I have the same block and heads. So I can use flat top pistons and a mild cam, open up the exhaust side of the #8s and still make decent power? I really dont think my budget allows for all the machine work so I will do gaskets rings and bearings as long as everything looks good.
350 olds build questions..
- Thread starter TeezySupreme
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Use the number #8 heads with any of the available flat top pistons. You will have mill the heads even with a re ring and gasket. Composite gaskets are thicker than the factory shim gaskets. Even with stock pistons, with thicker gaskets it would have been at 7.8 to 1.
DONT SPEND ANOTHER CENT UNTIL YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT!
Make power on a budget usually doesnt happen. If you are planning on rering-regasket, figure on $800-$1000 rebuilt as stock. If you want to do any performance upgrades, $1500-2000 by the time youre done for a very mild build. If you want to make power and dont get carried away, $3500-5000. Be honest, what do you want to accomplish here?
ADVICE:
Decide everything before you spend a penny. What youre buying, price, etc then post it here for advise. What youre doing in this thread is great, just dont buy the parts until you have the whole combo worked out. Some of it might change, and money goes out very fast on builds.
BUILD IT FOR TORQUE!, Torque moves you, and you will like it better for a mild build.
1) Throw away your 650cfm carb, dont care what it is, its not enough. You need a 750, i promise it will be better.
2) HEADS HEADS HEADS HEADS HEADS! The power is in the heads. If you can afford to go to $5k, get a set of edelbrock heads, and the highest lift cam with the smallest duration you can find, and throw it on and go. If youre paying someone to port your heads, buy a set of eddy's, its more bang for your buck, and a better investment if you decide to sell later.
3) Compression helps ALOT. Aim for 9.5-1, you can still run pump gas. Can go all the way to 10.5-11:1 if you go with eddy's.
4) Torque converter! If youre running an auto, get a nice converter or you will never realize the power.
5) Gearing, dont go crazy with it, these engines made good torque. 3.08 is very good, 3.42 is perfect, 3.73 if youre brave, but highway isnt nice. These engines like to overheat.
Dont get carried away, because you can probably spend the same money on a 455 and have way more power. If it were me, id rering, regasket with the highest lift shortest duration cam i could find, headers, torque converter, aluminum intake and a 750cfm carb, and call it a day.
Make power on a budget usually doesnt happen. If you are planning on rering-regasket, figure on $800-$1000 rebuilt as stock. If you want to do any performance upgrades, $1500-2000 by the time youre done for a very mild build. If you want to make power and dont get carried away, $3500-5000. Be honest, what do you want to accomplish here?
ADVICE:
Decide everything before you spend a penny. What youre buying, price, etc then post it here for advise. What youre doing in this thread is great, just dont buy the parts until you have the whole combo worked out. Some of it might change, and money goes out very fast on builds.
BUILD IT FOR TORQUE!, Torque moves you, and you will like it better for a mild build.
1) Throw away your 650cfm carb, dont care what it is, its not enough. You need a 750, i promise it will be better.
2) HEADS HEADS HEADS HEADS HEADS! The power is in the heads. If you can afford to go to $5k, get a set of edelbrock heads, and the highest lift cam with the smallest duration you can find, and throw it on and go. If youre paying someone to port your heads, buy a set of eddy's, its more bang for your buck, and a better investment if you decide to sell later.
3) Compression helps ALOT. Aim for 9.5-1, you can still run pump gas. Can go all the way to 10.5-11:1 if you go with eddy's.
4) Torque converter! If youre running an auto, get a nice converter or you will never realize the power.
5) Gearing, dont go crazy with it, these engines made good torque. 3.08 is very good, 3.42 is perfect, 3.73 if youre brave, but highway isnt nice. These engines like to overheat.
Dont get carried away, because you can probably spend the same money on a 455 and have way more power. If it were me, id rering, regasket with the highest lift shortest duration cam i could find, headers, torque converter, aluminum intake and a 750cfm carb, and call it a day.
That was a great post. 3.73s are excellent as long as you have an overdrive transmission. 3 speeds are for 70s cars, race cars, or bare bones compromise builds where you do what you have to with what you got. Have you seen this young mans thread? Motor stuff doesn't really start until about page 9.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=10154
His Olds 350 build details what he did with heads & cam and includes pics. 10.2-1 compression with factory heads and pump premium. Still a nice driver combination only one that pulls hard. Who the hell wants to go through all the work and expense of building a motor to have an end product thats ordinary and boring? Yes you tamper it with common sense benefiting from those with experience. Which I commend him for as thats what he is here looking for. That said to many cooks make a bad soup. Follow a recepie of a build that accomplishes what you want and that you can make your budget work to even if its in steps.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=10154
His Olds 350 build details what he did with heads & cam and includes pics. 10.2-1 compression with factory heads and pump premium. Still a nice driver combination only one that pulls hard. Who the hell wants to go through all the work and expense of building a motor to have an end product thats ordinary and boring? Yes you tamper it with common sense benefiting from those with experience. Which I commend him for as thats what he is here looking for. That said to many cooks make a bad soup. Follow a recepie of a build that accomplishes what you want and that you can make your budget work to even if its in steps.
Bill Trovato know his sh*t. Theres a youtube video of him building a shortblock for V8TV for a turbo olds motor I beleive. I learned ALOT of info from that video. Its him assembling the motor, highly recommend taking a look.
Good catch on the overdrive, my olds experience is with a 1969 cutlass, so I forget about the overdrive option in G bodies.
Good catch on the overdrive, my olds experience is with a 1969 cutlass, so I forget about the overdrive option in G bodies.
You know I saw a 70 Buick Gran Sport 455 that was upgraded with a 200-4R at the GS Nationals and thought it was very cool. He even modified his column shift indicator to reflect the OD.
At 1500 you can maybe put a cam in and that's it. Plus clean, crack test, hone, rings, gaskets, and bearings. You could save 150 on assy if u wanted.
Pistons don't fit in your budget. Not sure why some ppl saying not to get heads. You could probably score a set for free to 100. Valve job is 300. Porting usually costs around 2k.
Lots of used headers for around 75 but can't comment on fit.
Pistons don't fit in your budget. Not sure why some ppl saying not to get heads. You could probably score a set for free to 100. Valve job is 300. Porting usually costs around 2k.
Lots of used headers for around 75 but can't comment on fit.
online170 said:
I can get the block done along with the heads for around 300 together and the pistons would be 360 but 2k for porting thanks for telling me that because it's not going to happen..
Alright, I'm getting aftermarket pistons for my build but I cant find any with the same compression height so I think im going to have to get the deck shave a little right?? and I also wanted to know if i do have to will my edlebrock performer intake fit on it without being stock deck height??
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