Buick 350 engine build

Getting closer. My old Stage 1 intake cleaned up pretty nicely and needed no porting for an exact gasket match. Need to look at figuring out a small baffle for the valve cover breather holes. Rebuilt distributor is on the distributor machine for testing and tuning. Will prime the oil pump before installing the distributor.

SBB Almost Assembled by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 2, 2020 at 5:05 PM

Headers arrived today. Using the Super Competition headers from TA Performance. Very nice looking headers.

TA Perf SC 350 Headers by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 2, 2020 at 5:05 PM

Header Tube SCH by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 2, 2020 at 5:05 PM

Header Collector by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 2, 2020 at 5:05 PM

 

Looking good!
Since you've been in contact with TA lately, any news on Mike Jrs car or track testing? It's good weather in AZ right now....

 

That is a good question! I’ll have to ask the next time I call.
If I can get this wrapped up pretty soon, it might potentially be the first Buick 350 build with the aluminum heads outside of TA Performance.
Hopefully many other builds will follow with these heads!

 

Good stuff!

 

Getting closer on finishing the engine build. Distributor was on the machine, discovered that the springs were so soft that the mechanical advance started coming in at 500 rpm. So that’s going to get fixed.
Pretty surprised at how much better the engine looks with the headers fitted.
A few things need to clear out at my machinist’s shop but then we’ll break in the engine and put it on the dyno.

IMG_4601 by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 13, 2020 at 12:51 PM

IMG_4602 by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 13, 2020 at 12:51 PM

IMG_4603 by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 13, 2020 at 12:51 PM

 

Looking good. Can’t wait to see the dyno #’s!

 

Nice clean reliable build! You should be able to drive it anywhere. Post a couple pics of the car for the full effect....

 

Great job!

 

8ACB841D-CB8F-497B-8625-FBBFB688D39A by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 15, 2020 at 9:28 PM

1FAD0F79-AC77-4A83-AFD4-A01252B2B90F by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 15, 2020 at 9:28 PM

16D23998-5676-412B-B4F8-93EA6D137197 by Darron72Skylark posted Mar 15, 2020 at 9:28 PM

 

Nice! Cruised my 4 door 300 miles today

 

Having a few worries that the headers might be really close to the pavement when its all done and installed. I have 2" lowering springs front and rear, as well as tall ball joints that lower the front an additional 1/2".
Guess I'll have to wait and see once the new engine is installed.

 

Being the engine weighs about 150lbs now with the aluminum heads the front end may sit higher

 

In all seriousness, though, should be losing about 90 pounds from the engine. Also doing a battery relocate, so that takes another 40 pounds off the nose. At 530# per inch, though, I'm unlikely to gain very much change in ride height, at most maybe 1/4 of an inch.

 

Got the oil pump primed yesterday. Using room temperature 30 wt break in oil and about 750 rpm, the oil pressure zipped up to 70 pounds. Seems like a lot of pressure, but then again the oil was cold. At what point would oil pressure be considered "too high?"

Rebuilt distributor seems to have a bit more end play in the drive gear than desired, so that will get shimmed a little to tighten it up. Otherwise the rebuilt distributor seems pretty good. Needed to play around with springs a fair bit. The softest set of springs were starting the advance curve at 500 rpm, so did some swapping around to get the mechanical advance starting at a more reasonable rpm.

Current snag is getting the engine to fit on the dyno; the TA headers tuck in nice and tight and will not clear the frame of the dyno. I'm sure they will be great once it is in the car, but causing a complication now. So working on some header flange extensions to get it to fit on the dyno.

 

Spent some time on the phone with TA Performance today. Mike Jr. has not taken the car to the track yet, apparently he's been busy porting and assembling heads for the likes of us!
He is driving it regularly and reports that the "seat of the pants" feel is that of a 500 hp car.

The whole idea of header flange extensions was quashed during my call to TA Performance. Mike Jr. had to modify some Chevy headers to make them fit the Buick heads and clear the dyno stand. Luckily, they still have these dyno-only headers in house and are willing to rent them to me for dyno testing. Saves a lot of messing around for me and my machinist.

Can't say enough about the service mindset of TA Performance. They truly are here to support our hobby!

 

Yep, from what I saw last spring, a class act business.

 

TA Performance people are one of a kind!
I have spoken with Mike and both Tim recently on my 350 build and am very pleased.

 

Dyno headers arrived last week from TA Performance. Engine is assembled and primed with oil. Waiting for the blown BBC that is on Dieter's dyno to wrap up and exit stage left (Dieter is my machinist) so we can break this in and do some dyno pulls.
It might happen this week. We shall see.

 

Awesome

 

I'm exactly in the same boat. I have the taller Ball joints and I'm about to install some BMR 2" drop springs.

Can't wait to see the #'s!