Winter 2020 (Now Spring 2023) 350 Fresh-Up Project

It's in the girdled shortblock ready for the heads to be bolted on. No need to add counterweights it was fine.

 

My TA-212 cam showed up today! The replacement mains should be here tomorrow. Now, I just need a new clutch and pressure plate.

 

No Scotty Brown custom grind?

 

Nope, just a good old TA 212. I'm not after max performance. I want reliable and fun. If it specs out the way I planned, it should be right at 9.0:1 compression ratio. The block was decked, the heads were already shaved.

 

The 212 is hard to beat for your application

 

That's what I'm hoping for. 9:1 and and M23Z should really wake this little car up.

 

So would a 410 gear like the 1993-95 1st generation Ford Lightening trucks came with...

 

The M23Z has a 2.98 first gear. It should make the 3.08 rear gears launch like 4.17 compared to the M21 that came in it. Even an M20/3.08 improves to 3.64 with the swap to the M23Z.

Only some of the exotic 5/6 speeds have a better first gear in the 3.x range.

 

Is this Crane close to your TA 212?

 

The TA212 for the 350 lists .473 intake lift with 1.6 and .485 exhaust lift. Duration at .050 is 218/230, advertised 265/280. Lobe center 110.

So, lift is a little lower, duration is a little lower.

To get those .050 numbers to work out, I get 112° LSA, 3° advanced. The TA is 110° LSA and 4° advanced.

That cam has a lower DCR than the TA212, TA=7.94, CC=7.85.

I'd say the average Joe couldn't tell them apart by either sound or ET in most cases.

 

I ran that cam in late 90's. Hypereutec V6 slugs, .030 over,
Headers, intake, holley, mallory, mild port heads, 308 gear, 2,2k stall.
Took my brother for a ride and he said I thought you put a cam in.....
Pissed me off,... went to the Voodoo & 390 gears.

 

I just want it to pull past 4500. The old, worn-out cam was pretty lame. The lifters were badly cupped and the cam lobes were worn all the way across and down a good bit. I'm surprised it ran to 4500 now that I think about it.

With the M21, I was always skipping 3rd gear going up and skipping 2nd gear coming down. A torquey engine like a Buick 350 doesn't need a close ratio transmission for normal and spirited driving.

 

Got the new crank main bearings. They are actually shrink wrapped and brand new.

 

Perfect!
Some sets you see for sale not shrink wrapped have been jacked around with.....

 

I’m pretty sure some of the scratches on the old bearings you returned were from measuring tools. Someone installed them and checked them for inside diameter and the tools left scratches, not that the scratches would hurt anything.

 

The coating was really rough. I plan on doing this once and I don't want to take chances at the mains.

 

I agree I would have returned them as well.

 

Rotating assembly not balanced yet. I'm not surprised.

 

Even the places you pay to have stuff done don't wanna work...

 

He was working. When I dropped it off, they were busy and several things were in process. He was optimistic about getting them done last week and I was foolishly hopeful. LOL