350 refresh

[Russ130]

Not at least checking out Northern Auto Parts is also a big mistake. I have bought several kits through them and with them you can choose what upgrades you want for each part involved. The best part is they only charge the difference in cost between the 2 parts.

[exilous]

good quality through them? good people to deal with? I will check them out

[exilous]

What do you guys think about ebay rebuild kits? I've been lookin at a few and watching some on ebay and they don't seem bad, its free shipping which is good and its not a bad price.Im definetly looking into buying this first one here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190295190236&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

So what do you guys think of that? There are others out there that seem to be pretty good but i don't know i've never bought engine stuff off ebay before. My buddy did and he hasnt had a problem with his engine so i dunno im up in the air on this one.

[choptop]

Looks like a good kit with alot of name brand components. I dont think Id be scared of it. Maybe someone else has a different opinion.

[Russ130]

Actually I bought a kit off eBay once that came with a free t-shirt. It turned out to be Northern Auto Parts which had I known I would have just gone to them and gotten the upgrades I wanted. To your questions about them, yes good quality stuff and really good people to deal with over the phone. Besides it seems unlike Jegs and Summit who are all about racing Northern seems to be more into trucks and daily drivers though they have the race stuff too. Just have your rear gear ratio and tire size available when you call so they can match you up with the proper cam. You can ask what upgrade is available for every single part and they will not only tell you but give you the price and let you know if its a waste of money for your application.

[VileZambonie]

I wouldn't bother with the ebay deal since you can get the same deal from summit and get a garuntee on everything. Not only that but summit says they'll beat anyones price and I've had them do it before.

[exilous]

Ok screw engine building man im so pissed right now. my dad finally got around to getting me his tools and we set to work measuring the bores. He informed me on the pistons it shows what it is bored to. come to find out the pistons were already  30 over. we measured the pistons they were at .025 our readings on the cylinder walls were in a range from .034 to .038...the bore clearance is supposed to be .0012. he thinks judging by the readings the whole length of each cylinder that boring it to 40 over wont be able to true up the walls enough to allow for 40 over pistons so i may have to go with 60 overs. so not only did the engine wear out the stock shoot but it completely wore out the rebuild shoot. So now im back to the drawing board. I don't know whether its worth it or not to bore it to 60 over. or should i just push pause on that engine and take my other 350 thats in my truck tear that down and see what that would need. i already know that engine is a remanufactured engine and it has a dead cylinder. I'm so unhappy about this whole situation right now its a bit ridiculous. heck im even thinking about just taking my runnign 305 painting it and putting that in there im so unhappy. haha.

Here is my current list of engines i can use:
350 4 bolt torn down already been bored over.
350 reman dead cylinder 5
305 carb unknown mileage but it runs
305 tbi unknown mileage its on its last leg the oil is getting shiny.

i just need some ideas on what i should do.

[VileZambonie]

There's nothing wrong with .060" over. That's nothing to get bent about.

[Russ130]

not to mention they can be resleeved which is also nothing to get bent about, .060" over just means its the last overbore before resleeving it

[exilous]

i dunno im just bent that instead of doing a quick rebuilt on the thing now i have to send it out to a machine shop spend more to get it bored and all that time i dunno.

[Russ130]

I have yet to rebuild an engine without sending it to the machine shop. You can't just throw in new parts and think its going to run ok. The cylinders have to be bored to a point where they no longer have any taper.New cam bearings should be installed as well as freeze plugs and oil galley plugs. Resurfacing of the decks will make for a good head gasket seal. That would be the minimum machine work for any rebuild. Magnafluxing is a good idea to check for cracking and balancing is also a good idea. The heads are going to need some time in the machine shop as well if not for the very least to have the gasket surface milled smooth. Of course anytime you send something to the machine shop they give it a good cleaning before they even start. In the future anytime you think of rebuilding a motor you need to think at the very least you will need to send it out to get cleaned up and punched out.

[Blue 82]

.060" over is no big deal
Unless you plan to make 600 hp
Get a set of these and do it right
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/350-CHEVY-Speed-Pro-Flat-Top-Pistons-H345NP-5-7-Rod-60_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem588123c397QQitemZ380123726743QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[SUX2BU99]

My 350 is 60-over and I'm fine with that. Yeah I know another rebuild that requires a boring isn't possible without sleeving but no big deal. Like you said though, you're not happy about dropping a few hundred at a machine shop. These kinds of builds always seem to increase a budget about 50-100% by the time you are done.

[exilous]

I have no problem bring it to a machine shop to do some of the smaller stuff like milling and cleaning.Big boring we can't do at my dads shop he doesnt have the tooling for it. Honing and small boring we can do thats why i was kind of unhappy about it. Either way it has to be done I suppose. I ordered the pistons and rings through summit they should be in by wednesday if not thursday so I'm kind of excited about that. Right now the engine was emptied I pressure washed it then we put it in our citrus acid tank to slowly clean up so its easier for the machine shop. Hopefully thursday or friday the engine will be at the machine shop getting work done. Once i get some more funds I will order everything else for the engine and get some pics up of the build. just dropped $450 into front end parts so I can completely rebuild that. although i still need calipers and seals so I'm not done spending in that department. 

[Skunksmash]

Off topic, but does boring 60 over add a little HP/torque? At least you will be getting something out of it if you do end up having to do that.