5SPD350
Newbie
From ideas of an LS swap, to a Vortec TBI, back to an LS Swap, now I'm considering just going Carb for simplicity and cost.
While looking into a steering problem on my truck recently (happens to be the steering gear and pitman arm which I'm going to replace with the sport ratio gear box), I noticed a leak. I found that my intake manifold gasket was dripping antifreeze in the drivers side front. So I bought an entire Head gasket/intake gasket set and pulled the heads and put it all back together. The head gaskets were also gone in some areas. While apart the TBI horns/ridges were ground down and radiused into the bore and polished. The intake manifold was also gasket matched as there was a lot of casting left to be taken out safely. After putting it back together and a little trouble getting the timing right, it runs pretty decent. Did plugs, and wires while I was in there too. Still have to get an ignition coil. Has a little bit of a breakup/miss in the higher rpms 3,000-5,000.
Anyways, I think carb may be the simplest, cost efficient way for me to go. But I don't have a full grasp yet on what all is involved.
I'm torn between using my stock block a 2 bolt 350 TBI that Im pretty sure is original and has 183,000 miles and adding better heads and a cam to it. Or, getting a 350 Vortec long block, and putting a carb intake manfold on it. Or any other block I may find. I did find a 70-73 400 SBC for $500 on craigslist as well.
From what I know, I'll need a carb intake for whatever motor I choose, A Fuel pressure regulator, an HEI distributor (but not sure what I need as far as vacuum, mechanical etc.), and a carb (also not sure of mechanical secondary vs. vacuum secondary and what I'll need being that it's a 5 speed and not an auto.
I'd like to use my stock serpentine set up that is on my TBI motor now, which includes A/C. Which I know won't be possible on older style heads that use the V belt setup that don't have the provisions for them. But I d k if the holes/studs are still the same on a Vortec engines heads.
Also, I keep reading about a water bypass on the vortec engines that my TBI does not have that sounds like it could be a problem area. as well as the plastic timing cover on a Vortec engine that doesn't have a timing tab.
My reason for choosing carb is again simplicity, and cost efficiency. The TBI to me just doesn't seem to be performance oriented with it's finickiness of cam selection, vacuum, and tuning. I don't have the money to keep paying for tuned chips until I get one that works semi Ok. I would go LS, but that's still also quite expensive with the cost of a custom harness. Also I have no worries on emissions so EGR can go out as well.
My Goal is to have a motor that makes at least 300fwp although more would be nice. It needs to turn at least 6,000 rpm (that's where I want to shift it at). Able to run pump gas. I'd like to stay 87 octane, but if I have to use 91 or 93 that's fine. And have a nice lumpy idle (not too crazy just enough to know it's cammed when you hear it)
My intial thought is to keep my 350 TBI bottom end, add a flat tappet cam and lifters, used vortec heads, a double roller timing chain, a carb intake, a 4 barrel (not sure how many CFM), Fuel pressure regulator, HEI Distributor, and some headers and call it good.
Who can steer me in the right direction?
While looking into a steering problem on my truck recently (happens to be the steering gear and pitman arm which I'm going to replace with the sport ratio gear box), I noticed a leak. I found that my intake manifold gasket was dripping antifreeze in the drivers side front. So I bought an entire Head gasket/intake gasket set and pulled the heads and put it all back together. The head gaskets were also gone in some areas. While apart the TBI horns/ridges were ground down and radiused into the bore and polished. The intake manifold was also gasket matched as there was a lot of casting left to be taken out safely. After putting it back together and a little trouble getting the timing right, it runs pretty decent. Did plugs, and wires while I was in there too. Still have to get an ignition coil. Has a little bit of a breakup/miss in the higher rpms 3,000-5,000.
Anyways, I think carb may be the simplest, cost efficient way for me to go. But I don't have a full grasp yet on what all is involved.
I'm torn between using my stock block a 2 bolt 350 TBI that Im pretty sure is original and has 183,000 miles and adding better heads and a cam to it. Or, getting a 350 Vortec long block, and putting a carb intake manfold on it. Or any other block I may find. I did find a 70-73 400 SBC for $500 on craigslist as well.
From what I know, I'll need a carb intake for whatever motor I choose, A Fuel pressure regulator, an HEI distributor (but not sure what I need as far as vacuum, mechanical etc.), and a carb (also not sure of mechanical secondary vs. vacuum secondary and what I'll need being that it's a 5 speed and not an auto.
I'd like to use my stock serpentine set up that is on my TBI motor now, which includes A/C. Which I know won't be possible on older style heads that use the V belt setup that don't have the provisions for them. But I d k if the holes/studs are still the same on a Vortec engines heads.
Also, I keep reading about a water bypass on the vortec engines that my TBI does not have that sounds like it could be a problem area. as well as the plastic timing cover on a Vortec engine that doesn't have a timing tab.
My reason for choosing carb is again simplicity, and cost efficiency. The TBI to me just doesn't seem to be performance oriented with it's finickiness of cam selection, vacuum, and tuning. I don't have the money to keep paying for tuned chips until I get one that works semi Ok. I would go LS, but that's still also quite expensive with the cost of a custom harness. Also I have no worries on emissions so EGR can go out as well.
My Goal is to have a motor that makes at least 300fwp although more would be nice. It needs to turn at least 6,000 rpm (that's where I want to shift it at). Able to run pump gas. I'd like to stay 87 octane, but if I have to use 91 or 93 that's fine. And have a nice lumpy idle (not too crazy just enough to know it's cammed when you hear it)
My intial thought is to keep my 350 TBI bottom end, add a flat tappet cam and lifters, used vortec heads, a double roller timing chain, a carb intake, a 4 barrel (not sure how many CFM), Fuel pressure regulator, HEI Distributor, and some headers and call it good.
Who can steer me in the right direction?