Engine Refresh

[78 Chevyrado]

It'll be slow going for about a month, but I'll go ahead and start this up.

My water pump broke, so....   Might as well do the rest of the engine while I'm there...

Actually I did a compression test and it turned out so good I think my shortblock is still really good.  I wonder some times what my grandad does to his cars...  they don't ever wear out.  The 400ci I got from him out of his 73 caprice a few years ago barely had a ridge at the top of the pistons there was still crosshatch in the cylinders and the bearings were good enough I left them as they were, and with 150k on it.  it's unreal.  I bet this trucks in a similar state on the inside.

 I haven't checked the bearings yet.  If the crank journals all look good, I'll plastiguage it and buy a set of bearings to suit, slap em in and go.  if it needs some work, I'll have just the crank fixed up and buy bearings to suit.  All I really plan on doing to the shortblock is cleaning out the oill passages and new freeze plugs and paint it up and go.  I also may go ahead and have cam bearings put in it, who knows.

The heads I have now are the 76cc #462624 heads and everybody seems to be unanimous that they are crap, so I'm going to make wheel chocks out of em, and get some new ones.  The new heads will be 64cc Vortecs and the change from 76cc to 64cc shouls net me around a 1 point on my compression ratio.  I don't know what it was stock, probably 8 to 8.5 or so, so hopefully I'll end up around 9 to 9.5.

I'm going to leave the stock exhaust on it for now(I like how my single sounds).  I may get some headers later on, but not for a while after this is done.

Other than the rotating assembly, flex plate, timing cover and oil pan and carb, everything else will be new on the engine itself.


I'm going to get a Comp Cams XE256 Flat tappet cam, and RHS 12410-01  64cc Vortec Cylinder heads.  Also some Roller tip rockers.  It'll get a new edelbrock performer intake and I'll reuse my 600CFM 1406 carb.

Some parts to check out:

Comp Cams XE256 Flat Tappet
http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=84&sb=2
A video of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l27PwABKLQ

RHS Pro Torker Vortec Heads
http://www.racingheadservice.com/Cylinder%20Heads/Small%20Block%20Chevy/Pro%20Torker/Vortec/Cast%20Iron.aspx
Under the pic of a head, click on the 170cc Runner Block.

Comp Cams Roller Tip Rocker Arms
http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CC&Product_Code=1412-16&Category_Code=

Edelbrock Performer Intake 2716
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2716/

I have no idea what pushrods I need.  They'll be Comp Cams High Energy though.  Won't know the length until I measure for it.  

That about covers the important parts.  The rest is just details.  At this point, I figure the cost to be about $1500 all said and done.  now with that said, I'll have to compare this post to the ones that follow.  It costs me sometimes, but nobody tells me I do stuff half way.  

I'll add to this as Stuff happens.  

Me playing.   This is with all the new upgrades, but the stock single exhaust and manifolds.

[84nickle350]

you can buy a engine rebuild kit pistons, rimgs, mains, inserts, the whole gasket kit double roller timing chain and gears ect for 221.96 at summit racing .com

[Jim Rockford]

Long as you have factory dished pistons, The bump from 76 to 64 CC will put in the the perfect compression range. With the shoot they are trying to pass off a fuel nowadays, Its best not to get too aggressive . 9 to 1 and the very efficient chamber of the vortecs, and a good mild cam will do wonders for the engine, And long as you have a good free flowing single exhaust, Its not gonna hurt a thing, 2 1/2 to 3 inch single is great on trucks, Really helps with scavenging and really helps keep the power up at Low RPMs I've never been a fan of duals on a truck I had a 97 fullsize with the 5.7 vortec, Had a crappy ass flowmaster setup with the dual pipes and edelbrock headers, Its was a little better than stock, But once the flow rusted out in a year, I installed a dynomax ultraflow welded muffler and a 3 inch single exhaust and it was like a whole different truck, That sold me on single exhaust. they I did some research and found that singles are way better than duals.

[bobcooter]

In case you decide to go the rebuild route check these guys out.
They sell entire kits that you can tailor to your needs.
www.naparts.com

[Jim Rockford]

I to am doing a sort of refreash, swapping the 350 out of my 73  into my 80 so I figured while I have it out Ill gasket everything, Its a target master 4 bolt from 1978 and it sat for a long time, So I know soon as I was to just drop it into my 80 , it wouldn't be long before it started leaking out of every orifice , I'm trying one of felpros 1 piece oil pan gaskets and the double lip rear main seal Don't want it to leak on to my new clutch. Its all I can do not to pull the heads and swap a set of ho 305 heads I have to bump up the compression.

[1980c10]

I recently posted the dyno results on my recent 350 build. you'll have a lot of similar components so it might be helpful as far as what size jets and timing worked best. Those heads really flow well so you would probably see a nice improvement with headers and exhuast.
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=18146.60

[txchainsawgogi]

you can buy a engine rebuild kit pistons, rimgs, mains, inserts, the whole gasket kit double roller timing chain and gears ect for 221.96 at summit racing .com

Got a link?

[GUITAR1989]

Well I see that this poste is dead but I stumbled in on this thread then went to summit and saw the kit then came back to this website and searched so I could poste a link only to see that nobody's commented in here for months but since im here im posting it....plus its just down right cool u can get these kits. Im not to sure about the quality but man the kits cheap
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Department/Engines-Components/Section/Engine-Kits-Rotating-Assemblies/?Ns=Rank%7cAsc

[78 Chevyrado]

I'm thinking about one of those 383 rotating kits.  I'm still up in the air rather I build it myself or get a crate.  If I get a crate It won't be exactly what I want, and if I build it it will cost a bit more, but be exactly as I want it.  I'm honestly trying to put it off as long as possible, but it's getting smokier and smokier so the truck may have plans of it's own.  I'm still leaning towards building this one, as I want the vortec heads and a roller cam.  that and I just wanna know i built it myself except the machine work. 

I think it's coming soon like it or not. 

[GUITAR1989]

Nice man...I want the same set up Roller cam vortec heads 383cid I dont and wont have the money or knowledge to build it for a while though