Can't decide. stock 350 or 403! help

[brian_wms]

I have a dual setup with 40 series flows but its running through a cat. Will i gain anything with a cam?

 

[CHRIS.O]

Of course you will. Cam and cylinder heads are pretty much the horsepower determining factors.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Remember the 307 HO set up basically had a real balancer, dual snorkel air cleaner, dual outlet exhaust behind a horrible converter. The main power adder was the hotter cam and valve springs. It was worth 40 hp, regular 307 had the same pathetic cam as the 403.

 

[brian_wms]

So the list for me is:
1. engine re-ring kit
2. 307 HO cam
Do i have to change the lifters?

 

[CHRIS.O]

What are you trying to do? You said rebuild at first. Now you are talking about buying a re ring kit. So are you overhauling it with new rings, cylinder hone and new bearings or are you rebuilding it with new pistons, bearings, crank grind, cylinder bore, etc? Either way yes you need new lifters. You should buy a camshaft kit with new lifters in the box.

 

[beeterolds]

So the list for me is:
1. engine re-ring kit
2. 307 HO cam
Do i have to change the lifters?

Better yet.. save you pennies and do a compression test first.. IF all the cylinders are close to even and make good squeeze to hell with building it...

check the compression and check your bearing clearances.. sometimes if your cylinders are tapered, you don't done bore them to straighten them out your doing more harm then good.. a rering is a bogus rebuild.. unless the walls are straight of course...

But even older higher mileage engines with some taper even maintain a good ring seal and this should be your starting point...

If your going to leave it stock see if it even fires, whats it gonna hurt?? and if it does and its healthy, clean it, gasket it, paint it and run.. Trust me. I wasted too much money on doing sh*t I never needed to

 

[brian_wms]

The guy claim it was good. Compression was good. he told me if was him he would just but new gaskets and maybe rods and main with a new pump. It's been sitting a while

 

[olds307 and 403]

You could run it as is. As said above, new lifters are needed. Don't forget a new timing set, degreeing it in wouldn't hurt.

 

[CHRIS.O]

If your going to leave it stock see if it even fires, whats it gonna hurt?? and if it does and its healthy, clean it, gasket it, paint it and run.. Trust me. I wasted too much money on doing sh*t I never needed to

Absolutely agree with this.

 

[brian_wms]

Just dont want regrets down the road with smoking, using oil, etc.