Engine building
 

I noticed a lot of you guys build your own engines (well of course kinda..) so i thought id ask u..

How am i supposed to learn how to do engine work? Theres no class at my school(well there is one, but it requires me to drop everything else except core classes and that just isnt an option this year), my parents dont do it, and i dont know anyone that does it lol.. it seems like im just kinda out of luck.. I really want to learn how to build my own stuff but it just seems really impossible at the time

Re: Engine building
 

Im sure you know somebody, or will find somebody(s) that love that kinda stuff. Just ask around at the parts stores, neighbors etc. You will run into sombody. There is probably a member nearby you in TX, we have alot o Texans in here..

Re: Engine building
 

Hands on,that has alot to do with it,it never hurts to own some books about things either.

Re: Engine building
 

Well the only option i really see is to just save up and buy my own stuff and learn how it all works. I have a job now saving for a truck, but still id just like to learn.

Re: Engine building
 

go to a speed shop/garage and ask if they need help sweeping floors etc,tell them your willing / want to learn how to build engines.Get your foot in the door and perhaps it will lead to an apprenticeship.Thats how life used to work years ago,maybe it will still work today,you don't know without asking.

Re: Engine building
 

I agree....get yourself a couple books. Anything written by David Vizard will be very good info to learn from. And if you're like me, actually seeing some things is beneficial, so look for a DVD or two. And al mentioned, there are a lot of members here from texas, so I would be surprised if there isn't at least one member close to you.

Re: Engine building
 

Probably out of line , but PM Conroe trucker . He is in your area and can probably head you in the right direction .

Re: Engine building
 

Thanks guys, appreciate the suggestions.. still working on getting the money to buy anything but i want to know something before i just jump in ya know..

Re: Engine building
 

Go to a junk yard and buy a SBC then tear it down then put it back together while you are reading through some books. I pretty much learned everything from hands-on experience, magazines, books and some friends putting our heads together to figure stuff out. Just dig in, get the hands dirty and do it. Remember some auto parts store will loan out tools.

Make sure you stay in school and get a good job though because then you can buy the nice tools and parts for the truck. Good Luck and glad to see you are interested in doing your own work.

Re: Engine building
 

How much would it cost to do something like that? Because if i did that, then i suppose i could just build it up nicely then find a truck to drop it in later on

Re: Engine building
 

If I were you i would look for a vortec 350 that is worn out or has bearing damage. Those heads crack easy but those engines make good power and have roller cam shafts and good rods. You might check with your local gm dealers you can probably pick up a buildable core for 2 or 3 hundred dollars.

Re: Engine building
 

hey man, i was in the exact same boat as you. My family doesnt know anything about engines (they know how to change the oil haha). I wanted to take auto tech badly but my schedule wouldnt allow it. I did however get to take machine tool which allowed me to race the schools 79 camaro and i learned a tad about engines during that. Almost everything i have learned though has been from the internet. Im 18 and just built my own motor for my truck and it runs great. All i can say is do all the research you can online and figure out what your budget will permit. Building an engine can also get very pricey fast so expect to pay a little more than what the parts should add up to be. And the feeling of knowing you can build a motor is fantastic. Good luck with whatever you do!

Re: Engine building
 

Sounds like it could be something to look into.. If i were to do this, do you mean ask a dealership? and how much would it cost to make something like that decently fast? Im not expecting to be done with anything quickly so i dont mind waiting longer to make more money and stuff.. BTW i know this is a dumb question but what era is the vortec engine? did those start on the 88-98s?

EDIT: also any links of stuff to look at with these.. idk the difference between older and vortec, except vortecs were fuel injected and not carbureted right? Is fuel injection better or what?

Yeah, it does kind of suck. I'm just working right now and trying to figure out a plan for a truck at the moment. Thanks for the support

Re: Engine building
 

okay did some of my own research DJ lol.. So the vortec is only refering to the heads? or something like that.. read that in a thread when i searched.

Re: Engine building
 

Vortec heads came out in 96. I would run an aftermarket intake for a carb with those heads. Vortec motors have really good rods. They have roller camshafts and one piece rear main seals. You need to go to a chevy or gmc dealership and ask a mechanic or a parts guy if they have any buildable vortec core motors. If you can't find one there you can check local salvage yards. If you have a pull-a-part type salvage yard you may find a good engine cheap. the easy way to tell if an engine is a vortec is to look at the intake bolts. On a vortec intake you only have 4 intake bolts on each side and if the engine is sitting like it would be when running they aim straight down to the ground.

Re: Engine building
 

Alright, thanks for all the info man.. any suggestion as to how much id need saved up before starting something like this? I read some article of a budget build, and i plan on buying a few books on smallblock chevy motors

Re: Engine building
 

What are your plans for the truck?

A lot of people do the truck first and the engine last.

When we are building a truck we get everything done before we tackle the engine and transmission.

Some people are natural mechanics and some are not. I buy books and do research before I tackle any kind of project, then ask others that have done it and then I attempt it.

You have found one of the greatest resources I know of for working on these old truck-this forum. There are some real experts on this forum, I have learned a lot from them.

See it is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks so to speak, I am in my early 60's. I did not start working on these old truck until a couple years ago.

I have helped build 4 engines now and I am confident I could do it myself with the right tools. Like said before a lot of the speciality tools can be borrowed from places like Auto
Zone and O'Reilly's.

The least expensive engines to build is the 350.

Good luck on your venture and don't hesitate to ask questions here.

Re: Engine building
 

If you are not in a hurry you can just buy an engine stand and a core and learn as you go.
If you buy a stand get a four leg stand. You need to shop around for the stand and the motor. I would think you could get started for a few hundred bucks.

Re: Engine building
 

Mayhem, how has your search been going ? where abouts in Conroe ?

Re: Engine building
 

If you can find the right yard they might mount it on a stand for you and let you be the wrencher and help you through it just for kicks and them get that free labor!

Re: Engine building
 

Don't forget about craigslist when looking for an engine to build. A couple weeks ago I picked up a complete Vortec 350 with the wiring harness and PCM for $100 You won't need the wiring harnses and PCM, but that is just an example of what you can find if you know where to look and aren't in a big hurry. As mentioned above you could check with the service department at your local GM dealer, but you will be paying the normal core charge for a builder engine, which will likely be $200 +

Re: Engine building
 

I thought the Vortec engines & heads came out in 1987 and newer?!

Might be wrong but thats what I was thinking them came out.

These are the Gen II engines correct?

Re: Engine building
 

One piece rear main seals and roller cams came out in '87, but vortec motors started in '96. These are both still Gen 1 engines. The Gen II motors (LT1/LT4) were started in '92 in the corvette.

Re: Engine building
 

That's a common misconception. Some guys think that any head with centerbolt valve covers is a Vortec head......not so. The L31 Vortec engines that are referred to here were produced from '96-'99 in the trucks, Suburbans, Blazer/Tahoes and in the Express and Safari Vans from '96-'02. The engines produced after those years are still referred to as Vortec engines, but they are the Gen III engines. Those are also commonly referred to as the LSx engines.

Re: Engine building
 

Well im mainly interested in engine building, then truck building.. so id rather just do the engine first

Thats kinda what i wanted to do, and im not in a big rush because its not like i have anything to put the motor in anyway


I actually live in Willis, but conroe is more known so i put that.. and i have just been doing research as of now..

Re: Engine building
 

Books, internet, and hands on. Whenever you have a question, just type it in search or ask on the forum. Good luck!

Re: Engine building
 

If theres a dragstrip near you go out and talk with some of the racers.Ask who build there motors.If they say they do watch them for cpl weeks if they run decent don't break all the time.Then go talk with them.I know I love helping guys out who want to learn. IMO I feel its kind of a responcablity to pass along knowledge and help keep this sport/hobby growing.You will find that other feel simular

Re: Engine building
 

:agree: