Keeping the truck

[DanoDMano]

Well after careful consideration, and some pressure from my wife and alot of the members on this board I have decided to keep the
truck, and AMP up the engine a bit!! I really love the truck, but havent been motivated to really get going on it, but I think I am getting a second wind.

My question is this. I have a buddy that is going to loan me his engine stand and an engine puller and I want to pull my engine and tranny and have my tranny rebuilt, and all my engine MOds done.

I have a friend that will rebuild my tranny, but I want to do the Cam, intake, timing chain, HEI, and Carb. I own a manual for our trucks but havent done a Cam change before.

Is this something that is fairly easy to do in my garage by myself?
Is there any instructions out there on a website or something that will assist me?? I am also going to paint the block and put my new Oilpan on .

Just trying to get some confidence before I start. I can figure stuff out real good, but am going to have pressure from the wife to get it done and out of the garage!!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and would keep me in
good standing with the wife as well....

[lukecp]

If the 350 has 125k on it, i don't think i would do to many HP upgrades. While the motor may run fine and last awhile longer, it is proably starting to get tired, and has blow by. I would do a compression test, or even a leakdown test to see what kind of shape the bottom end is in. If the numbers aren't great, i would look into pulling the engine and rebuilding it. If they are still strong, putting in a new cam wouldn't be a bad idea.

I would go to a large book store and get a book on building SBC's. I bought "How To Build a Small Block Chevy for the Street" and i like it OK. I bought it mostly because all the pages were full color . Any good high-performance book should have detailed instructions of changing a cam as well as hopping up the rest of your motor, or completley rebuilding it if it needs it.

[Blue_71]

with the 350 in Bloo (see "Mutt 350" i bought a block and bottem end out of my friends basment and totally guessed how to rebuild it, it amazed me when i started it the first time

[lukecp]

While i have only done a head swap before, it does feel good haveing something start right up that you have tore down and put back together .
Feels alot better than paying someone else to do it, and cheaper too.

[DanoDMano]

Thanks !!!yellow72custom , I just bought the book on Amazon.

Will those numbers as far as compression and leakdown show on a dyno test? I had a Dyno done a couple thousand miles back, and the shop stated that the compression was real good.

I can stomp on it and get no blue smoke, but from time to time I will get a little puff when I first fire it up in the AM

[smokekiki]

If you kept the oil changed,and you have good compression,I would do a cam swap and intake.Change the valve seals on the heads.Might be where your puff of smoke is from,if it is oil smoke.

[lukecp]

Smoke in the morning isn't bad at all, this means you need valve seals as smokekiki stated. I would still do a compression test though....buy a compression guage from the auto parts store (the screw in type works better) and check the compression. The book you bought has instructions on performing the test, as well as normal numbers if i remember correctly....

[Yukon Jack]

Glad your keeping that truck. It is outstanding. Good luck on the upgrades.

[DanoDMano]

Man I love this place, I always get good answers, and more info than I could imagine. Is it alot of extra work to do the valve seals while I am doing the Cam???

I just drove down and got the engine hoist from a buddy of mine, and the stand will be here soon!! I am getting psyched to get this done!!!

Thanks for the help, and the compliments!!!!!

[Custom 68]

hey DanoDmano I am trying to PM you and your inbox is full.
Thanks
Dave

[DanoDMano]

I dont know why?? I have no PM's at all??I guess I need to talk to the administrator??

You can email me at Daniel.E.Ritola@Boeing.com

Thanks,

Dan

[junkyardjohn]

DANO--- CAM & LIFTER CHANGE, ALONG WITH A INTAKE & CARB CHANGE, & REPLACING VALVE SEALS IS PRETTY RUDIMENTARY STUFF. IT'S A GOOD START ON A MECHANICAL LEARNING EXPERIANCE. THERES AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. JOHN

P.S. GLAD YOU'RE KEEPIN THE TRUCK

[barn9]

Glad to hear you're keeping it, good luck with the motor upgrades! Take lots of progress pics, maybe they can help someone in the future.

[DanoDMano]

I plan on posting alot of photos while I do it, and I'll probably be asking alot of questions too!!!

[miket]

Dano....didn't know you were considering getting rid of it....glad your keeping it!

Let me know when you are ready to do this and I would be happy to help.

[DanoDMano]

Hey Mike I pm'd Ya. I dont know why it keeps telling me my box is full. I have no PM's!!!!

[miket]

I would check all of your folders including sent.

[oldiron]

Dano, before you tear it all apart how about showing up this Sunday at the issaquah triple X meet. Seet the board meeting section for details.

[DanoDMano]

I'll be there!!! Just dont mind the paint chips, it is my
daily driver and not show worthy by any means!!!

[gr8scott51]

If you are going to do valve work, think about better heads. A better breathing engine will impress you. Older Corvette .202 heads are decent.

If you aren't set on rebuilding the engine, a good remanufactured engine from Bowtie Performance in Sumner cost me $895.

All new TRW parts, with the mods I wanted (heads, RV cam, new style one piece seal, 4 bolt main).

I'll be at the XXX - see ya there. (I touched up my paint chips today).

good luck, scott