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Chevy 350 Buildup - S10 V8 Conversion 101: Volume 2Volume II From the May, 2004 issue of Mini Truckin' By Mike Alexander Photography by Mike Alexander
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There comes a time when modifying the stock engine, the frame, or the suspension just isn't enough. A four-cylinder engine can be beefed up to a point, but at the end of the day, it's still a four-cylinder. That's why motor builds and swaps are regularly an answer to the unquenchable need for power. When building an S-10, these are simple solutions to the truly lacking power of the stock 2.2L four-cylinder engine. With so many S-10s in the mini-truck scene, it takes some serious modification to stand out from all the rest, and an engine swap will definitely help you make some headway. In our second installment of our V-8 conversion, we're going to deal with the buildup of a Chevy crate motor. Any engine buildup can quickly become expensive, and since it's going to take some major work to put the motor in the S-10, we weren't about to go all out and spend an extra $8,000 to build a "top fuel" 350-cid motor.We found a GM Goodwrench 350-cid four-bolt main crate motor that our friend Josh Smith was willing to part with. Lucky for us, we found Joe Sherman of Joe Sherman Racing to build the engine. Winner of Hot Rod magazine's Engine Builder Challenge, Joe can really make a crate motor sing. We weren't after an overbuilt race engine, but were more concerned with making dependable power to the tune of about 350 hp. To help make this possible, we contacted Competition Cams, Professional Products, Proform, Shaver Racing, and Quick Fuel Technology to help us outfit our crate motor. For the valvetrain, we used a Competition Cams hydraulic roller camshaft with roller rockers and conical springs. Professional Products supplied a polished intake manifold and an 8-inch harmonic balancer. Proform provided us with a chrome alternator, a chrome starter, a billet HEI distributor, chromed aluminum valve covers, and hardware. Next, we picked up some cast-iron Pro Topline 906 cylinder heads from Shaver Racing. Quick Fuel contributed its 650-cfm carburetor to feed our 350. Once Joe had all the parts in hand, it was time to do what he does best - build a kick-ass motor guaranteed to make our S-10 run mean, but reliable enough to drive on the freeway at 85 mph to shows nationwide. We'll worry about the smog and registration later - maybe the Governator will help change California's smog laws by then. For more information, contact the companies listed in the source box.  1.Here's a look at what we're...  1.Here's a look at what we're working with - a GM Goodwrench 350-cid crate motor with the factory heads removed.  2.Our engine has a four-bolt...  2.Our engine has a four-bolt main configuration for added strength and durability.  3.Our new valvetrain from...  3.Our new valvetrain from Comp Cams features a hydraulic roller camshaft, roller rockers, roller lifters, and conical springs.  4.To access the camshaft,...  4.To access the camshaft, the upper timing chain gear was removed. The camshaft was then unbolted and removed very carefully so the cam bearings wouldn't be damaged.  5.This side-by-side image...  5.This side-by-side image shows the difference between the factory camshaft and the new Competition Cams hydraulic roller camshaft. The Comp camshaft is more aggressive and provides as much as 75 more horsepower due to its higher lift and longer duration.  6.The Comp camshaft received...  6.The Comp camshaft received a liberal amount of assembly lube before being carefully installed. Assembly lube provides excellent break-in protection both on the dyno and in the initial startup.  7.After the camshaft was in...  7.After the camshaft was in place, the timing chain gears were lined up using the two orange dots as reference points.  8.Next, the aluminum timing...  8.Next, the aluminum timing chain cover was installed.  9.A Professional Products...  9.A Professional Products 8-inch harmonic balancer was installed using a balancer installation tool, not a hammer.  10.The one-piece oil pan gasket...  10.The one-piece oil pan gasket received silicone in each corner to properly seal the oil pan from leaks.  11.After allowing the silicon...  11.After allowing the silicon to tack up for about five minutes, the oil pan was bolted into place.  12.This shows the difference...  12.This shows the difference between flat tappet lifters and the Comp Cams hydraulic roller lifters. The roller lifter causes less friction, which in turn creates better performance and increases the life of the valvetrain.  13.After the lifters had ample...  13.After the lifters had ample time to soak in oil, they were dropped into place.  14.These are cast-iron Shaver...  14.These are cast-iron Shaver Racing Pro Topline 906 cylinder heads. They're excellent for this particular type of mild street-engine buildup. They provide a 10:1 compression ratio worth at least another 15 hp.  15.To start the assembly of...  15.To start the assembly of the heads, the intake and exhaust valves were installed.  16.All the valve springs were...  16.All the valve springs were placed onto the valve stems, and keeper and retaining clips were installed.  17.Joe installed the rocker...  17.Joe installed the rocker studs and torqued them to proper specifications. The screw-in rocker studs give us more options than older cast-iron heads that have pressed-in studs.  18.Once the heads were assembled,...  18.Once the heads were assembled, they were ready to bolt onto the block. The head gaskets were lined up with their corresponding drift pins.  19.Next, the heads were aligned...  19.Next, the heads were aligned with the mounting holes. Assembly lube was used on all the head-bolt mounting holes to assure an accurate torque reading when it's time to tighten the head bolts.  20.Gasket sealer was used...  20.Gasket sealer was used on the end of the head-bolt threads as extra insurance against leaks at the water jackets.  21.All the head bolts were...  21.All the head bolts were then hand-tightened.  22.It's very important that...  22.It's very important that the head bolts are properly torqued to the manufacturer's specifications in spiral-clockwise order, starting with the center of the head to ensure a proper seal. All the bolts were torqued to 35 ft-lb, then 50 ft-lb, and finally 65 ft-lb. This guarantees an even pull across the head and ensures a good seal.  23.All the pushrod ends were...  23.All the pushrod ends were coated with assembly lube, then dropped in place.  24.With the pushrods in place,...  24.With the pushrods in place, the top of one valve stem was marked to check the length of the pushrod and valvetrain geometry.  25.Next, a rocker arm was...  25.Next, a rocker arm was installed and the camshaft was turned through one full cycle. The rocker arm was removed to reveal a solid line worn through the mark in the center of the valve stem. This told us that the pushrod was the proper length and the geometry of the valvetrain was correct. This was done before the remaining rocker arms were installed.  26.The centers of the rocker...  26.The centers of the rocker arms were coated with assembly lube.  27.The pivot ball was then...  27.The pivot ball was then placed below the poly lock that will secure the rocker once adjusted.  28.After the ball was placed,...  28.After the ball was placed, the poly locks were screwed to the rocker studs.  29.To adjust the valves, it's...  29.To adjust the valves, it's important that the camshaft is at "base circle," which means there is no lift at the valve. The poly locks were tightened until the pushrod had zero clearance and the drag could be felt when rotating the push rod. Once you have zero clearance, the poly locks are tightened 1/4-turn more.  30.This is Professional Products'...  30.This is Professional Products' Cyclone Performance Street Intake Manifold with an rpm range from idle to 5,500 rpm.  31.The intake manifold gaskets...  31.The intake manifold gaskets were placed.  32.Silicone sealer was then...  32.Silicone sealer was then spread on the front and rear of the block where the intake manifold sits.  33.As extra protection against...  33.As extra protection against leaks, silicone sealer was also applied directly to the front and rear edges of the manifold.  34.After allowing the silicon...  34.After allowing the silicon to tack, the intake manifold was installed, and the manifold bolts were torqued from the center out.  35.These are some of the essentials...  35.These are some of the essentials Proform provided, including a set of chrome valve covers, a high-performance HEI distributor, and a high-torque gear-reduction starter.  36.The valve cover gaskets...  36.The valve cover gaskets were installed, then the valve covers were bolted into place.  37.Next, the top dead center...  37.Next, the top dead center (TDC) of piston No. 1 was found, and the Proform HEI distributor was indexed to fire the No. 1 cylinder with the rotor positioned at five o'clock. Once this was done, the distributor was bolted to the intake manifold.  38.The mounting plate was...  38.The mounting plate was positioned and the carburetor studs were threaded into the intake manifold.  39.Once the studs were in...  39.Once the studs were in place, the Quick Fuel 650-cfm carburetor was bolted to the top of the intake manifold.  40.Our 350 V-8 was now completely...  40.Our 350 V-8 was now completely assembled (minus exhaust) and ready to be put on the dyno to get a little beat up.  41.After running the motor...  41.After running the motor on the dyno, Joe completely tuned and timed the engine, gaining an extra 35 hp over the first pull. He was able to get 365 hp and 407 lb-ft of torque at the output shaft. These numbers are very impressive, considering how mild the buildup was. Keep in mind that the engine will be going into an S-10. Keep your eyes peeled for the finishing touches on this 350, and a swap into an S-10. | JOE SHERMAN RACING 350-CID SMALL-BLOCK CRATE ENGINE | | RPM | HORSEPOWER | TORQUE | | 2,700 | 191 | 371 | | 3,000 | 222 | 389 | | 3,500 | 269 | 404 | | 4,000 | 307 | 403 | | 4,500 | 342 | 399 | | 5,000 | 361 | 379 | | 5,500 | 358 | 342 | | Max Horsepower: 365 hp @ 5,200 rpms | | Max Torque: 405 lb-ft @ 3,700 rpms |
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Maximized - May 2013
Excuse me while I wipe the dust off of my keyboard *cough, cough*. There is an old saying that goes...
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