Thread: 350ci engine rebuild

Tweet

Hey, about 6 months ago I bought a 1973 Chevy El Camino from a complete moron. This guy did the stupidest things I could ever imagine to this truck. Anyways the truck has the original 350 engine in it. I think it's had 1 rebuild, but I'm not sure. It has well over 300,000 miles and runs like it only has 50,000 miles.

This summer I want to rebuild my engine. I'm not much of a mechanic but I'm very interested so I'd prefer to do this project myself. I would like to rebuild this engine from the block up, but I don't know what all the parts to an engine are, and I don't know what the best parts are, or how they all fit together. I know some basics about engines, but I don't know all the little peices that go into them, and I don't know where to start.

Could anyone give me some information on engine builds, specifically for a Chevy 350. I wanna put some muscle into this engine, the 250hp I'm getting from the stock engine just isn't enough for me.

Go to a book store and find a book on rebuilding Small Block Chevy's. This is a great place to start learning terminology, what clearances should be and what parts you might want to use. There are MANY different opinions on how to do things,but this way you will have the basic stuff!!

Chris Laarman
Ottawa Engine and Performance
www.ottawaengine.com

you picked a great motor for your first build. they are actually about as tolerant to beginners building as any motor, and by god, the parts available! You'll never find an engine cheaper to build, and the sheer multitude of parts availabe is amazing.

Definitely get a book ( or two or three ) and read up on it. before you are done reading, I'll bet you change your mind on what direction you want to go.

'How to Build Big-Inch Chevy Small Blocks ' was a book that I thought was decent. Not complete by any means and a little heavy on theory but a good start. Also a bid of advice from a fellow engine student, after you read some books, run your ideas by the forum. You'll find some contradictory info in different books (ie. some say braze your oil pick up tube in place, others say the heat will ruin the oil pump). Also check out Ryans combos:

http://www.ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos1.html

Originally posted by firebird77clone
Definitely get a book ( or two or three ) and read up on it. before you are done reading, I'll bet you change your mind on what direction you want to go.

or if you're like me you'll change your mind and want to build 2 or 3 different motors.

383 under construction. Heads are here, still waiting for rotating assembly!

Haha, Alright thanks guys. I'll be picking up some books this week. I'll be running alot of questions through these forums in the next week or 2.