im currently in the middle of building my first 350 for my firebird. im building off a 350 block with stock crank, and am purchasing vortec heads currently, i want this 350 to be m dd with plenty of torgue, i want as much low end torgue i can get, so what should i do to my 350 to prep it for the build, the crank is currently good and rotates, so should i replace the piston and crank or leave them stock, also how do i determine what size cam i should use, this is my first build if someone can point me in the right direction please, thanks

 

do you have any books on rebuilding engines? if not get a couple and read thoroughly a few times. all the parts have to be extremely clean and you need proper clearances and torque on all the fasteners. otherwise it may not last long. not sure if i understand what you're asking

 

my question really is should i take apart my 350 block that has the stock crank in it, put new piston rings in etc. or will it work as is, also i have read into rebuilding and assembling 350s i just havent gotten deffinative answers on the best cam size for a torque based engine

 

i personally would rebuild the entire engine. generally more lift, less duration, wide LSA and a retarded centerline will yield best torque. best found in roller cams. keep intake volume low. smaller headers and exhaust

 

What's the condition of the shortblock? If it was well-maintained, low miles, it may not need anything. If it's high-mileage, poorly maintained, at least rings may be required. You should know the condition of the cylinder walls - any wear, taper? Have a machine shop check it to be sure. If it shows wear, you'll probably have to have it bored, which means new pistons and rings. I'd keep stock-type pistons (slight dish) to keep the compression down to around 9.0:1.

Ditto the crank. Have it checked by a machine shop. If it needs to be turned, have it turned and get properly undersized bearings to match. It may only need a polish, but listen to what the machine shop recommends.

I would replace the cam bearings regardless. Easy, cheap insurance.

You're talking the stereotypical "RV" cam. Powerband from idle to 5000 RPMs. Is your 350 block of the roller lifter type?

 

thank you very much thats the kind of answer ive been looking for about the cam, i dont know if i have a roler lifter or not how would i find out, i am deffinantly going to bring my block to the local shop to have them check it out then, my other question is how do i know what type of roller rockers to get, whats the diffrence between roller tip, full roller etc. do vortec heads have special rock arms?

 

The block casting # will tell you if it is not roller. Some of the roller casting blocks were not machined for the roller provision (particularly found in trucks). If the crank rear main seal is 2-piece style, it won't be roller. Or, post a picture of the lifter valley - looking for a stamped steel retainer (often called "spider) bolted into the valley, or the provisions for it.

Stock factory rocker arms are stamped steel. You can get aftermarket rockers with a roller tip built into them on the valve end, eliminates the side forces as the rocker moves up & down that wears the valve guide. Full roller rockers have bearings on the fulcrum, rather than a pivot ball like stamped steel and roller tip.

Vortec heads require "self-aligning" rockers, unless you have push rod guide plates installed (which requires installing screw-in rocker studs). You only use one alignment feature - either on the push rods, or self-aligning.

 

i will look at whether or not its roller on not later, thank you on the information about the roller rockers