Rebuild the 350, at last!!!

To use those "cheap" pistons and then paying for the heads and block to get a "shave" takes the $ out of your pocket you just saved on the pistons!

Having the block square decked and made the same taking up to .030" off is right around $150. To take enough off the block for those "cheap" low compression pistons to be where they are supposed to be to actually be able to hit the 8.5:1 rating will be around .080" off of the deck.

Taking more than .030" off of the deck, the extra charge for the .050" needed is another $150. If it only needs another .030" or less it would only be an extra $100 machining charge.

Then there is the $100 to "shave" the heads up to .030" for milling the heads, anything more than the first .030" will cost more.

So lets say you do spring for the deck milling and the head milling but only have the .030" taken off so the total for that is only $250? If you don't spring for the more expensive steel shim head gaskets(around $90) and go with cheaper but .020" thicker head gaskets, the Fel-Pro blue sbb 350 head gaskets(around $40) all that machining to try and raise compression is a waste of $$.

On top of all the machining costs that yielded almost zero raise in compression because the cheaper gaskets are used, you now need shorter pushrods to correct the geometry! Even if you spring for the extra $50 for the steel shim head gaskets either way new pushrods will be required.

Lets add this up from what the "cheap" pistons have cost you so far;

$150 for deck milling .030"
$100 to mill heads
$50 extra for the better head gaskets so all the extra milling cost isn't in vain.
$90 for shorter pushrods because of all the milling and the thinner head gaskets
$160 for the cheap crappy low compression pistons.
$45 for rings

So it looks like for all the efforts to use the "cheap" low compression pistons it costs an extra $595 minimum that could of went to better pistons to start with and skip all that machining! That is a lot of $$ for a mediocre engine build!

The AutoTec piston and ring kit went up $50 a set to $699 because they are having custom Buick size wristpins made now because the Molnar rods that are now available have that size in them. But still when you compare buying these to trying to get by with the "cheap" pistons is only another $104 to get the better pistons instead of all the extra machine work!

Without having to do the extra machine work you can re-use your pushrods, get the Fel-pro blue head gaskets, and you get a WAY better ring pack that alone helps unleash a few HP. Not to mention the lighter weight pistons that will unlock some more HP. Plus you can dial in your compression where you want it from 8.5:1 all the way to 12:1 where ever you want it!

In conclusion, the "cheap" pistons aren't so cheap after all.

Oh, and if you do skip the machining and use the cheaper gaskets, that's a recipe for at the most a 7:1 compression turd!

 

Don't forget about throwing away the stock rods, whether they're cap screw or nut and bolt.
The 2k ebay Nascar rods for $100 are really a thing of beauty!
You have to hold one in your hands to appreciate them.
After seeing these...(Pankls), I would never use the stock rods......ever!
Carrillos, Pankls, and others are readily available on evilbay. Probably one of the very best values going....

 

Well.. seeing as it's impossible to find an oil priming tool over here or even an old distributor, today I started on making my own priming tool.
I even looked at Rover V8 priming tool and they are different, as in being female, not male as required on the Buick to go on the oil shaft.

So far I made the shaft.
The side that goes on the oil pump has a pin through it just to test, later I'll put a steel pin and weld the ends in. The other end has also been turned down to accept the drill.
Next step is making a top hat that fits on the timing cover with a hole for the shaft to go through, have almost finished that but didn't take a photo.

hopefully by doing this everything will spin in alignment.
Most people say to just put a drill on it, but somehow I think that's not right and if it's all lined up with no wobbling is probably better.

 

That will work. Cut off old distributors work well too.

 

yep.. I did try finding one, impossible over here. none.. tried every american car group I know of... I'd be more lucky finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow! hahaha

 

Cheapo *dished pistons. And only shaving if necessary to true up the deck/heads. I used the KB/Silvolite dished pistons in my engine and it ended up being 8:1, or there about. Of course, one can always build a hi comp motor, but if he wanted that engine as an upgrade to his truck, he could build it with low compression and a tame ish cam and still have a dead reliable parts hauler. This is all hypotheticals, and a low comp motor is just one way to skin a cat.

 

Man you guys ran away with my old 8:1 motor "recipe" while I was gone, didn't ya? I spent around 3 grand for my old blue '76 motor. I didn't want a 400hp un-drivable (in my 16 year old mind, my SP is nuts compared to the blue '76) high octane gas guzzling racecar. I wanted to drive my car. I put 5500 miles on that thing in 2 1/2 months. I used KB dished hyper pistons, rings, bearings, cam bearings, .030 bore, cam bearing install, baked and hot tanked, comp 268 cam kit, $400 on a cylinder head refresh ($100 of which was to remove broken bolts, every one of them damn things except for two were broken), traded my game system for an intake and an oil pan (don't count it towards the price, but it happened), TA Balancer, Distributor, downpipes, plugs, wires, break in oil, repalcement oil, quadrajet from everyday performance, engine bolt kit, gaskets, arp head studs, etc. I didnt have the heads shaved or the block decked any substantial amount, just a surface cleanup. It was a really good engine. Ran really good until it spontaneously ate the cheapo sealed power cam bearings, sent the metal through the motor, and tore up all the bearings. #7 spun, although #3 was the worst looking bearing. Anywho, it was a really good engine. It would run awesome on 87 octane, it got around 14mpg which for an older carbureted car was pretty damn good. It's sitting in my garage now, cannibalized for my red SP engine. Awaiting TA's aluminum heads, some shallow dish, or dare I say flat tops with that new chamber design those heads have, 10:1 static (pump gas, and I mean pump. 91 octane. none of this fancy schmancy 94+ "pump gas" I see in other states), crower level 4, thing's gonna be neat.

But I digress. Hello JP lol

Nice custom priming tool. I've used SBC ones and even a washer hammered into a deep well socket, which I duct taped to a 12" extension. But if it works, it works.

 

hahaha!! hello Mr Sony!!

Sat at work and all I'm getting is notifications form eBay about items dispatched. These will be, hopefully, the last bits left.
I bought oil pressure gauge nylon tube and fittings for the gauge, bulbs and holders for the gauges, a bunch of wire and connectors to make new wiring for gauges, oil light pressure switch... a bunch of stuff. I even ordered a rev counter, I think it's called a tacho over there? as I want to be keeping a close eye on those revs.
After all this rebuild malarchy I'm going belt and braces on all the gauges I can plug into it.

I'll be working on it every evening this week, hope to get the engine back in on Wednesday or Thursday, as depends when my friends can give me a hand to put it back in.

Then I need to find a thread about how to set the timing on this thing.
Again, on my harleys I can do it with my eyes closed, I set them on the advance mark and hold the cam on the advance position, comes out always spot on when checked with a timing light...
This engine... not a clue yet! I know the timing chain is done spot on dot to dot. But need to figure out the rest, the balancer can only go one way and the dizzy has a petronix or the other brand electronic ignition thingy.
Anyway, I digress, I need to look into it properly.

I'm getting excited now! it's soooo close!! I cannot wait to have it running and surprise my little girl with it. She loves the truck and been asking constantly when is it going to be fixed.... She's now with her mum and I'll see her back in 2 weeks time, never been so long without seeing her, it will be killing me, so I'm hoping I have it ready for when I go to pick her up.

 

With the engine assembled, rotate the engine to TDC on #1 (driver's side front most cylinder), to where both valves are CLOSED. This should be the compression stroke. Line the balancer up to what you want, I'd start conservative with 8*, so line the line on the balancer (pointy one) to the 8*btdc line, and drop the distributor in. Whatever terminal you want to be #1, line the rotor in the distributor just before that terminal, like right before. Firing order is 18436572. It should also be stamped into the intake. Distributor rotor turns clockwise. And that's it. If needed, turn the oil pump gear with a long beefy screwdriver to get the distributor to drop in. You can fine tune the timing with a timing light once it's done with break in. Don't let it idle lower than 2000rpm. Get it to start, then turn up the idle screw to get it to 2000. Every 10 minutes vary the rpm by 500 or so. Constantly check temp, oil pressure, and for any leaks. After about 30 minutes, shut er down. Let cool to he touch, drain the oil, change the filter, drain the water if you used that instead of coolant, refill both, check again for leaks, and cut apart that first filter. Check for metal bits. A little is ok, and by a little, I mean basically none. Check the oil as well. Torque check head and intake bolts, exhaust bolts, if all is good, I'd say she's ready for a test run. Use high octane fuel as well. With old engines, it's better off to.

 

Thank you Mr Sony!

I'll follow that description, not far off from when I time the bikes. the difference is there's no balancer to point at.
So the markings on the timing cover, what they show is the BTDC degrees? didn't know that! always learning!

Dammit.. I didn't order enough oil then! I was told/read before that once break in done, just change oil filter. then change oil after 100 miles.
I only ordered 6 US quarts. plus the additive bottle.

Also, could anyone measure their dipstick and where markings are please?
Mine has no markings whatsover, the first time I done an oil change on this engine what I done was drain oil, and new filter, then drop 5 quarts in, take dipstick out and where the oil was that was my FULL mark. I guess this would work, but always better to be 100% sure.

just for giggles.... the high Octane here is roughly £5 for 3.8L... or roughtly $7 per US gallon..
You guys are lucky over there!

 

Here’s mine. Says operating level 4 quarts. Not sure if that’s the lower line or what. I’ll know when I put the engine back into car.

Had to go back and look at the second pic again. It's the angle I took the picture that makes it look line the tape measure is out in front of the dipstick. It is not!!!

 

Thanks for those photos! can you also tell me how long is the dipstick? from the end to the top please? just to make sure I have the right length as i'm not even sure about that

thanks!

 

Yeah I will get it in the morning(at work now). I do know my dip stick tube it two pieces and actual part with operating level is one piece. Piece that goes into the block and top section slides into that lower section. I'll get length and pics of what I have.

 

All that assembly lube and mineral laced break in oil is good for initial break in, but you want to get it of the engine as soon as you can. It's not meant to drive around with.

 

Here’s my length. Two part tube as shown in two pics

 

ok, so after the 20min break in should I drop the oil off and then put 20W50 in it and a new filter? or do 50 miles with the break in oil still in but a new filter after the 20min?

by the way, put the crank pulley on tonight, is this the notch you were referring to that should be at 8 when I do the timing? it's the only marking I can see.

thanks for that! Mine is seems different, definitely longer?



Done some other bits on it this evening, dropping the engine in tomorrow evening!! I cannot wait!!

 

Before its in, paint your numbers and lines on the timing tab white so you can see them easier with the timing light when you're timing it. Black would work to but not quite as good as white seems to.

Also paint the line on the balancer white as well to see it easier, do not paint this area black, it won't help much if at all here.

 

Will do! thanks for that tip.

I found a crack on the right hand side exhaust manifold yesterday... it had been repaired already as there's a great big line of weld, but never noticed the crack.
Not sure I can find someone who can weld cast.... so might have to put exhaust paste and a band around it for now.... bet if I was over there I'd manage to find a spare one.

can't even think about posting one for there as it weighs a tonne!

 

Good evening down the workshop... it was a bitch to get it in, but the engine is back in!!!
tomorrow I'll be bolting parts and reconnecting electrics as well as wiring up all the new gauges. Still waiting for the oil to get here, which I hope it does tomorrow so I can fire up at the weekend.