VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

[pine island fred]

Helping a friend replace the engine in his CHAPARRAL. Crate got dropped off at my house yesterday and I started doing some planning and came up with a few questions.
Seized/ rusted engine coming out is a chevy 305, its laying on the ground, ugly unit. Friend bought a 350 long block with a roller cam. Intend to use the old flywheel and he has purchased a new harmonic balancer. Saw the new balancer tonight and it just has a scribe marking TDC. Figure I can use a set of dividers to mark the 4 or 6 degs. mark we will need for timing, taking the distance off the old balancer which has a decal. Figure this will work if they are the same diameter. Are they?
Next is the cam, it has roller lifters which I have no experience with. Are they solid lifters with a roller. Do they need to be adjusted as with any solid lifter? Finally the fuel pump. Looks like a normal pump with an arm to ride the cam. Friend mentioned something about a push rod to drive the pump. Is there one? Block is so corroded with salt water that it is impossible to tell what is up there on the old block and it is locked up tight so I cant turn it to see if something moves up there. Would appreciate any advice.
Also, are roller cams that great? thanks FRED

 

[Don S]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

You are asking a lot of specific questions about things that are only generally discribed.
What is the years, model numbers and things like that.
A chevy V8 as made many, many changes over the years.
Sounds like a serious case of buying without any knowledge of what the consequences will be with your decessions. Rather they will fit, need modified, or what.
Flat and roller lifters are both hydraulic and adjusted the same way, decals can be purchaced. But can you use the engine with the flywheel cover you now have, or the mechanical fuel pump, or _____________ fill in the blank. Cause right now, there is no way of knowing what is going on.

 

[r33pwrd]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

Sounds like a serious case of buying without any knowledge of what the consequences will be with your decessions

I think he asked for advise not to be critcized! Don you should not jump into someones post unless you have something positive to add!

 

[Don S]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

I think he asked for advise not to be critcized! Don you should not jump into someones post unless you have something positive to add!

I did add something positive, did you? Didn't think so. Why did you post? Just to critisize?

 

[r33pwrd]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

Saw the new balancer tonight and it just has a scribe marking TDC. Figure I can use a set of dividers to mark the 4 or 6 degs. mark we will need for timing, taking the distance off the old balancer which has a decal. Figure this will work if they are the same diameter. Are they?

A typical timing light has an inductive pickup that clamps over the number one spark plug wire. When current passes through the wire and the spark plug fires, a signal is sent to the timing light, and the light flashes at the same time as the number one spark plug. The flashing light will appear to freeze the motion of the crankshaft, and the timing can be read with the marks. Normally, zero BTDC is when a mark on the balancer lines up with a mark on the block. Some engines have many marks on the balancer or the block indicating degree increments, but others have only one. When there is only one mark on each, an "advance" timing light must be used. This kind of timing light has a dial on it marked in degrees. One operates it by turning the dial until the two marks line up and then reading the degrees from the dial.


FYI if your where to mark it the diameter will not affect the locations of the marks example no matter how big or small the diameter is the mark will always rotate one with one rotation of the motor

 

[mtnrat]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

As Don says. It may not be a simple swap. What year is the 305 and what year is the 350? If you do not know the years, get the block casting numbers and post them up, then it can be figured out how to proceed. A post 1986 block will not just bolt up to a pre 1986 flywheel etc.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

Not my show. Just providing the space and davet to handel this engine. Two friends will be doing the actual work with me standing by to hold them down when they get in a frienzie and get ahead of them selves. Block is still in the crate, I just tore away some plastic to check things out, dont want to unwrap his present for him. Sometimes you have to standby and let people do there thing. Right now they are running around saying VORTEC VORTEC VORTEC, roller cam, roller cam ! So what ? Does GM make anything now that does not have a vortec decal on them? How about the roller cam? Remember them from back in the 50s from ISKY and DONTIVAN, are they that important? This is a 23 ft. cuddy cabin, not a BAJA.
There was an issue concerning if it will bolt up as there where supposed to be changes around 91, which this boat is. People who sold it to him assured him it will match up. Friend insist it is already timed. This is where my concern comes in. No flywheel, dampner, distributer, how did they do that? Hopefully the crank/cam but I think the rest is up to us. I am concerned with the little things no one considers like indexing the oil pump drive so we are not chaseing it around when we drop the distributer in. Also he want to time it by ear, I cant allow that! So my question on marking the dampener so I can time it for him. Getting long winded and forgot what I originally wanted to post. Thanks all for your input. FRED

 

[Don S]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

What year is the old engine? If it has a 12" flywheel, and their new one has a 14" then they need to find the right flywheel. What distributor in the old one, will the intake work? (Bolt pattern) what distributor???? all that good stuff.
If there is no distributor, they sure don't have it timed. The timing chain and gears should be on and timed properly, but that's all.
As far as the oil pump drive, a long screw driver will put it in the proper orientation.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

Now I remember one of my questions. This was concerning the fuel pump. Kind if remember when this was a 265 block and a plunger would fall out when the pump was replaced. Same set up on later blocks?
Yea DON, this shound be interesting, I did not have anything to do with ordering the engine. While I got you, is it worth while spinning the oil pump with a drill before we install the distributer ? Heard thats a good idea. FRED

 

[Don S]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

is it worth while spinning the oil pump with a drill before we install the distributer ? Heard thats a good idea.

Couldn't hurt, it will fill oil system & filter and oil the bearings.

The fuel pump push rod was on many of the older engines. Like I said, without knowing years of anything it's all a crap shoot and WAG's

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

Intend to use the old flywheel and he has purchased a new harmonic balancer. Saw the new balancer tonight and it just has a scribe marking TDC. Figure I can use a set of dividers to mark the 4 or 6 degs. mark we will need for timing, taking the distance off the old balancer which has a decal. Next is the cam, it has roller lifters which I have no experience with. Are they solid lifters with a roller. Do they need to be adjusted as with any solid lifter? Finally the fuel pump. Looks like a normal pump with an arm to ride the cam. Friend mentioned something about a push rod to drive the pump. Is there one? Block is so corroded with salt water that it is impossible to tell what is up there on the old block and it is locked up tight so I cant turn it to see if something moves up there. Would appreciate any advice.
Also, are roller cams that great? thanks FRED

For the balancer, all you really need is the TDC marking. With that one marking and the timing tab on the timing chain cover, you will be able to get your timing right on. The rollers are a Hydraulic unit. Best way to adjust them (Way I do) is with the engine running. I back off each rocker until the rocker arm chatters. Once it starts to chatter I tightem them till it stops. At this point is 0 lash . Once at 0 I usually give the nut another 1/2 - 1 full turn. Thats it for that. Just dont rev motor with valve cover off. Oil will go everywhere. For the fuel pump the stock 305 should have a rod between the cam and fuel pump, but for 15 bucks, I usually buy a replace ment one.

I myself have converted my 90 flat tappet cam to a Crane Marine Hyd roller cam.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: VOLVO 290 DP engine upgrade

Motor started going back together this evening and things are rolling along just fine. Did find a plunger that operates the fuel pump. Friend want to paint the new harmonic balancer so I have not seen it yet.
Was looking at the old engine with balancer decal preparing to measure so that I can mark 8 deg. BTDC where it is supposed to be timed. Then a question came up. I asked my friend where the big bolt is to secure the balancer ( I was not there when all the parts to be swapped were removed ) and he looks at me and says WHAT BOLT. I have never removed/ replaced a balancer but when I want to rotate a crankshaft, I put a big socket on the crank bolt and move it. So I have a question! Shouldent there be a big bolt securing the balancer to the crankshaft? Figure something has got to hold it on. Crank is drilled and threaded for a big bolt. Rusty threads in old crank indicate there was never a bolt installed.
Friend thinks it is the responsibility of the raw water pump to hold the balancer firm but I have my doubts, lots of metal spinning around there. Naturally there is a keyway to keep it from rotating on the crank but cant believe that will keep it in place. Would appreciate some input. thanks FRED