Is this a good plan for an engine build, how much HP should

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm rebuilding a stock 71 300 horse 350.

 

I'm doing it cheaply, just new rings/bearings, a high lift cam (comes with lifters), decent carb, junkyard special headers, new timing chain, ect. The motor came with flat top pistons. I'm just getting a valve job on the stock double hump heads (cast # 3927186). Everything should be in good shape. The motor was running when sat up, and only had 47k on it. It was in a 71 chevelle that an old man bought and died (the old man, not the motor) not 2 years later. My Grandpop bought the chevelle off the estate 10 years ago and the car has been sitting every since. The motor doesn't have any visible rust anywhere and has compression when turned over. Havn't tried cranking it though.

 

The only real change from the origional motor is the cam-shaft and I'll port the heads a bit myself. And I'm modding the carb a little and adding headers. Plus an aluminum intake.

 

 

What kind of power should I be looking at? I figured around 350-375, but could be wrong? Is this a good budget minded plan?

 

[ October 04, 2001: Message edited by: Jack300z ]

[DavyZ]

My guess would be 350 hp on the high end--a lot of it will come down to compression IMO. The camel humps are good heads, not great, but certainly better than the 76cc smoggers I have on my motor! The cam will certainly come into play (what are the specs?), as well as the carb and intake. Good thing you have headers, even if they are from a junkyard (the engine will never know). Again, educated guess is 350 hp at the flywheel Be nice to see if one of the guys can put the info through the Desktop Dyno and see what pops up--list the cam specs when you get the chance.

 

Davy

[Guest Anonymous]

I haven't picked the cam yet.

 

I'm trying to figure out what will work best. I just don't know much about lift and duration. I know what they are and how they work, just not how to pick the best numbers.

 

I've bargain hunted and have come up with the following price for the following stuff:

 

Timing chain stuff

K&N filter

water pump

cap+rotor

spark plugs

plug wires

rod bearings (clevite)

main bearings (clevite)

gasket set (fel-pro)

rings (moly)

junkyard headers

 

TOTAL (minus shipping): $246

 

I've also found a stock aluminum 4 bbl carb intake manifold from a newer (but pre-FI) vehicle that I can get for around 20 bucks.

That would bring it to $266 plus shipping.

 

On the carb, I'm not sure. I might be able to get an edelbrock 600. However I already have a stock performance q-jet that is in working order. I don't know much about Q-jets. Are they any good? Remember, I'm on a tight budget. I'm so tight that I squeek when I move, hehehe!

 

Jack Cooper

[Guest Anonymous]

Summit wants 78 bucks for an energizer cam (includes lifters) of my choice grind...Anyays, what grind should I get in either the Crane Energizer or the Summit-brand cams?

 

You can see the cam selections available here: http://store.summitracing.com/product.asp?d=3&s=33&p=390&SearchType=ECat

 

Thanks!

 

[ October 04, 2001: Message edited by: Jack300z ]

[pparaska]

I'd go with the Crane CRN 100132 for street use. If you want a bit more radical (less streetable), go with the CRN 100082.

[DavyZ]

Pete's right--that would be a good cam. Because I was (still am) on a limited budget, I went with the Summit K-1103 cam, which is fairly close to the first one that Pete suggested. I wanted good lower end torque and could care less about the engine spinning upwards of 5500 rpm--the cam is perfect.

 

I'm not sure which manifold you are going to use--if it's stock, well, it may be all you can do for now and that's fine, but I have to tell you that when you get the money or see a total deal, buy a manifold like an Edelbrock that you can use with your Q-Jet--it'll perform way better than stock. Nothing wrong with running a Q-Jet since it will give you decent flow with decent mileage. I eventually bought a Holley because I can't leave well enough alone, but that's neither here nor there.

 

Davy

[Guest Anonymous]

I would get a cam with about 256 duration and .500 lift with a 1.5 rocker. very steetable with plenty of horses.

 

jake

[Guest Anonymous]

Summit's hydraulic 234/244 488/510 on 110 degree lobe center works well as long as you can build at least 10-1 compression. It pulls well from 2500 through 6000 and a 3300 to 3500 stall 9.5 inch converter will do just fine if you use the 350 trans. The 700R4 will break your budget trying to buy a converter which will both stall at this level and hold up to the torque. You didn't mention converter changes but any cam over the old 224/244 488/488 lift 350hp350 cam will need a looser converter. Any one of these converters (new) will double your parts budget so far. Too much cam and not enough stall is a no fun. Cross the converter bridge now, cam and converter must be considered together.

Kim

[z ya]

I say go for around 210-220 at .050. And

around 460 lift. Should be good for up to

5500. Then go to TCI's saturday nite special

converter that is 500-600 rpm looser than

stock.