Buick 350 engine build

Jerrold, thanks for linking your thread, lots of good info there! Sounds like you have it running really well.
Do you run a brake booster or all manual brakes?

 

Darron , we were using the factory booster and master with drum brakes.. Now its wilwood manuel front and rear disc set up..

We are also running a LS 6.0 twin turbo set up in this car now, almost ready to wire and fire it...

 

Wow, would love to see that build here in the "Other Bench".

 

Hey Derek, we might just add it to the other bench, when said and done... Its coming along really well, and looks nice..

 

The new heads shipped today, and Mike emailed me the flow sheet.
Hopefully, you will be able to open it and see the flow numbers.

 

For ordering the CORRECT pistons you need to know more than below deck measurements.
Deck height AFTER decking
Con Rod length after resizing. Shouldn't be nec. with new rods but need to check anyway.
Head Gasket compressed thickness & diameter
Desired compression ratio. With aluminum heads you need to be 1 1/2- 2 points higher to make the same power as with iron heads.
W ether the pins are pressed or floating
Stroke
Bore diameter you'll be shooting for.
Combustion chamber cc's after all is said & done.
You'll want to end up with a squish/quench area of no less than .025" & no more than .050".
Depending on head gasket thickness compressed will determine how far in the hole the piston will be.
Rings to be used w ether stock @ 5/64ths 5/64ths & 3/16ths. Or 1/16 1/16 3/16

Tom T.

I am ALSO a dealer for Race Tec/Auto Tec

 

With felpro gaskets at .040 , he would need a piston thats .010 below deck or less .
iPhone wont read the flowsheet

 

At .040" I would be at ZERO deck.

 

It's easy to spend someone else's money, but I think I would go for more porting and a slightly milder roller cam. Would be the best of both worlds- more streetable and more horsepower. No need for oil additives. I also don't prefer single pattern cams like the 310, unless you're going to turbocharge. How about a roller version of the 290-94H?

 

Fwiw, the 350's respond well to gearing. Idk what the options are for that trans. but I'm assuming pretty wide range so there are a couple ways to to do this but assuming 1-4 were going to be similar to an M-21, and this is what I'd wanted to do if I hadn't sold my old 350-4-sp., I'd go for a tall OD 5th and 4.10 or maybe even 4.33 rear. Of course if avail. you could achieve the same effect by gearing 1st-4th accordingly. Following.

 

I would shoot for 11:1 compression, pistons at zero deck on the block and then a 40 thou gasket for a 40 thou quench zone. That should be tight enough for good performance but no so tight that your pistons risk collision with the heads. 35 thou is also possible but I would not go any tighter than that.

 

So I have a line on a ‘68 350 engine for $275. Supposed to be a runner, but we’ll see about that. Thinking a spare engine would be nice so that I can still drive the Skylark while rebuilding one of the engines.
If the engine is in good shape, should I build the 72 that is in the car, or the 68 that I’m buying as a spare?

I’m presuming that swapping to pushrod oiling on the ‘68 engine is not a big deal ...

 

Which one can you hear run,?

 

No it’s not an issue to block off the oil passages in the block and then use the later style pushrods and lifters.

If possible it’s a good idea to leave your car running and build the second engine. But only if the second engine is in good condition. Often engines that have been sitting get water damage but who knows it may be an easy build.

It’s nice to have a spare engine anyways even if you choose to build your 72 engine.

 

Well, the ‘72 in the car runs pretty well right now.
Won’t buy the ‘68 350 unless it looks decent. Until we tear into it, there is no way of knowing for sure, of course.

Sean, thanks for the tip on the 68 block oil passages. Hopeful that this will be a good motor to build!

 

So what cam are you going to run?

And I have access to most of the parts for a sbb 350 stroker rotating assembly that we can even balance it as well if you're interested in something like that?

AutoTec pistons nascar take out rods and a 3.975" stroke sbb stroker crank, I would have to ask the 2 guys what they want for that stuff. Can probably have everything ready to ship in a couple weeks?

 

I’ve been thinking the TA 310 cam based on advice from TA Performance. I was planning on using the billet connecting rods from TA, and the autotec pistons. Haven’t ordered the pistons because i haven’t opened up the engine and I don’t know how much overbore will be needed.
I’ve been thinking that I’d recondition the original crank, since I haven’t seen any real alternative so far.

 

I have the 310 cam myself, I would suggest the 413 if not a roller cam. Similar converter is needed. , single plane intake, 800-850 carb.headers. 3.42-3.73. Gears. If your gonna use the performance rods and pistons, your ready for the rpm range anyway.

 

i'll champion the crower level 3 till i die. really good street cam. or a similar one from TA.