TedH

I've studied, researched and looked at the different costs, pros/cons of buying bare, short, long and rebuilding my short block since I refreshed my top-end in 2013.

My goal was to silence the valve train noise (DONE), resolve oil leaks (DONE), boost performance (DONE) and eliminate oil consumption (PARTIALLY DONE).

What I found is that my engine still burns oil; just not at the same pace. Also, with all of the leaks fixed, it doesn't soil the garage floor. Along the way, I refreshed my DART Iron Eagles, Installed a Comp Xtreme Energy Retro Roller K-kit, Comp 1.52 ratio Ultra Pro Magnum rockers (ALWAYS wanted a set of roller rockers), new Edelbrock Performer 2101 intake, Milodon pan, Canton timing cover, new Summit damper, fresh tune-up, Mellings stock volume oil pump with pickup, new fuel pump and pump-to-carb fuel line, radiator and a few other items that just don't come to mind in my quest.

But, I still burn about .5 quart for every 3-hour drive I take the vette on... and that is just .5 quart too much for me.

So, with so much put on this engine, it just doesn't do to put a whole new or partial engine in its place.

I will pull the engine, tear it down to the block and have it bored/honed out to .030" overbore, tanked, cleaned and fresh bearings/block plugs. And, I'm going to swap in a new SCAT crank with a fresh set of Sealed Power H345DCP pistons and Moly rings. I'll have the shop press the pistons onto my rods once they check the rods out and put new rod bolts in.

I will re-assemble in my garage on my stand... OR, have them assemble the short block (giving that serious consideration). I hope to have about $1,500-$2,000 in machining, short-block assembly, the crank, pistons/rings and bearings. Will add a fresh set of gaskets/seals and associated shop supplies (and a few new tools where I see the opportunity to obtain) and probably a fresh set of hoses and belts along with a slight repair to the lower radiator inlet that has never been round (it has a slow leak). may even install a fresh set of Hedman HTC headers and adapt to my existing dual exhaust.

Should be some fun and something to keep me busy over the weekends in my garage this winter.

And, I get to pull the cherry picker and engine stand out of the shed before the snow starts to fly (the cycle will go in there).

Edit:
This all assumes the block won't clean up with a new hone of the existing .020" overbore that is in it now. If it does, then I'll keep the crank and my rods/pistons and go with fresh bearings and moly rings and save the $$$ for a future engine replacement.

63mako

Those pistons will be .037 in the hole. Bad quench. These will be .025 in the hole and give good quench with .015 1094 gasket.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sl...make/chevrolet
If the price is a deal breaker these are similar. Same compression height.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...make/chevrolet

TedH

I had no idea... I have the H345NP's in the engine currently. They are the flat-top with 4 reliefs. With the 72cc chambers on my DART heads, the engine runs really good and tolerates lots of timing advance; I assume due to the low compression. Is the increased quench due to the elimination of 2 of the 4 valve reliefs?

I run the Fel-Pro blue head gaskets right now so I probably have even worse quench with the .041 compressed thickness.

427Hotrod

If you're planning on staying with 350 cubes...it's really hard to beat these old "Targetmaster" deals.

http://www.jegs.com/p/Chevrolet-Perf...52506/10002/-1

Nothing fancy, and they only have cast pistons...but for the $$$ it's a good deal. You can sell off heads/cam and put your stuff on it. Sometimes you can even find a better price if you shop around....

JIM

63mako

Distance from the pin centerline to top of piston is .012 different. The two I speced have a compression height of 1.560 and will will move the piston top up .012 over 1.548 compression height of the original part number you quoted. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/slp-h345dcp
The two valve relief is 2 CC less volume but a little better design to reduce detonation. Look at the Felpro 1094 gasket for perfect .040 quench +/_ deck variance. The better design and good quench will more than offset the compression increase as far as detonation resistance.

96 lt-4

If I were going to but a new crank I would have to stroke it.It would work really well with your upgraded heads.

Rescue Rogers

You mean last summer at Hampton beach with JKippin.
We didnt get caught but they were looking for us.

Kacyc3

post is 5 years old... doubt it was last summer.

Rescue Rogers

Thats weird. The post showed up as just being responded to
...... I was at Hampton last summer causing trouble though.....
Ohh, it's that stupid new thing that shows up as similar threads when you scroll to the bottom.. that's something we can do without.

It was a response to a thread that devolved into old time cruising and street racing

derekderek

Apparently there is a setting you can do in your profile that will stop related threads from showing at the bottom of something you're reading

Rescue Rogers

grreat...... I'll look

Rescue Rogers

thanks, I found it in the help section, quite a bit to find it

NewbVetteGuy

So glad to see it going so well and to see all the parts getting used again on a build like this. (Looks like the paint on the balancer did NOT hold up in shipping, though.)

I'm going to pass a link to this thread on to my dad (who purchased the car new from his local dealer); he'll be happy the parts ended up getting used in a build like this.
Definitely post a video of it when it's up and running!

Adam