Need a 350 Education

[gt40racing]

Guys I am a Ford guy but I love the C-10/C-20 trucks. Just bought a 69 with a smoking engine. Thinking about a rebuild but also might buy a used one and slowly build up the one in the truck. What years of 350s used mechanical pumps. I love how simple this truck and I want it to stay that way...

[68shortwide]

Engi-cation? Ha. Ha. Anyone? No? Ok..... as far as the question at hand, I think all of them up to or maybe including the Vortec headed ones..idk, where's mechanical man? We need him.

[gt40racing]

Most people just list 350 with very little info.... I want to be able to drop in without a lot of drama...

[cdowns]

it is by far easier and generally cheaper way to go by buying a brand new gm crate engine

[TBONE1964]

You are pretty much safe with anything 1986 or older. The TBI, centerbolt valve covers and roller cam engines started in 1987 for passenger cars.

I had an 1987 pick up with a 4.3 and carberated so I also believe that pickups started with TBI in 1988.

The TBI blocks will not have provisions for a mechanical fuel pump, IIRC.

[Redline novdog]

step in correct me,but the only non mech fuel pump blocks were the LT1, and the new LS motors.

[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by Redline novdog

step in correct me,but the only non mech fuel pump blocks were the LT1, and the new LS motors.

Not exactly true but debatable. You may find a 1988/1989 block with a block off plate with no hole for a fuel pump push rod or you may find one with a block off plate and a hole for the push rod.

I have owned an 83 IROC Camaro with the crossram TBI's and it had a 305 with a block off plate but a hole.
I have also owned a 1989 Chevy pick up with a TBI 350 with a block off plate and no hole.

[haysonj]

I bought a 93 TBI engine out of a van it was 4 bolt mains and had all the machine work for for a roller cam and the fuel pump

[dfrank]

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

You are pretty much safe with anything 1986 or older. The TBI, centerbolt valve covers and roller cam engines started in 1987 for passenger cars.

I had an 1987 pick up with a 4.3 and carberated so I also believe that pickups started with TBI in 1988.

The TBI blocks will not have provisions for a mechanical fuel pump, IIRC.

I believe all trucks where tbi starting in 87 except for the 4.3 v6.

[stsalvage]

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

You are pretty much safe with anything 1986 or older. The TBI, centerbolt valve covers and roller cam engines started in 1987 for passenger cars.

I had an 1987 pick up with a 4.3 and carberated so I also believe that pickups started with TBI in 1988.

The TBI blocks will not have provisions for a mechanical fuel pump, IIRC.

Now we do have a problem with that one if you don't live by Mexico where GM has a truck plant and a engine plant I've seen engines coming out of there with the 1986 design in 1995.Remember Mexico is behind the times

they don't care about smog or hazzmat and toilets are not of any importance or Clean drinking water.

But I seen 1987 Chevy truck body's come out of Mexico with the date stamp 1973 all the way up to 1995 No TBI all Carb's But here in the stats 1987 still had the old motors But 1986 is your sure best.

If possible on the back of the Motor on the driver side there will be some casted numbers in the Block 3970010

Remember the 397 if that is on the back of the motor you have a 350 Mexico motors have a different motor number

Now If by chance you come across a 3970014 Block that is a high nickle black.

Most of your machine shops hate these motors cus they tear up a boring bar bad Most engine shops swap out your harden block with a cheaper cast block and sell you block to Oval track guy Or number matching guys for up to 1000 to 2500

These blocks mostly came in 1 ton and above trucks 4 bolt main.

these engines can be built to withstand over 9,000 RPM's.So they are highly saw after

there are other tricks to know these motors as well.

But the old 3970010 are good blocks been seeing guys re sleeve these motors now cost you 800.00 But the sleeve is stronger then the motor is.

So any of you guys thinks a old tired 60 over 350 block is junk think again Sleeveing is coming back.To many people like this guy wants the stock blocks back so don't junk out a wore out old motor

[special-K]

Just ask whoever you are buying from if it has the provision for a mechanical fuel pump...if they can't say exactly what it's out of. Pre-87 is what you want,in general. Never had an issue,but haven't looks in a while. Last engine I picked up was a '68 327,so no brainer on mechanical pump or not.

I like how you think. These trucks are but simple and simple is good.

[57taskforce]

I'll add that some of the Mexico tbi 350 crate motors sometimes have fuel pump provisions. It's hit and miss but I've got one in my truck.
Generally after 87 all of the oe motors went to efi, and hit and mis mechanical pump provision. I'm sure some left over inventory was mixed in but as a general rule of thumb 87+ also have the 1 piece rear main seal as well. So 86 and before is generally the old style 87-95 is the mix of the old and the new ie. The things above with roller cams mixed in here and there but non vortec heads/injection. 96-01/2 ish depending on application is all the above features but with vortec heads and injection.... Also important to note that vortec motors have crank and cam position sensors which the others do not. I'm sure year to year there may be smaller changes but these are the big things. To answer the op question, an 86 and before 350 is going to be the closest to the motor that came in your truck. If you could find an early 87-89ish tbi motor with a fuel pump provision that would be the motor id put in, you can easily swap a carb intake and hei into it and you might get lucky and get a roller cam and you definitely get a 1 piece rear main.

[michael bustamante]

Theyre actually pretty cheap. Like12.99 or around that so just get a new one or if youre being offered a good used just make sure it has one inlet and one outlet and not two outlets. My 84 blazer 350 has 2 outlets for smog control. Fuel vapor i guess