Thread: What do you guys think about this combo for my 355

Tweet

"Cat piss meaning 87?"

Yes.

"Very nice tech very through. I have a couple questions:
The block has already been decked to what degree I dont know. Do I need to take it back and have them measure and possibly cut it some more?"

Probably not. Install the crank on oiled bearings. Snug the main cap bolts. Install a piston/rod assembly (less rings) into #1 cylinder on oiled rod bearing inserts. Snug the rod caps down. Make sure you turn the rod so that the chamfer is next to the cheek at the counterweight. Doesn't matter whether the piston is facing front or back for this measurement. Bring the crank around so that the piston is at TDC and measure the piston deck height. I don't know if you have precision tools, but you can do this with tools as simple as a steel rule and a set of feeler gauges. Stand the rule up on edge and span across the bore about 1/4" from the edge of the bore at either the 3 O'Clock or 9 O'Clock position as you are standing at the side of the block. Insert different feeler gauge blades between the bottom edge of the rule and the piston crown until you find a blade that will just slide in there with a little resistance. That will tell you the piston deck height. Be careful that you don't push the piston down in the bore after you have it at TDC. Move the crank back and forth a little each way and check with blades until you find the least blade measurement that will fit. Having a buddy hold a long bar and socket on the slightly tightened harmonic damper retaining bolt will help keep the crank where you want it to do this operation. Once you have #1 done, write it down and remove the piston/rod assembly. Now, using the same rod/piston assembly, install them into #7, #2 and #8 and repeat the measuring operation. Now you have the piston deck height on each of the four corners of the block and will know whether or not the block is square. Report the measurements here and we'll go for there.

"Also about the heads. I bought my heads already rebuilt with new crane springs. I dont know which ones they used though. Do i need to dissasemble the heads and replace them?"

Probably not. Post the particulars on the springs here. Installed height. Seat pressure. Open pressure. Spring rate.

"You said I should use a quadrajet? So I should get a square to spread bore adapter?"

No, those never work like they should. The transition is too abrupt. Use the small square bore carb.

"Finally since my heads have guide plates can i use standard stamped rocker arms. Or am I that much better off with the scorpion ones?"

Yes, use standard stamped rockers or non-rail aftermarket roller rockers. I didn't know you had the guide plates. Disregard what I said about pinning the studs. You have screw-in studs.