Project Anti-Ken-A Very Low Budget 350 build

[Tom Bryant]

Hey Ken (or anyone else)

Did you paint the inside of your block. If so, with what product? Have you ever looked under the intake to see how well it is holding up?

Tom

 

[JohnZ]

Tom - After de-burring the drain-back holes, I paint the lifter valley with "Glyptal" (made specifically for this purpose); have used it for many years. Eastwood carries it.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Thanks John,

I think I will do that next before I go any further since the block is clean. I might as well order some stones and rolls from Eastwood too.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Time to get back to work on the engine

Well here's what I've been up to tonight.

First I used a chamfering bit and took off the slight burr and beveled the edge of the oil returns between the lifters. The one on the left is before and you can see the bevel on the one on the right. I just chucked it up in the drill and it only took a few minutes for all 8 of them.

Sorry
these pictures were deleted with the old members gallery. If anyone needs to see these just ask and I'll dig them up.

Here is the right rear oil return. You can see the amount of casting flash around the hole. This inhibits oil flow back into the pan from the upper engine.

This is the same hole after I ground out the flash and opened up the passage some. I also smoothed up the narrow entrance to the hole and radiused over the top of the passage for a smoother flow.

Here's the left side return after deburring. I also smoothed up it's entrance.

These are the tools I used. A cone shaped stone and a chamfering bit. If you use a high speed die grinder for your stones make sure the ones you get are rated for high speed and wear safety glasses or a face shield. You don't want a stone exploding at 22,000 rpms. A good high speed stone like this one will last a long time. This one doesn't even show any wear yet. Sorry for the blury picture. I thought I was just tired.

I also used some emery and softened the edge of the valve reliefs where they meet the machined surface of the piston. There was a very sharp edge there which could cause a hot spot resulting in detonation. It didn't take much to take off the burr and if you compare this picture with the one I posted earlier you can see the smoother edge.

While I'm at it I'm going to look over the rest of the block for burrs and any stress risers and smooth those out too.

Tom

 

[Tom Bryant]

Help!! They're Multiplying!

My son Blaine took my old block and had his friend that is going to school at Lima Oh (Hot Rod University) bore it and get some pistons. Now he has an engine project too. He gets free labor and a deep parts discount though.

2 engines:

 

[Tom Bryant]

He got Silv-O-Lite pistons too but his are the Kieth Black Signature Series 2 eyebrow.

I'll use these or maybe forged when I do an engine for the '59.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Talk about poor oil drainbacks. Look how blocked with casting flash this one is. Compare with the pic I posted above of my block and after I cleaned mine up. This makes you wonder about what yours looks like in the engine in your Corvette.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Since most of my summer events and distractions are out of the way it's time to get going on the engine again. I got the paint in so I now need to check over and clean the block again so I can paint it. The plan is for it to be painted on monday. The cast grey I got looks to be a low gloss paint that will actually look like bare iron. Can't waite to see it. The paint has ceramic in it ans is supposed to be super engine paint. We'll see. When i get this thing running I'll report on anything that does't live up to expectations. Also an anything that impresses me beyond belief.

Here's the paint:

 

[Tom Bryant]

I was playing around with the carb and intake. With that dropped base on the air cleaner the Holley almost dissappears.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Here's the base by itself. I don't need a dropped air cleaner on Project C10R but it came with the basketcase. This shows what can be gained by using one of these air cleaners when swapping intakes on your Corvette.

 

[bossvette]

tom
I probably have an old HEI laying around if you want it, just one wire from the ign switch and you are good to go.
Craig sr

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sound like a good idea Craig. My old points distributor is so sloppy that I'm not sure bushings and shims will fix it. I figured I'd have to hit the swap meets. Let me know what you need for it.

Tom

 

[Tom Bryant]

Fired up the old die grinder this AM and pretty much polished the lifter valley area. Don't ask me why. I guess I was having too much fun and didn't know enough to stop.:L Then I washed it down 4 times with Prep Sol and painted the valley and the timing chain area with the Glyptal. Had the doors open. Man is that stuff potent. Everyone was right, one quart will paint about 100 engines. :L Well 20 maybe. Had to give it 2 coats on the polished areas but it covered well with one on the raw cast areas.

I painted the outside of the block last night with the cast iron grey and it looks marvelous! Has enough gloss that I won't need to clear it. I'd post some pics but I'm late for work now. I'll be in upper Michigan for a couple days and will take a few pics when I get home.

I'm almost afraid to get into the shower. I'm covered with so much iron that I'll probably rust up just standing there.

Tom

 

[bossvette]

Tom
how about you buy lunch next time, I don't expect to go back to a carb on anything.
Craig sr

 

[DkBG]

Damn fine idea , Craig ! I'm sure you meant all four of us , right .LOL . Only , lets eat in Indiana next time . The food seems to be alot better over here ! Cliff

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sounds like a good idea Craig. We'll just follow Cliff's lead next time and if we get bad food we'll know who to blame. :L

I'm going to bake the Glyptal tomorrow. It says 2 hours at 125 degrees. How am I going to get the block into the oven? Actually I brought home an infared lamp. What I could use now is one of those lazer jobbys to measure the surface temp.

With the email notification on the blink right now it's hard to keep up with the threads I'm suscribed to. If it looks like I'm missing a post someplace that I need to reply to please send me a PM.


Tom

 

[Tom Bryant]

The block is painted and the Glyptal is baked. Came out pretty nice even if I do say so myself.

 

[Ken]

Very nice Tom!

_ken

 

[JohnZ]

Cool! Now fill it up!

 

[Tom Bryant]

I'm working on it. I just finished deburring the oil holes in the crank and polishing it. Tedious work. Makes you nervous running a die grinder around those crank journals. One slip and you have a real mess. Now I need to finish cleaning it and the block up. Then measure everything again and get those bearings ordered. I was going to order them earlier but decided to waite until I was done with the crankshaft.

Here's what the results looked like.