Engine Build Opinion

[k5hart]

I am posting this on the two boards I really respect the opinions of, so give me your feelings, good or bad, on this combo.

1. 350 4 bolt .030 over
2. Crank - Eagle forged - 435034805700 3.480", 5.700" rod length
3. Rods - Eagle - SCR-5700-bb. 5.7 length rods. I-beam
4. Heads – AFR Eliminator Street Cylinder Head 195cc Street Heads, Straight Plug w/heat riser, 64cc 2.08 intake 1.6 exhaust aluminum
5. Pistons and rings - Wisco Pro Tru - WIS-PT028H3 forged 4 valve pocket 9.5.1 with .039 head gasket and .020 deck height
6. Cam - Lunati Voodoo 60103 Advertised Duration (Int/Exh): 268/276
Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 227/233
Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .489/.504
LSA/ICL: 110/106
RPM Range: 1800-6200
7. Rockers – Comp Cams SBChevy Pro Magnum Rockers - 3/8 Stud - 1.6 Ratio
PART #1302-16
8. Intake - Edlelbrock Air Gap RPM intake
9. Carb - Demon 750
HEI - Accel HEI converted with an MSD kit to convert to external coil and 6AL box
10. Sanderson short headers
11. All ARP bolts and Fel Pro gaskets
12. Engine assembly will be balanced.

It's going in my '72 2 wheel drive blazer, 3.73 rear, built 700r4 with 2400 stall.

The only thing I'm on the fence with is the pistons. I can get Wisco Pro Tru pistons – WIS-PT003H3 2 valve pocket bring compression up to 9.8 with .039 gasket and .020 deck. One probem is I don't know my deck height because I bought the motor with the machine work already done. I want to run pump gas and be able to drive the truck as long and as much as I want without a bunch of frustration. It will see the drag strip every now and then for fun. I hear that higher compression is possible with the aluminum heads and pump gas but I'm thinking the lower CR is a safer gamble. I'm guessing the deck height is around .020 but if it's at 0 then I'll be at 9.8 CR with my first choice in pistons.

I bought this engine complete and am just going back through it to check things out and bring the cam and pistons back to streetability. I don't want to change too many of the big ticket items, just want to make what I have work the best I can.

Thanks in advance!

[min301]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

Kinda need to know what the measured deck height is.

[k5hart]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

Dumb question maybe but is there a way I can check it at home easily. I really don't want to cart it back to the machine shop.

[squirrel]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

Is the engine apart? or put together?

[k5hart]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

Apart.

[squirrel]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

You could put the crank and one piston/rod in and measure the deck height. You'd have to assume the block is square and the parts are all "right" though...if the block has not been decked you might find .020" variation from one corner to another!

[Falcon67]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

I'd put in 4 piston/rod assys minimum and then measure. The best thing would be to learn the deck, then plan to get it to zero deck and adjust using the pistons. Close quench helps detonation resistance. I wouldn't cut the decks until the piston selection is final and you have some on hand to mock up and check the deck.

[k5hart]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

Thanks for the help. Just installed 1,2,7,8 and measuring with vernier calipers on the depth gauge side I'm getting between .024 and .025 from deck to piston top.

[min301]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

There's your spec, but have the machine shop double check it,
before they cut it.

[k5hart]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

So it looks like the two valve relief flat tops put me at 9.7:1. I should be ok on 91 or 93 octane right? Could I go with a .015 head gasket to get my quench down to .04? That should be right on for quench.

I would rather not take it back to the machine shop. Not that I'm being cheap I just will be working the times they are open and it's a brand new job so getting time off is not going to happen for a while.

Am I thinking right guys?

[AdioSS]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

go with the 2 valve pistons

sounds like a good combination

[Eric68]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

Looks pretty good to me. Here are some minor suggestions that might help.

If you can up the compression a hair with 2 relief pistons that is the way I would go.

If you can get a set of long tube headers in there that should be worth a few more HP and some low end TQ.

A 650 Speed Demon would be plenty big and maybe more responsive than the 750. Either will work.

The AFR 195 heads are a hair on the big side IMO but should work nicely. They will extend the upper end of the HP band with that cam so instead of pulling hard to 5800 RPM I bet it will carry through 6200.

[k5hart]

Re: Engine Build Opinion

Thanks for the opinions everyone. I'm going with my ideas, just running the .015 head gasket. Talked to Lunati about the cam and they feel that it will work well with what I got even though I could do more with more of a cam. I just want to keep it fairly driveable and running on pump gas. I'm not looking to get the most out of this thing just trying to make a nice motor to play around with without changing a lot of this stuff. I got this as a complete 5000 mile motor for the price of the AFR heads so I don't think I'm doing too bad. It's good to be in the right place at the right time! Will let you know how it goes.