Hello everyone, i think it is finally time to get rid of the 305. My car is a 1991 camaro rs vert, automatic. The plan is to do a mildly built carbed 350 for cruising.

In the hunt for used blocks i have a couple prospects but wanted to ask on here if you see any potential problems.

1st 350 is a 1 piece rear main seal 4 bolt block....not sure year or vehicle but casting number is 14101148

2nd choice is a 350 out of a 1980 vette casting number 14010207

My question that i think i already know the answer to is i need to get the 1 piece rear main seal because my car is a 91 correct?

 

Either block will work. The 1 piece RMS block would be a more direct fit, though.

 

really? that would be great becasue the 1980 vette block i can get for nothing.

Is there disadvantages to having this 2 piece rear main seal over the 1 piece?

 

You'd need to change the flexplate to use the 2 piece block, and the dipstick would be on the driver side. Nothing that couldn't be overcome.

You wouldn't be able to use a factory roller cam in the 2 piece block though, which is a bit of a moot point if the 1 piece block doesn't already have a roller cam.

 

ok thanks again, i am just gonna pick up the 1 piece block and build it from that starting point

 

The '80 block should also have passenger side dipstick. '79 was last year of driver's side, from what I've seen. At any rate, there's nothing special about the Vette block, it's just a production block that happened to end up on a Vette. I'd still go for the 1-piece block like you said you're going to do - much less prone to leaks. And, some of them that didn't get a roller lifter cam from the factory were still machined to accept it - the parts can be had fairly cheaply.

 

five7kid- i am going to look at the 1 piece block today. It is supposedly a crate motor that was built between 87-90 but the owner doesnt know if it was machined for a roller cam or not. Is there a large advantage to be had over a roller block then a flat tappet design.

 

I wouldn't call it "huge", especially from a bang-for-buck standpoint, but if I have roller lifters already, I'd keep them (wait a minute, I did keep them! ). One piece rear main seal is a bigger advantage in my view than roller lifters - but that's not a diss on roller lifters.

When you get into really high lifts, you need to be careful because the stock roller lifter "stroke" is limited. Comp (I think it is) makes longer lifters to take care of that. But, for the typical street/strip/performance build, the factory lifters are fine.

How complete is the engine you're looking at? Just a block?

My 350 shortblock started off as an early 90's ZZ3 crate engine. Had pink rods, although the later PM rods are probably just as good.

 

ok so next question, and thanks for the patients. Been checking the casting number with chevy high performance and some other websites. Some say 14101148 casting is flat tappet truck block. Other sites say same casting number is late model roller non LT1. When i go look at this block is there any way i can tell if it is a roller or not by looking? If so what do i look for?

 

The world according to Mortec:
"14101148...350...86-90...4...One-piece rear seal"

The "86" part would indicate non-roller. But, Mortec doesn't always get every detail correct. 4-bolt main would indicate truck - but could also be Vette.

The easiest way to tell if a block is roller-ready is to look in the lifter valley - if the nubs in the center along the oil passage between the lifter bores are machined and drilled, it was machined for roller lifters. Also check the front of the block around the cam hole - should be a couple of tapped holes there for the cam retainer. Finally, the top of the lifter bores will be machined on a roller-ready block, as-cast for a non-roller-ready block.

Perhaps the seller is dyslexic, and it's actually "14011148...350...87-89.......Roller cam, one-piece rear seal"

 

thanks for the help...have to wait to go look at the block untill this weekend. Ill let you know what it looked like since you have been helpful in my quest lol.