Inexpensive 350 Build

[turbo camino]

Except that when the skinny ring thing is applied to carbureted engines retroactively, the same reduction in bore wear and friction and improvement in power is seen as in the OE EFI engines.

EFI existed before the switch away from big fat rings and they ate the bores out pretty much the same as the earlier carbed engines with the big fat rings.

[rfoll]

Except that when the skinny ring thing is applied to carbureted engines retroactively, the same reduction in bore wear and friction and improvement in power is seen as in the OE EFI engines.

EFI existed before the switch away from big fat rings and they ate the bores out pretty much the same as the earlier carbed engines with the big fat rings.

But that was before they started using moly faced rings. Somewhere in the 80's GM changed something metallurgical in their blocks and bore wear was reduced as well.

[vortecpro]

Finished short block

finished 350short.jpeg

[turbo camino]

But that was before they started using moly faced rings. Somewhere in the 80's GM changed something metallurgical in their blocks and bore wear was reduced as well.

Put a 5/64" moly ring in a L31 and I really doubt it'll make it to 200K miles. Moly is better, and better blocks are better, but the manufacturing advances for both the ring grooves and the rings themselves is really what's changed. Remember not all that long ago when a 1/16" ring was 'not recommended for street or endurance applications'?

[rfoll]

I have an L31 in my 79 Impala. My 71 C20 has a stock sbc 400 with moly rings, and my 84 El Camino has 5/64 moly rings. It's not likely any of these engines will see 200K in my lifetime. The Impala gets over 19 mpg. The El Camino the same. I don't see the thick rings as a hindrance. It's possible changing to a more modern piston and ring package would improve things other than the impact on my wallet. It's not likely the butt meter would know the difference. I'm sure at the drag strip an A-B comparison would show the worth of the better parts, but the OPs engine build is not likely to live there. That being said, we all do love our bench racing.

[vortecpro]

I got some bench racing for you, I think our 5/64 ring 350 is going to runs 10s........

[Tartilla]

Sounds very interesting. There’s nothing better than a drag test. To bad they’re not as popular to share as engine dyno testing.

Can you tell us a little bit about the test car ? And where you race ?

What is better is a dyno/drag test, and we have both here, not fancy parts here, but data to share no matter the results.

You don't need fancy parts to go to the dance. Some the most interesting things about the hobby is what motivated people can do when they don't have unlimited parts access.

[skinny z]

I got some bench racing for you, I think our 5/64 ring 350 is going to runs 10s........

Why wouldn't I be surprised?
You did say once that's it's gear and transmission /converter that count. You've got that covered with 4.56's I would think.
Being a mid 80's Camaro, as is mine, you've certainly got my attention. It'll be interesting to see how you get it to hook.

[vortecpro]

Sounds very interesting. There’s nothing better than a drag test. To bad they’re not as popular to share as engine dyno testing.

Can you tell us a little bit about the test car ? And where you race ?

What is better is a dyno/drag test, and we have both here, not fancy parts here, but data to share no matter the results.

You don't need fancy parts to go to the dance. Some the most interesting things about the hobby is what motivated people can do when they don't have unlimited parts access.

I think you understand what were trying to do here.

[vortecpro]

I got some bench racing for you, I think our 5/64 ring 350 is going to runs 10s........

Why wouldn't I be surprised?
You did say once that's it's gear and transmission /converter that count. You've got that covered with 4.56's I would think.
Being a mid 80's Camaro, as is mine, you've certainly got my attention. It'll be interesting to see how you get it to hook.

How about a update on Dave's Camaro, same exact identical 350 as the one we built in this thread.

Daves 3501.jpeg

[Bill Chase]

.

EFI existed before the switch away from big fat rings and they ate the bores out pretty much the same as the earlier carbed engines with the big fat rings.

Not so sure that is 100% accurate, over the winter have helped two friends tear into 638 block l98 Corvette engines, both over 100,000 miles, both beat like a rented mule from the day they were born completely stock. Not much cross hatch, even some skirt tabs laying in the oil pans. but almost no ridge or bore wear. Definitely nothing like the norm when taking apart 350 out of mid/late 80's tbi 350 engines. Same basic short block, same casting number, same fat ring packs all of them 2-3 owner unknown history engines both examples 100% stock. only real difference in their lives is the tbi, vs mpfi. Maybe the trucks being lugged around at lower rpm with more load, also ran down the road without overdrive explains why they look worse? I attributed the difference to the tbi and damage that occurs on cold start. At least in the stuff I have had my hands on in the past few years, the tpi engines always look better than the tbi stuff.

[vortecpro]

Speaking of L98s here's the heads.

[Tom68]

Carbs for bore wear, LPG, no bore wear.

I put fat rings in my last build, put them in my first build in '83, that short is still going.

[Monza355]

I got some bench racing for you, I think our 5/64 ring 350 is going to runs 10s........

Why wouldn't I be surprised?
You did say once that's it's gear and transmission /converter that count. You've got that covered with 4.56's I would think.
Being a mid 80's Camaro, as is mine, you've certainly got my attention. It'll be interesting to see how you get it to hook.

How about a update on Dave's Camaro, same exact identical 350 as the one we built in this thread.Daves 3501.jpeg

Update would be well appreciated! This picture is awesome. Is it from this past weekend ?

[vortecpro]

Why wouldn't I be surprised?
You did say once that's it's gear and transmission /converter that count. You've got that covered with 4.56's I would think.
Being a mid 80's Camaro, as is mine, you've certainly got my attention. It'll be interesting to see how you get it to hook.

How about a update on Dave's Camaro, same exact identical 350 as the one we built in this thread.Daves 3501.jpeg

Update would be well appreciated! This picture is awesome. Is it from this past weekend ?

YES