BUILD THREAD Street/Strip Cutlass Build: Race it, break it, fix it, repeat.

[Kwik_Cutty88]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Fresh New Look

Pulled the flywheel off today just to make sure this in in fact a 400 crank. I've gotten conflicting info. My dad looked up some web sites that said I have a 350 I have a chart that says it's a 400. I will be pulling the pan off to get ID numbers off the crank too. Here's mine

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Help Me ID This Crank!

I dont think there is anyway to I.D that crank from that photo. There are so many variations to take into account for. Did the flywheel have any weights on it? What about the balancer IIRC the 400s had a bigger O.D balancer from the factory because they were all externally balanced. Post a pic of the balancer.

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Help Me ID This Crank!

Flex plate does have the weight on it, but we put that on when we built the motor because it didn't come with one, and we thought we were building a 383, so it has the big balancer as well. Guess I won't know anything until I get the numbers off of the crank tonight.

 

[Fox80]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Help Me ID This Crank!

That looks like every 350 stock crank I have seen, could be a 305 but you have to see the rest of the crank to know, the one on the far right bottom row is 305/350 the middle is 307, the top one is a 400 very easy to notice one when you see it, the only thing is it could be an aftermarket crank then it could have any various flange designs

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Help Me ID This Crank!

That's the picture my dad pulled up, the one I have makes it loom like its a 400

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Help Me ID This Crank!

Ran the numbers tonight, sure enough it''s a 350..... 😳 I guess that's what conflicting info on the web can do for you when building a motor. Oh well. So now the motor has gone 20K miles with the wrong flex-plate and balancer, and how it did not rattle my teeth out in the car, I have no idea. But that would also explain the vibrations at 2500 & 5500 rpm, broken distributor rotor and worn out distributor, 2 cracked bell-housings, and now a few broken retaining rings on the valve seals, and a worn out gear drive after only 20K miles (there is about 4-6 degrees of free play now). At least we know what it is now. Do have an SFI certified 168 tooth B&M flex-plate for sale, as well as a Jeg's balancer for a 400. Going to order a flex-plate and balancer combo from summit soon as well as some valve seals, and then maybe we can be one step closer to actually being able to drive this again. Seems like it has always been 1 step forward 2 steps back on this car, but I wanna do it right, and it"ll be so much better do drive when its done.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Help Me ID This Crank!

After looking through one of my dad's old books that does look like a 350 crank. Which makes me wonder about all those cracked trans cases you had. IF it is a 350 and you had a 400 balancer and flywheel on there maybe thats the reason? Just a shot in the dark but it makes sense. Im very curious about this now :shock:

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Bad News.

sh*t talk about timing!!! Atleast we were on the same page :lol:

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Bad News.

sh*t talk about timing!!! Atleast we were on the same page :lol:

No kidding. I am relieved but kinda upset at the same time. Oh the joys of hot rodding... :|

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Re: Budget Cutlass Build Thread, Bad News.

sh*t talk about timing!!! Atleast we were on the same page :lol:

No kidding. I am relieved but kinda upset at the same time. Oh the joys of hot rodding... :|

I hear ya there but its all worth it in the end. But since the engine is out now would be a good time to actually get a stroker assembly. They arent too expensive.