I want to put a '77 4v top end on an '82 short block. Anything I should worry about?

Hey, nice place you folks got here, I could get used to this. :)


I managed (Through skill and dedication!) to run my beater '77 truck low on oil enough to melt a bearing or two in the old beast's 4-barrel 350. (Lost the oil filter. :o Yes, I am the weener, and still Champeeen! Gold star for Milky!!!)

By scrounging about, I have acquired a stock '82 2-barrel 305 that's got the intake manifold and heads off and loose for a great price: Free!

Unfortunately, the pushrods kidnapped 1 cylinder's worth of valves and springs, and lit out for parts unknown, leaving me with a bit of a dilemma, as I weant to get this motoer running for as cheap as possible.

Since there's nothing wrong with the 350's top end, could I just peel it off and drop it right onto the already peeled 305 without issues of valve clearance, pushrod length, rocker set-up, etc? Or are there any hidden but rude surprises I need to address? I'm kinda noob-ish at this small-block stuff, and this is supposed to be your basic switch-it-for-a-cheap-junkyard-motor type deal.

Except that some-one dissassembled the 305. I don't know why, as it seems nice and tight and shows little wear.

Eh, I don't care so long as it doesnt have rod-knock. All it's gotta do is fire-up and run.

So, you know any tidbits I wish I knew?

Thanks.

Milky

The beauty of the small block Chevrolet, other than cost, availability, and potential, is parts interchangeablility. Everything you can bolt onto a 305 can bolt onto a 350. Some internal parts are different, but the valvetrain, heads, manifolds, ignition, etc is all the same. The 4 barrel intake will bolt right on, and work well. And while the heads will bolt onto the 305 and work, they will not work well. Stock 305 combustion chambers are 58cc, while 350 chambers are either 64cc, or 76cc. The 76's are much more common, and are probably what you have. Compression ratio will drop like a rock, and the motor will perform like a slug. Either shave the heads, or force some air into it ;)

Hooray! Much relief!

Been doin' my homework, me. Researching casting numbers.

The Boat Anchor lives up to expectations: 355909-series, 305, 2-bolt, 76-85. No surprises.

Boat Anchor heads, much the same: 354434-series, 1.72"/1.3" valves, 62 cc chamber.

Now, the truck engine's kinda interesting. It's a 3970010-series, listed as car/truck/Vette application, 350, 4-bolt, 69-79, rated 185 HP or 370 HP. It's a 1-ton truck, so it got the 185 power on the beefy components. Which I lunched, dang it. Eh, it DID have either 183,000, or 283,000 miles on it. It got driven a LOT.

Heads are uninspiring, 462624-series, 350, 1.94"/1.5" valves, 76 cc chamber, and noted for being crack-prone.

Numbers courtesy of 73-87.com (http://www.73-87.com), where it's about trucks. None of this sports-car stuff, we got work to do.

Lovely. Maybe I'll scare up a couple valves/springs and run the Boat Anchor heads. But then, they've got those dinkum valves to run my ThermoQuad on...nah, I don't care. Truck's for sale with fulll disclosure, and it's gotta be drivable. It's a 1-ton in need of a REAL engine.

Here's a dismal bit. Not only did I manage to melt bearings, I actually...(Confession is good for the soul, Milksop. Out with it!) I, uh...managed to melt one one of the connecting rods. :eek: It stretched and deformed out-of-round right between the rod bolt and the main shaft.

I didn't know you could DO that without more damage to the rest of the motor. The pistons and bores aren't pristine, but they'tre not seized into the block either! And the crank's OK, more or less.

The motor quit running when the melted bearings interfered with rotation. It stopped rather quietly. I'd have figured the bearings would melt LONG before a steel con rod would. Lot I know. Looks like I managed to miss a thrown rod by the skin of my teeth. (I always wondered how you did that...:o)

I guess that means I have less of a core to offer up for sale than I thought. Rats. Now it's gonna go REALLY cheap.

Live and learn. :rolleyes: And yes, I AM an idiot.

And not just any old idot, either. That's right, I must claim the title of PRIZE idiot.

Buy a crank kit for the 350, general rebuild with the 305 heads. Perfect engine for the truck.