Thread: 350 small low compression?

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I bought a 89 chevy c1500 with a 350 smallblock. First American muscle car owned. The second day I drove it, it was idoling terrible and then eventually just shut off. I turned it back on and got it home but I had to give it gas In neutral to keep it on. Popped the hood and oil is misting out of the oil dip stick. It's also misting oil from the fresh air vent tube coming from the head to the tbi and the pcv valve as well. I was 4 quarts low of oil and also I did a compression test and 1 and 3 had I believe it was 60 or 70 psi and all the rest of the cylinders where good. Those two cylinders had gas on the spark plugs. The truck dumps oil from somewhere at the bottom I can't find where so I must of blew a gasket. So rite now I'm not sure if I should rebuild it, take it to a shop, or just buy a crate engine. I'm not looking for performance because I'm in the process of building a 283 the 350 is just my get around motor. I'm not necessarily new to engines but I'm still learning and now learning about small blocks so all help is appreciated thank you.

The 283 will never match the performance of a 350.

It's hard to beat the cost of a 350 crate motor. Unless you can score some super cheap swap meet parts and minimize machine shop cost, it will cost more to rebuild.

The labor fees will really eat you up. If you don't have the tools and equipment, they can be rented.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

The 283 will never match the performance of a 350.

It's hard to beat the cost of a 350 crate motor. Unless you can score some super cheap swap meet parts and minimize machine shop cost, it will cost more to rebuild.

The labor fees will really eat you up. If you don't have the tools and equipment, they can be rented.

I agree, 350 crate motor.
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I can't believe the swing toward "CRATE MOTORS"------oh, but they do have free shipping???????????

I have resisted the move towards crate motors as well Jerry, but in a case like this, it just makes sense. The 350 that is in this fellow's pickup is obviously in dire straits and needs a large infusion of greenbacks to bring it back to health. It would probably be less expensive as well as much easier to just transplant a ready to go unit into the engine bay and be done with it.
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As I have stated on here many times, I personally will not buy a running motor. I want individual parts that I can plan a build around and do it like I want it, not like somebody else wanted it. But for someone other than folks like Denny and me and a few others on this board, who don't have the expertise to build a motor properly, it makes sense to invest in a crate motor. The learning curve for beginning with a bare block is just too long and tedious.
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