350/5.7L, the engine has 55,000 miles on it, but its been sitting for 2-3 years, completely together from flexplate to throttle body, what should i do to prepare this thing to run good, should i change rod bearings? main bearings? anything else? thanks.

 

Nothing needs to be done, as long as it hasn't been exposed to the elements or something.

 

Mine sat for a 1-1/2 years while I did some mommy-dos (started with the garage and ended up in the bathroom.)
Started it up end of this month:
first no fuel pressure - new walbro high-flow pump; you know I put in a new tank, replaced the supply & return with 3/8" ss lines front to back, put in a 10micron fuel filter, new holley AFPR, 30# injectors, cleaned out the fuel rails, and when I inspected the fuel pump there were particles larger than the pump screen mesh on the inside of the pump (not the sock filter.) How did the particles get past the filter, sock, and screen? Don't know, but I sure there's a simple explanation.

Once I got pressure, I didn't have spark; disconnected the ECM 4-pin connector from the ICM and got spark, put it back and still had spark.

Started it up, it ran for a few seconds, the rpms dived then revved backup about 3 times then the P/S pump (reman. less than 50mi) started playing marbles, froze, almost threw the belt (cause of the rpm dives,) and started leaking from the behind the pulley.

Poeple say inanimate objects have no soul, my Z obviously does, before I gave it a new engine, I drove it every day, even if it was just going around the block, or just sat in it and listen to the radio, and it just would not quit.

I'm going to upgrade to booster brakes since I have to replace the P/S pump (again.)
Hopefully I won't leave it sitting up long enough to **** it off again.

 

This is what I recommend. If the engine has been sitting in the car with fuel stabilizer in it so that you have no gummed up injectors or carb:
1) Change the oil
2) Disconnect the spark plug wires or take off the distributor cap so that you are not getting electricity to the spark plugs.
3) With a fresh battery crank the engine until you get the oil pressure light off, or until you see some oil pressure reading on your oil pressure gauge. This should ensure that your cylinder walls are not dry.
4) reconnect the plug wires, or reinstall the distributer cap, and fire her up.

 

I dont think i would be worried about the cylinder walls being dry, as these are splash lubed. I would be much more concerned about the main/rod/cam bearings as these are all pressure lubed by the oiling system. Crank it over a few seconds, until you see any movement on the oil pressure gauge, and then let it rip. The beauty of the SBC oiling system is that it builds pressure very quickly.

 

well the engine isn't in the car yet, its just been sitting in the garage, i figured i might as well ask if i should do anything to it before it goes in, it hasn't been exposed to any elements, it has been sealed up as if it were a daily running engine.