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8 minute(s) of a 265 minute read
10-24-2015
Pulled the engine out today so I can swap the new converter in without removing the trans. Had the heads off anyways so decided it was easier this way. Was my B day today, bought another 350 to use for dyno testing with the alum heads NA before i put them on the good engine. Will be 10.5:1, huge solid lifter cam, stock rods.
No I do not have the heads but I will get the first set once they are done the prototype phase. I got an update from Mike jr today things are moving along well.
The heads are going to Torque Master Performance for a max effort porting job. And my new 350 was purchased at his location so I don't have to ship an engine to him to test the alum heads on. Before and after porting flow tests then dyno test at the end NA with high compression and big solid cam but stock fresh shortblock.
12/13/15
I also had time to measure up a Buick 350 engine I am rebuilding! It only had 35,000 original miles on it but I had to take it apart to put it in Leanne's SUV for transportation across the country a few years back. She told me "no engines in the back of my SUV on this trip"... So I took the engine apart and loaded it up rubbermade bin each day till it was all in the back:
A few years back I yanked a great running Buick 350 out of a car I was parting out due to rust... Here is the engine running in these video, it is bone stock and has 35,000 miles on it. The car was owned by an old guy and it rusted out under the vinyl roof from too much rain in the area and not being garaged.
After I pulled the engine I sat it on the engine stand, removed the plugs, and squirted in a bunch of engine oil then rotated it over a few times and put the plugs back in. This engine was stored at my parents house which is 1200 KM or about 800 miles away from me over a snow covered mountain.
Leanne and I were going back home for X mass anyways so instead of flying like we normally would we decided to drive and take back this engine and some other stuff. My truck is in the shop getting a lift kit so I decided to stuff the Buick 350 in my wives SUV. The first trick to this is not telling her it was a complete engine.... They are just "Engine parts" that happen to be a complete engine together LOL... Bought some rubbermade containers, tore it down and loaded it up.
So if you need to move an engine and don't have a truck to use at the time, steal the wives baby mobile and make it a parts hauler:
I am going to have to make a run to my little house and drop off a few engines.... 5 Buick 350s here in the garage at the house we live in....
Then engine came apart SO easy! Not one bolt was tough to loosen, they all came right out! When I pulled the rocker arms off I was impressed with how tight they are! When I pulled the lifters out they were all looking brand new even after the abuse I put the engine through, same with the cam.
The only thing that needed to be replaced was the timing set, it was LOOSE! So anyone with a stock timing set should think about getting it off and a new one installed. Keep in mind this was with 35,000 miles and it was sloppy.....
The heads looked really nice, and the cylinder bores and pistons all looked like new.
My plan is to rebuild this engine with a custom cam built for turbocharging, re-ring kit from Northern, no machine work, TA intake to save weight, and use it in my 75 Regal when the original engine has an issue after adding the turbocharger.
Yes for sure the heads will be flow tested before porting... I will have pics of the porting, information and dialog from the professional head porting guy etc... Then we will dyno an engine NA with the heads. Otherwise if I just use them on a boosted engine it will be tough to say how well the heads actually work...
Even with poor heads it's easy to make lots of power with boost.
12/15/2015
I have always planned to build a 4x4 winter beater but have never got around to it... This $500 Range rover fell onto my lap today, has the 4.6 L V8 that derived from the old 215 Buick engines. A small turbo sure would make things interesting!
Some better pics of the custom Billet Crank:
No velvet case just a girdled block to keep it all cozy!