Talk about a bummer...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Livingston TN
Talk about a bummer...
Started working on my vette again yesterday. I decided to start installing some things I had gotten in the mail like my new cooling fans with reostatic control
and transmission cooler with its own 7" cooling fan. After this, I decided to put water in it, hook up some wires, and start and run the engine for a few minutes. After several minutes of tinkering with the distributor timing, It came to life and sounded wonderful. I felt pretty damn good until it idled down and I noticed it had a miss.
Checked the oil and found that lovely yellowish pasty looking water/oil mixture that some have come to know and hate.
Talk about a BUMMER....
So then I decided to pull the intake for further inspection and found these two beauties:
Talk about a mood killer..........
and transmission cooler with its own 7" cooling fan. After this, I decided to put water in it, hook up some wires, and start and run the engine for a few minutes. After several minutes of tinkering with the distributor timing, It came to life and sounded wonderful. I felt pretty damn good until it idled down and I noticed it had a miss.
Checked the oil and found that lovely yellowish pasty looking water/oil mixture that some have come to know and hate.
Talk about a BUMMER....
So then I decided to pull the intake for further inspection and found these two beauties:
Talk about a mood killer..........
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Livingston TN
thanks. now i'm on the hunt for another block 350 .060 over
when i bought it, the guy didn't even know it was a 350. when i got home i tore it down and sent the block to the machine shop. my machinist showed that to me and told me what it was and that it was done right. so I wasn't worried about it.
Is it possible that it made that portion of the block weaker and susceptible to future cracking?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Livingston TN
my buddy's dad has a motor that he thinks is just a core for a new one. i'm gonna try to buy it from him when he gets back in town. i looked up the block casting number, and its a 283. my buddy told me that they took it out of a 66 or 67 impala, and the casting number matches that tidbit of info. looks pretty good. even has the original finned, connected-line-Chevrolet valve covers. I believe they look like these
Does anyone think that its not a good idea to put a 283 in the vette? honestly who else is gonna know or care?
Does anyone think that its not a good idea to put a 283 in the vette? honestly who else is gonna know or care?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
You will have a lot less power. You are losing around 70 cubic inches. Why not find a 350 block. They are very easy to find and should not cost much to find a core.plus if you are planning on using the rotating assembly from your 350 nothing will fit.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 124
From: Lubbock TX
Hate to see anyone with bad luck, but it's sure a good thing you found it when you did rather than out on the road somewhere.
As long as you're looking, see if you can snag a 400...add a pair of Vortec heads and you'll have more torque than you know what to do with...
As long as you're looking, see if you can snag a 400...add a pair of Vortec heads and you'll have more torque than you know what to do with...
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 607
Likes: 29
From: Tulsa Oklahoma
350's are very cheap and plentiful around here. Don't sell your vette short!
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Racer
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 262
Likes: 16
From: Miami Florida
Agreed!.... Don't go to a 283!... 350's are all over the place... you can then have it trued and bored to your needs. From there your heads and other parts should work fine.....
In all honesty, look for a 350 and go with a stroker kit and move to a 383. It's cheap and you'll move up... not down. In fact, the more I think about it, it'll be more expensive to get a 283 in there than it'll be to get a new 350 block... IMHO....
In all honesty, look for a 350 and go with a stroker kit and move to a 383. It's cheap and you'll move up... not down. In fact, the more I think about it, it'll be more expensive to get a 283 in there than it'll be to get a new 350 block... IMHO....
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,781
Likes: 15
From: Oxford Ohio
Take the 283 and I'll trade you a 350 for it. See what your build date is and I'll see if I can come up with a block near that date, if that matters to you. Would be a good time to freshen up you internals.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
There is nothing "wrong" with installing a good 283 in your Corvette, if you don't care that it is 'down' on power compared to the 350. It will be more economical and have adequate power for any cruising you want to do. The choice is yours.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Livingston TN
Thank you everyone for your opinions. I agree that I'll be selling the vette short on power. I don't really want to go with a 283 for that reason. Around here, 350's are easy to find but everyone wants something like 400 to 450 bucks for a smoking 175000 mile engine. ( by the way, the 283 smokes a little, and is around 50-100 bucks!)
I'm running short on money after buying all the interior parts i needed. so to buy that and install for next to nothing while i take my time and build my 418HP/450FTLB guts into a new block. I think that will be the best way to go right now.
Another thought to throw in..... I originally build this motor and installed it in a Mazda pickup truck that I used for 1/4 mile. I know how powerful it feels in a 3000 lb vehicle. I have not driven this vette yet, so I dont know what to expect. With a stock 283 starter motor, when I get to reinstall my Hi-Perf motor, I'm gonna get the Seat-of-the-Pants feeling of a lifetime. Or so I hope.....
I'm running short on money after buying all the interior parts i needed. so to buy that and install for next to nothing while i take my time and build my 418HP/450FTLB guts into a new block. I think that will be the best way to go right now.
Another thought to throw in..... I originally build this motor and installed it in a Mazda pickup truck that I used for 1/4 mile. I know how powerful it feels in a 3000 lb vehicle. I have not driven this vette yet, so I dont know what to expect. With a stock 283 starter motor, when I get to reinstall my Hi-Perf motor, I'm gonna get the Seat-of-the-Pants feeling of a lifetime. Or so I hope.....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Livingston TN
well, bad news. My buddy's dad is one of those people who is "going to" do something with everything that they have, so no deal on the 283. so I'm still looking for a motor. Anyone have a motor? or a block? anything small block, or a complete big block. thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
I have a "010" 350 block which is on standard bore. 2 bolt mains from a running 1978 C-10 which had some flat cam lobes. It did not smoke a drop but will need an overbore to clean things up. I would like $75 for it. Perhaps someone on this board is traveling our way and would be willing to move it for you?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
$75 buys the bare block with main caps but I have the entire engine less some tidbits like the pushrods and rockers I tossed after I decided not to rebuild it. It's a bit heavy and bulky for UPS shipping, but I happen to have a pallet to bolt it to if you want to explore truck freight. I recently bought a low mile complete 350 to bolt straight into my project. My ZIP is 31408 for freight quote purposes, and I can load it at work so a forklift is available. Let me know how much of it you want, and I hope we can work something out.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Livingston TN
$75 buys the bare block with main caps but I have the entire engine less some tidbits like the pushrods and rockers I tossed after I decided not to rebuild it. It's a bit heavy and bulky for UPS shipping, but I happen to have a pallet to bolt it to if you want to explore truck freight. I recently bought a low mile complete 350 to bolt straight into my project. My ZIP is 31408 for freight quote purposes, and I can load it at work so a forklift is available. Let me know how much of it you want, and I hope we can work something out.
according to freight center, from your place to mine with liftgate, approx 250 lbs, approx 48 x 48 x 24 in is around 200 dollars. seems a bit steep to me. it would probably be cheaper to drive down there, but i don't have a truck
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
That is steep... I used AAA Cooper lines to get my whole engine from Louisiana to Georgia and it cost less than that. I'd guess more like 150 lbs and a 36 inch cube on just the block... anyone reading this going anywhere near TN from my area anytime soon?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
You dont need a truck to get just the block. They only weigh about 180 pounds bare. 2 guys can pick it up and drop it in the trunk. Pad the trunk well and strap it down. Have a buddy at home help you get it put of the trunk or whatever you have. If it is messy just bring a large garbage bag and bag it up.