Old school Chevy 350

[desertscout80]

How does the T-90 do behind a 350?

 

[HackFabrication]

I understand what Hack is saying and he's right; but to follow that logic onward would have you buying a newer Jeep as opposed to a CJ for the same reasons. Newer, more efficient, blah, blah, blah. Again, that doesn't make it wrong though.

By the time mine gets out of the shop (For numerous reasons, I can no longer work on it), and I add up all the $$$$$ that was spent on it since it followed me home in 1996, I could have paid cash for a new Summit for the wife, and a used Rubicon for me....






In this instance, she's still getting the new 2014 Summit, but I'm getting a custom CJ5 .

 

[Petescj]

How does the T-90 do behind a 350?

While the T-90 is rated as a stronger 3 speed it was found behind the early 4 cylinders and truck 6 cylinder. Your going to need a stronger Transmission than that behind a 350

 

[Old Dog]

Buying a crate engine takes away the fun factor of doing it myself.

That's true. Just remember that it will probably cost more.
Also it seems that finding a good automotive machine shop these days is getting harder than it use to be, at least in my area.
That was my reason for starting with the crate motor long block (290 hp). I did change the cam though (comp 4x4 cam).
I've rebuilt enough engines in my life that the thrill is gone I guess.

 

[Petescj]

That's true. Just remember that it will probably cost more.
Also it seems that finding a good automotive machine shop these days is getting harder than it use to be, at least in my area.
That was my reason for starting with the crate motor long block (290 hp). I did change the cam though (comp 4x4 cam).
I've rebuilt enough engines in my life that the thrill is gone I guess.

We still have 2 left around my area. I'll have to get a pic of some of the cars that are outside the place Id take it to to get it machined. I want to be able to say I built this Cj , not assembled it. Unfortunately I havent gotten a response about the 350 yet.

 

[Old Dog]

I want to be able to say I built this Cj , not assembled it.

You do understand that you are only going to be assembling the engine parts and not building them right.
But seriously if rebuilding an engine is what you want to do, go for it, it's not hard to do.
You will probably need to buy some more tools, but who doesn't need more tools.

 

[Old Dog]

Pete, also be aware that race engines are built different than stock engines
so make sure they know and understand what you want.

 

[007]

We still have 2 left around my area. I'll have to get a pic of some of the cars that are outside the place Id take it to to get it machined. I want to be able to say I built this Cj , not assembled it. Unfortunately I havent gotten a response about the 350 yet.

I wouldn't worry about the one you found if they don't respond. It's a decent deal at best. If your going to go through it completely almost doesn't matter what you start out with so long as it's not broke and it's complete. Small block Chevy heads are a crapshoot at best when they're used. If they get too hot they like to crack around the valve seats in the middle where the exhaust valves are side-by-side. You might be better off with one that you have to pull because you have more brackets available to you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scooter402]

Pete, also be aware that race engines are built different than stock engines
so make sure they know and understand what you want.

^ what he said.

There are many things that engine shops typically do that aren't necessarily needed for street/trail motors. I've built enough engines that I tell them what I want, not ask them what I should do.

Also, I'll have to look it up, but there are many things you could do yourself to save some coin at the machine shop. There is an episode from the Spike Powerblock (Horsepower, I believe...this was before they changed episodes) that shows what you can do to freshen up the engine decks, the head mating surfaces, etc.

I may have a book or two laying around somewhere I could either scan and e-mail you some pages, or mail to you..I'd just have to find it. But at any rate, I'm certain if you posted up some pics of the internal conditions of various parts, there are some knowledgeable folks here that would be more than willing to help.

I personally don't like going the crate engine route either. I know, I've heard it a hundred times if I heard it once, that crate engines are cheaper than building them yourself anyway....but it's just more fun. I even had my wife help me when I built my 402. She installed a couple pistons for me. What was funny was after I had the heads torqued down, and I was adjusting the valves, she came out and said "ooh, shiny!" I got a kick out of that... Apparently she liked the look of the aluminum heads and aluminum roller rockers. Anyway...I hope you go ahead with building your own engine. It'll be satisfying, especially when you crank it up the first time. ...And every time after that, too.

 

[mtnwhlr]

The last motor I did I took the hole thing apart then took the block, crank, rods with pistons and head to the machine shop. They bored it 30 over resized the crank and rods installed the new pistons on the rods and installed the new cam bearings and I got the rebuild kit from them because they did the machine work and new what size everything needed to be. Took it all home and built it.

 

[007]

The last motor I did I took the hole thing apart then took the block, crank, rods with pistons and head to the machine shop. They bored it 30 over resized the crank and rods installed the new pistons on the rods and installed the new cam bearings and I got the rebuild kit from them because they did the machine work and new what size everything needed to be. Took it all home and built it.

Exactly what I did on the SBC that I built. It was a blast.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mstar]

No balancing job, magnaflux block,head,crank. Some might be surprised to know that not all cores you buy are candidates for rebuild.Get lucky?
sometimes maybe.I would never buy a used engine for $300.00 and send it to the machine shop and find out it's junk.If your going to do a built at least start with a rebuildable block.Then you can pickup the rest as you proceed.
Just say'in don't want somebody on here to go out and expect to get lucky buying a 40 +year old piece of scrap iron.Happens all the time. mike

 

[Scooter402]

I guess I consider myself lucky...I got a 350 block for free that had been sitting in someone's yard uncovered for YEARS, literally had to beat the pistons out of the block. Snapped off a few bolts, it was a pain to extract those...had it magnafluxed, and it was fine.

Did the same thing with the 350 block that I built to a 383. Nearly the same story with the 402 I've got. Got the 400 block pretty much for free, just traded a bunch of my old junk for it. It too was fine. Ain't skeerd!

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Mud raced and trail rode my CJ5 for years with a built AMC 304 and loved it. About 10 years in, I pulled and sold the AMC 304 to a friend and built a 350. A great, well supported swap - you won't be disappointed if solid performance is your thing.

 

[cj7inthetwigs]

For what its worth, motors before the seventies probably have better heads and overall better motors. All the smog and gas scare back then didn't help the motors.. Someone with more knowledge can chime in on this, basically like when jeep geared for mileage and not performance.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[mstar]

For what its worth, motors before the seventies probably have better heads and overall better motors.

That is a broad statement,would you care to site a specific example.
I won't be trading in my edelbrock aluminum heads for any 1960's cast iron junk anytime soon. mike

 

[cj7inthetwigs]

Yes mstar, I have inserted my foot into my mouth. Aluminum heads are nice , Actually just about all 350's would do for a jeep build. Even 2 bolt mains, as people tend to get excited over a 4 bolt. I was referring to the double hump heads which are cast but not junk by any means unless your trying to buy them from someone . Anyways , I will go sit in the corner now

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[harleydragon]

Head Guide

 

[mstar]

Yes ,I was being a bit of a p.i.t.a..Your point is well taken and yes there are some good heads out there that would work for a jeep build.I have found on my own projects that the cost to rebuild a head comes close to new cast
or alum. units.Unless you have access to a machine shop or score a killer deal at the swap meet.I did have the heads done on my V-6 motor and I had to bite the bullet as there is not a alternative.On my '67 Dauntless Buick 225 V6 I borrowed a friends hard seat grinder and valve facer and did the cheap and dirty route.It runs just fine.The alum. heads are on my ford427 fe sideoiler engine.Again I invested a huge amount of money in those cast iron ford heads and should have bought the alum. one in the first place.Hindsight.
Anyway good discussion(bench racing) and I will let the chevy experts
have at this while I step aside.Couple pics of the ford motor in my '66 f-100

 

[rr41mag]

Pete, You did me right on those hubs I bought from you. I have both books. "how to rebuild smallblock chevys" and "how to hotrod small block chevys" I will mail them to you, you have to promise you will mail them back to me. You can copy the pages you want. These two books are worth their weight in gold for chevy enthusaists