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I'm rebuilding a 1985 305 z28 engine. Does anyone have an stories, advice, help, what the best mix of parts are? Please, help me. I'm a first timer and I need all info. I'm studied and read up but as you know, books are NOTHING compared to doing it for real. Thanks.


What are the best gaskets, bearings, etc. What to watch for. . .
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1984 Firebird SE
1985 Camaro z28 305 engine T-5 Five Speed Tranny Performer Intake, Accel Distributor, Raceing Starter, 650 CFM Carb, .488 Lift Cam, Dual Exhaust.
92 Camaro Leather Seats Console, carpet everything. Soon to put in 700R4 and 427CI. (Hopefully)

[This message has been edited by 1984Firebird502 (edited October 25, 2001).]

 

find someone who has done it before and have them ther with you to show you all the correct procedures. also, make sure you have all the proper tools, you will need some that are engine specific.stuff like a harmonic ballancer puller...

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'86 IROC 5-speed
305 LG4
edelbrock performer rpm intake
edelbrock 600 cfm carb
msd pro billet hei distributer
'95 3.23 rearend
hotchkis rear suspension
PST front polygraphite suspension
"speed kills. buy a f@&d, live forever."

 

I got a book called something like "How to rebuild a SBC". It went step by step through the whole process, had illustrations for each step, always noted special tools, precautions, what type of sealant/lubricant to use, etc. It was my second engine, but since it was unsupervised I figured I could use a little extra help just to be sure I didn't mess anything up. But if you can find someone who has done it before, successfully, then they can help you a lot too.

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

 

The main thing is to take your time and double/triple check everything, then check it again!

If you're in a hurry, that's when the major screw-ups happen, like finding the oil pump drive rod on the floor after you already installed the motor in the car,

which brings up: A clean and oraganized workspace with clean tools. Sockets with junkyard grit plugging them waiting for the crap to fall into your motor...

Also don't attempt it w/o and engine stand, other must haves: Harmonic balancer puller, at least plastiguage or a set of cheap mics, feeler guages to check ring gap, lots of paper towels (lint-free recc'd), torque wrench, and don't hammer the balancer on with a hammer, and don't try to use the balancer bolt to pull it on! Go to pepboys or a 'real' hardware store and get a short length of 7/16" NF threaded rod and a nut and 2 washers, thread the rod all the way into the crank, oil the two washers and use the nut to pull it on.

Other than that if there's a ridge you can't just 'quick hone' it, it needs to be tanked, bored, so a good machine shop is a must. You'll need him to press your pistons on and off too, and let him tap the oil passages and install the freeze plugs and cam bearings, also it you are going to use a double roller chain, tell him so he could clerance the block for it. I had all this done for $170 and what I got back looked and measured like a new block so he must-a-did good.

Good luck.

 

I've never done a SBC, but it is a great idea to put it all together for a "dry" run. Just assemble everything, double check it all, and rotate it by hand a few times. Then take it all apart, check everything and then put it back together for real.

When you do the dry run, you'll be checking that everything turns freely and smoothly, that the timing of everything is correct, that there are no major interferences and so on.

 

My advice for a first time engine builder is get book on engine building like "small block chevy performance" by John Baechtel [SA Design books] it gives some basic info. and an assembly procedure.The one thing you must do is find a good highperformance machine shop,alot of shops do mediocre work but still charge premium prices.Also figure out what you really want from your engine, too radical of an engine can be a real pain.All the components must be match to give the end results that you want,if mismatched your engine won't perform as exspected.

 

I can tell you a few "don't-s".

Don't Trust any machine shop as far as clearances. As said before, check them all.

Don't wash the bearings. I did because I read that 'everything' should be washed very well. I cleaned the 'white babbit' off the Clevite 77 bearings thinking it was a rust inhibitor. Luckily I realized it after checking the clearances.

Don't try and make a party out of it. Inviting the guys over for a few cold ones while they have a $2000+ engine under there noses is not a good thing.

Don't forget to check the engine for tools lying around inside. Somehow I ended up with a socket sitting on top of a lifter with the pushrod running through it. Nasty tapping noise.

AJ

 

Are the specs in your sig. what you have or what youre going to build?

 

The specs in my signature are what I have but I'm going to rebuild it. It smokes on start up and has a spun bearing etc. . .I want to completely rebuild it.

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1984 Firebird SE
1985 Camaro z28 305 engine T-5 Five Speed Tranny Performer Intake, Accel Distributor, Raceing Starter, 650 CFM Carb, .488 Lift Cam, Dual Exhaust.
92 Camaro Leather Seats Console, carpet everything. Soon to put in 700R4 and 427CI. (Hopefully)

 

O.K. here's a little more specific advise. It sounds like you've got a pretty good start with what you have if you've got heads with 1.84/1.50 valves and flat tops. The heads are the key to power,you can port yours, do a valve job, new springs and maybe screw in studs or it might be cheaper to get World heads for a 305. I got lucky and found a new set of 87 gm alum. heads 1.94/1.50 valves for not much more than doing my stock heads and they're half the weight. If you have to overbore use good hypereutectic pistons and moly rings. I used forged but again I got a great deal $100.00 new ! If you need more advise just post and I'LL try to help,I don't claim to know it all but I try to be factual about what I do know.

 

Thank you. Please help me all that you can. I really appriciate it. Does anyone else have something they want to add about thier 305 or rebuild? Thanks.

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1984 Firebird SE
1985 Camaro z28 305 engine T-5 Five Speed Tranny Performer Intake, Accel Distributor, Raceing Starter, 650 CFM Carb, .488 Lift Cam, Dual Exhaust.
92 Camaro Leather Seats Console, carpet everything. Soon to put in 700R4 and 427CI. (Hopefully)

 

well, when i rebuilt my engine ,(the first one i ever done ) the first time, i did'nt double checked it all, and so after leaving a socket on the lifter and flywheel bolts which i forgot to torque, so i had to take it out again and replace a rockerarm cover, and a few parts of the clutch assambly

so ive learned the HARD and EXPENSIVE way you should always double ,triple ,quadruple check what your doing and before putting it together check everything again for proper torqe, and get someone who had already rebuilt an engine , and i believe you will be fine .

oh and another thing they don't put extra, unnecacary parts in there, so before putting it back in the car check if you have any bolts washers or any other thing lying around , believe me it won't do fine without it .

hope it helps

 

Does anyone else want to add anything before I take a go at it? Thanks.

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1984 Firebird SE
1985 Camaro z28 305 engine T-5 Five Speed Tranny Performer Intake, Accel Distributor, Raceing Starter, 650 CFM Carb, .488 Lift Cam, Dual Exhaust.
92 Camaro Leather Seats Console, carpet everything. Soon to put in 700R4 and 427CI. (Hopefully)