Got some good news yesterday. Replacement block/crank are good so we can begin the process. What I need now is the best write-up or video of oil system mods for the 350. Or do I really need them? Larger pickup? Also need info for rear main seal? Builder said neoprene if available. I remember seeing something about a Ford 460 seal. I have two different oil pump/timing covers. Probably just use the one I had on my car since I know it was producing good oil pressure TA order so builder can get started. Cam TA-212 CAM Bearings TA1579 Lifters TA1405 Springs TA1436 Freeze plugs TA1517B Oil pump TA1507 Gasket Kit TA1705 Valley Pan TA1735 Timing Chain TA1521B Now to get my engine out the car and get top end to builder.. The fun begins
Do you have a decent timing gear set? . I drill out the oil pickup passage to 1/2 and use a later 5/8 pickup screen
What do you do when you go to order your parts and the #1 item on my list a TA 212 cam is out of stock and they have no idea when they will get more to ship out?
Crower 3 is a good cam. 18 inches of vacuum at 800rpm idle at 10* over here. With a good set of springs it pulls good past 5k, but really no reason to go much higher.
Noting here that the induction chokes out regardless of the cam anyways, and that if left unmodified (no porting, etc.) that the next steps bigger cams would still struggle past that speed. Really huge cams able to go a bit higher are much less effective at moving the air into the cylinder without induction mods.
Yeah I was looking at the Crower Cams yesterday. But it's my understanding Crower makes the cams (TA212) for TA Performance. Also if I change to a Crower cam #50528 Level 3 then I'd need the lifters, springs, retainers and seals to go along with it? Crower recommends dual springs which require additional machine work. Can anything be easy with rebuilding a motor.
Look into everything thoroughly before you commit to all of your parts. There's better info to research on the forum than accepting everything read in the parts catalog at face value. For example...would your choice in cam change if you read here that others have used a different spring not requiring mods? (Not saying that's an option for you, I don't have your castings in my lap...nor do I commit to remembering some of the minor details like that being I have what I need to cut things) The danger at this point is finding out as you proceed that there's something about your castings that makes half your parts order not work, or that if you'd gone a different direction that there would be less hassles. These mild builds ARE the easy ones. It gets more involved from there
Yeah myself and my brother both have done quite a bit of research along the lines of the TA cam, springs, lifters and such. Spoken with or messaged you guys(some of you), spoken with Tim at TA and on and on and on...I never just jump into anything anyway. My dad taught me that. I'm going to wait to see what TA comes up with. All while getting the block and crank ready. For sure I need block bored and crank ready. And either get the machine shop to do the oil mods or take the block and do them myself. So I have work to do anyway.
Another member also rebuilding. Crower Cam box in his order from TA. And he ordered the TA 212 cam http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/rebuild-the-350-at-last.330094/
Received a call from TA yesterday. (10) 350 cams shipped to them yesterday. Order going in today as I didn't have my parts list with me yesterday