Need help... Just assembled 350 sbc.

This 350 has vortec heads and intake. We ran it for about 5 min. When it got hot the water started pouring out of the radiator. The temp guage read like 205deg. We shut it down and drained some water out so we could get the thermostat out. When we removed that there was no water in the thermo housing, but it looks like there was water there. We also discovered some small metal shavings in the thermo housing. Any ideas on what this is all about? I will mention that if there is some kind of "vortec" head gasket we didn't know to use it. We used stock 350 head gaskets from felpro. Any help would be great cuz it looks like I'm kinda screwed.

 

Maybe a messed up water pump?

 

Brand new heads ?

 

i'd help you if i could but i'm just not sure on the gaskets. call the autoparts store, they should know. but there almost has to be because the vortech intake bolts are different. the center ones are straight up instead of angled like normal. the only place to get metal shavings from is when you put it together, or the water pump.

 

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Maybe a messed up water pump?

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That's an interesting point.The traditional V-belt driven waterpump,and the Serpentine belt driven pumps are different,because they turn in opposite directions.Neither one will work properly turning in the wrong direction.

 

This is a 78 4 bolt block. I purchased vortec heads and intake manifold for it. It doesn't have the serpentine belts. Just a water pump and alternator. All going in my 57 Belair.

 

did you use the correct vortec intake gasket? what year vortec heads are they?

 

Need help...Just assembled a sbc...Thought that was all!!! Would have been if I posted it......OLDBEET

 

Possibles;
Thermostat upside down?
Vortec waterpumps are made to turn the opposite direction from older style pumps, is it one and are you turning it the wrong way?
Crud in the chambers could be just casting flash...maybe.

Retarded timing is most likely the problem. After starting it, set it up so you get at least 24º advance at idle or it'll cook. (That would be like 12º initial plus 12º vacuum advance, manifold vacuum sourced.)

 

I'm pretty sure that everything he's using is new or machine shop fresh.

When you DO get it all straightened out and fire it for the first time, I would't worry about 205 degrees (as long as you know the water pump is working). Remember when we fired mine for the first time, it got to about 225 then started falling. My 350 (with 180 degree thermostat) ran at about 210-218 here in PHX this summer with no problems, but my temp gauge sender is in the head by the headers. I'm told that you get a more accurate reading when your temp sender is in the intake.

 

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Need help...Just assembled a sbc...Thought that was all!!! Would have been if I posted it

[/ QUOTE ] Lol.I like sbc's. Of course I'm a Chevy fan,so....

 

Not using a vortec style water pump. Just a normal short sbc water pump.
Thermorstat also was right side up and seemed to open fine.
Some trace metal was found in about a cup of oil that I drained.
Engine sounded fine when it ran for about 5 min. Then water works!

 

When you first fired the motor,did you have the radiator cap installed ?
Is this a new water pump,or was it on this motor before?

 

There is some debate as to the radiator cap. We think it was on, but not snuged down. i.e. not builging pressure. Or that is what we thought. But when we saw water we just ran over and covedered the area.
The latest is we found out that there is no difference in the vortec head gasket and the normal head gasket.
We just ran the engine with the cap defenatly OFF and no thermostat. The temp climbed to about 170 and didn't get any hotter.

 

Ifs it new your probably just working out all the air..Ive had it happen to me before..I took the serpentine belt shit off of mine and put a regular water pump..fired it up and it did the same thing took a little bit but then it acted normal...

 

205 is nothihng really my 383 SBC runs 190 all day long 195 in traffic on a warm day. if you just ran it without the cap and no thermostat and it ran 170 I think your fine. put the thermostat back in run it without the cap and see if the water starts going down. if it does put more in the radiator. your probably got air pockets in there that need to work their way out. Once the water level seems to stay level in the radiator put the cap on and see what happens.

 

I just talked to him, he seems most concerned with the metal flakes in the water and oil. I wonder if it isn't shit that was in the radiator or heater core or even shit that the machine shop might not have cleaned out fully. My suggestion was to flush out the cooling system a few times and see what shakes out.
And I have no idea how much metal there should be in the oil after 5-10 mins of running with all new stuff. I never found any in mine, but it was built by a guy with much more experience.
I thought it might be little flakes of cam from breaking it in, but he says the cam is a used one.

Just a little more info for you guys.

 

hi just to add my opinion.from my experiance ive always had some small amout of metal shavings in the oil at first.everyone i talk to says its normal.its basically everything starting intital wear patterns(bearings).the way i see it anyway.
eric