Technical Small Block Chevy 350 Rebuild

For distributor I'd use a factory HEI due to everything being in (or on) the cap. One wire (12 volts) feeding it and you are ready to go. Firewall clearance won't be an issue due to your intended installation

 

You're going to have a pile of cash wrapped up in reconditioning that motor, machine shop prices are very high. A local pic-a-part would probably get you dollars ahead in grabbing a complete motor.

Unless of course this is a learning experience and dollars be dammed.

Maybe hook up with some local hot rodders, make new friends, maybe someone would mentor you or just let you pick their brain.

 

Productive day. Got a tree cut that was leaning over camp. Poured down rain the entire time. So it was a good day to work in the garage. A huge thank you goes out to Dooley for the heads and MountianMan2 for the engine internals. I got the heads cleaned and painted earlier this week. Today, I put the heads back together. Sprayed them with WD40. I got all the pistons installed. Installed the timing chain. I set the heads on the block with a head gasket, put bolts on the four corners just tight enough to hold it in place (didn’t want to squash the gasket yet) and checked the push rod length with the adjustable pushrod tool. Set the valve lash, Cranked it over a few times to see where the rockers were rubbing the stems. After a few adjustments, got it to be right in the center of the stems. All lengths come out to be about 7.74”. So I need to order a set of those. It was a great day.!

Thank you to all for the help and advice so far!

 

I found that this tool for $14 that worked great for all the valves. For both, removing and installing the keepers. I tried a little valve spring compression tool at harbor freight it was horrible and actually bent. I tried the big c clamp from harbor freight, it wasn’t much better. Returned both and got this. Worked perfect! So simple. Even with the heads off the block.

 

Looks like a great start

 

If you didn't have the heads torqued down your dimension may not be right

 

You may find that a serpentine setup from a TBI pickup or Suburban/Blazer will fill the bill nicely, and cheaply also.

 

Two things ... when running a double row timing chain, I have sometimes had issues with the timing chain touching the block to the point that I needed to "clearance" (grind) the block slightly. Might be worth taking a close look before the timing cover goes on.

Also, as far as pushrods go, I****ume you are measuring so you can determine which factory length pushrods are needed because there should be absolutely no reason for you to order custom length pushrods for this engine. I do realize you didn't actually say you were intending to order custom pushrods, I am just a little confused as to why you went to the lengths you did to determine required pushrod length. The engine year and whether flat tappet or roller is all you really need to know to successfully order the correct pushrods.

 

^^^^ I agree, also (from what I’ve seen) PRs come in 1/16in increments, even with the gasket not torqued it wouldn’t matter. May still want to rerun the valves with the head torqued though. Might be a tad tighter than you want.
But even set a 1/2 or 3/4 turns past zero lash, you should be fine. All the GM shop manuals I’ve looked at call for 1 turn.

 

Its worth noting that either the use of loktite or a cam bolt retainer is advisable on the cam gear retaining bolts !

 

k

 

I picked up this manifold this weekend. Price was right (free). Is this what they call a spread bore? I see I can get an adapter plate (advertised as spread bore TO square bore). The carb I will have is a square bore. Can I put the adapter plate to go from manifold spread bore base to carburetor square bore base? Maybe this is not the manifold I need. Like I said it was free. I hope it works for me

 

An adapter like this. In its description, It says to adapt large square bore Holley to Q-jet 4 bbl and vice versa. This adapter kit is $25.

 

The reason why I would need the adapter plate. The carburetor on my Firebird is a Holley square bore 4160. If need to buy a carb, I may as well put the new one on the car and the old one on this project engine.

 

To put a square bore carb on that intake, you would need an adapter. If you put the new carb on the other car, then you'll need a spread bore carb. I'd try to find a used Quadrajet, which is what fits on that intake. I've gotten a lot of them free over the years, but the supply is dwindling. If you can find one, then you have to make sure it will work, there are lots of varieties, some are right, many are wrong.

 

I ran the one posted. But not long. Not enough gasket surface and developed a vacuum issue.
Used the adapter with the 4 holes. Much more gasket surface.
Eventually ditched it for the correct carb.
Like that set up the best

 

Squirrel, The carburetor on my car is a square bore carb. So if I order a new carb, it would be going on the car. Then I would take the old carb off of the car, get an adapter plate, and put old the carb on the engine project with this manifold for a spread bore. I was just not sure if the adapter plate is what I would need and if the manifolf I have is what they call a spread bore. I rebuilt the carb on the car last year. I have some back firing issues every now and then on the car. Not sure if it is because of the carb or a faulty wire. I made a new set of wires for the car engine.

 

If you use that adapter, you need to take some time to make sure there is sufficient contact area on the gasket, since the manifold has very little "meat" around the holes. And there are different gaskets available for the spread bore design, take your time to get the right one.

I'd us a Quadrajet on that intake, nothing else, but that's just me....and 45 years experience playing with them....

 

I am in total agreement with the above statement

 

There are seven ports on each of the heads on the intake side, 4 air intake and I’m****uming 3 cooling ports.

The intake manifold that I have only has 6 ports on each side. On the back of the manifold (distributor side) you can see where there are supposed to be two ports but they are blocked off. Will this manifold work with these heads?

 

That metal plate in the center of the manifold, is that a heat shield? I think I read where those four pins on the corners of the heat shield should be replaced with stainless steel screws and Locktite.

Any suggestions to remove those four pins?

 

What is this? I’m****uming something to do with the choke?

 

Center port in head is exhaust crossover, not a water port.

Heads have a water port at each end so that they are universal, can be used as either passengers side or driver side. Hereby, one basic casting can fir either side.
Intake doesn't need to be reversable, so it has no water port in the rear.
All stock SBC's are this way. It is normal.

The rod leading to a bimetallic spring inside the small metal box cover is the factory choke stove, heated by the under-carb exhaust crossover. It won't fit anything but the stock Q-jet carb, so you can just remove it.

The heat shield on the underside of the manifold, just leave it alone, you don't need to mess with it. I've yet to see one that has fallen off due to those press-fit pins.
If you do pry it off to clean under, then it will need holes tapped and screws added....don't try to re-use the stock pin retainers......they are one-use only in a fresh drilled hole.

 

I installed the main bearings (+.020), crankshaft, main caps (2 bolt main) and torqued to 40ft#. Set the thrust, All pistons in. Rob bearings (all +.020 except 3/4 which is +.030) rods torqued (11/32 bolts) to 44ft#. Camshaft in. Sprocket (torqued to 20ft#) and timing chain on.
I have it set to #1 TDC and the “o” lined up. There are marks in the timing sprocket for advance (triangle) and retard (square). Why would I want to advance or retard the timing? How do I know if I NEED to advance or retard? Seems like if I knew, it would be a lot easier to set now before I put the timing cover, balancer, seal, and pulley on.

I can adjust the timing slightly through the distributor correct?

All help is greatly appreciated.

 

TLDR: Line up the o marks on the sprockets and you're done.

The triangle and square marks are to change the *cam* timing. That's the position of the cam relative to the crank. There are some performance reasons that you might want to change the cam timing, so that the valves open earlier/later than the cam maker designed, or to correct for a cam that isn't ground as advertised, but that involves some amount of secret sauce magic that is not relevant for your build, so don't worry about it.

The ignition timing is completely independent, and you are correct, that's done by turning the distributor.

 

Just noticed this post, looked at last couple entries, unless you are running trick race heads with roller lifters, roller rockers, just buy stock push rods,for a mild hydraulic cam, if that's what you have,torque heads first, period. Finish rest of****embly, then set lash before you fire up motor. Should not need special length push rods for typical SBC build.

 

What is a high torque starter? Does it have more turning force? Should I get a 3 HP or a 4 HP? If my engine is a little hard to turn over (cant turn by hand, need a wrench to turn it over), seems like a 4 HP, high torque starter would be best. I need a 153 tooth. Has anyone had any luck with the ebay mini starters? My engine block is drilled for straight or offset bolt pattern. Is one better than the other?

 

Is there a gasket that goes between the block and the oil pump?

 

I use gaskets on em