replacing my 307 due to poor oil pressure. upgrade less expensive to a 350. I will transfer over intake carb distrubitar and valve covers , Is there a year of engine to look for that is better than others? Any advice would be usefull before purchasing a used engine, just a cruser. Happy Easter coming up. doesn't feel like spring at all.
If you go used, try to find one that you can see run first. And it would be a good idea to check compression and plugs. Anything you can do to "prove" the engine is in your favor. Otherwise, you are rolling the dice.
Can't aford a crate at this time. thanks Over the years any off them with more h/p or lighter in weight. I can put new piston rings etc in a used motor.
If you have to go with used try and get a complete running engine. You can always sell or give away parts you don't need but can go crazy trying to find a unique bracket or part that's missing.
As aagie said, the brackets and other stuff are the time savers and kill you if you have to buy them individually. The more complete the better.
You'll pay accordingly for a higher HP complete 350, generally produced pre '71, with exceptions. One from a later truck might be a better deal & may have 4 bolt mains. In the end, a crate might be a better choice in the long run $$ wise.
Please check the length and the diameter of the starter motor bolts before installing them!!! From the late 70's to the 80's there were two different starter motor bolts used. One was metric size and the other was a standard size and they are different. If you use the wrong bolt and tighten it down you will crack most likely the outside bolt hole on the block and that is the end of your engine. It happened to me and many others so please measure your bolts before installing the starter motor. Even if you purchase a rebuilt starter measure the bolts first and then you will realize why this is important! When I ask a guy at the parts counter which bolts are included either metric or standard they look at me and tell me they have no idea and then they ask what difference it makes. Jimbo
the last used 350 I put in a car had low oil pressure. But I put 30k miles on it anyways, it was never a problem. Buying a used engine is a crapshoot. Good luck!
Look for 85 and earlier. 1986 for 1 piece rear main seal and 1987 for center bolt valve covers. $1800 36mo/100K GM warranty http://www.jegs.com/p/Chevrolet-Per...-350ci-Crate-Engine-Packages/3867244/10002/-1
Rebuild the 307. It probably needs a standard machine shop rebuild and most shops have them at a set price. Like a cafeteria, add on for unforeseen items or upgrades. Me, I see a used motor in 1 piece with all accessories, I snap it up and salt it away. I used to pick up a junk car for most of them. Those days are over unless you get lucky.
I prefer a pre '86 block, if I am buying a whole motor I prefer a pre pollution control motor but pretty hard to find a good one that way. One thing to remember is that they all make 350+ HP and they all are corvette motors. LOL Note: I actually had a '70 350 horse Corvette motor once, I pulled it out of a numbers match Corvette myself. There was nothing majic about it but I would just about bet that it made everything they claimed.
Depends on how low the oil pressure is. A high volume Oil pump and/or thicker weight oil either will bump the oil pressure up
If you're gonna yank it anyway, new bearings and an oil pump, timing chain and you're good to go. Spend the rest on beer, broads and gas. Or, you could just waste it somehow.
I have built several 283, 327 and 350 SBC's over the years and realized that the best way to go is a crate motor. For what they cost and the warrantee you can't beat it. You can order just about any H.P. you want.
Picture it looks like you need 1968 or later for the heads with accessory bolt holes to mount your alternator.
If you decide to build a motor, find a 350 block and use your 307 crank and rods and build a large journal 327. They are real popular these days.
Thanks appreciate the help. It might be more advantagus to look at the engine that I have first. It was just an idea looking at a 350 for cheap increase in power. Someone might have one kicking around from when they installed an LS. in their slay Santa Clause
Possibly the best if you can find one, is out of an old motorhome. They are heavy duty truck engines often with 4 bolt mains and 4 barrel carburetor and usually have very low mileage. I have a 1980 model in the drive way with 30,000 miles on it that runs like a dream. They come with a heavy duty TurboHydramatic 400 transmission. I'm no Chev expert but they seem to have gone thru a bad spell in the early 70s with very bad quality castings and camshafts, low compression and low HP. No doubt the bad cams have all been replaced but questionable castings remain. Sorry I can't tell you which years are good or bad but the difference is obvious with the intake off. If you can find one that doesn't need to be bored you can freshen it up with rings, bearings, timing chain, gaskets and a valve job then add a good cam and your intake and headers and be ready to go for another 50,000 miles. This was very common back in the day. You can buy an engine overhaul kit from Summit for $280 with rings, bearings, gaskets, oil pump and pistons if the block needs to be bored. Engines that old are usually very cheap at any junk yard.
Do the math, the crate is probably cheaper. We used to look for the Chevy 307 when we were racing a stock car claimer class. Drop in our cam, distributor, at least the rocker arms, 4BBL intake and carb. Those we twisted up to 7K and with luck one would last a season. I did a '74-ish 350 over almost 2 years ago. Less the carb, flywheel and clutch, less the fan and other minor things I had about $4500 into it. But the HP is over 400 easily and it runs strong.
I’m going thru same thought process. The car I bought half finished on eBay had a “sbc” in it. Ran the numbers on it and it is a 7.9 compression ratio 1973 307. That is a 114hp engine from the factory! My plan is to run it for a year. If I still like the car after a year, I plan to get a crate 383 and the 3 of the new Big 97 Strombergs (750cfm altogether). I plan to tell everybody it is a 265 out of a ‘56 Corvette (just kidding). But I do plan to cam it with something noisy and smelly and run electric cut outs. Hoping to run 7.0 (1/8th mike) at the strip on slicks. Gonna keep the T350 trans with a transgo shift kit for now.
You can buy GM crate motors (long block) from jegs, Summit and probably Speedway. Delivered to your door for under 2 grand. Brand new with a warranty. Just something to consider.
No reason to walk across the street for a 4 bolt main block for this application..In fact , for MOST applications on this forum.
Find some 305 ho heads, steel shim head gaskets , I like the range of a 262 cam, small runner intake (305 works good) and small tube primary headers for your 307 and you'll be about 330 hp at the crank. Nice running spunky little mill with fantastic bucks to HP ratio. Disclaimer- it's not worth taking a 307 block into a machine shop. Start with a good block that does not need bored and new Pistons.
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