OK I've never built an engine but all my friends have and they say it is really simple if you just have someone guide you the first time. I think the theory is simple enough but I am hesitant to just strike out on my own. Nor would I get satisfaction if I just paid someone to do it for me. Do any of you have horror stories of trying to do it all right all by yourself only to blow the motor? Is it simple? Can you really do it just by following a book? I want the pride of doing it all myself but I don't want to blow up a motor that has taken me a long time to build after I have been painstakingly careful.

I think TH can talk to you about this one. My engine went smooth & steady. Took a while to start up though cause of a unplugged wire. She's running fine now. Label all the bolts you take off & put them in a Ziploc bag. Draw a small diagram & put it in the bag if you think you might need too. This will save a lot of bolts from being lost. Or you can buy a whole bolt & nut kit for a Chevy engine. My way was easier & a lot cheaper. Buy yourself a manual. 'Hot Rodding your Small Block Chevy' or any book will help. I, personally, got the book made by Haynes 1969-1987 Chevelle, which can probably be found in almost any auto parts store. I found mine at AutoZone. And most importantly, have fun doing it. Find out how everything works & what moves what. As my dad says, "It builds muscle...and character."

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Jay W.
In-the-works 67 Malibu
surferwagons.8m.com (http://surferwagons.8m.com)




[This message has been edited by SoCalRat (edited 12-05-99).]

Cameras help video, polaroid,take lots of pictures during disassembly and take your time...FRED

About 20yrs ago I had a friend who bought a perfect, 1 owner Blazer. He lived in a different state from me. He wanted me to remove the converter and install a piece of pipe, retune it, change oil and filter and put a gear kit in the transfer case to change it from full 4x4 , and manually select 4x4, and install lock out front hubs. We agreed on a car swap 1/2 way between our cities on a Sat night and would meet again the next Sat to swap again.
We did, I took the Blazer home, jacked it up, drained oil, changed filter, removed converter/ installed pipe, changed gears in transfer case and installed lock out hubs and let it down on the floor. Then I retuned the engine, backed it out into the street and took off. It ran great, for a couple of blocks. Then it began to loose power and after going around the block, just before I got to the house, it quit. JESUS CHRIST, G#$$@M& IT TO H#*L!!!!!!! I FORGOT TO PUT THE OIL IN!!! Oh well. Towed it back to the house, ripped the engine out, ripped it apart, took the crank and 2 rods to my machinist and told him I HAD TO HAVE THE CRANK AND 2 RODS BACK TUEpm! He did. Got new bearings, gaskets, put it all back to together, and met again Sat night with my friend to swap cars. Last I heard he sold the Blazer about 12yrs later, still running great!
I never worked so hard or so many late hours (and had to go to work each morning, including Sat) to R&R an engine before or since. I finished 6am Fri before taking it back Satpm.
Forgetting to put that oil in is in the same catagory as forgetting to put the drain plug in the boat before you back the trailer into the lake.------------------You only forget to do it once!

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Tom Parsons



[This message has been edited by DZAUTO (edited 12-06-99).]

Good story Tom! I think the moral to the story is: take your time and don't let "things" distract you. Leave the beer alone until after the job is done! Sometimes I even turn off the radio in the shop if I'm doing critical work. I was changing the oil on a Camaro I had years ago and a friend came over and started shooting the breeze. I got distracted and after I put about three quarts of oil in the motor I noticed a big pool of oil coming out from under the car. I forgot to put the drain plug back in!

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Bob (Creedmoor,N.C.)
65 Vette B&M Blown, Richmond 5-speed
68 Malibu B&M Blown, Turbo 350 10" converter

Build it yourself!!! I am only 19 yrs old, but I have already built 4 motors by myself (2 smallblocks 2 bigblocks) and helped numerous other guys build theirs. There is no greater satisfaction then hearing that motor that YOU built winding up, laying rubber, or blowing the doors off someone. Also going to a car show and knowing every little thing about your motor (cause you built it) really sets you apart and commands respect. I know I built it with my 2 hands. I dont look down upon those guys who have their motors built by someone unless they try to be cocky about it. Also, its a blast to build your motor, I love doing it and Im now working on my 3rd big-block (once youve had RatPowr, you never go back!) Get a motor book, have a good shop do all the machine work, then read that book a few times. When your ready to build it, highlight all the torque specs and all that and follow the instructions. It dosent hurt to have an experienced guy there to oversee also. Good luck and have fun!

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66 Big-Block Chevelle Houston, TX ACES#3321


[This message has been edited by RatPowr (edited 12-06-99).]

One other tip that helped me out a lot...

I bought an 'Assemblies Manual' from Year One. It has many exploded views the engine, interior, etc. There are also part numbers listed for the times that you have to go to the big chain parts stores... That really came in handy.

I purchased one before I started reworking my 1970 Chevelle, and it saved a lot of time.

Bag yer bolts! And don't forget to label them!

Good luck! Let us know how it comes out.

C. Schu

Don't rush!

Take your time, get as much information as possible ahead of time, and if you're running an automatic, don't install the torque converter wrong.

Make sure your help is knowledgeable. The torque converter was installed by "an expert." 600 miles later I had a big hunk of iron with about $6k in parts in my garage which was of absolutely no use to me.

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--Amanda :)

Proud owner of a 68 ElCam

"Sometimes the only reason to get out of bed in the morning is to wear a new shirt."

Michael, I just put together my first 350 from scratch. I followed the book "How to rebuild your Small-Block Chevy" by David Vizard. I followed this book word for word like it was my religion. I had the block in my front yard w/ the crank in. It was getting dark, so I brought out my standing light(has 2 long bulbs). As I was turning the light holder, a bulb fell out and busted all in my engine.(Not a happy camper then). There were alot of trials and tribulations w/ this engine, but it will be worth it when I'm ready to break her in. By the way, I'm also 19, and I will always be a chevyman. Long Live The Small Block..
jon

Starter Fluid. Having never used the stuff before I just did a bunch of work on the 396 that was out of my 66 (mostly the top end) for the last year and a half, i installed the engine. 2 weeks later (of weekend only wrenching), Its time to start and break in the cam. My thought was rather than having it crank and crank until fuel reaches the carb, I would use starter fluid or I guess its also called ether. So me and a buddy are both going to do this by me sitting inside the car when it starts and him watching for leaks and other dangers after it starts. I get ready to crank the engine and tell him to spray the stuff down the barrels of the carb. We go, I cranked, and with him spraying down the carb the engine wouldnt start. "Spray more" I said. I crank a little bit longer while he sprays. Engine still wouldnt start, "Spray in that barrel now" I said. He sprays for about 2 secs, "no; spay more" I said. The engine still wouldnt start after about 10 minutes, something else was wrong. Got out and looked. Pumped carb, got fuel. Must not have been getting a spark. Reread instructions for installing the new coil I bought, I didnt have any voltage powering the coil. Fix the problem in about 20min, and get back into the car. Remember all of the starter fluid we used to get the engine to start? Well, I was right about there being no spark because when I hit the key. BOOM! And it was loud as hell too! Ended up distorting a valve cover, (after noticing I for got a few bolts). Also blew the push on breather into the rafters in my 2 car garage. Probably wont find that for a long time. Lucky my buddy wasnt standing there. I didnt realize that starter fluid was this dangerous. I removed and straightnd out the cover, put a peice of tape over the breather hole and reinstalled it. We got it started and broke in the cam.the engine is now up and running fine.

Chris R.

Putting an engine together is easy and VERY rewarding. There are several things that I swear by though.

1. Just drink tea or coffee!

2. It will take longer than you expect! If you run into a problem late at night, go to bed and finish it the next day.

3. Know when to walk away if you are getting mad! Set aside a "pleasant" and clean work area.

4. Keep a "check list" near you that you can write down notes as they pop in your mind! Before you start the engine, reread the list. Put "check all fluids" on the top of the list.

5. If you tend to have a garage full of engine parts, set aside an area for the parts that are specific to the engine you are building!

As for stupid stuff (I'm human), I once was working on the engine (I don't remember what I was doing) and after done, the engine fired right up. I went to drive around the block to check it out. The electrical temperature gauge never moved!!! I got back to the garage and found out that I didn't refill the radiator. Due to the sending unit being mounted in the intake manifold, it didn't get any water passing by. I lucked out and there was no damage.

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference section
Gold Member #5

jonjon i bought that book too. Was going to rebuild a 350 untill i bought the 396 so now i'm going to go buy the how to build a big block book and add it to my collection of engine books. Hope to have my 66 on the road next late spring/summer and then once it is on the road buildup time...

I've never blown up a engine or anything yet, there was a 2 stroke engine that i did total, rod right into the side of the block. that's about it i think.

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OWNER OF 66 CHEVELLE MALIBU
Check out page dedicated to resto of my chevelle. still being made.
www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Shop/9801/ (http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Shop/9801/)
Team Chevelle # 424
Canadian Classics Chevelles and Beaumonts #393
Fav Quote: Second place is the first loser...

Now that i have decided to build my own motor how long will it take me. I know im gonna have to have a machine shop do some stuff, but once i have all the parts how much time till the motor is ready to be dropped in.

Good advice from Wes above, especially the part about walking away and sleeping on it when you get frustrated. Along that same line, when you get to a point where you are not sure about something, stop and do the research to verify what and how you are doing it. If you blow past something, or cut a corner, even if it never causes a problem later, that thought will be there in the back of your mind forever, and you will never trust your motor like you should. Always BE SURE of what you are doing.

I was introduced to one of my nieghbors over his Ford engine.

He spent a week trying to figure out why the back of the block needed a cover plate for the holes in it, and couldn't find the cover plate or figure out why the cam lower sprocket was not a bolt-on, like the flange on the crank, sticking out the front of the block.

I pointed out that Ford crankshafts thrust in the middle main bearing, and the crank will fit into the block either way, one way right, and one way backwards.

Better than watching a sitcom on TV. My neighborhood is just full of comedians. Quite entertaining, never a dull moment.

[This message has been edited by IgnitionMan (edited 12-17-99).]

[This message has been edited by IgnitionMan (edited 12-17-99).]

Michael,
Most of these have already been mentioned, if so, they probably bear repeating.
1.)Take your time.
2.)Get a GOOD book, I prefer GM's Performance Assembly Manual.
3.)Don't take shortcuts! If your machinist says you need a line bore, you probably do.
4.)Check, double check all specs, then check again.
5.)I prefer to "sneak up" on torque specs, sometimes going through a bolt pattern 4-5 times or more, increasing the ft./lbs. in smaller amounts as I approach the desired final reading, then going over the pattern again. Also use plenty of lube on CLEAN threads.
6.) Have fun! After all, that's why you're doing this, right?

I've "blown" 2 motors assembled by myself- both SBC, both flat cams. Both times, I kept screwing around, chasing the tune-up right after firing up for the first time. I kept trying to adjust out a little miss by playing with valve lash; wiped all the high spots off of both cams. Worse yet, all that metal was inside, tearing up parts and hours of careful bottom-end assembly. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif
Now I set lash carefully before firing up, and I ignore the little misses and rough spots while breaking in the cam.
Good luck...
Bryan

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'65 Malibu frame-off project(slow going!)
'70 C-20 Longhorn p/u (daily driver)