Ok so im currently on my way home, been away from my car for about a year now. So i'm trying to kill some boredom by thinkin of whats next for my RS. I've decided to stop messing with the 305 and go to a junkyard and find a 350 to build. A few questions, how can i tell if an engine is a 4 bolt main without pulling the pan? Were any 350 motors roller motors? (sorry still not very knowledgeable on chevys) If so what'd they come in? After getting my motor i want to completely tear it apart. I don't really wana go 383 or anything, i plan on keeping the stock crank so it'll be somewhat of a budget build but nothing with a fast deadline either so i can save for parts as needed. I'm guessing once i have the block tore down the first thing i would do would clean it real good then take it to a shop to have new freeze plugs installed and cylinder walls honed? Would that be a good place to start or is there something else i should have done when its disassembled? Hopefully when i do get home and find a motor i will make this my build thread. Thanks

 

You can check the casting number of the block and check against the data bank for four bolt or two bolt. I would rather just take the pan off and look myself.

Several 350 models are in fact roller motors with one piece rear main seals.

The block it's self I would take it to a machine shop and have them vat it & check for cracks. Then they can tell you if they think it will build back without a bore job.

I would try to find a motor on Craig's list in your area, are look in these classified pages. My bet is someone here has what you want at a fair price.

 

I'll pull the pan and check to be sure before i buy. Also i'm always hearin about the vortec heads on here. Is it worth finding one with vortec heads and keeping them having them port and polished? Are the int/exh valves good for up to say 400hp or would it be good to replace with larger valves?

 

You can't. 4 bolt main was a function of the machining of the block, not the casting.

 

Got it. Thanks. I'm hoping i can find a 4 bolt main, roller block, with vortec heads. Its my understanding that all blocks that came with vortec heads were roller motors, is this right?

 

Don't bother. There's no benefit. Why run a maze that has no cheeze at the end?

Pick your mazes wisely. This one... doesn't qualify as "wise".

Yes all motors that came w Vortec heads were equipped w roller cams. They came in 96-2000 trucks. Just go find one of those. Forget the 4-bolt main thing, there's no reason to spend extra money to get something that won't make the slightest detectable difference in any manner way shape or form to the outcome of your project; not power output, not longevity, not durability, not cost, not anything.

 

Thanks sofa, now i know what to look for to find the motor i want. I agree with what your sayin, after doing some more research i guess the 2 bolt is plenty strong for a basic street build, so 4 bolt main not a priority. what type of pistons did they come with or are pistons something i'd wana change even if the stock ones look good?

 

If you remove the pistons, they pretty much have to be replaced.

If you bore the block, obviously the pistons have to be replaced; they won't fit tight in the bore any more.

If you get a motor that doesn't need any of that, run it as is.

Kinda depends on (a) what your goals are, (b) how "perfect" you want the finished product to be, and (c) what you can find at yer local buzzard nest.

Best to go looking first; get the best core you can, if you want NOT to have to tear it down; or, get the CHEEEEEPEST one you can find, if you're already determined that you're going to rebuild it. THEN, figure out what to do from there.

 

Well i figured if i pull a motor from somewhere like pick-n-pull its probably been sitting there with no hood so i would expect there to be some surface rust on the cylinder walls so i assume it'd have to be honed at a minimum. Plus i've never done a build and i'd like to be able to pop the hood, point at the motor and say "i did that", hopefully it just won't be smoking or cracked when i say that. I've looked on craigslist but haven't found a vortec engine plus most of the 350's on there are already built.

 

Once i get home and I'm able to go look for what i want then I'll post back wit what I found to see if It's worth getting or not.

 

Most often, junk yards are pretty careful about keeping the motors that they intend to sell as working motors, as opposed to as non-working but rebuildable cores, intact and carefully stored. So, you may pay more for a motor like that - ALOT more - but, you may also get one you can drop in and run with a minimum of further expense.

Best thing to do is to visit a few of em and see what they've got.

Craigslist won't really have anything like that, unless you can come across an intact wrecked truck.

 

call your local rebuilders lots of times they have cores laying around that are already cleaned checked for cracks meaining "known to be good". Take some of the guess work out of things. Most shops have plenty laying around they hang on to.

 

Thanks i'll let yall know once i get a chance to start looking, physically can't at the moment but will be able to soon. So from what sofa was saying hopefully i can find one without rusty internals in which case the most i'd do to the bottom end is replace the main bearings, maybe a new oil pump. Then just rebuild heads, find the cam i wana go with (the xe274 has been coming up in searches) and put it all together.

 

Is the exhaust manifold bolt pattern and ports the same as on my 305 with swirl ports? Just curious if my hooker shortys would swap over.

 

Ok so i just realized that by saying i was looking at the XE274 H cam that it is not a roller cam (the H instead of HR didn't click) which is what i originally said i wanted. That being said after looking at the specs of the XE274H to say a XR270HR or XR276HR, the 274 seems to be the best fit. Especially for my pocket. The 274 IMO has the best rpm range, it's lift isn't anywhere near exceeding the stock vortec heads so machining wouldn't be needed i can assume, and the price difference is what really shocked me. I never realized rollers cost so much. I can get the complete kit for just 60 dollars more than what the roller cam cost alone.

 

Don't be fooled by the "price". That's literally pushing hundred-dollar bills out of the way so you can pick up dimes.

If the motor comes to you with the roller apparatus already in it, USE IT. It's some of the cheeeeeepest power and reliability AT THE SAME TIME that you can buy.

Yes the exh flanges are the same.

 

Believe it or don't,a wealth source of donor vehicles is the local police impound auction.That way you get the engine,computer,wire harness,trans and associate parts for your swap and then get to scrap the rest to regain back some of your money.Just look at them closely to insure your buying a useable rebuild-able core.