correctly.
UPDATE: Maybe it is reading 100 psi because it is having trouble grounding because I did use Teflon paste on the threads. I'll clean that off and try again. If that is the case, should I install the water temp gauge without Teflon as well?

Anther question: Using AC Delco R45TS spark plugs. Should the spark plug gap for a SBC 350 = .035?

 

Getting ready to install the intake manifold. The directions that came with the gasket kit says that the rear coolant port (which is already blocked off in the casting) needs to have restrictor plates installed. The gasket kit came with these restrictor plates. Do I need to use them? I can´t really see what function they actually have.

I have also read that a block off plate could be used in the middle port of the intake to prevent exhaust from traveling through and prevent it from heating it up more. Should I put block off plates in here? (see video link)

 

This is what came with my gasket kit for block off plates:

 

If you don't have a heater attached, you dont' need to mess with the coolant restrictor. And if you don't have a heat riser valve, you probably don't need to mess with the heat crossover restrictors.

But you can do whatever you want. The little metal parts are fun to play with.

 

I do have the heat riser valve that came with the intake. I was not going to install it as I am going with the Holley 4160 rather than the Quadrjet. I am going to put a manual choke on the Holley. I do not think I will mess with the block off plates then.

 

My friend had that happen, I wasn’t there but he told me about it.

 

It’s run stand after all, not a Dyno.

 

I****ume you turned the flex plate around by now? The way that center hole is punched, I'm surprised it would even go on the crank flange, flush and tight.
Also..Might have missed it but how did you go about setting the valves? How much pre-load?
Nice neat work , but that Holley has got to go away ;-)

 

Which side up on the intake gaskets? One side is flat (top picture)the other has a bump of what looks like silicone (bottom picture)

 

I wiped all the Teflon off the oil pressure sender, still the same issue (pegs right out with engine not running). When I turn my modified distributor (using as a primer) with my drill, the gauge goes to down around 20 psi. Good news is all the valves are getting oil.

 

This can’t be the correct adapter plate.

 

I switched positive to negative, then nothing works.

 

this side would have to go up(next to the Holley) otherwise the throttle plates hit the holes

 

This is exactly how I have the gauge wired

 

nope, it's not the correct adapter plate.