Just thought I'd update folks as to my progress with my problem 383. My dad came over today and helped me pull it out. . . It's hanging from the puller right now as I didn't have the right bolts to affix it to the stand (I gave those away with the last stand I had). I'm taking this slowly, so I don't expect to do much with it tomorrow. I'll probably bolt it to the stand and check the lift on the cam as I suspect that, among other issues, it may have wiped a lobe on the cam as one of the rockers was loose, but the polylock was still snugged down. . . Seems unlikely the builder messed that up since he even ran it in and dynoed it. . .

I'll keep the updates coming as I work through things. My current plan is to tear it down myself and measure everything and then farm out the machine work and reassemble everything myself. We'll see how well I do at measuring everything myself. I still need to buy some tools, but I think I'll get a lot more satisfaction from going this route than just paying someone else to do it all. If I can't hack it, I can always bail and pay someone Now I just have to decide if an inexpensive set if import micrometers will do the trick, or if I should fork out the money for something like Brown and Sharpe (the American ones, those Swiss ones are crazy expensive!). . .

-dath

 

I bought a set of the import calipers for my use as I don't use them very often and had a hard time coughing up the big bucks for a one time use tool. I did look at ebay and there are some deals to be had on those kind of tools but you have to keep an eye peeled and watch all the time.

Make sure you keep plenty of pics when you are doing this job. It may come in handy later if this is your first time. I have tons of pics of every little thing I have done and sometimes they are good to refer back to.

 

Best of luck on your journey. I have been fighting all kinds of issues on my 383. Had to pull it out for a smoking issue, go through it again, now I am fighting an oil leak.
If this wasn't the matching numbers block. It would have been cheaper and much easier to buy a crate engine. Do it yourself...I wish I had. I took my engine to a builder to save time !!!! LOL it's now July and I started this in November....Mark

 

Congrats on the decision to build it yourself. You will enjoy it.
Be very careful in the purchase of "one time use" tools. The calipers I own are used for my wood working now a days. I did use them to find a bad lobe on my cam, but it hardly ever gets used for "automotive" work.
You may ,or may not, want to buy a "how to" book.
Good luck, have fun. Take your time and sometimes do it twice.

 

If you decide to buy your own measuring tools, you'll need at least;
0"-1", 1"-2", 2"-3" mics, all that read in .0001"(that's one ten-thousanth of an inch) you could also get a 4"-5" mic for measuring pistons, but your machine shop should take care of this

snap gauges(for measuring inside diameters)

feeler gauges

dial indicator w/ mag base

I'm sure I'm forgetting something

I use Starrett mics, they can be bought online, but if you buy any mics used, you'll have to have them calibrated.
You can see this adds up fast, but instead of paying someone else to do the work, you'll have the tools to do this on your next motor, and you'll know HOW to do it
Good luck

 

I have had good luck with cheap chinese mics, they seem to be accruate but may not last as long as the expensive ones but I don't use them very much so they are fine. They can be checked for accuracy fairly easy to make sure they are good.

So check fleabay you can find a good deal, I think I spent less than 100 bucks for a dial bore gauge, anyway the high performance motor I built with these mics and gauges has 25,000 miles on it and I don't even bother to check the oil level between changes anymore cause it doesn't burn any at all

 

Thanks everyone! I do have a couple of books on the subject of building engines, blue printing, and "high performance" Chevy build ups. I'll probably stick pretty close to what I already have as far as parts, but I'll likely end up with a new cam and lifters at a minimum (plus all of the disposable parts). . .

I may just try the cheap import route for the micrometers and snap gauges then. I just have a hard time justifying the more than $600 for a decent set of the imports are way less than that. I even saw one website of a micrometer sales and servicing center that suggested for the budget-minded folks who won't use them much, imports should work, but for all others, they were very particular. . .

I think I'll need all the way up to 5" since I'll want to measure cylinder bore as well. Seems like I may as well buy a 0-6" set. . .

I don't have any progress to report yet as I didn't make it into the garage for longer than it took me to realize that I should have clamped the gas hose coming from the fuel pump as I forgot about it and left one end hanging way too low (it probably fell down when I pushed the car into the garage). That was a big mistake that fortunately didn't end in a sad story!

-dath