This actually started in another post but herre it goes. I have a 350 010 020 block we were planning on building it into a 383 unfortunatly we have found a suspected crack on the ouside of the water jacket 3/4th the why down toward the lifter gallery structurally the machinist doesnt think it will affect the block we do not know if the block leaked. We have a compromised block that I really dont want to invest money in and do to the book this is the start of a low low doller build. The block has been cleaned and inspected where questionable with magneflux(ie crack) my choice is to scrap the block or build it and hope for the best. Currently I spent $40 for the block and $75 for the inspection/cleaning. I told the machinist to bore and cheap hone the block $150.00 no decking or anything else. He said he will epoxy the inside of the water jacket for free. I plan on hard blocking the block (short fill) to cover the crack area. Some of the parts I am planning on using and I have already are a 305 crank and rods 305 heads(79) or 400 heads(72) I had both on running engines and both seemed fine but are now disassenbled I think the 400s are 862s. first two questions is it possible to get 350 pistons light as the original 305pistons to achieve balance or is this just totally wrong? Which heads would perform better? The goal is 400 hp before it explodes .

 

The crank can be balanced by adding weight to compensate for the 350 pistons. The heads you are planning to use are not power makers. Get a set of Vortec heads, they are very reasonable and flow as much as LT1 heads.

 

I found an eagle cast for $175 or a used 350 one for $20 that might need turned. Adding malley is to expensive. It is to much $ to have it balanced I am going to make a rod balancer do some calcs /weights and go from there . Ill look for a set of vortecs I think I know where there is a set. Thanks

 

About $ 150 to balance, The real trick is balancing the crank. You can do Your own piston balancing, A V8 engine is balanced this way.
Piston+Pin+Rings+Small end of Rod X 1
Big End Of Rod + Rod Bearings + 2 grams of Oil X 2
Take the total Grams of the combined figures and add a fixture called bobweights to the crankshaft rod journals with the harmonic damper and flywheel attached and spin it in a crankshaft balancing machine. A strobe light flashes to where the weight needs to be added or removed.
As You can see, it's not for the novice or for that matter, anyone without a $ 20,000 balancing machine. It's a very vital part of proper engine building. If You are changing any parts in the rotating assembly, a balance job is necessary.

 

Pete, Vortec heads don't even come close to flowing like an LT1 head, LT1's flow 195 - 205 cfm @ 28" stock. Vortec's flow about 165-175 @ 28". These numbers are by physically testing a good number of both. The flow rates at full lift reflect the variance throughout the entire range. I've seen bogus numbers put in publications. Don't believe everything You read.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: uncle bill

About $ 150 to balance, The real trick is balancing the crank. You can do Your own piston balancing, A V8 engine is balanced this way.
Piston+Pin+Rings+Small end of Rod X 1
Big End Of Rod + Rod Bearings + 2 grams of Oil X 2
Take the total Grams of the combined figures and add a fixture called bobweights to the crankshaft rod journals with the harmonic damper and flywheel attached and spin it in a crankshaft balancing machine. A strobe light flashes to where the weight needs to be added or removed.
As You can see, it's not for the novice or for that matter, anyone without a $ 20,000 balancing machine. It's a very vital part of proper engine building. If You are changing any parts in the rotating assembly, a balance job is necessary.
[/quote

Are the stock 305 rods and crank a good idea or should I look to aftermerket I have them still in the engine, I can get a used 350 crank (cast) for $20 but it may need turned and would you have it magged, last time I checked turning the crank was $80 and maging was $25 looking at this for a few more dollars I could get a eagle cast crank. Resizing and balancing the rods also follows the same path. I am just trying to find the cheepest route to 400hp and I do prefer it will hold together for a while at least .

When GM balanced the crankshafts were each balanced the same per engine type or were they balanced individually per engine?

 

If I were to use a lt1 or a vortec head would I need to use a different manifold than the older small blocks?

 

You'll need a Vortec specific intake Griff. I Ted says the block will hold up he wouldn;t steer ya wrong but I wouldn't use a power adder on it till late in the season if ya had any intention. The trouble may be if it froze an cracked is there another inside somewhere he may not see. I'd find another block, call Fenton or Dan Sorg, either may have a good block an are cheap.. Where's that 400 block ya been doing?

 

The 400 is in the car I have to have a wiring harness made with the switches and stuff my brother is coming in for the holiday he is better with the wiring stuff . Ted said the crack was prob there since new and he would not be concerned with it to much but I didnt think of the freezing though because he said it looked lik a factory flaw Ill have to ask him about that again on monday if he didnt already bore it.. Stephys shop is very nice and Ted seems to be a sharp guy. This is just a two bolt block that we are going to put together as cheaply as possible sort of an experiment. The next serious engine is going to be a big block or the LS1 iron truck block. I was trying to find a 57 wagon for a street cruiser to put the 350 in but havent had much luck.

I need to make another alternater bracket and get a different radiator among a few other things for the Camaro to be ready to race that bad azz Chevy 2 of yours in the spring..I still get two lengths and no N2O right????

 

Got the 350 back from the machinist needed to be bored 40 over so Ill need to get a set of pistons still deciding on using the 305 rods or getting a set of eagles ( the machine shop said it would be cheaper to use the 305 rods) DAZ28 gave me a 350 crank for the project,(thanks again, I see you finally posted your times... very nice)....... The cost so far is $40.00 block, $75.00 cleaning, $200.00 boring, honing installing freeze plugs and cam bearings. The machinist mentioned a good point the 400 heads I have dont have hardened seats it would be #$120.00 to have them installed,cheaper to look for a set of heads than rebuild the ones I have. Do the LT1 heads require a specific intake or are they standard smallblock?