How to tell what engine you have?

[mizozuman2]

Hi everyone.

I recently bought a 1986 C10. The truck purred like a kitten for a few days, then something happened and the head gasket went... Anyways. It's a 350 for sure, but I don't know what block it is. I figured with how many miles were on it, I could probably just replace it and start fresh. But as I said, I have no clue what engine would be the replacement engine. and I can't get to the side of the engine to read the number on the block, without removing it and I do not have the room to set an engine somewhere until the other one gets here. I don't have the money to pour into a whole my way build engine, so a Chevy Performance engine is what I'm going for and just swap all the parts over to the new one.

Would it be easier to take the inner fender piece off and check it like that? Thanks!

[mizozuman2]

Hi everyone.

I recently bought a 1986 C10. The truck purred like a kitten for a few days, then something happened and the head gasket went... Anyways. It's a 350 for sure, but I don't know what block it is. I figured with how many miles were on it, I could probably just replace it and start fresh. But as I said, I have no clue what engine would be the replacement engine. and I can't get to the side of the engine to read the number on the block, without removing it and I do not have the room to set an engine somewhere until the other one gets here. I don't have the money to pour into a whole my way build engine, so a Chevy Performance engine is what I'm going for and just swap all the parts over to the new one.

Would it be easier to take the inner fender piece off and check it like that? Thanks!

I'm meaning block type by the way.

[rich weyand]

A low-compression 1980's 350 is basically the 350/260hp engine, which you can buy at Summit for $1500 and free shipping.

You could also get the 350/290hp engine, but don't.  It has a 1960s old-grind cam in it that was designed for a high-compression engine.  The low-compression heads don't have enough static compression for that late of an intake valve closure.  It's got nothing in the bottom, though it winds up nice once you get it going.  It's $500 more and you won't be happy.  Ask me how I know.

You could go crazy with other engines.  The price goes up with the horsepower.  A Vortec HT383 would be very nice, for example.  It's also $4800.

Probably the best setup for cheap is:
GM #10067353  350/260hp
Comp Cams 12-235-2  (Yeah, pop the nice modern-grind cam in there.  Voids the warranty, but what the heck, those engines are bulletproof.  And no need for new springs or lifters when replacing the cam in a never-run engine.)
Edelbrock 2101 Performer dual-plane manifold  (The 1986 350 is still a carbed engine, isn't it?)
Hooker 2453 headers

That setup will get you about 275hp at 4000 and *415lbft* of torque at *2500*.  Which is a real sweet driver for 2000 bucks.

[mizozuman2]

A low-compression 1980's 350 is basically the 350/260hp engine, which you can buy at Summit for $1500 and free shipping.

You could also get the 350/290hp engine, but don't.  It has a 1960s old-grind cam in it that was designed for a high-compression engine.  The low-compression heads don't have enough static compression for that late of an intake valve closure.  It's got nothing in the bottom, though it winds up nice once you get it going.  It's $500 more and you won't be happy.  Ask me how I know.

You could go crazy with other engines.  The price goes up with the horsepower.  A Vortec HT383 would be very nice, for example.  It's also $4800.

Probably the best setup for cheap is:
GM #10067353  350/260hp
Comp Cams 12-235-2  (Yeah, pop the nice modern-grind cam in there.  Voids the warranty, but what the heck, those engines are bulletproof.  And no need for new springs or lifters when replacing the cam in a never-run engine.)
Edelbrock 2101 Performer dual-plane manifold  (The 1986 350 is still a carbed engine, isn't it?)
Hooker 2453 headers

That setup will get you about 275hp at 4000 and *415lbft* of torque at *2500*.  Which is a real sweet driver for 2000 bucks.

And yes, it's carb'd.

She's a 2WD, those headers still going to work?

[rich weyand]

Hooker 2453 will work on a 4WD: 2WD is easier, because there's no differential or driveshaft in the way.  I would think they would work on either.

Summit says use the Hooker 2452 on the C10.  Interesting.

[mizozuman2]

Hooker 2453 will work on a 4WD: 2WD is easier, because there's no differential or driveshaft in the way.  I would think they would work on either.

Summit says use the Hooker 2452 on the C10.  Interesting.

Those are the ones I had picked out. I'm sure the 4WD would work, but Better safe than sorry.

And everything on the front of the original engine will bolt up onto this new one, correct? (Water pump, AC, PS, Alt., Etc...)

[rich weyand]

All the accessories bolted up on my '78.  I don't know for sure, but I would be very surprised if any didn't on your '86.  There are standard hole locations in the sbc block and heads for all that stuff, it's the brackets that changed from year to year and model to model.

[mizozuman2]

So I just talked to a guy from Summit Racing. He told me I had a one piece rear main seal engine, but I don't believe there's any way for me to know without taking out the engine, right? He just kinda said I did. so I don't know if it's true, because that's the year they changed from two to one if I remember right. If it is a one piece, the engine you showed me is a two piece. will there be complications with that?

[thefarmboy21]

The only differences of any significance you would have would be if anything bolts to a water pump or intake differently, in which case you just use the old or replacements.

To the best of my knowledge and the 15-20 I've messed with, the holes in the heads or anywhere in the blocks should be the same.

A one piece main seal motor will usually say 5.7 beside the casting numbers if you could read them.

[mizozuman2]

The only differences of any significance you would have would be if anything bolts to a water pump or intake differently, in which case you just use the old or replacements.

To the best of my knowledge and the 15-20 I've messed with, the holes in the heads or anywhere in the blocks should be the same.

A one piece main seal motor will usually say 5.7 beside the casting numbers if you could read them.

I'm not worried about the seal thing. I'm worried about how it'd connect to the trans. They have adapters and such to do a 1 to 2 seal. It's just the connecting I'm unsure of.

[rich weyand]

Basically, you need a different flexplate.  You also have to get the one with the right number of teeth (difference in diameter) which can be determined by examination of which starter is on the vehicle.  It's all here:
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/engine-swap/635574-one-piece-vs-two.html

[mizozuman2]

Basically, you need a different flexplate.  You also have to get the one with the right number of teeth (difference in diameter) which can be determined by examination of which starter is on the vehicle.  It's all here:
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/engine-swap/635574-one-piece-vs-two.html

Awesome. Thanks!

[thefarmboy21]

Probably the best setup for cheap is:
GM #10067353  350/260hp
Comp Cams 12-235-2  (Yeah, pop the nice modern-grind cam in there.  Voids the warranty, but what the heck, those engines are bulletproof.  And no need for new springs or lifters when replacing the cam in a never-run engine.)
Edelbrock 2101 Performer dual-plane manifold  (The 1986 350 is still a carbed engine, isn't it?)
Hooker 2453 headers

That setup will get you about 275hp at 4000 and *415lbft* of torque at *2500*.  Which is a real sweet driver for 2000 bucks.
[/quote]

Where'd you get you're specs on that build from? Just curious because that's the cam I run in my derby motor and I LOVE IT!!! And I'm getting ready to do a basically stock rebuild and was considering the same cam even tho the heads will be vastly different lol.

[rich weyand]

I used the Camquest software to do the dyno simulation.  Yeah, yeah, I know: simulation is not the same as a dyno, but it does give some guidance, and the numbers check out on some known configurations.

Just google Camquest, and download the software.