Identify this block

[73k5blazer]

Is this a 2-bolt or 4-bolt block?

I'm getting ready to buy a Ram Jet 350 engine and the specs say it's a 2-bolt block, which seems odd. There's a couple posts from here and other places saying the specs are wrong, and it's a 4-bolt block. The 'partial engine' listed in the service parts manual for the Ram Jet, if you go look that up, it's a 4-bolt block.

This is a pic from a Magazine putting a RJ350 into a Nova where they had to make a custom pan, but I can't really tell if it's 2-bolt or 4-bolt.

It's not really of that much concern, the 4bolt is just more insurance I guess, but I'm just curious. I'm more concerned with the RamJet being a cast crank with my manual tranny. I may just buy the ZZ4 short block, the Ram Jet kit, and the same heads and cam for the Ramjet, and it comes to only a couple hundred more, (and more work), but I'd get the forged steel crank. Of course the crank in that motor is 1053 steel, I'd like to have the 4340 steel, but it'll at least be less brittle and give a little more if the clutch happens to get dumped while the 35's are buried in mud.

 

[Brodie]

That one looks like a 2 bolt to me.

 

[80' 427]

You can see the head of a bolt just to the side of the windage tray. You sure a zz4 isn't cast too?

 

[76zimmer]

I say 4 bolt, those caps look wide enough for a factory 4 bolt setup.

 

[badger red]

If you're worried about the two-bolt, you can always add studs in place of the main cap bolts. or if money is not a problem, there's the splayed 4 bolt main cap option, which is even stronger than the factory 4 bolt. I know of a lot of two-bolt main blocks that have handled a lot of abuse. The machinist that did all of the work on my last small block ran a 2-bolt in his circle track car for several seasons, no problems.

Jeff

 

[73k5blazer]

You can see the head of a bolt just to the side of the windage tray. You sure a zz4 isn't cast too?

From what I understand, they used to be. A couple years ago, they changed the ZZ4 engines to the 1053 Forged Steel crank.

I'm not so worried about a 2-bolt block, I'm more just curious about it. Just seems odd, even the $1700 base 350 replacement engine uses a 4-bolt block, and the service parts section lists a 4-bolt block too.

 

[4X4HIGH]

The engine in that pic is a 2 bolt main 350, cast crank, powdered metal rods, one piece rear main seal installed a 62-67 chevy II.

 

[76zimmer]

Scott, do you get that from the engine description, or do you think those are really 2 bolt caps?

 

[Fabrimacator21]

Scott, do you get that from the engine description, or do you think those are really 2 bolt caps?

I'm only seeing 1 bolt per side on the caps... that means 2 bolt.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Scott, do you get that from the engine description, or do you think those are really 2 bolt caps?

That is a 2 bolt block. I know the windage tray is kinda in the way for most people to know for sure but if you look at the main cap and the height and shape of the side of the main cap it is clearly a 2 bolt cap. You can also judge by the distance that the main cap is from the oil pan rail.