Project Anti-Ken-A Very Low Budget 350 build

[Ken]

I shoulda done my block in the aluminum paint Tom ("Builder's Cast Aluminum"?), but then it'd have oil leak stains all over it by now anyway, just like my header collectors. :L

_ken

 

[Tom Bryant]

Then I installed the main bearing shells into the block and caps. I torqued them to specs and got out the micrometers. Measured the ID of the bearings and the OD of the corrosponding crank journal. Subtract the OD from the ID and you have your clearance. I checked each one 3 or 4 times as I don't do this very often and I wanted to be sure I was getting an accurate reading. The machine shop gave me some Plasti-gage but I trust real measurements more than squished plastic.

Here's a picture with the crank in and the Cloyes timing set on. I bumped on the crank gear while the crank was sitting on the bench. When it is fully seated it has a different ring to it. Sounds like part of the crank. A deep socket works great for this.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Ken,

I was thinking about smoothing up the ouside of my heads and painting them with that alumna blast or something that looks like real aluminum. Think they would fool anyone? :L

 

[bossvette]

Tom
you have it backwards, you are supposed to paint the aluminum heads to look like cast iron:L

 

[Tom Bryant]

Necessity is the Mother of invention Dept

The first thing I did today was determine top dead center so I could check the timing mark on the balancer and check deck height. I needed a piston stop so I looked in the tool chest and found the perfect thing. My pulley puller. It bolted across the deck and the bolt hit on the flat between the valve reliefs perfectly. I rotated the crank with one picton installed in #1 cylinder until it hit the stop and marked the balancer. I used a combination square to get the line at a right angle to the balancer face. Then I rotated the crank the other way til it hit the stop again and marked the balancer. I went back and forth 2 more times to check that the marks were lining up exactly for accuracy. Exactly 1/2 way between the 2 marks is exactly TDC (top dead center).

Here's the piston stop installed on the block.

 

[Tom Bryant]

As it turned out my balancer timing mark was about 1/32" toward the advance side. That is about 1 degree or about the thickness of the timing mark. I think I can live with that. This could also just be production tolerences on the timing indicator tab. This shows that the inertia ring is still where it should be on the hub and has not slipped. Here's a picture of the timing mark and my reference marks.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Lining up the timing marks again at TDC I measured the deck height. Since the block wasn't decked I wasn't too suprised to find a reading of .045. Seems like a lot but a friend just had one done at Lingenfelters and he ended up with .040. This probably had as much to do with compression height of the new pistons as anything. In this picture you can see how far down in the hole the piston is at TDC.

 

[Tom Bryant]

I pulled that rod and piston back out and opened the ring package. Pushed the top and second rings down in the bore about midway in the ring travel with the inverted piston and got a .016 end gap on the top and 0.17 on the second. Hastings calls for .016 minimum and this about mid range according to the GM shop manual. Installed the rings on the piston using an installer so as not to break any of them and inserted it in the Summit compressor. This thing is slick. I've never used this type before but it was money well spent. I couldn't even tell when the rings entered the cylinder. It was that smooth.

Here's the assembly going in.

 

[Tom Bryant]

#1 in the hole and seven to go. I double checked the rod bearing clearance with the mics too before installing the rod and piston. Snugged up the cap for now. I'll torque them all at once when they are all in. Here's the assembly installed.


It almost looks too nice to think about srarting a fire in there doesn't it?

 

[69MyWay]

So what is your total build cost at this point including extra materials like the slick ring compressor, cans of paint...etc?

 

[JohnZ]

I pulled that rod and piston back out and opened the ring package. Pushed the top and second rings down in the bore about midway in the ring travel with the inverted piston and got a .016 end gap on the top and 0.17 on the second. Hastings calls for .016 minimum and this about mid range according to the GM shop manual.

Tom - Don't remember what pistons you're using, but if they're hypereutectics (KB's, etc.), follow the piston manufacturer's recommendations (not the ring manufacturer's) for gap on the top two rings, as hypers require more gap than cast pistons. If they're cast, you're in business at .016"-.017".

 

[Tom Bryant]

Thanks for the heads up John.

I called Jerry at Tech Assist at United Engine and Machine Co. They manufacture the Silv-O-Lite and Kieth Black pistons. He said that due to the higher reflective rate of the hyper alloy that the top ring gets hotter and can grow enough to close the gap. He also said that he know of many guys that have just thrown away the tech sheet from the piston set when they open it and installed the Silv-O-Lites at .017 and never had a problem. If I had the engine together and in the car he would leave them alone. They are a hyper version of the OEM ones and not that critrical. Since I can still get to mine easy the factory recommendation is .026 on the top ring only. .016-.018 for the second is fine.

The K-Bs have the top ring closer to the top of the piston and are much more critical. The factory specs for them are .028-.032 for the top ring only.

Looks like I get to buy a ring filer. No problem since the other engine we are doing has K-Bs and I'll also be custom fitting rings when I do an engine for the '59.

 

[bossvette]

Tom
Ive got one you can borrow,unless you want to buy one. perhaps you will let me borrow that slick ring compresser someday?
Craig sr

 

[DkBG]

I guess it was a good idea not to torque them yet after all . Good call Tom . Cliff

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sounds like a good deal Craig. We'll need to get together. I would rather spend that money on somthing I need. I didn't think there was much chance of knowing someone with a ring filer.:L

Chris,

I'm going to do a complete cost sheet on the short block as soon as I get the last couple of small items. I'm curious too.

Tom

Cliff,

 

[Tom Bryant]

I borrowed Craigs ring filer today. It's the hand crank one you see in all of the catalogs. Worked great. You just lay the ring on the surface, slide it up to the stops and squeeze it together against the grinding disk. Turn the crank a few times and you get nice smooth and parallel cuts. Put the ring in and square it up. Measure the gap. Pull it back out and file again until it is perfect. Only takes a few turns to take a lot off. You need to remember that.

I took them out one at a time then marked that cylinder with a bolt in the deck so I wouldn't get lost if I got distracted. Here's a picture of me squaring a ring in the cylinder with a special Kieth Black ring positioner. They come in sets of 8 but I used the same one on all cylinders. I couldn't use my pistons unless I took the other rings off.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Checking the gap with a .026 feeler guage.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sunday night late I ordered the one piece Fel-Pro pan gasket from Summit. I was going to order the front timing cover set with the sleeve for the balancer snout too but they were showing it on back order for the year of balancer I have. No problem. I'll just look it up on NAPA Online and call them in the morning. Morning became afternoon after a doctor's appt and a National Cruise-Fest committee meeting. I called H&W and they had to get the one with the sleeve out of the warehouse. "Should be here in the morning." That is usually the case too. So 1st thing this morning I get an email confirmation that the pan gasket was shipped by Summit. 3 hours later the big brown truck was at the door. This was just plain old UPS ground. I'm sure it actually went out on Monday though.

I stopped at H&W and found out that the front set wasn't at the warehouse but should be here in a couple days. I guess that gives me time to clean up the pan and balancer and paint them. I hope to get the short block sealed up before I go to Arizona on Saturday.

 

[andrewcanada]

Your timeline is similar to mine... forever. I've not got Corvette, but three Chevy's in yard, all with variations of worn-out itis. Auto zone sells their 2 bolt 350 (1979) for $800. Parts America wants $1150.from reconengines.com. Big price difference. Local guy wants $1050 with sillycone pistons, new high torque/fuel mileage cam. I havn't gone to recon's web site yet, but my local rebuilder says they use whatever parts look good from the cores. Is recon fussier due to their higher price? He's worked for a reputable shop for 22 years and has since bought the business and building. My experience from these 'national' rebuilders (as far as starters and alternators) has been pretty poor. They have a nice paint job, but the quality is terrible. I rebuild my own and am much fussier with the bushings on the armature. I recently had to replace the starter on my '83 K10. It shows 77k, but must be 177k. Assuming it was the one originally installed on this truck, it had never been apart! I've been saving all of the 'unrebuildable' parts as an eventual core from hell! Any feed back on these production line engines? :nono Another question. Why is the four bolt block $100 more. They still get back the core, or they could charge more to be assured of its return. My '79 is a 3/4 ton 2wd w/ 4bolt. One more Q. What are preferences for low torque cam, as my 4x4 must have 3:08's w/700R4, as I can't pull 4th/lockup with 305 except on the flat, that's why it'll get a 350. Andrew

 

[Tom Bryant]

Back at it again

Well vacation and the holidays are over. Time to get going on this again. I got the front gasket set with the balancer repair sleeve and also the pan gasket before I went to Arizona but didn't have time to put it together. Right now I'm working on cleaning up the pan and balancer for paint. I mounted the oil pump and set the pickup position. I'll have to check again but I think I set it around 1/4 to 3/8" off the bottom. I'll post some pictures to show how I determined that. I need to get it tack welded to the pump body yet to make sure it doesn't move or, even worse, fall out. It's a tight fit and probably would never come loose but this is a pecaution that most deem necessary. I'll also show installing the balancer repair sleeve after I get the balancer painted.

Tom