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Need opinions on engine refresh

Old Jun 28, 2008 | 04:59 PM
  #1  
Mark A 91Formula's Avatar
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From: Latham NY USA
Car: 91 Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.23
Need opinions on engine refresh

After 140,000, many of those running 10-12lbs of boost the 305 is finally starting to burn oil, lol shouldn't have lasted that long but it was tuned well and seldom revved above 5500. Still not bad for a stock 305 I have a 350 pulled from my first car many years ago block probably '69 or so, been sitting on the engine stand for a good 10 years in the garage, ran fine when pulled, had about 10,000 miles from someone elses rebuild so it's pretty low mile. It's the cheap way to stay running for a few summers till I build a real engine for it.

What should I look at doing to it before swapping it for the 305? Ran fairly strong but no idea yet as to compression, ran fine on 87octane. Heads are probably run of the mill, I recall screw in studs and roller rockers no idea how worked over if at all, gotta get casting numbers when I pull it from dad's garage. Cam is unknown, will probably get swapped with something known to be blower friendly. The blower will make things good enough for now power wise with the right cam and compression. Should I just go rering kit and roll? I've got the equipment to check bores, crank journals etc to make sure everything is ok. Guess I'm just worried about how long it's been sitting, and what it'll need to hold about 8lbs boost. Money is tight and and significant machine work would push this project over the top. I'm not concerned about anything other than the engine itself, all the other misc stuff is covered, as far as tuning, 2 piece main flywheel etc etc...
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Old Jun 28, 2008 | 05:33 PM
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From: Spring, TX
Car: 91 Bird
Engine: TPI 350
Transmission: 5-Speed
Axle/Gears: 2.77 posi
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

I just rebuilt an engine that sat in a car for 2 years with exhaust hooked up out the back and air cleaner on. HAD to bore it .020 and HAD to buy another cam and lifters. Everything was rusted internally. Crank cleaned up good though. So, after 10 years if it didn't have oil sprayed in it well....

If someone went through the expense of getting the heads machined for screw -in studs they most likely would be better than run of the mill. IMHO. But they may be higher compression than you want with a blower, but then again they may flow better. Just get lower compression pistons.

Know what you mean by the "budget". Tried to do mine on a budget and it didn't go that way. Was gonna just drop ity in and drive it. If I hadn't torn it down just to look, I would have pulled it out by now (month later)
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Old Jun 29, 2008 | 09:46 AM
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Mark A 91Formula's Avatar
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From: Latham NY USA
Car: 91 Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.23
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

Guess I wont really know untill I get the darn thing here and start stripping it down. For now I guess I keep my fingers crossed.
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Old Jul 1, 2008 | 05:18 PM
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aged 86 transam's Avatar
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From: montrose colorado
Car: 1986 trans am
Engine: 305 with almost 2000000 on it!!
Transmission: 700 r4
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

you know i have 185000 on my car, i got it second hand so i don't know if they tinkered with it or not but it still runs decent. i guess it depends what you want, you want alot of power drop the 350 in there if not use the 350 till the 305 is built, all about preference
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Old Jul 1, 2008 | 05:51 PM
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Mark A 91Formula's Avatar
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From: Latham NY USA
Car: 91 Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.23
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

Originally Posted by aged 86 transam
you know i have 185000 on my car, i got it second hand so i don't know if they tinkered with it or not but it still runs decent. i guess it depends what you want, you want alot of power drop the 350 in there if not use the 350 till the 305 is built, all about preference
Oops typo lol 305 is in it, it's dying. Have a 350 old and on the engine stand hopefully will be the temporary engine for a few years while I build a proper engine for the blower probably 350 or 383.
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Old Jul 9, 2008 | 08:09 PM
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Mark A 91Formula's Avatar
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From: Latham NY USA
Car: 91 Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.23
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

Finally got the engine home. Heads are 882's right on the roller tip rockers, wrong on the screw in studs. Block is 3970010, if my book is right 69-79 casting fairly common. Should be able to get heads off tomorrow and have a look at the cylinders. So far everything looks ok.
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Old Jul 9, 2008 | 09:02 PM
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From: Macon, GA
Car: 1992 Camaro RS
Engine: Vortec headed 355, xe262
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt 3.70
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

Originally Posted by Mark A 91Formula
Finally got the engine home. Heads are 882's right on the roller tip rockers, wrong on the screw in studs. Block is 3970010, if my book is right 69-79 casting fairly common. Should be able to get heads off tomorrow and have a look at the cylinders. So far everything looks ok.
Those heads aren't exactly desirable, but for a forced induction application they might work for you. They're low compression, but Im not sure what they flow. I'm thinking the flow is terrible, but what I cant remember is if they're one of those "prone to cracking" castings with the "thin walls" that a die grinder wont fix.
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Old Jul 10, 2008 | 08:09 PM
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Mark A 91Formula's Avatar
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From: Latham NY USA
Car: 91 Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.23
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

Got the heads off today 7 of 8 cylinders look good. Looked like everything stay pretty well oiled, well plenty of carbon too. Apparently #8 had a weee bit of water in it, figures roof leak directly above engine. Had 1 intake port filled with water, nothing past the valve, looked very recent probably collected to one side on the truck ride home. Cleaned up the cylinder, wiped the walls down with oil and all traces of surface rust disappeared, oiled all cylinders and put the suspect at the bottom of the stroke to take a look. Wall in one spot looked just barely stained, you can run a fingernail across it and feels absolutely smooth, no trace of anything, opinions guru's?

No trace of water in the pan, gotta finish stripping the bottom end of the block though. Heads got the Richard Geere treatment, mice living in the exhaust manifold........ found a thread on the 882 heads and no one really had anything nice to say so I'll try to find a differant set cheap. Next is bottom end and then time to break out the micrometers.
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Old Jul 12, 2008 | 02:35 PM
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Mark A 91Formula's Avatar
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From: Latham NY USA
Car: 91 Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.23
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

Quick check and cylinders show no real wear, all in spec for taper an round! Looks like this will be a go, no idea what i have for a cam so that is a definite replacement.
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...2D1103&FROM=MG
or
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...2&autoview=sku

Gonna be stock tpi I believe around 8.6c/r not 100 sure yet. About 8lbs boost. Headers and catback. Just trying to build a fun car right now. Was happy with the 305 boosted, but a little more kick couldn't hurt, seldom went above 5000rpm
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Old Aug 8, 2008 | 02:13 PM
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Mark A 91Formula's Avatar
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From: Latham NY USA
Car: 91 Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.23
Re: Need opinions on engine refresh

One of the main journals on the crank was grooved didn't know what may be hiding in the oil passages so off the the machine shop for a clean and hone, they gave it the thumbs up almost ready to go together. Got a virgin GM forged crank locally really cheap so that is one less thing to worry about, stories of blown motors breaking the snout off the crank bothered me a bit. Got most of my parts assembled now. Went with the SUM-1103 cam kit, also kicked up the funding a few notches, finally got my review at work and a big fat retro check Decided to spend on parts that would be reused on the next build. Bought Mike Davis's siamesed TPI intake, nice little piece of thirdgen history Set of SLP runners to be matched to intake, and the crown jewel... set of Dart Pro-1 Platinum heads 200cc. Heads might be a bit much for the cam but I think the blower will say other wise.
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