ENGINE REBUILD QUESTIONS

[zach78k5]

I am rebuilding my 350. I want to do it right without spending my life savings. Should I have the block rebored and replace the pistons and rods. The crank keyway sheared off. nothing else inside is damaged. Should I buy a rebuild kit, or am I better to piece it together. I found a kit that includes pistons, rings, crank, rods, pins, rod and main bearings for $368 or $532 with forged pistions. I assume I would be wise to buy forged pistons and moly rings. I plan on using the blazer primarily for street use as a daily driver so i want power and dependability. I have an slightly oversize cam and a set of heads from a 68 camaro. i plan on upgrading to vortec heads eventually. For now I am just concerned with the block though. any input, experiences, where to get my parts, etc. would be appreciated. thanks.
by the way i am in seattle.
zach

 

[SUBFAN]

How did it run before the incident? If it ran well, didn't use oil, reasonable mileage etc., then just get the crank fixed, inspect/clean everything, install your cam, lifters, NEW timing chain, and those heads.

That would be the cheapest....

 

[MousePowrd]

I wouldnt go with forged pistons on a daily driver. Only if you are going for 400hp or more. Forged pistons require wider clearances, can knock when cold, and in a mild build will have a shorter life than cast pistons.

If the block has never been bored than I would go for one of the kits and get some .030 pistons and moly rings. Have the heads and deck checked for flatness, and most recommend using a torque plate on the block when the cylinders are being bored.

 

[TexasT]

Find a good machine shop

I think that the first order of business is to find a good machine shop with a machinist you can trust. This may seem silly but everything depends on this individual because if the machine work is no good, your engine is no good no matter how good the parts you put into it.

I know you would like to have all the parts lined up before hand but you may not need pistons as the bores could be honed and new rings installed. Hard to know until you tear it down and measure it or have it measured. This is where the trustworthy machinist comes in handy.

I personally would be very wary of a used cam. Nothing against them just that new ones aren't that expensive.

Also the crank and rods need to be measured to determine the needed machine work. I put ARP rod bolts in which requires that the big ends be resized. The crank may need to be cut to clean it up or maybe just polished to be within specifications. Again a machinist you can trust could save you some bux.

Get with some of the locals who have built engines and find out who does their machine work. To me price is always a consideration but quality work is the most importatnt thing when it comes to machine work.

Also remember to clean the parts well when they return from the machine shop and keep the assembly area clean to avoid getting debris down in the internals during assembly.

Rich