When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
How about this motor? 355 cube motor with roller cam, 1 piece rear main , 4 bolt block, internally balanced , plus free shipping, ........................... 30 month / 50,000 mile parts & labor warranty.....................WW
I guess I should have specified that I'm just looking for a stock replacement engine. The interior of this car is trashed, the paint isn't great and I'm sorry to say it, but I just don't think the car is worth pouring money into. It's a toy for my step-father. He just likes to buy cars, but rarely has them for more than a year or two. I'd like him to be able to break even when he tires of the car.
If I were building it for me, it would be something that could handle forced induction. I have a turbo Lexus and a turbo motorcycle amongst other stuff, and I really like boost and sleepers.
Well for beginners, it has a flat tappet cam; and with the removal of zinc and phosphorous from engine oils for emissions reasons, lobe failure is always a concern. There are aftermarket lifters that are designed to provide extra oil to the lifter / cam interface...so that might be an option.
But...why not a 86 or later block with a factory hydraulic roller cam? sure it has a one piece rear seal style crank shaft that will require a newer style flexplate or flywheel, but it also has a better rear seal and better one piece pan gasket.
So I can go to the 1 piece rear main style engine with just a flexplate swap? I'll run that by my step-father and see if he bites.
Last edited by ishootstuff; Feb 9, 2014 at 08:25 AM.
I believe rollers/one piece rear seal,started in 87, not 86. Alum, heads started mid 86.
My 86 came with cast iron heads , one piece rear main
Also my new clutch ,pressure plate & fly wheel may become available real soon . One summer on them
My 86 came with cast iron heads , one piece rear main
Also my new clutch ,pressure plate & fly wheel may become available real soon . One summer on them
then you have an early 86(E). I have a late 86(L) with the Alum heads. Someone may have changed out your heads if its a late 86. I continue to stand on the statement, 86 is the last year for the generation 1 SBC with the standered cam and two piece seal.
Need to post this in the car care section.
Might send some of those waxers into convulsions!
Almost looks like a TPI Salad!
If the mice didn't chew through any of the wires, he can consider himself very very lucky..I have a feeling he's going to find a whole lot more then just a bad engine when he starts checking through everything...... WW
If the mice didn't chew through any of the wires, he can consider himself very very lucky..I have a feeling he's going to find a whole lot more then just a bad engine when he starts checking through everything...... WW
The rat did eat some wires, but he mostly preferred plug wires and hoses. The car did run after I cleaned it out and replaced the plug wires. The harness is mostly intact, but definitely needs some attention.
86 is the last year for the generation 1 SBC with the standered cam and two piece seal.
Close. I believe all '86 had the one piece rear main. My early '86 also has the iron heads, flat tappet cam. I know reportedly the late 86s got aluminum heads, but I've only seen '86 convertibles with aluminum heads.
So I can go to the 1 piece rear main style engine with just a flexplate swap? I'll run that by my step-father and see if he bites.
okay here's the deal; you'll need a later flexplate; and you'll need a later oil pan since the rear of the pan was changed to accommodate the one piece seal. That's it for the lower end.
You'll want to reuse your heads, or get early style heads; they bolt right up to the block, and will match your intake; 86 and later heads have the two center intake mounting holes rotated to a more upright position and require a different / later manifold or grinding / elongated of the mounting holes in an earlier manifold.
You'll want to reuse your heads, or get early style heads; they bolt right up to the block, and will match your intake; 86 and later heads have the two center intake mounting holes rotated to a more upright position and require a different / later manifold or grinding / elongated of the mounting holes in an earlier manifold.
I thought all aluminum heads for TPI intake bolts are 90*. This was done to all other GM small blocks at 70* in 87 except Corvette. His intake base should bolt directly to any aftermarket, or 113 head without issue.
if you look around on craigslist and at junkyards you can get a really cheap Vortec 350 which is a one piece rear, 4 bolt main, roller cam 350 that made around 250HP stock
and most are between $300-600
if you want to keep TPI you will need to put your heads and intake on the vortec engine
if you look around on craigslist and at junkyards you can get a really cheap Vortec 350 which is a one piece rear, 4 bolt main, roller cam 350 that made around 250HP stock
and most are between $300-600
if you want to keep TPI you will need to put your heads and intake on the vortec engine
that's what I would do. the L31 vortec short block is a great piece.
Close. I believe all '86 had the one piece rear main. My early '86 also has the iron heads, flat tappet cam. I know reportedly the late 86s got aluminum heads, but I've only seen '86 convertibles with aluminum heads.
yes,86 is one piece seal with cast iron or aluminum heads.
Man, I don't think I could have gotten past that when I first opened the hood! Where was this car parked, and for how long to get it to look like that? What did the rest of the car look like to make you even want to make an offer to buy it? Any more pictures?
so did mine, but it is an early serial number, and I think it came with the aluminum heads that were recalled for the few early 86 cars that got them.
my tires always hit the fenders till I put alum. heads on it.
then it rode different. I think the spring was calibrated for the lighter heads.
No way of knowing, the guy I got it from bought it from his neighbor's wife after the guy died, and it was just a couple years old then.
I got no paperwork with it, but the guy I got it from said his wife paid for everything, then threw away the receipts after 12 months if there were no issues with the past year's service or parts.
Well for beginners, it has a flat tappet cam; and with the removal of zinc and phosphorous from engine oils for emissions reasons, lobe failure is always a concern.
I run Rotella T diesel oil in my flat tappet sbc's. Supposedly it still has all the good stuff still in it. I'm about to break in a Lunati Voodoo h.f.t. and I'm going to run 10w-30 Rotella T, along with a bottle of ZDDP (zinc) oil additive.