Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

TilliamWe

Banned
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
6,579
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

Ok, you mentioned rust, which the owner says is an optical illusion. So enlighten us, what is the dreaded fatal flaw with this block?
 

Mkos1980

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 25, 2007
Messages
640
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

I think hes talking about the rareness of the 010 Blocks. Those are great foundations.
 

rotor_av8

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Jan 30, 2008
Messages
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Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

I have a few things to say so i appologize ahead for this being a long post with a lot of topics.

I plan to get rid of the cam, lifters, pushrods, pistons, crank, freeze plugs, oil pump, and heads (76cc) and start all over with everything new inside. The previous owner had the bottom end off so it got dirty sitting around his shop. You are seeing some sand and dirt...maybe grass and leaves a little too. No metal shavings...they do look like it in the pic now that it was mentioned. In all honesty this engine might be for the street....but hey you guys are knowledgeable about things that apply to both right? There is an area that almost shows the cylinder looking out of round under the chips in the pic(above actually)but that is where I wiped the rust off with my fingers.

I took it to a machine shop today and they are going to hot tank it and magnaflux it for me as well as some other stuff. I brought it home for now because I am going out of town for a while but will drop it off when i get home to do this stuff (they can't have it sitting there forever because they have little room). It is only going to be $40 to clean and magnaflux it!!!!! I expected a lot more.

The machine shop told me those tiny chips were a non issue and that area would be ground out when I do the 383. The crank was toast and was thrown out. This is fine by me because I need a 400 crank ground to accept 350 bearings for my 383 stroker build anyway. I'm going to deburr and polish it up myself too!!

If anyone wants help referencing numbers on a chevy engine I will try to help. I have looked up and learned a ton more about chevy engines than I already knew recently as well as bought a couple of reference books. I have read and was told at the shop this is THE sought after stock chevy block for race building because of the 4 bolt and the extra hardening metals added. (1% tin for strength and 2% nickel to make it pour better with the extra tin) It's the same block used in the high HP 302 chevy made for 2 years.

I may put the motor in a boat down the road (not my seabird or electric shift...lol) but for now it is a project and I want to get around 500+ hp from this motor when all done. More or less may be made as it goes and the money goes into it. I have a 52 international truck that is a candidate also.

I could buy a crate motor but then I didn't build it and that's what I am going for. I agree there are cheap crate motors making good power but I just want the experience.

BTW I got some trunnion bearing pivot caps for my electric shift for those of you who read the other post. When I get back I will install and take the seabird out. *fingers crossed*

Everyone on here is great...thanks for the input. I'll keep updates coming if you want but otherwise I don't want to keep posting if nobody wants to see it. Let me know if you want updates.

Thanks for the help and sorry for the ramble!!

-Rotor
 

rotor_av8

Seaman
Joined
Jan 30, 2008
Messages
60
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

Ok, you mentioned rust, which the owner says is an optical illusion. So enlighten us, what is the dreaded fatal flaw with this block?

I'm curious also...is it what i mentioned in my last post about the illusion of the cylinder not being round from where I wiped the rust off?

Possibly the scoring on the cylinder wall? This is an unbored block so I plan to bore it .030 over or whatever the machine shop reccomends as long as they give me the ok on the block after magnafluxing.

The rust all happened from sitting out after being disassembled. This was a 20,000 mile motor that had the cylinders honed and other stuff to "freshen it up". I suspect the installer didn't use locktite on the rod bolts because some of the others were loose when dissasembled. I think this is why it spun a bearing and caused the other series of unfortunate events.

Please tell. I'm no expert and want to learn.
 

Lakester

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Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
428
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

I'm going to deburr and polish it up myself too!!
-Rotor

sounds like u have ur project under-weigh. ;) but...

as far as the crank is concerned, leave it to the shop. just be sure to inquire as to what indexing accuracy u can expect. they will explain it.

the recip assembly will all have to be reblanced. so when they do that... have them champher the crank's oil holes. this widens them and increases area supplied with high pressure oil. once oil is out of crank it is not high pressure. and let them or crank shop polish it. to grind each rod journal crank has to be dialed to a -0- index. on center. then after the regrind, they can polish it as it will rotate perfectly round.

well, that is what i would do if it was my engine... ;)

good luck! sure update us... i like to hear about engine projects for boats. :D

regards
lakester :cool:
 

Lakester

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
428
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

I suspect the installer didn't use locktite on the rod bolts because some of the others were loose when dissasembled. I think this is why it spun a bearing and caused the other series of unfortunate events.

Please tell. I'm no expert and want to learn.

hello,

well... locktite is not used on rod bolts. :eek: rebuild the big ends, fit small ends to new pins and... install NEW rod bolts n nuts... lightly oil rod bolt threads... and torque to spec. ck it several times and for sure, once more before the pan goes on. turn engine only in direction it will run while on the stand. u do not need locktite on any rod bolt, or main cap bolt. it is not suggested nor recommended!! :eek:

u may want to go to ur local chevy dealer and get a copy from parts dept of the annual chevrolet high performance parts catalog. everything from complete racing crate engines to every hot part chevy offers.... street, strip and marine. and all that high tin, nodular stuff, too! :D :D maybe order chevy book online. and also get a How To Rebuild Your Chevrolet Engine book. sbc. very informative.

be careful mixing and matching parts. for example, in ur 383 stroker know what kind of rod is going in? stock or nodular? and size... 3/8" rod bolt or the bullet-proof... 7/16ths stuff... etc. cast or forged crank? ;)

and cyl head and valve size will be important. as will cam spec selection. get with a good cam builder such as Crane or Crower... and discuss ur project. a boat will run dif cam specs than an automotive application... for both being 383 cubes. the cam will be ur most important overall part selection. and run a good ignition like a full MSD marine kit! [smiles]

good luck.

regards
lakester :cool:
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

problem will be cleaning rust out of the oil gallies.
you can try and it nay work. its up to you
the 010 block was very very common used in trucks for probably 20 years , I built many of them
its not the same block as the 302 DZ but shares most diminsions.
when your all done spending money on building a torque monster 383, you will find the various weak spots in the stringer drive.
trust me the stringers did not live with much over about 230 HP.
they were simply to weak.
not trying to bust chops or discourage anything, just dont wish to see money wasted on something that you cant control without a lot of expense.
problems come in as you try to increase HP you tend to have to increase top RPM. thats where the gears in the drive have to change as propshaft speeds need to stay below about 2500 RPM or so.
I used to fight with kids over this with each months hot rod magizine issue.
they would read about this or that engine build and show up at the shop.
then I would have to waste 3 hours explaining that with this cam,intake,carb and compression we have to eliminate the power brakes or add a vacum pump,change the torque converter and rear axle gears and the list just kept going on and on.
its part of why I work on boats now and not automobiles for the past 20 years.
 

bomar76

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 27, 2002
Messages
1,963
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

Here is the SBC stroker my son and I are building up to drop in the Baja...and the block had a chip in bottom of one of the cylinders, the machine shop (that specalizes in extreme HP engine) said is is a very common casting issue in SBC and to ignore it, they have build a score of them with that defect w/ no problem;
Here is the build sheet:
385
10 block
1 piece main
hydraulic roller cam
.510 lift
roller rocker
1.6 ratio
Aluminum vortec style angle plug heads
forged rotating assembly
5cc pistons
10.64
decked
line bored
600 cfm
dual plane Aluminum intake

And the dyno sim chart:
453 HP @ 5500 rpm
476 ft lb torque @ 4,000
383wchart.jpg
 

John_S

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
Messages
4,269
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

Bomar,

Sounds like a fun father and son project. It would put a big smile on my face. :D


I am a little surprised that the 600cfm is not holding back that long stroke heavy breathing cam engine. If its not much trouble, I'd be curious to see the comparison to 450cfm and 750cfm carb would be.
 

bomar76

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 27, 2002
Messages
1,963
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

OK, here are some dyno sims (exact same build other than carb) for the 45 CFM and 750 CFM...
450
450cfm.jpg

750 CFM
750cfm.jpg
 

John_S

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
Messages
4,269
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

Thanks for endulging me, Bomar.

I see you didn't leave much on the table ;)

Look forward to the test run posts :D

PS: Sorry everyone for sidetracking this thread. Strokers get me excited!
 

rotor_av8

Seaman
Joined
Jan 30, 2008
Messages
60
Re: Chevy 350 rebuild....chip at bottom of cylinder

... the 010 block was very very common used in trucks for probably 20 years , I built many of them
its not the same block as the 302 DZ but shares most diminsions.
when your all done spending money on building a torque monster 383.....

I am only going by what my chevy performance engine building books say as well as what my machine shop here in Daytona Beach said. Both told me the 010 blocks were rare and the 010,020 blocks really rare.

... you will find the various weak spots in the stringer drive.
trust me the stringers did not live with much over about 230 HP.
they were simply to weak.
not trying to bust chops or discourage anything, just dont wish to see money wasted on something that you cant control without a lot of expense.
problems come in as you try to increase HP you tend to have to increase top RPM. thats where the gears in the drive have to change as propshaft speeds need to stay below about 2500 RPM or so.
I used to fight with kids over this ....

I thought I had already stated this, maybe not, just to be clear this motor will NOT be going anywhere near a stringer drive. I plan to keep them seperated like hawks and chickens. Thanks for the pointer though. (meant sincerly)


-Rotor
 
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