Hey folks I just aquired some parts to begin building a 350 to replace my LG4, tell me what you think.
Block: 87 roller with 4 bolt main 1pc rear, stock crank, stock LT1 pistons and rods
Cam: Crane PowerMax Hydraulic roller grind # 2032 (jegs #104224)
Lift: .452/.465
Duration: 270°/276°
Heads: 416s to be ported. What size valves would be best?
Gonna get new springs and rockers, are 1.6 safe, or do I need to remove some material from the heads?
Intake will be most likely an Edelbrock Perfomer since I'm staying smog legal. It'll most likely be fed by a Q-Jet.

Sound like a safe build? If I bore the block 5 over, I can get a free set of TRW forged pistons, would that be worth doing? The block has already been checked, tanked and fluxed and looks great. Using 2 different CR calculators, I come out at just under 11 to 1, would that be ok with pump gass? Any commentary criticism or advice would be great. I'm not looking for super power, just a strong, reliable 350. Thanks!

 

I'm doing something similar, except it's a ZZ shortblock. Steel crank, Pink rods.

I'm going with 11cc dish hypereutectic pistons to bring the compression in line with L98, 9.5:1 - 4-valve-relief flat-tops were 5cc, so the difference is the difference between 305 and 350 iron head chamber volumes. Final CR will be achieved by deck height measurement after shortblock assembly in order to choose the head gasket to get there.

Since I'm using my present World 305 heads, I already have 1.94/1.50" valves. That's the size I'd recommend for you as well.

You should go ahead and have the valve guides cut for positive seal type seals, which will also improve guide-to-retainer clearance for more lift. Either pin the rocker studs or have the heads machined for screw-in.

Rather than use 1.6's, just get a cam that has the lift at the valve you want with 1.5's. Personally, I'm using a ZZ4 cam.

Just curious, how did you get an '87 block with stock LT1 pistons and rods? What did you mean by boring the block 5 over?

 

Well, it's a long, interesting story. I bought a LT1 longblock for $200. After doing more research, I decided it would be too much work/money to get it CA smog legal. So I traded it for a 87 roller block with crank and the aformentioned Crane 2032, a brand new OEM electronic distributor, brand new alternator, PS + smog pumps, serpentine belt tensioner pulley and waterpump. The block had already been checked hot tanked and magnafluxed. Basically it was a great deal for me and the guy I traded with, since he wanted to bore the block over and build a 383 to replace the V6 in his '95 Camaro. So I got to keep the pistions, and I got most of the parts for my engine pretty darn cheap. So yeah. It was late when I posted that, so by "boring it 5 over" I meant ".030 over", which raises the displacement to 355 (if I'm getting my numbers correct). So yeah, the TRW pistons are for 4.030 bore. That's what I meant. Phew, feels like a long post. Thanks for the response, unfortunately it will be a while before this is built, since I have to buy all that "other stuff" like gaskets and fastners, oil pump, oil pan, etc... In addition I need to port the heads (40 bucks, local classifieds, woohoo!), so it's gonna be a while. I'm also gonna be moving in the next month or too, which for further complicate things. Good luck with your build five7... not that I think you'd need it so much as I would!

 

If given that cam, perhaps 1.6's don't seem so unreasonable now.

Have the cylinders been checked for taper? It would probably be safer to get the block bored and use the forged pistons than it would be to re-ring the stock bore.

.030"-over 350 becomes 355 CID, yes.

 

I'm pretty sure the block has been checked for taper, it had been too the machine shop pretty recently for hot tanking and magnafluxing, but I'll ask about the taper.