Thread: SBC 350. Rebuild in stock.

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I have SBC 350, pulled out from Chevy Beauville '79.
I'm form Russia, it's a little bit difficult to buy or bring here new engine.



After "abduction" I found something interresting in the oil pan:



Also please look at this hole in the oil pan





ups, connecting rod







Small bloch chevy 350cid, number 14016379
Engine totally destroyed. Looks like something wrong with oil system.
This 4-bolts engine run with Rochester Quadrajet carb, I want to build stock engine.
I have only block as is, and need to build engine from scratch.

Please advise me what spares I may order according my list. I note some details about each spare - beacuse I dont know enough information yet about really quality spares for Smoll Block - usually we order spares of some popular brands and I'm not sure, is it correct and cheap way.

I need new:
- timing chain kit (I think about COMP Cams kit)
- cam shaft + bearings + push rods + hydraulic lifters (again - I think about COMP Cams kit. Is it good idea to order tuning cam shaft without any tuning in other area of engine?)
- pistons + rings (set of 8) - bore diameter now (before reboring) is 101.74mm. After reboring will be something about 102.20mm or more - anyway I may bore according piston diameter. But I'm not sure about what pistons should I order - what brand, what price - according Summit or RockAuto price starts from 15$. How I may reach balance price/quality?
- connecting rods - the same situation
- new oil pump - ACDelco, Milodon or something elese?
- crankshaft main bearings (size I will detail later - tomorrow I'm going to buy another crankshaft at my local junkyard - anyway it will be better than my crankshaft)
- rod bearings (size I will detail later). Clevite?
- kit of heads bolts. ARP?
- kit with all valves (size will be detailed later, after a will check and measure valve-stem gide)

The main criteria is balance between price and quality of spares - due to very long terms of shipping and weight of spares (= high price of shipping) it's not possible to compare spares here.

Thank you for support, mates!

What kind of vehicle is this engine going to be used in? And how do you intend to drive it? Is it going into a pickup for hauling cargo or is it going into a car that will be a daily driver? It would help if you would provide a little more information so we can advise you more accurately.

I'm going to put it into Chevy Van G30, It will be my daily ride, only "street" form of usage.

I checked block visually - all ok, but I'm going to make pressure test of the block.
The problem is, that in my city exist only two places, where I can do all machine works..

Let's divide all engine components at groups and make clear some details for each group.

At first, I found COMP Cams kit for street usage, 2000-6000rpm
COMP Cams CL12-209-2 - COMP Cams Dual Energy Cam and Lifter Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com

and COMP Cams timing chain kit
COMP Cams 2100 - COMP Cams Magnum Double Roller Timing Sets - Overview - SummitRacing.com

But I'm not exactly understand what means note "Will not fit factory roller cam applications".

I would advise you to choose a cam with around 205-210 degrees @ .050. That is still better than a stock 350 cam and will give you plenty of low end torque which would be advisable for your application. The cam you mentioned would be more suitable for a higher performance engine built for a muscle car. I would recommend this cam:
12-305-2 - PURE Energy
The timing chain kit you listed would work fine. Roller cams require a cam button to keep the cam from moving forward and backward. That would not apply to you as you have flat tappet lifters.

As far as pistons, I would use hypereutectic pistons like Summit or Keith Black brands. Forged pistons are not necessary. If I was to upgrade anything, it would be the connecting rod bolts as they are the main causes of engine failures like the one you have--that looks like a rod bolt broke. . APR head bolts are very good but new stock replacement head bolts would be fine. The one thing that I would highly recommend is to have the rotating assembly balanced.

yeah, it's exactly, what I want to know about camshaft and pistons!
Thanks a lot!

stock rod bolts do not fail much is you can see bolt is still holding part of the rod together in pan...But... on rod rebuilds i do up grade at that time to a ARP bolt when i rebuild rods . other new rod bolts can be used but some are not as good as to fit .new GM bolts would be fine . looking at the one bank it stacked the rod bearings and was ran of a very long time like this till the rod came apart from hitting part of the lower block oilpan pail rail. this started out has a oil issue i am thinking .the block will need the line bore checked .wet mag for cracks in jacks and main webs . on parts i use on mild builds is stuff that may be hard for you to get but bearings .ACL . King . Mahle/Clevite. all will work fine . size on oil clearance can differ .oil pump GM or mellings you may get lucky and fine a better oil pump from another engine .i have reused pump after some work if its on some thing thats hard to find or not made any more. if pump gears are good then i take apart pump wash clean . sand bottom pump plate to get any mark s out .this can be done with sand paper on a plate of thick steel and 220 grit wet /dry sand paper and use lite oil like Wd40 keep paper clean when done with that set pump gears back in pump .use a straight edge feeler gauge to check pump gears end play .sand body of pump till it is at around .004 .wash ...wash then the pump should work fine for stock to mild use if it was a good oil pump in the first place. timming gear sets .there many that put there name on timming sets . but only a hand full of companys that make them. just a lot of reboxing. so buy what you can find should be ok . pistons for stock use i like seal power the new piston s now made in the usa looks very nice . but used alot of brands over the years . and some no name stuff .all worked . should be ok here use what you can get. check out www.competitionproducts.com i do not know if they will ship to you but you may save some money with them .they have good deals .on cams . i would go with a Elgin grind and talk to comp products . they can build you a kit to rebuild your 350 just tell them what you want for piston size and parts . parts are some what key to a good running engine . but not all of it. some guys spend more money are parts they may not need like a re boxed brand name . thinking there have a better
engine .but it all comes done to machine work . and assmbley . fit . detail .work...clean

Finally found pistons for my engine
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/UEM-9901HCKTM040/

But cant choose between these pistons from Sealed Power:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLP-8KH345ACP30/

the speed pros are good way to go make sure you get the new ones not some old stock . the new speed pros are made in the usa and is a very nice piston. older stuff sitting around can be made in india and can be hit and miss .there is no add end gap needed for the speedpros pistons like KBs hypers. i like KBs icon line but not so much are hypers. will have pick out a flat top you have good gas were you are ? if not the H 423acp is dished

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

if not the H 423acp is dished

I'm not certain, but I think it's also a short piston, 1.540" compression height, so be careful when calculating piston deck height.

i am ...that pistons H423acp is listed at 1.560 i check them myself to listing. not a big deal were the ch is first you need to know what the piston CH is and deck the block to were you want it.I done this many times on many builds .i deck all blocks with a tru-deck BHJ fixture on my storm vulcan. this set H423acp is the ones i using in a vortech 350 just lined bored it. will be in the mill soon for a deck job going for 9.010 deck this will get me were i want the piston in the block

thanks for the advices, mates!
Really difficult to choose something sitting 8000km away)))

And back to Speed Pro Speed Pro Z8KH345ACP30 - Speed-Pro Digital Diamond Profile (DDP) Hypereutectic Piston and Ring Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com
Is it set of 8 pistons+rings? I checked all details and not found any info about it. Where I may check it?

Originally Posted by wbud

thanks for the advices, mates!
Really difficult to choose something sitting 8000km away)))

And back to Speed Pro Speed Pro Z8KH345ACP30 - Speed-Pro Digital Diamond Profile (DDP) Hypereutectic Piston and Ring Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com
Is it set of 8 pistons+rings? I checked all details and not found any info about it. Where I may check it?

you should e mail them have them build you a kit even summit sell kits and save some money . but the rings i use are Hasting moly 2m139 then + what ever bore size like .020 or .030 or .040 .summit should sell them in sets and rings do not come with pistons most of the time

Hey, I'm here again))

I got camshaft COMP Cams kit 12-305-2 [49]
12-305-2 - PURE Energy
for my Chevy Van 1979 with 350cid, carb, stock engine.

Due to I need to replace my old valves, so please tell me, what Overall Valve Length should I buy? Because it's not stock camshaft at all, and I'm not sure about stock (4.911 in.) valve length.

Originally Posted by wbud

Hey, I'm here again)) I got camshaft COMP Cams kit 12-305-2 for my Chevy Van 1979 with 350cid, carb, stock engine.

Due to I need to replace my old valves, so please tell me, what Overall Valve Length should I buy? Because it's not stock camshaft at all, and I'm not sure about stock (4.911 in.) valve length.

Hello Again. Glad to see you again. Regarding the valves, you'll need to remove them and inspect the condition of both the valves and the valve seats. If you're lucky they'll just need a re-grind. Then re-assemble with new seals.

I'm going to re-cut valve seats, and pair valve-stem guides. Now I need new valves - in my machine shop they told me that I need more than 8.65mm diameter of valve stem - it's .341 in. if I calculate correctly.
I found that my old valves were about 4.911 in. - it's correspond the information from books about SBC.
But I'm not understand, how valve overall lenth wiil correspond with my camshaft kit.