I'm planning on starting a project to keep myself from going stir crazy. I figured I'd try to replace any gasket I can reach without needing an engine hoist, and also doing some work on the cylinder heads.

I'm going to be doing most of the work on a budget, so I figured I'd do some minor porting and gasket matching. Could I just do it with a heavy drill along with some sand rolls and a single carbide bit? Also, I figured I should o-ring the cylinder heads. Would I have to use a copper head gasket, or is a normal gasket going to seal? Or, then again, is there a good pre-o-ringed gasket out there? I believe it is a '70 z28 block, and the cylinder heads are 305ci 601's.

Would it be easy, and cost-effective, to pull the cam and replace the seals? And afterwards, would I need to degree the cam (?) or do I just line up the dots on the timing sprockets?

Also, are there any plugs on the engine that I should replace? The idea is to try to restore as much performance as possible without messing with the crank and rods.

 

Eh....Just go crazy and tear into her. Come back and post your problems as you go along.

 

601 Heads? Talk about suffocating your 350. I've got a set of 083 Casting 350 heads that will outflow those 305's any day of the week. I'll give you them for $110+shipping. Email me at CScheip92@hotmail.com for details.

You were right on porting, I don't know how much carbide bits wear, you might need a few.

You don't need to degree the cam, it helps, but lining the dots up will get you where you need to be.

I assume you've already got headers/full exhaust and a nice intake? If not, put those on the order.

1500th Post!!!! Boo Yow!

 

with all the cams ive ever put in ive never degreed one. i just lined up the dots and was good to go. a good carb and intake is always good to have to make more power. id suggest different heads. 327 or 283 62cc 1.94 1.50 heads will give you decent compression and will outflow the 305 heads. id say go with a roller timing chain set or timing gear drive. then some 1.5 roller rockers and you should be making some decent power.

 

If he's going to be doing rockers, mine as well do 1.6's no? Just raise lift numbers. For a street motor, with iron heads, most compression I'd ever run is 10.8:1 or thereabouts.