ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

My father introduced this casting # 3970010, 350, 4 bolt main block to me when i was around the age of 12. Being young, stupid, and an aspiring gear head, i decided to install the pistons myself, after struggling with the rings, it was finally time to pop the psitons in, and thats what i did. 8 years later I have decided to do it right. This morning i yanked all the pistons and rods out and this is what i found on only 1 of the rod journals (look at attachments) to scratches that go about half way around the journal, and one tiny nick next to them. My dumbass self obviously wasnt to worried about cleanliness 8 years ago.

My question is can this be machined out, or should i buy a new crank?

And how do i know which piston/connecting rods go in which cylinder? They are aftermarket pistons that are only marked for the front of the engine. And stock gm rods, neither seem to be marked.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Mic it; if it's .010" under, it'll turn one more time. Otherwise get another.

Pistons/rods should all be the same, in theory; except for there being rights and lefts. If they're not marked, and they're mixed up now, then not much to do, but to take the plunge and do it.

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

My advice on the rods is take them to a machine shop and have them resized. You dnt have to do this, but I like knowing they're not egg shaped. I have a set of number stamps that I use for this. I stamp the rod and the cap ( drivers side being 1,3,5,7 and passengers side 2,4,6,8) and then have them resized, then you'll always know where they go back.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Have the bottom end balanced while your there.
I would use a engraver on the rods instead of stamping them. Most of the pro engine builders do that because the stamp causes stress points and a out of round condition. (if done b4 the resizing)

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

Im gonna pull the crank, the rod bearings that i already used, were.010 under so if they take another .010 off the rod journal im guessing i will need .020 under rod bearings correct?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't worry too much about stamping while the engine is assembled... the crank will prevent the rods from seeing any significant distorting force.

Now, while it's NOT assembled, is a whole other matter.

Yes, .020" under is correct. That's about as far as a crank can go, since the surface hardening only goes just so deep.

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

now that im thinking about it wouldnt it be safer to just use a new crank? If i was to use a new crank could i then use standard size main and rod journal bearings?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Depends on what you're building... might not make any difference at all, might be stupid to re-use what you've got. All depends.

Just the bearings being a "repair" size rather than "stock", is not in and of itself an issue most of the time.

I'd say in most cases like this, if you have to ask, it probably won't matter if you freshen it up and re-use it.

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

Can anyone recommend a budget piston set? I have no details on these pistons and the only numbers stamped on them is b567

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

also the camshaft will not rotate, nor can i remove it, any ideas why?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I have 2 ask, you did take the lifters out??
Is there a mech fuelpump on the motor?? If so the fuel pump pushrod is holding it in.

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

Its out now, no there is nothing on the block just the cam was in the block, i had to put the timng gear on it and tap the teeth to get it to rotate, really tight for some reason.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Ouch, it should spin freely. Was it a new cam? It could be bent, rare but it does happen.

1gary

If your doing a performance rebuild EVERYTHING is hinged off c/r's.The SCR's,DCR's,cam choices,intake and exhaust.Quench should be set at .040,so technically head gasket choices could be dictated by that.Where you set the deck height is in no small part done off the stacked parts method to achieve the target .040 quench.

You see it is the combination of the sum total of small things and the attention to details that makes a huge difference.

1gary

I didn't say this and should have.Today's gas requires a SCR no greater than 9.5 with cast iron heads and a DCR no greater than 8.5.With aftermarket aluminum heads you can increase that alittle less than 1 point.

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

No I think it was from the 15+year old assembly lube on it, I'll be bringing the block to be cleaned and inspected, and probably get new cam bearings

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

So... This engine never was started from when you first assembled it when you were 12?

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

correct

Chad85T/A

iTrader: (1)

When you take your parts to the machine shop ask what kind of master rebuild kits they can get you. The machine shop I use has really competitive prices on those things.

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

hey guys whats a good compression ratio to shoot for? Im trying to decide on pistons and its all a bit overwhelming with all the decisions out there?

1gary

Come on Rick.Read my post.I already answered your question .I can't give you 50 yrs of hot rodding in short form,but there is a ton of good info in that post and IF you want to do it right this time,well..............

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

Sorry gary, somehow i missed your post, thanks for the info.
Im trying to identify this camshaft:
after 1st journal EP1
before 2nd journal: C3, D3 on opposite side
after 2nd: B0, 03 on opposite side
after 4th journal: CWC

googles not helping too much lol, if anybody has any idea about this cam please let me know.

also i believe these pistons are badger pistons, I sent them email (not sure if they are even open any more).
the only markings on them are B567, if anyone has info its greatly appreciated.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

None of those #s will tell anything about the cam.

CWC is a company that makes blanks; they make the majority of em. Just about everybody grinds cams on that brand of core.

The other #s are dates, shift codes, etc. that were cast into the care when it was made. Might mean something to CWC; tells nothing at all about stuff like, who ground it (Comp, Crane, GM, Melling, whoever), what the lift & duration are, and so on. Only #s that would tell anything about that, will be stamped in the ends. If there's no #s there, only way you'll find out anything about it, is to measure it. If you'll mic an intake lobe and an exhaust lobe in the "height" direction and the "width" direction and post that, we might be able to guess at it a little bit.

Badger makes "rebuilder" cast pistons. Usually low-budget, just-get-the-job-done kind of stuff, to put construction vans back on the road and such. You can look at em yourself and tell if they're flat-top or dished, how deep the dish is, etc.; looking em up in some catalog isn't going to tell you any more than you can learn by just measuring the parts themselves.

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

on one of the ends of the cam there is either a A or an R

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like yerbasic mystery cam

If I was the betting kind, I'd almost bet it will turn out to be a 929 copy

What do the lobes measure?

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

are the first two lobes intake? if so intake lobe height measure 1.555 and exhaust lobe height measure 1.575
with an intake base circle of 1.260 and an exhaust base circle of 1.290
this makes lift approximately:
intake: .295
exhaust: .285

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

First 2 lobes are exhaust... look at a head, exh valves are at the ends

Looks like the lift is about .420" / .442"

Not the 929; but an almost equally generic cam

An old generic grind, widely available from dozens of sources

For example

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-1102
http://www.amotion.com/mla.html#20
http://www.melling.com/LinkClick.asp...I%3d&tabid=632 p 48
http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_...chevy_sb.shtml

And on and on and on

Not particularly of any special "value"

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

This is practically a stock-ish spec cam then, not much of a power maker.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Exactly; it's just about a tweeeeek ahead of the 929. Most often referred to as "The RV Cam". If you ever see somebody say those words, that's most likely the one they're talking about.

Those generic cams come in steps:

A REALLY LAME one you hardly ever see, 194°/204°
"The RV Cam", 204°/214°
"The Mild Cam", 214°/224°
Another one without a common nickname, 224°/234°
"The RPM Cam", 234°/244°

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

that cams a no go then, i need some lumpy-ness. Cam choice will wait until i get the bottom end put together

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Weeell whats a cam with 260ish dur @ .050 called then ??

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Iunno... not a member of the series described above, to my knowledge

Call it whatever you like. "Ma'am" if that pleases you.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Around here we just call it potato patato potato patato potato....

ricklovin93

iTrader: (1)

cranks out. damn that thing has some weigh to it