Buick 350

[307 Regal]

This channel is also an excellent source of knowledge: https://www.youtube.com/@mr.roddersneighborhood2740

 

[Street Sweeper22]

I’m getting an engine stand today but I took off the valve cover and it doesn’t look bad to me. I’m no professional though.

 

[Bonnewagon]

That is a pretty clean engine. Definitely has pushrod oiling. IIRC there was an oil pump kit that not only supplied new gears, but also several oil pressure relief springs. That way you made it a high volume pump and were able to change the pressure relief spring to get the pressure much higher. I remember my first 1968 Pontiac 350. The idle oil pressure spec was 8 psi! GM finally wised up and soon a 30 psi pump was standard. I only use a 60 psi pump. My 2000 Jeep 4.0 still specs 13 psi as 'normal'. Yikes!

 

[ELCAM]

So far it looks pretty good for a 40+ year old engine. Looks like it has a broken valve cover bolt.

 

[MrSony]

Judging by the rockers and the intake with the air injection ports that's indeed a mid 70s 350. So you won't have to deal with converting to pushrod oiling as it already is. If the engine is that clean, id just say regasket the thing, check a couple bearings (7 and 8 rod bearings specifically as they're the last to get oiled and the first to go), add a TA dual groove front cam bearing, make sure the oil pump is in spec, and send it.
Buicks eat the front cam bearing after a while so upgrading to the TA cam bearing that has grooves on the backside and relocated oil holes is a good idea. Make sure you follow the directions and set the oil holes at 7 and 3 o clock with the engine right side up, and the bearing is inset fully. It shouldn't be flush with the block face.

 

[Street Sweeper22]

Judging by the rockers and the intake with the air injection ports that's indeed a mid 70s 350. So you won't have to deal with converting to pushrod oiling as it already is. If the engine is that clean, id just say regasket the thing, check a couple bearings (7 and 8 rod bearings specifically as they're the last to get oiled and the first to go), add a TA dual groove front cam bearing, make sure the oil pump is in spec, and send it.
Buicks eat the front cam bearing after a while so upgrading to the TA cam bearing that has grooves on the backside and relocated oil holes is a good idea. Make sure you follow the directions and set the oil holes at 7 and 3 o clock with the engine right side up, and the bearing is inset fully. It shouldn't be flush with the block face.

Ive r & r engine and trannys before but I’ve never messed with the internals. I understand what you are saying but I have never done it. It’s kind of intimidating

 

[Bonnewagon]

Maybe best to leave it alone then. A rare Buick 350 is not what you want to 'learn' on. But I do urge you to at least do the oil pump kit. If you had it running and the oil pressure was fine, then no harm in leaving that alone too. But both my 350s needed help in the oil pump department.

 

[Street Sweeper22]

Maybe best to leave it alone then. A rare Buick 350 is not what you want to 'learn' on. But I do urge you to at least do the oil pump kit. If you had it running and the oil pressure was fine, then no harm in leaving that alone too. But both my 350s needed help in the oil pump department.

Don’t get me wrong, I can take sh*t apart with the best of them Lol. Seriously though I really don’t have any specialty tools either. I was watching vid on the oil pump and I’m pretty sure I can do that even though it does look like a pina!

 

[350Regal]

If I see it correctly that's a 78' head in the picture, it's a smog engine has the air setup. I think my engine has 73 for casting year on the bottom of block.
see if yours has something, And if you take intake off the bottom side has the casting year as well. But if all correct should be a very good build project. Josh

 

[MrSony]

Ive r & r engine and trannys before but I’ve never messed with the internals. I understand what you are saying but I have never done it. It’s kind of intimidating

Just carefully take pictures and mark where everything goes. People say pushrod location matters but it doesn't. Only things that must be put 100% back where they we're are the lifters.