bad vibration

[philo_beddoe]

Thanks for the input, without Vile, i'd be in a huge expensive chevy mess. I met with Vile today and picked up my truck. I have the best tuned engine in the northeast, bad crank and all.

Anyway, we have decided to go with a brand new chevy crate 350. New water pump, clutch fan, distributor, balancer, ect. I dont want performance, just reliable and long lasting. I am going to baby the engine for now and save up for the new engine. Or as Vile puts it, unless she gives up the ghost. Amen.

Stay tuned for the next segment.....

THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION

[Greybeard]

Yup, prolly a good way to go, Vile will help keep your costs down, because a short block can quickly become expensive I suspect. Things such as the nasty old cast iron exhaust going up against that swanky, shiny new engine? No Way! The stock cast iron intake? UGH! How about the ignition system, reuse the worn out one from the current engine (of course some new bushings and balancing and it's good to go again)? It all nickles and dimes ya to death.

I considered going that route, instead I built a build sheet of the needs, wants, wished I could haves. I wanted good amounts of RPM, I wanted good high end horsepower, I also wanted low end torque, all on 87 octane. Today that is highly doable with roller cams and the like. Ten years ago those items were as expensive as unobtainium. So I settled on roller rockers, Rhoads lifters, a .5xx cam, TRW forged flattop pistons, shot-peened, stress-relieved, lightened and finely balanced rods and a polished, straightened, oil grooved crank.  Half those things I know nothing about but my engine machinist suggested that they would come in handy at the RPM's I wanted. My engine purrs at 7000. Maybe I should say purred...I haven't started it in a year now. I haven't put 3,000 miles on it in ten years though.

But like an old buckskinning partner used to say, wants cost more than needs.   

[philo_beddoe]

Yeah, i hear ya. I'm in the need area. I only putt around town, a small town. My stock ex manifolds are brand new, my gm cast iron intake and qjet are also like brand new. Gonna keep those. But all the other stuff, i'm going to let Vile handle all that. Dont care about rpm's, just want longevity at this point. It's a pick me up truck, not a chevelle ss. Gotta keep cost way down, only Vile can do that.

[Greybeard]

Good mechanics for this old easy stuff are hard to come by these days, sounds like Vile is one of the few left. As with everything I am 'good' at I know just enough to get my arse in trouble. I will be graduating in eight weeks with a Masters degree, that and a cup of coffee will give me a caffeine rush. At the ripe age of 59 or 60 (not to sure these days) it was a waste of time and money I'm pretty certain. But it's one step closer to my lifelong dream of being a hobo.    (a good old fashioned hobo, not a modern scumbag hobo).

Anyway... there is an old-timer (in his mid seventies) near me that likely has forgotten more about Chevy's than I've learned that putters around his shop working on the old stuff. Trouble is, he is a cogety old bamtard, hard to talk to without a LOT of patience. He's one of those guys that knows everyone else is wrong even before they open their mouths, even if he agrees with you.    Kinda like a wife. 

[VileZambonie]

LOL Greybeard

When I was 16 and bought my first truck I fell in love. I've never stopped playing with these trucks ever since and I have built, modified, restored, etc many of them. In addition I am engrained into the automotive industry in many facets and a tech savvy do it yourselfer who enjoys learning everything. Just like you with your degree (and congrats BTW) I am still working towards my Masters degree, for what I am not sure as I doubt it will yield me any financial gains but at least I can say I have it at some point.

Philo-Beddoe, before you 100% decide on a crate, I think I have a line on a nice Vortec 350, good rebuildable unit. A few things would have to be changed but it would give you a roller cam engine with one piece rear main. The only physical noticeable difference would be the valve covers and intake manifold for the most part. They do sell center bolt valve cover adapters though so you could retain perimeter style VC's. Can even paint it original Chevy Blue.... Keep dreamin and schemin

[LTZ C20]

Hahaha Greybeard. Like a wife... LOL.

At 16 I got my truck and fell in love also. That truck is responsible for my square body addiction. I know a few people who still know the old stuff best. I've tried to learn as much as I can from them as well as as much as I can about the newer stuff.

[Greybeard]

What I have learned about the new stuff is to let someone else with small hands and a delicate touch deal with it. I have a hard time adding oil to my Dodge 2500 without some plastic part under the hood breaking. I also have a 02 Focus, durable little car, has 207K miles on it with no major repairs other than the normal consumables, like the alternator, three in one day . The lights still flare to high every now and again. Look at that engine and some plastic part just starts thinking how it will break however.

[philo_beddoe]

Ok, whats a  vortec 350? Can i still use my original intake and carb? Does it look like a normal engine?

Remember, i'm old school, real old.

I wont have to do this to my truck will i?

[LTZ C20]

A Vortec 350 is just a small block 350 from the 90s. It's an OE roller cam engine with the favored "Vortec" heads that alot of people like.

To use a carburated intake manifold, you have to either A: use an intake designed for the 8 count intake bolt vortec heads or B: swap the cylinder heads for an older version that still use 12 bolt intakes or C: buy heads that are designed with flow and chamber characteristics like vortec heads but allow older intakes.

Honestly I think the easiest and cheapest thing to do is just buy a carburated intake manifold for vortec style heads. Traditional small block intakes use 12 bolts, vortec intakes use 8 bolts.

I have a Vortec block with roller cam and dart aluminum heads with a traditional 12 bolt intake. I very much like the roller cam over my previous flat tappet cam engine. Intakes however, I could care less. What I have now is reliable and powerful. Vortec engines are very reliable tho. My 97 Silverado has one.

[Captain Swampy]

You can keep your carb, but need a new intake like LTZ said. The vortec heads are the best flowing stock head made. The engine will appear the same as yours except your new intake and the valve covers have the bolts in the center (they seal better). Roller cams can have quicker opening and closing rates which can be much more efficient. For a daily driver I would prefer a vortec engine. It will offer the best efficiency. If you didn't want to appear stock I would also recommend electric radiator fans. The engine I posted the link to is the same as yours except the 1 piece rear main seal, the vortec heads, and roller cam/ lifters.

If Vile found a nice used one, hopefully you could freshen it up cheaper than buying a crate engine.

[philo_beddoe]

I dont like the idea of putting something modern on something classic, BUT, for long term efficiency and reliability and if Vile can make it LOOK classic, then it could work.

This cost a tad over $1400.


The vortec deal has to beat that. Oh, and summit racing has a 18 month no interest deal.

[zieg85]

This is how stock it would look

[philo_beddoe]

I guess that dont look too bad. Are those acorns i see on the intake?

[philo_beddoe]

I was picturing this,,,


Boy was i way off.....

[zieg85]

I guess that dont look too bad. Are those acorns i see on the intake?

yes, lots of varmints and oak trees at my Indiana home