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

I'm thinking of offering the local machine shop guy assistance for my work. I'm no machinist but I'm trainable. I can certainly clean and sand blast.

 

I like that idea!

 

I just went out and sprayed another coat of WD40 on the crank and flywheel.

 

Went by the local machine shop today. He says to contact him the end of next week. Also, he doesn't need any help. I offered to work for trade on machine work, no other pay.

It will roll under its own power in 2022 by whatever means necessary. It may be an automatic 455 but it will run this year.

 

Still no call back from the machine shop. I left my latest voice mail on Tuesday.

I hate to be the guy that keeps bugging a busy man but not even a call back?

I'm nearing the point of BBB. It will run this year, even if I have to swap the 455 out of my Stage 1 car (not the original by any stretch) and get it going!

 

Somehow Greg, I don't think you're feeling the luv for this machinist...

 

When I got my motor done at Micheals Racing he insisted I call him all the time and I was thinking he said everyday, I know I called him a lot and he always kept me informed on what was going on. The best day was when it was time to make a dyno run and I got to say that it is so damn exciting you feel chills go up your back when you hear the engine make a pull....
and it rocks!

mmmmmmmmmyyyyyyeeeaaahhhhhhh

 

Glory be! I found a machine shop in Franklin, KY that seems to be able to take it. I'm hopefully loading it in the truck this morning and taking it to him. He said end of the week to determine what condition it is in and we will go from there.

 

Awesome. Good luck!

 

WOW, have any of you ever loaded a 350 block into the back of a truck, specifically a tall bed Honda Ridgeline? I did it all by myself without a hoist. I try to work smarter, not harder. I strapped it to my two-wheeler when it was laying down. Then lifted the top up and onto the bed. Next, I pushed the bottom, since half the block was already at the pivot point of the bed and slid it into the truck. Easy and no squashed discs in my back.

 

yes I’ve man handled a few 350 blocks in my day, carefully but they aren’t much more than 150 pounds. I don’t suggest it, but I’ve been there.

 

I don't weigh but 155 so it was a fair match. LOL

 

LOL I’m 170 so I understand ! I took my favourite

I’m only 170 so I feel ya LOL

My older boy tried to help me dolly a spare machined block into the basement. I told him to stand back. It all went well till we hit the pie shaped landing and the cart tipped. A little hole in the drywall was another learning experience for him.

 

Good news. The block specs out fine. Cylinders 1 & 3 had the most wear but only .004. I'm going to have .010 milled off the deck to square it up and have it honed.

The rods had 1 & 3 the most out of round and all 8 need to be reconditioned. I'm going to put ARP bolts in them. He said he would recondition them for $10/rod plus the bolts.

I'm getting cam bearings from TA. Is there a better place to get the rod bolts?

I found them at Summit for $142.99 with free shipping. ARP 124-6002.

At TA they are $139.95 but ordering cam bearings anyway?

Update: Cam bearings, ARP rod bolts, cam lube and brass freeze plugs ordered from TA.

 

Dropped off the rod bolts. They hadn't started on the block milling yet so I went ahead and upped the milling to .020. That will have the pistons .030 down in the hole.

 

So the whole time the engine sat at the other guy and he never touched it? That sucks!

 

With .004 wear or out of round, you will be adding more piston clearance than recommended after honing. Don't want an oil user right off the bat.
Think about new pistons & thin rings. You will have them made larger to take that additional bore slop out.

 

He disassembled the heads, checked the crank, polished it and knocked the cam bearings out of the block.

I may have phrased it incorrectly. I think they are .004 clearance with 1 & 3 being the worst. I'm going back stock. I can always get file to fit rings.

 

If you have it apart and I know all this crap costs a lot but I would spend the money on the better pistons you never know what the future will bring we always change our minds thru life no matter how you feel today.
It is apart use the 73 rods or the better ones being made now and the lighter forged pistons This is worth the money, even if you use a near stock cam, the engine will rev up faster and have more TQ down low with the lighter parts.

this is the time to not cheap out you waited this long..

 

You over estimate my willingness to invest in a 350. Before I spend that kind of money on a 350, I will swap in a 455. Same money, 100+ HP just for that alone. I only need a short water pump pulley and a manual flywheel. I already have everything else needed, frame mounts, headers and the running engine. All the 455 needs is a few gaskets to refresh it. No machine work.