I'm gonna be picking up a 350 out of a 77' chevy truck for my 84 T/A, and would like some ideas on what i should do with it. It has to be emissions legal, so it has to past the sniffer and the visual, so all the smog stuff has to go back on, and i'm gonna keep the quadrajet (after a rebuild), use a replacement distributor and use the computer. Right now, It's got a 305HO and 700-R4 tranny. After boring it out/hot tanking it and all that good stuff to the 350, I was thinking about getting a Crane Cam 2040 or 2050. Would any other cams be a good choice, like a Comp cam, but keeping into consideration that i have to pass emissions and i'm gonna use the computer? Would world products S/R torqer heads be a good choice? I already have the headers and exhaust picked out, so that's not a problem. Any other ideas for me? thanks for any help, sorry it's so long

 

You're on the right track. I have the 2050, and recently passed emissions (visual and enhanced dyno sniffer).

The S/R Torquers would be a good choice, but plan on doing some clean-up porting, especially in the bowl area. Or, you could rework your 305 heads.

Headers, full 3" exhaust, coil & module upgrade, it'll run great and pass the visual and sniffer.

Oh, consider higher stall to let the engine get into the cam's powerband.

 

thanks, do you think a 2300-2400 stall would be good?

 

If you're boring the block, you'll need new pistons. At that point it hardly matters what the block is out of except for the year model fitment issues.

Being a 77 block, the oil dipstick will be on the driver's side, which will absolutely not fit with exhaust manifolds. Headers will fit it no problem. Make sure you use headers with AIR tubes. Your stock L69 exhaust will be fine, just make sure you get the right headers to go with it; there is a part # in Edelbrock TES for it, also SLPs with the right adapter fit nicely. I used to have the TES and now have SLPs in my HO car. Get them ceramic coated, even if you get SLP; the reduction in underhood heat is definitely worth every penny. Get a new direct-fit high-flow cat such as a Catco. Here's the one I have on my L69 car http://store.summitracing.com/partde...art=CTO%2D9143

Use your 305's balancer and timing cover, so your timing marks are right.

Build it up with flat-top pistons rather than the dished version that's in the block now. I'd recommend the Sterling (Speed Pro) hypereutectics. Specifically these http://store.summitracing.com/partde...t=STL%2DH345NP in whatever overbore you end up needing. The stock crank and rods are OK, except you'd be wise to replace the rod bolts with ARP or other high-quality ones; and get the rods reconditioned after they're replaced.

Use 64cc heads and regular Fel Pro .039" head gaskets. That will put your compression in the 10 to 10.2 range, which is about perfect.

five7's cam, or a Comp XE262 which has similar specs, would be the best choices for retaining the computerized Q-Jet.

A higher stall converter is always a good idea. That will allow the engine to get up into its power band at launch, rather than being pinned down at barely above idle speed until the car gets rolling.

 

Wouldn't a compression ratio in the mid 9's be better to use on pump gas (the highest we have around here is 91). Also, you think the stock exhaust (cat-back) has a large enough diameter for the 350? Aren't you supposed to get a new balancer when you get a new engine, and you set the timing by bringing the #1 piston to TDC and aligning the crank and cam gears, correct? Also, what do i do about a flexplate, can i use my old one? lol, i'm asking alot of questions. Thanks for anymore help, you guys are great

 

picked up the engine today, and the head casting #'s are 462624. are these any good, or are they huge cc smogger heads?

 

Remove the heads and pitch them directly in the garbage.

Get other heads. You could even reuse your 305 heads with porting and larger 1.94x 1.60" 350 sized valves.

Now that would look origional.

If that interests you search my old posts for the hows and whys.

Other than that you have lots of good choices on good factory and aftermarket cylinder heads for your 350.

www.edelbrock.com

www.protopline.com

www.worldcastings.com

www.brodix.com

www.airflowresearch.com

www.trickflow.com

That should keep you busy for while...

 

Those are about the worst possible heads for any kind of performance build-up. At least, I can't think of any that are any worse.

A new balancer isn't "necessary" unless your old one has failed; on the other hand, it's a good idea to renew it along with everything else, so you don't find yourself back under the hood of your car working on your supposedly brand-new motor 2 weeks after you thought you were finished working on it.

Yes that's how you align the cam to the crank. If you align it "dot to dot", the engine will be at #6 firing, which is the other instance of #1 TDC in the engine's cycle besides #1 firing; both dots at 12:00 is also #1 TDC, but that is the instance of #1 TDC that is #1 firing.

Yes you can use your existing flex plate, if it's not cracked.

 

Friend of mine ran 12.4 with those heads on 383 on crappy track. Ofcourse they are ported, but rest of the engine is quite mild: flat-tappet cam (~280*), 1 5/8 headers, 2.5" exhaust, Victor Jr intake, 750 Speed Demon (not calibrated, too rich), CR 10:1. Whole car needs still alot of tuning, I think it's capable for low 12 or 12.0. The engine is in the '86 Camaro.

 

What kind of piston you get will determine the CR. Flat tops are capable of CR usually between 8.8-14.0. It totally depends on the heighth of the piston and the valve reliefs and size of the reliefs.

10.:1 compression is as high as you can safely go on pump gas with iron heads. Aluminum can get 11:1 CR or alittle better. Usually with a 9.5:1 CR you can get away with 89 octane. You do not have to have 10:1 CR to have a good running engine. Many people and combos have proved this.

If you are interested in a set of World Torquer S/R heads I have a set fully assembled with rockers and pushrods I would part with for pretty cheap. PM if interested. They are not the worst kind of head for any build up. The worlds have a great port velocity and if ported can flow more than vortecs, members have proved this.

 

How about #333882's? Worse or not?

 

They're pretty similar. Both are "lightweight" (thin in critical places), small-port, have huge valve guides in the ports, have a restrictive exhaust port that can't be enlarged much or reshaped significantly because the casting is so thin, poor combustion chamber shape, and low-compression. Those 2 castings were used sort of interchangeably on alot of the smogger 350s and 400s all through the mid-late 70s. Both were part of the overall package that resulted in such engineering marvels as the 165 HP 350 and 180 HP 400.

 

I figured as much. I have about $750.00 into mine. That is one of two big "Ouches"! that I commited while choosing/buying parts for my T/A. The other was sinking over a grand into a drum 10 bolt. Won't make either of those mistakes again.

Sucks too, I can't ever part with that 350.

Hey look at it this way! With the restrictive heads I won't have to worry so much about the 10 bolt!

Nope... didn't work. Still mad about poor choices.