Thread: How hard is it?

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If the engine has not been rebuilt it probably will be cheapest to buy a rebuild kit complete with 0.030" oversize pistons, rings, bearings and gaskets for about $250. I also bought a new set of rods for my 350 but I forget what they cost. What I am trying to say is that it is fairly standard to bore the cylinders slightly oversize (usually 0.030" to give a final bore of 4.030"), regrind the bearing surfaces on the crank by say 0.010" under and resurface the heads. All of that requires some interaction with a friendly machine shop. Then a three angle valve job to rebuild the heads and maybe add Z28 springs along with new push rods and a new timing chain and new water pump will get you up to about $1200. Even if your cylinders are only say 0.009" out of round it is cheaper to go to 0.030" oversize because the parts are cheaper for that size. Then you need to put the pistons on the rods the right way. If you have an engine stand and work slowly you can do the assembly but I do not see how you can do it all without visiting a machine shop for an oversize bore, to resurface the heads and assembling the pistons on the rods. While you are there let them put the new cam bearings in. Also you can get a nice torque wrench from Sears, the kind that clicks when you reach the set torque. The kind of torque wrench with a dial pointer is better than nothing but not much. It is exciting to see your engine come together, but I have built three or four engines myself and each time the life of the engine was shortened by some simple mistake, so I hope I have been careful with my latest build of a 350. Also if you use the stock 882 heads the exhaust ports may be very rough and may need to be smoothed out with a grinder. Don't mess with the intake ports on the 882 heads since the walls are thin and it really does not help much anyway. Then (!) you have to select a new cam and that is where more discussion with folks on this Forum can be of help. There are many options in cam selection depending on the car and intended use! Have fun!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder