There's a machine shop around here with several perfectly good 350s that have all the machine work done and are bored .040 over. Apparently all the racers around here won't buy them so he's willing to sell CHEAP just to get rid of them. I'm guessing because of displacement rules, but is there a problem with these I'm not seeing?

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82 Camaro:
350
Erson cam, ported heads,Comp Cams 1.6:1 rocker arms
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, Holley 600
Crane Hi-6 ignition, Accel supercoil
TH350 tranny with 2500 stall.
Eibach Pro Kit
SLP 1 3/4" headers

 

No pistons available in that size, except chinesium "rebuilder's" ones (the cheapest thing that won't dissolve in gasoline, or catch fire, during their warranty period) only a minor detail, but personally I wouldn't take one if it was free.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

What, no parts for .040 over? They're available, although I took my small block to .060 over. Unless it's an all out race piece, it should be fine to 450+hp.

Miles

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88 427 Camaro
12.18 @ 113mph 1.75 60ft
Currently installing 3.73's into my 9 bolt (YES,it is a 9 bolt & YES they are 3.73's, not 3.70. 4.11's to follow soon )
www.koolmeister.com

 

Yup, you can buy some kinds pistons at .060", but nothing really decent at .040"... a "rebuilder's" size only... look through some catalogs... who knows how accurately the bore job is in a block that's been through mass-producing monkeys cranking out low-bid motors for people who don't care how crappy their motor is as long as it's cheap?

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

enough said

 

What - No good pistons available for a .040 350??? Lets see there is the Standard TRW power forged piston L2256F-40 that Scoggins sells for $187 and the lightweight power forged series LW2256F-40 - flat top 5.7" rod,, I think Scoggins sells that set for around $250 ,, there is the Ross heavy duty flat top for both 5.7" and 6" rods in .040 over that should go for around $480 bucks a set. There are a number of different Speed-Pro Hypereutectic pistons offered in .040. There are even "383" TRW and Ross pistons available for a .040 block. These are just the ones I remember either using or selling - I'm sure there are more,, and in other quality brands s well.

If there is little to no core shift in the block,, .040 is more than "OK" for a 350 - for daily transportation or to race.

[This message has been edited by BadSS (edited August 09, 2001).]

 

How cheap is real cheap for that 350? and if .4 is so bad why not take it some where and get it further bored to.6 can u do that? Im new to the engine thing but i wanna get me feet wet

 

The only problem is finding pistons... many manufacturers make them, but actually getting your hands on a set is another story entirely. You can get pistons in any size you want at all, its all a matter of cost and availability.

I wouldnt go .060, thats about the limit for a good block to be overbored, no sense in testing the limits of factory tolerances.

 

Max, I'm looking through my PAW catalog now and every piston they advertise is listed in .030", .040", & .060" over sizes. Why would availability be a prob? There's no listed price difference. And the rings are available in the same sizes. So what's the prob? Is it that the warehouses just don't stock them? OR are they flying off the shelves that fast?

It would seem like a safer alternative than going .060" over. But this is all true only if the block he has is still 'true'.

 

Generally they dont stock anything 'oddball', and .040 falls into that category. What they will probably tell you is they have to call the factory or something, but you may get lucky... Some places are better than others, but I used to sell parts and trying to find oversizes other than .030 and .060 is difficult.

 

i have no idea what your talkin about. i did my block 40 over and had no prob whatsoever finding parts. 30 40 and 60 are the most common overbores. 40 is not a odball size, its quite common in sbcs because 60 is often too thin in older blocks that may have rusted. most boocks tell you dont bore a 350 over 40 for safety reasons. this bs about availibilty is just plain bs. if its cheap, go for it, you wont have a prob. oversizes are usually even the same price.

 

Well excuse me Mr. Expert.

 

my block is .040 over as well and I had no problem with pistons.

could just be rumor that .040 is oddball size or a few people have had problems getting them at one point or another.

just my 3 cents.

 

I also have a block the is bored .040" over, parts were no problem to find. Every "speed shop" I know stocks them. BUT, you are limited on choice of compressions and rod lengths. There is nothing wrong with using .040" over bore. I personally wanted to bore my block to .060" or have it sleeved, but my machinist said it would be a waste of money. My bores are still very good, no ridge, and just needed a mild honing. So I agreed with them. If I had a fresh standard block that needed an over bore, then I would opt for the next standard over bore the block needed.

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George P. Lara
1984 Z28
2001 SS #0391
SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB

 

Hmmm..

Well then I guess I am officially 'out of the loop' so to speak.
Lemme do this correctly here...

Well sonny boy, back in the day when I used to work in a machine shop, it took a long time to get pistons that were .040 over. It could be done mind you, but it was much faster to use a different block or go .060 over if possible so that the customer didnt have to wait more than a week to get their engine back, otherwise it was a 3 week deal just so the pistons that came by camel could get to the shop in time...

 

Time isn't really a factor. If I decide to get the block and build the engine, it will be something that I do in my spare tiem as money comes in. I just wanted to make sure that there is nothing bad about it structurally as long as the machine work is well done. Thanks all who replied.

 

I have done .40 and .60 on older style blocks without a problem, but the newer ones scare me when bored past .30. There is not a lot of metal in those one piece rear blocks. Just my opinion though...

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1992 Pontiac Firebird 350/Six Speed
1987 Toyota Pickup 383/500+ HP

 

Ya old fart!!! J/K.

You are right about that overbore being rare and unusual. Not to often do you hear someone say that they have a 357 under the hood. They would probably scare everyone away!!!! LOL I've never heard anyone say that.
I wanna be able to say it. Back to the machine shop my block goes!!!!!! HEHE!!!!! J/K again. Who here can say that? I N V U!!!!!

AJ

 

I bought a set of .040 Speed-Pro Hypereutectic Pistons on Ebay for $126.00. I could have my choice of standard or oversize.
They were sold by "dirttrack1km." I see they are still selling sets. They also have a website. (www.dirttrackthunder.com)
I'm happy to say I'll have a loaded 357!

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'71 Z-28 packin' a 357

 

Magnum?

 

I would go .040 over before going .060. The more meat in your cylinder walls the better. Yes racers that want the engine to last 2 seasons only go .030. Street guys that want their engine to last a for 250,000 miles only go .030. Having a block especially an older four bolt block, I am talking mid 70s here, go out .040 is not a problem and neither is finding parts for it. I worked in a machine shop last year and still talk to the guys there all the time.

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84 Z28 383
Stripped w/Cage back halved w/ladder bars and coil overs and 9 inch
700R-4 3.73
I would have a time by now if I could ever get my car back from the shop!!

 

I built my 357 .40 in high school (04') because block didn't clean up as much as preferred at .30 and wasnt buliding stroker and wanted the meat to be able if crank ever showed up and the sbc needed another refreshing! Speed pro hypers meet my teenage budget so local machine shop got the call! O...I swapped into three separate cars since built. Currently still upsetting fords in my 67' Camaro! Attached turbo system last month now whole new world of issues. Smh gotta love it

 

This thread has graduated college and has a family now.

 

Seems to be quite a number of such 1-posters dredging up ancient threads on this site lately, all of them apparently oblivious to post dates.

At least they add to site traffic.

 

Much better than yesterday when someone's old account got hacked and Dark Web CP was being spammed allover the site.

 

Damn,,,,^That sounds pretty bad.


Ya could have responded to this, then....and it'd have only been 3 years old at that time!