So for the last year i've been planning an engine build and swap for my 83 firebird. Today started day 2 of the swap. I build then engine over the winter, here are the specs.

1990 Chevy 350 Block
One piece rear main seal
Stock Cast Crank (balanced)
LT1 Connecting rods
SpeedPro Hypereutectic Pistons w/Coated Skirts
10.6:1 compression
CompCams DUAL Energy™ Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft
Details http://www.compcams.com/Cam_Specs/Ca...?csid=105&sb=2
906 casting Vortec Head clearance for .500lift
CompCams valve springs w/titanium retainers and locks
Weiand Stealth Intake
NO carb yet, probably a 750cfm something...


I'm hoping to make about 425hp-450hp. Starting this long process i've gotten pretty far in one day, taking off everything I could that dosent need to be attached the the current 305 in the car so it can come out. So far, the carb, radiator, and accessories are off the front of the engine. all thats left up top is to pull the distributor and some wires need moving, then its on to the drive shaft and cross member and motor mounts. More too come...

 

What are the details on the cam? How did you come to decide on it?

Your new engine has the 12 o'clock timing tab. Make sure your new balancer is made for that, or get an aftermarket tab that sits at around 2 o'clock.

Looks like the accessory pulleys were switched over to the later flat multi-groove belt for the alternator. Nothing wrong with that, I haven't had any problems with mine, but they didn't start using that until the '86 model year.

(Interesting engine color, too. . .)

 

Cam Specs:

Valve lift: .462/.482
ADV Duration: 275/277
Center line: 106
Hydraulic-High performance street. Works with stock converter. Choppy idle.
RPM range is 2000-6000

I picked the cam after I heard my buddies 327 with the same cam, it also works very well with the rpm range of the intake.

I do have the balancer for the engine i'll be installing it after the engines in the car. the current engine is an 87 305 TPI converted to LG4 carb so thats the reason for the later pulley's. I like the serp belt setup better anyways.

Oh, and the engine color is "Cast Iron Coat" from Duplicolor.

 

425 horse would probably be stretching it for that cam. I would definitely use a higher than stock stall torque converter.

 

How much have ya stuck into the thing excluding the intake mani.?

 

Umm, about $1300. The best deal was the heads and intake for $500 and the guy threw in the jasper engine for free..lol I took all the parts out and put what I wanted back in, so it wasnt too bad.

 

SO days 3 and 4 of my swap are done and i've got alot done. Motor and trans are out and the trans is seperated from the "old" 305. Now its on to ordering the trans parts and the rest of the parts for the engine install.. Here are some pics... Any suggestion before I go foreward about anything would be greatly aperciated.

 

If you can...get a few cans of engine degreaser and power wash the bay.Wire loom everything and ziptie them for a much more finished install when its all said and done.

 

Yeah thats up for tomorrows agenda. I'm also going to get rid of anything that I dont need and repaint the engine bay black.

 

Hey five 7, I built the engine that Rob (fiream) took out, yeah I used the multi rib belt because I like it (I put it on everything, it's my trademark!)

Rob the progress looks great! It's scary seeing that car with the front bumper off after I had painted it and put it all back together LOL. This is why you are taking it apart not me, I don't know that I would have the heart to take that car back apart again but you are building it bigger and better than I did

 

Im doing a swap right along the lines of yours. I liked the color of the motor so much I went and did mine the same as you. I thought id do the heads in black, with chrome valve covers, white headers. Sorry to be a copycat, but I really liked the color combo.

 

Neat, im glad im inspiring people..lol

 

OKay, update NEW PARTS!!!!! Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..lol

Engine bay done for right now...


Motor DONE!!!


More parts...lol (SFC's not shown, more pics tomorrow)


Rob...

 

Sweet! Its really coming along.

I quite enjoyed building my motor and swapping it, it will most likely be swapped again, haha.

Keep up with the updates.

 

More photos, Everything is ready to go. I should have the engine back in by this weekend. Then its on to SFC'c and The rear end.










More to come...

 

 

I'd have gone with a Holley carb but looking good just the same.

 

I went with Edelbrock so I dont have to tune it every other week. I just set it once and I dont have to worry.

 

what size carb did you run? a650 would be a nice fit. anything bigger and the motor might not like it.

 

YEah its a 650 CFM Thunder AVs Carb.

 

Yeah, I tuned my Holley just last...

...Hmmm, been too long. Can't remember the last time I "tuned" my Holley.

 

I dont know, i've had bad luck with holleys, tune them, the car sits for a week or a month, and then it dosent run right till I rebuild them.

 

haha same here! I tune my holley every.... nevermind only once.

 

+1.

The eddy will work fine, however once you setup a holley as per the SA design holley tuning book you're good to go.

 

I should have the engine in the car tonight or tomorrow. Mayr I'll have it fired up before the weekend.

 

form the pics, you have one 906 and one 062 head? "saw tooth" head casting is 062?

 

He's right..

The 906's on my motor both look like the head on the passener side of your motor.

 

actually after reading this i went in the garage and looked at my 062 heads and they have the saw tooth front and back.

 

Yeah I realized that after doing the valve springs. I was suppose to get a matched set of 906 heads, but ended up with one of each. Shouldnt be a big deal, one has the SS valve seat the other dosent.

 

i dont know what material the seats are, but 906's got hardened seats. shouldnt be a huge deal

 

Total fail today. I installed the torque converter on the trans today. I did it wrong and I broke the gent pump on the trans. Total fail

 

well thats not good.

you are missing a bolt on your passengerside engine mount too.

 

its not a total fail, get another pump, have the broken one pulled out and install the new one. good time to upgrade to a 13 vane.... if you haven't already? make sure the converter is totally splined up next time!

 

13 vane? As in a 4l60e pump??

 

Anyone know if a 4L60E front pump will work as a replacement for my 700r4 pump if I change the valves in it???????????

 

Update today. Total fail weekend everything that could go wrong went wrong. There were some wins though.....

Fails:

Broke the transmission fluid pump rotor by not installing the TC right.
Posi that we got off ebay a year ago ended up being bad.

Wins:
Fix the trans with a spare pump rotor from a friend.
New engine in in the car...


Long weekend and I still cant drive the car.

 

Some minor setbacks, you'll have those on anything you do. It's coming along nicely though, and don't worry I have a 906 and an 063 on my 355 and they're just fine

 

Just sucks, I wanna drive my car... Anyone got a 26 spline posi they wanna get rid of?

 

Like how do you know you broke it. I was bolting my flexplate up to the converter the other day & was tightening the last bolt and i heard a loud pop and the T.C. kind of straightened up with the flexplate. Im hopein' i didn't do the same.

 

Yea I broke it pretty good, luckily a friend had a spare 4L60E to get the rotor from.

 

***UPDATE***

Motor is done and got broken in tonight here and some pics and a vid!!!!!

 

Lucky! All i need is an edelbrock carb & mine will b running. But, seriously when you broke your gent. pump how did you know that it was broke after installing your converter?

 

Another vid



More pics,