ok many of us want to build a 350 to swap out our 305's or v6's but have done nothing like this so far......
what i would like is for everyone to post their tips, tricks, hints and A FULL LIST OF TOOLS needed to build an engine and then swap it into an fbody. lets just start with a standard v8 to v8 swap. hopefully this can become a perfect sticky for rookies (like me!) to refer to when building an engine, but you guys gotta post!

 

Make sure you get a 350 knock sensor and make sure its got the same starter bolt pattern as the 305 that came out.

 

didnt realize there was a different bolt pattern for the starter... I thought the gear covers were different for the different size fly wheels or flexplates...make sure all your parts match like valve springs and cam lift...rings match the piston groove size use a micrometer where you would install bearings and check tolerance...break the cam in properly use new lifters with a new cam....use nonhardening sealant on bolts that go into the water jacket....torque head gaskets in stages not all at one time...

 

damn....there is so much to learn when building engines.............

 

not really...I threw out my Chiltons and just did alot of searches on this web site...once you build one you would see how easy it really is....Even and old guy like me can do it...well not as old as RB or Vader but they are the souces I would inquire along with F-BIRD88 and EDE.....they are knowledgeable and Vader shows pretty pics of his cars all the time...so dont be affraid to ask for help

 

anyone else???? i know there are 138963 people on this board who build engines like its nothing and it would be nice to get some of your knowledge!!!!

 

not really...actually quite a few like you and me. Just some dude whose is learning as he goes it alone.

 

well its good to know im not the only one.....but i wish i had someone over my shoulder all the time

 

I rebuilt my 1st engine about 10 yrs ago by reading car mags and then buying a how to rebuild smallblock chevy's book


I still have that book


now being older I would not do it again-it was fun but now there are good shortblock/engine packages out there with warranties



biggest mistake I made was a large cam (comp cams 280) with the wrong rear gears

84 firebird that had 3.08 grs - I just didn't have the money for gears and pro install

 

i bet that bok would be a good place to start huh?? i konw ill be taking a risk here but i want to learn and im short on cash. with you guys and uncles hopefully i can get this thing runnig decently. maybe 300+ hp.

but as far as the cam that (besies the chip) will be the last thing i get. im gonna make sure i get one from comp or crane etc that gives me specificly what i need so i dont over do it

 

I'm just wingin' it

So far so good!

 

Best thing to do is ask alot of questions...I bebuilt the top end of mine by myself and it went very smooth. The biggest thing you have to remember is the basics. Think about what the motor actually needs to run good, The rest is just details. I'd recomend for your first build find a good running motor and just swap out some stuff on the top end. Intake maybe get the heads ported maybe a cam. I did my motor swap and top end rebuild in under 2 weeks from the time I pulled the truck in to pull the motor out of it to rebuild. I spent some long nights. But this site was my saving grace. Any questions I asked and I found my answer. Biggest thing is prep. I did alot of reading on here and had everything I needed before I turned the first nut.(Except for a few smaller things). For tools...My dad has a huge set but wouldnt let me use them because he thought I'd loose them back in the area I did the swap...So I went to Big Lots and bought $30 worth of cheapy tools and did my whole swap with them...Good luck!

 

yep...that sounds like me. im trying to pretty much build what you just posted (350 with my top end) and if i cant find a good 350 short block for cheap then ill just get one that needs a rebuild.

more learning

 

I have an AWESOME 350 that was rebuilt right before the truck was wrecked...The corner of the block where the starter bolts in is cracked...If you could get another block the rest of the motor is awesome...Its just sitting here

 

you got a PM!!!!

 

Here is a good book to get you started: How to Build Max Performance Chevy Small Blocks on a Budget

Here's another:
The Step-By-Step Guide to Engine Blueprinting

 

thanx.....ill defenitly be purchasing soon.

 

I have and read them both. Really good. Get anything you can get your hands on. And this site is a huge help. Only way I could have done any of the mods I have done so far.

 

when you degree your cam be real careful and do it more than once thats teh hardest thing to do in my mind along with putting in valvesprings. also make sure your tolerences are ok. mic everything and weigh everything. also get lots of rtv cleaner and several sets of the same size sockets. i also have lots of books haynes tech overhaul manual how to build max perfomance chevy sb ona budget then sbc performance vol one

 

ive been reading my *** off trying to leanr about this crap and im still lost.................this is so damn confusing at times and i feel like i just need to give up and drive my damn car. who cares if its fast

 

ill build an engine for you.
dont worry about it. dont let a piece of metal beat you.

 

i think it already has!!! thatd be great, ad since your building MY engine why dont you fly over to ky as well to do it?!?! i really dont feel like going all the way out to cali :lala:

 

I used the book " How to build the smallblock Cheverolet " to help me out. Lots of info from picking out the right block at the junk yard .......to Breakin and testing your motor. 20 years ago i rebuilt a 340 Mopar engine that turned into a real disaster !! All because I was impatient and and decided not to follow instructions on tolerences and measurements. I pissed away about 3 grand worth of hard earned money !!!! Now...20 years later and much wiser......I'm rebuilding a 350 from bottom up. I take my time, ask lots of questions on this site, and research and do my homework. Take this advice and use it wisely !!! If you don't want to fully comit yourself to rebuilding a motor yourself, then have someone build it for you or buy a crate motor. Actually, building the motor is quite easy once you have all the proper tools and knowledge to go with it. It's just time consuming!! Besides...... you gain alot of experiance, know-How, and the satisfaction of building your own !!! ( As long as you do it the right way that is ! ) So don't be afraid and jump right in.....The water is fine !!!!

 

I read a few books, then learned as I went along. If you ask me, choosing the right combination of parts is often harder than the actual assembling of them.

 

tell me what you want the specs on the mic and all the parts plus 2500 for my labor. ill build you an exact copy of the engine thats in the car in my sig

 

you guys are great. i think im gonna tackle this for good now. after reading a lot of confusing posts last night i thought to myself i need to just give up but io want to stick it out. knowledge is the main thing to me as i know this engine probably wont last long. i know that once i get my feet wet ill be on a roll. hopefully i can get most if not all of it done by the end of august, then school starts back up and ill have NO time. im not gonna rush it tho

 

I know the situation...I tackled my motor rebuild and swap 3 weeks before school started...Had it running enough to get exhaust done on it, Got the exhaust done, Everything debugged somewhat and drove it 2nd week of school..Debugged a few little things and been loving ever since...5000 miles on it so far and going strong!!!

 

Well, I'm pretty new to working on my car too, but I read a book that totally changed my outlook. It's called "How your car works" it was written in the mid 70's by some popular science guy. I'm sure its out of print by now, but check with your local library (you did check the library for reading materials, right? ) to see if they have it or something similar. The book was great, explained everything from the Otto Cycle to Air Conditioning to Cam Shafts to tire Camber. I feel a lot more comfortable reading on these boards now that I've read a bunch, and I feel ready to tackle a rebuild (well, once the wallet catches up with my new found confidence anyway )

 

thats honestly where ive been lacking........ive read my *** off on here but havent had much time to hit the books. i going tomorrow to find a performance smalblock rebuilding book of some kind and ill read that cover to cover 10 times. i would ilk eto know more of everything (air conditioning camber etc.) about cars but for now ill stick with engines so i dont become overwhelmed.....

im gonna try not to let a piece of metal beat me!!

 

Look, there is nothing to building an engine. You need to invest time in researching products and reading books, but the most usefull experience is actually doing it. If you can get the help and advice from a knowledgable person, someone who would be willing to look over your shoulder and point out the rights and wrongs, you will succeed.

The most important items are patience and cleanliness. Take the time to do it right. There is an old saying that I live by - "If you don't have time to do it right the first time, how are you going to have time to do it again?"

Read through a good book on rebuilding engines to familiarize yourself with the process and checks, then go do it. Just keep refering to the book to be sure you don't miss anything.

Part choosing can be tricky, but most companies have tech lines that will answer the questions you may have.

It takes me about an hour to assemble an engine and have it ready for the track, and I build circle track engines here for the locals. I have never had one fail. All my experience comes from having good mentors and just doing it.

Get yourself a complete junk engine and take it apart, you will be amazed at how simple they really are.

 

tive heard its not too complicated to build one however to build it right and with the right parts is thye tricky thing. hopefully some of these books i plan to read wont be too confusing and will point out all the things i need to do it. im more performance oriented but i guess i need to know what all is under my hood before i try to make it fast.

 

Knowing what you want is the first thing, then see if what is under the hood fits the bill.

Choosing parts is not as complicated as it might seem. Start with the bottom end (the crank, rods and pistons). Do you want to rev high? Do you want to run a power adder (nitrous, turbo or supercharger)? These thing determine the minimum requirements to the bottom end. Compression is also a factor.

The rest of the engine is more of a determination of airflow (cam, heads,intake). Look at the options available and call the companie's tech lines. They will help you with most questions you have.

You need to decide what you want the engine to do first and foremost, then you can decide what parts you need.

Actual assembly is a piece of cake. My son built his first engine when he was 10, it is still in our dayly driver and has over 100,000 on it now. All I did was watch him assemble it and give guidance when nescessary.

 

wow! well i guess with the help of you all nd all the necessary parts i should be doing pretty good. i just dont want to throw a rod like tpiroc did after he built his first.....even though i know it may happen.

 

I know a guy, he got in a rush in his excitement to finish his first build. It blew up. You have to check and double check your steps until you are familiar and have a feel for the process. Like I said before, get a complete junk engine and take it apart, you will see firsthand how it is assembled and learn a lot.