"Which" 350 is the One?

[LtBest]

Hi all,

What have the folks who put in 350's used?

So I've heard and read that installing a Chevy Small Block 350 is the better way to upgrade from my old i6 to V8 power, and not going with the AMC 304.

However, when I called my local used engine shop nearby they asked 'Which 350 are you looking for?'

I was stunned because it hadn't occurred to me that they were different.

I'd like a carburetor simply because converting the jeep over to Fuel Injection seems to me to be as likely as organizing a 3 stage satellite launch from my garage. Its a giant, scary question mark in my head. I'll cross that hurtle if I must but based on the Shop's inventory it looks like I'm going Fuel Injection.

So, do I want a Pick up engine? Malibu? Police interceptor. . .. mmmmm. Impala? so on and so on.

 

[mtnwhlr]

What I know about the older 350s is you have two kinds a high performance one that has 4bolt mains and bigger valves in the heads and bigger cam and the standard ones that have 2bolt mains, smaller valves and cam.

 

[Kilo19]

So 4bolt = better then 2bolt?

Looking at the same situation.


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[Old Dog]

I'm not good with wireing or computers so I wanted an old style 4 bolt main and no computer. Everything in the junkyards had bunches of miles on them and would need to be rebuilt. My answer was to buy a crate motor and than put a Howell TBI set-up on it. That fit my budget the best at the time.

 

[mtnwhlr]

Yes it's a lot stronger and can handle higher rpms and stuff like blowers. turbos and the like.

 

[thiswontbetooexpensive]

So 4bolt = better then 2bolt?

Looking at the same situation.


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4 bolt is made to handle the stresses of higher horsepower and torque. Hence the larger valve sizes and other stuff. Makes oilfield hands like me happy, happy, happy! Get a big 900cfm 4 barrel carb too. Bigger if they make it! Put pipes on it an make em talk! LOL!

All BS aside, cost to acquire and maintain is different too, just a matter of choice. And transmission/differential availability if you drive like me!


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.

 

[Old Dog]

4 bolt is made to handle the stresses of higher horsepower and torque. Makes oilfield hands like me happy, happy, happy! Put pipes on it an make em talk! LOL!

I'm proud to help keep a fellow american working.
Horsepower and torque makes me happy too, kinda rough on the wallet though.

 

[CJ]

A 4 bolt main cap small block GM engine has nothing to do with the intake or exhaust valves in the heads...

 

[mstar]

Just a couple general suggestions.Do a lot of research on the engines.The combinations for SBC engines are endless.Will you have to pay someone to do the work.If it where me I think I might look in to a low mileage wreck with all the computer stuff and wiring.Lot of companys making parts to make the fuel injection doable.Ihave had several cj5s with sbc w/ carbs and they where ok,but....fuel injection would be my choice.Check NOVAK and Advance Adapter ,their are others.Someone will correct me on this but I believe most of the late model engines are 4 bolt with roller cams.
mike

 

[Scooter402]

A 4 bolt main cap small block GM engine has nothing to do with the intake or exhaust valves in the heads...

This.

There are many many many many different iterations of the 350 small block out there. There were 4 bolt main truck blocks that had anorexic heads, dished pistons, and open chamber heads with dinky 1.72 intake valves (which bring the suck for any kind of power, BTW) just so you could make a good bit of torque on the low end at ~2000 rpms.

On the other hand, there were 2 bolt blocks in cars that had the bigger, more desireable 2.02 intake valves, flat top pistons, closed chamber heads (approx. 64cc's) and didn't do great on torque, but had a pretty decent (for stock, anyway) horsepower peak at about 5500 or so rpms. Then there were also every other combination in between.

2 bolt blocks aren't necessarily bad...I put a 2 bolt 350 in my first Jeep. I put a set of flat top pistons in it with 64cc heads, a decent torquey cam, an Edelbrock dual plane intake and a 600 cfm carb. I couldn't ask for a better combination for a street/trail jeep.

My setup now is a SBC 400. Now, some cringe at those because of their short rods, low compression, and crack-prone heads. Well, mine is a far cry from stock... But that's another thread, and a whole different story.

Your best bet would be to just dive in and build your own engine. That way you KNOW exactly what is in it, and you can guesstimate what kind of power it puts out, unless you do actually plan to dyno it.

Also, doing an EFI conversion is pretty simple these days. In my CJ, I had a 383 stroker in it at one point that I put a Corvette TPI setup on. Had gobs and gobs of torque, but a low horsepower peak, since TPI was typically set up for a 305 anyway. A TBI conversion is even more simple. if your budget allows, an aftermarket EFI setup is literally plug and play, and also self tuning on most accounts. I'd recommend something like a Powerjection III unit. They are relatively inexpensive compared to others.

But at the end of the day, when you're thinking of what engine to put in -- truck engines would typically have more torque, less horsepower. Car engines generally are the other way around. Just depends on what direction you want to go. I've built every engine I installed myself. It's not exactly a rocket science, but it does take a good bit of thinking and matching components.

 

[CJ]

~~~On the other hand, there were 2 bolt blocks in cars that had the bigger, more desireable 2.02 intake valves~~~~

Look for the camel bump!

 

[Scooter402]

Someone will correct me on this but I believe most of the late model engines are 4 bolt with roller cams.
mike

I'm not certain that they all were 4 bolt, but most of the later model (now, someone correct ME on this ) say, 95+ did all (or at least most) have hydraulic roller cams. Now, when you get up into the LS style engines, they actually all have 6 bolt mains.

Trying to find an LS1 would be expensive. But, if you find an LQ4 or LQ9, and so on, they aren't quite as expensive. Those are built exactly the same as the LS style, but have a cast iron block instead of aluminum. You can put the LSx heads on them, same with the intake, cam, etc. And, if you can score it with the harness and computer, all the better. Those can also be retrofitted with a carb, but you still need an ECM to run the ignition. May as well leave it EFI at that point. If I ever have the budget to build another engine, it will likely be an LS style...I'll just get a 6.0L truck block so it's cheaper.

Are we overloaded/confused yet? :booze:

 

[Scooter402]

Look for the camel bump!

Exactly the ones I had in mind! Good ol' camel hump heads.

 

[CJ]

Exactly the ones I had in mind! Good ol' camel hump heads.

Yep - old 2.02 cast irons... Yowza!

 

[CJ]

Just an FYI - Chev has changed small blocks so much that I believe that they deserve their own page!

Chevrolet small-block engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nuff said!

 

[mstar]

I have the HT383 sbc engine w/Bosch port fuel injection in my 22' jet boat. It is one sweet running machine with lots of torque.They start with the GM crate engine and put the marine stuff on it.Any way you go looks as though you will get plenty of help from the guys on this forum. MIKE

 

[red dog seven]

This.
Your best bet would be to just dive in and build your own engine. That way you KNOW exactly what is in it, and you can guesstimate what kind of power it puts out, unless you do actually plan to dyno it.

Couldn't agree more...Stay with a 1st generation SBC 350, they are simple, abundant and rebuild kits are cheap cheap cheap. This way as Scooter402 said you know what you have and it's a good way to learn all about the SBC.

 

[Kilo19]

Excuse my ignorence but what does SBC stand for


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[mtnwhlr]

Look for the camel bump!

The new heads are way better than the camel bump ones and can be used on the old blocks. A buddy of mine has a 4bolt block with the new heads in a '67 RS. It's real nasty.

 

[red dog seven]

Excuse my ignorence but what does SBC stand for

Small Block Chevy