Thread: Need advice from chevy experts...

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I'm going to be doing my first engine build, and being a chevy guy, I decided on the 350 after having it recommended by some folks. I'm going to be pulling the block from a junkyard, and subsequently getting the parts for it from a junkyard -- just for the first build because I've never really touched an engine before, just have books on them

Could anyone tell me if I would be able to get 350+ horsepower out of the engine with all junkyard parts? Or will I need to put money into some new parts?

At the risk of sounding stupid... could someone recommend tools for the job because like I said I've never touched an engine lol

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for advice.

Welcome to CHR Brandon. If you don't know, it's not stupid to ask. It's only stupid if you pretend you do know and don't ask!!! I'm not a chebbie guy, but I'm sure a bunch of them will be along with their opinions.

As far as the tools go, you might want to start with a set of Craftsman tools from Sears. You will also need a 3 bolt puller for the harmonic balancer.

You will need some new parts and some machine work, at least a good valve job. An overhaul kit for a chebbie can be had for around $150.00. You might also want to pick up one of the "how to rebuild your small block chebbie books available either on line or at a book store.

Good luck, have fun, and ask all the questions you want !!!!

It 's going to be hard just to rebuild an engine without useing some new parts, such as rings, bearings, gaskets,and the machine work required. That said getting 350 horse power ,in my opinion, would depend on what is available in the junk yard. it is possiable, I guess, but highly unlikely. as for tools, a good basic hand tool set plus a good clicker type torque wrench would be a good start. good luck don't get discouraged we all started some where. Carlg

Hi welcome aboard!! As far as the 350 goes, i personally wouldnt go and use ALL junkyard parts. the block and heads are cool, maybe the oil pan if it isnt all dented and smashed in. but as far and the internals, if i was on a budget i would at least get the crank cut and polished, the block bored and honed and the heads rebuilt. Thats a couple hudred bucksthere, then to pull out 350 horses out of the 350, when the guys are doing the machine work id have them do a 3 angle valve job on the heads, get a set of 10.5:1 FORGED trw pistons (trw's a little less expensive) a good
cam, something by crane or comp cams. something with like no more that about 500 lift intake and about 520 exh and the duration should be about 292-300 degrees of duration. max. and a decent set of headers, which nowadays is a pretty inexpensive investment. you never mentioned the trans type or what the motor is going into...trans type is very important. Oh and the intake, performer RPM intake with about a 650 holley vac secondaries, check ebay: http://search.ebay.com/small-block-c...jsZ1QQfromZR40

I find some really really good deals on there. and for parts like the timing chain, theyre cheap enough where you dont need to use junkyard parts you can get them new for less than $40 let us know how it works out Good luck, later,Joe

REALLY appreciate advice from you guys... even though I don't understand a lot of the parts you're talking about lol

I'm gonna go check sears for decent toolset today and look for that torque and bolt wrench

I know how the engine works, I know what valves, cylinder, oilpan, pistons, compression chambers, spark plugs, and belts.... other stuff is a mystery to me, like what heads are, and I'm confused on the difference between cams and a camshaft.

If any of you guys could explain some of the parts to me I'd appreciate it... but if not I understand (i've about exhausted my internet resources for learning engines and whatnot)

LOVE the illustrations Denny, REAL helpful cause I have all these different words and terms in my head, but I don't know what they look like or how they connect to things

If I could find an old briggs I'd get it but I have no idea where i'd get one lol

Will a 350 have a bottom camshaft? or overhead?

what are pushrods and rockers?

You really made my morning, Denny... I've had a lot of trouble finding people to help me out because no one in my family knows about cars, and I don't know anyone who's into cars, so I'm basically winging it with whatever I can find in books.

You wouldn't happen to have anymore of those disassembled piece by piece pictures like the camshaft? That really brought it into perspective to show all the pieces like that

Denny you ROCK man, that diagram is AWESOME... I may actually figure out how to put together a working engine yet

Right now, my car is a 98 chevy malibu 4 cylinder, and I was thinking of taking a few pieces off that just to look at it, but I didn't think it would be very useful since it wasn't an 8 cylinder... and I didn't want to completely screw up my car. Think I should stay away from the engine on it? Or would I have to do something seriously bad to mess it up?

http://www.familycar.com/engine.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine1.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine2.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine3.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine4.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine5.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine6.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine7.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine8.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine9.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine10.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine11.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine12.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine13.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine14.htm

Whats up man.
Here is a list of tools I purchased to completly rebuild my engine. I had some problems but the guy's on here helped out a bunch.

1 Freeze Plug Tool
2 Die Grinder Kit IR
3 SA Block Prep Kit
4 Cam Bearing tool - note I messed up three sets of cam bearings. If the machine shop is doing anything to the block have them put in the cam bearings.
5 Assembly Lube royal purple
6 Connecting rod bolt boots - You can also use some hose.
7 Caliper
8 Torque Wrench
9 Ballance remover and Installer
10 Cylinder Hone -

I made a parts washer and a tank to dip my own block in. I used Lye - needs lots of ventalition

11 Piston Ring tool and compressor tool
12 engine brushes

Total on tools I spend with the tank and parts washer was 1600.00

Happy building

guess I should add my hard learned piece of advice here, Ford distrbutors go counter clockwise while chevy's go clockwise.

Denny W and Tech. My hat is off to you guys. You have given this guy more information than anyone could have expected. If you were close enough I would buy a a steak dinner just for being great guys.
Ed

Yeah they have helped me out quite a lot... tech guy, I've read every article on how stuff works, including car engines, carbeuretion, transmission, camshafts, suspension, magnetos, horsepower, fuel injection, car cooling systems, ignition systems, differentials, mufflers, steering. huff, whew!

I have a basic understanding of how everything works, but without really detailed diagrams or someone to help really put some detail on what things do, it's hard to put it together in my mind -- howstuffworks gives just a really good overview.

I PLAN to buy the 'rebuilding your chevy small block engine', and a few manuals if I can find them. But again, before I actually pick up an engine from the junkyard, I first need to find a way to transport it to my house, and then I need to find a way to get it down into my basement (it's the only dry clean place I can put it, I have no garage or barn)

I envy you guys a lot since you probably have awesome places to work and all kinds of tools

By the way, if you didn't guess, my name is Brandon I'm from Richmond, VA just to introduce myself

I have so many different questions but I can't remember them all, plus I don't wanna bug you guys lol

I'm gonna try to compile a list of questions, you guys are my new best friends.

Originally posted by Hurst01
Denny W and Tech. My hat is off to you guys. You have given this guy more information than anyone could have expected. If you were close enough I would buy a a steak dinner just for being great guys.
Ed

Thanks Ed.