My 350 project.. quick questions

Welp... finally got to the junkyard and bought a used 5.7L engine out of an 1983 Chevy Astro Van, engine code (8th digit of VIN) is "L". The RPO label showed that it is a LS9 engine.

My alternator is going bad on my 6 cylinder engine, I want to buy a new one that is more powerful (considering my stereo system: 2 Alpine amps, Infinity Kappa 10.1D sub, Inifinity 4x6s & 6x9s, 1 Farad Capacitor). I'm told the factory alt is 60amp. If so, if this is true (is it?), I think I'll go with a 105amp. Problem is I want to buy one that will fit the new engine I just bought too. Is this unrealistic? I think it might be. SOMEBODY GIVE ME SOME HOPE!

Also, when I'm done building this thing (in approx. 1 month) I don't want it to fall apart on the first run. What are some engine building do's and don'ts?

To keep it together I was thinking of putting ARP connecting rod bolts, main bearing bolts, and cylinder head bolts. Is there anything else you would recommend to keep me from having a major malfunction when after I drop it in and hit the gas?

Also *BIG QUESTION*: Do I have to have the crank and pistons re-balanced if I put the ARP connecting rod bolts on?

To see my parts list go here http://12.227.156.234/build/PartsList.htm

Never heard of an Astro with a factory V8.

yea i was thinkin the same thing... thats kinda weird

well come to think of it i think the heavier duty vans did and i think some came with diesels

that's right, some of them did have diesels, the 6.2L and the 5.7L engines. I wasn't 100% sure it was an Astro van... it looked like one. it was in a junkyard, and it had no emblems on it. I just looked it up on autos.msn.com. It actually looked more like the G-Series van and the Sport Van, which both came with factory 5.7Ls and 6.2Ls. Anyway, surely someone has an answer to my crank and piston question??? (a well-informed friend at work told me I can use the v8 alternator)

You dont have to have them balanced but I guess it couldnt hurt to have the rods balanced. I even wonder how close they were from the factory.

how sure are you?? I will be very pissed off if I put it in the car and have to take it back out, dissasemble more shit and then spend more money on a balancing job. Not pissed at you, by the way, just pissed in general.

as a matter of fact I'll take a poll... go to the top and vote.

You don't have to balance it but why not spend the extra $300 to have the whole rotating assembly balanced for peace of mind?

You don't have to balance it but why not spend the extra $300 to have the whole rotating assembly balanced for peace of mind? :iagree:

I am currently going through the same thing as you, rebuilding a 454 to put in my Nova. If you use ARP bolts in the rods, im pretty sure your gonna have to get the holes resized to fit the ARP bolts. As far as some other Do's and Don't, My best advice is take your time and do things right, obviously. New cam bearings and freeze plugs are a good idea, and new main/rod bearings are a must. ANother thing I have found is the project is probably gonna take more time and money then you planned for, so keep that in mind. Because of that, when your building the bottom part of the engine, use engine assembly lube on everything possible. You can't put TOO much, and if you dont use enough and things start locking up before you run the motor it's not going to be a good situation. Also I would advise putting a High volume oil pump whyile your redoing the motor, and maybe (depending on the power numbers your wanting to produce) a better flexplate. Hope this helps.

Rob

Also in regards to the balancing question. I have brought the same question up to a few of my local machine shops, and everyone of them have said that unless you plan on having a higher revving motor (regularly going over 6k RPMS) balancing your assembly isnt necessary/worth it. Hope this helps.

Rob

yea that helps. Thanks Rob. Balancing it for peace of mind would be nice, but if it is unecessary I really don't want to do it... I'm building big power on as small of a budget possible, and of course, I want it to be Chevy reliable. The 6cyl has 186k miles on it, and hasn't been rebuilt yet. Its still a daily driver. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Also, later on down the road (some years), I foresee myself getting a NOS setup or a blower perhaps. What do you charger and bottle-users do to make sure it doesn't fall apart?

Welp... finally got to the junkyard and bought a used 5.7L engine out of an 1983 Chevy Astro Van, engine code (8th digit of VIN) is "L". The RPO label showed that it is a LS9 engine.

My alternator is going bad on my 6 cylinder engine, I want to buy a new one that is more powerful (considering my stereo system: 2 Alpine amps, Infinity Kappa 10.1D sub, Inifinity 4x6s & 6x9s, 1 Farad Capacitor). I'm told the factory alt is 60amp. If so, if this is true (is it?), I think I'll go with a 105amp. Problem is I want to buy one that will fit the new engine I just bought too. Is this unrealistic? I think it might be. SOMEBODY GIVE ME SOME HOPE!

Also, when I'm done building this thing (in approx. 1 month) I don't want it to fall apart on the first run. What are some engine building do's and don'ts?

To keep it together I was thinking of putting ARP connecting rod bolts, main bearing bolts, and cylinder head bolts. Is there anything else you would recommend to keep me from having a major malfunction when after I drop it in and hit the gas?

Also *BIG QUESTION*: Do I have to have the crank and pistons re-balanced if I put the ARP connecting rod bolts on?

To see my parts list go here http://12.227.156.234/build/PartsList.htm


Why not be on the safe side and get a warranty with a rebuilt or crate engine, GM has good prices and all you do is go from crate to engine bay!

Robert

that's not as fun... building a engine is a good learning experience. tho personally i've never gone into the block of a motor, just as deep as heads and valvetrain

learning experiance, but say my engine dies tomorrow (knock on wood), what would be my best bet? which is cheaper to get done right?

Here is a lil note of interets on crate motors. I would never just drop one in!!!!!!

I have personally taken Ford Racing and GM Performance crate motors apart to swap some things before putting them in a car and had to correctly tighten main studs not done right. Fix oil pick-ups not properly clearanced. And even seen rod bearings installed the wrong way!!!!

Yes there is a warranty but when they want you to pay for the shipping back to them. Also they will look to see if it is your fault or theirs you never know how that will go.....

I'm not saying crate motors are bad cause there is alot of good to them. But having some motor knowldge to examine your crate motor before putting it in could make your life go a lot easier.

well GTStang, thats cuz they were FORD racing engines ;)



lol, jp man. had to do it.

now for the topic at hand, never never NEVER just drop in a junkyard engine. if you buy it from a junkyard, tear it apart and inspect everything, check your bearings for propor wear, to make sure you dont hav a major porblem, and then replace them, summit, jegs, paw, all sell affordable rebuild kits, with new bearings, piston rings, freeze plugs, and all that, you could even check ebay. if you want to do it right i strongly suggest you do it this way. also, check the block for the wear ring at the top of the bore, run your finger up from the bore to the top where the deck is, you shouldnt feel a ridge, if there is one there, take it to the machine shop and have it removed. if the crosshatching of the bore is still there, an overbore isnt nessesary, but could be done. if the bores are worn, or scratched or gualed, get a .030 overbore, and get a set of .030 oversized pistons to match. also while everything is appart, have the block magnafluxed and checked for cracks, this is the time to find any problems, not after its in the car and on the highway. if you are looking for high power, 400+ and especially if youre gonna be running a shot of nitrous later on down the road, you need forged pistons, the stock cast ones will not cut muster. the heads from the astro van are also gonna suck, i suggest a set of vortec castings, or even L98 heads would be much better choices.

as for the alternator, seeing as it is just connected to the battery, starter, and such, there is no reason you couldnt hook up the bigger one, already designed for the V8. should be a bolt on swap.

thats all you need to run nos? just forged pistons? dont need forged rods or even like a 4bolt main?

shit my friend has been runnin a 100 shot in his mustang for years with no prob..but he doesnt use it all the time..

o and by the way its a 4.6 with stock internals

thats all you need to run nos? just forged pistons? dont need forged rods or even like a 4bolt main?

What you need for nitrous depends on how much of a shot you use.

-Yea.. thanks 89IROC. I would NEVER just drop in a junk engine... that's crazy. I'm not building a junk car, I'm building performance. Wasn't planning on using the junk heads either. Take a look at my signature, you must have missed it... I have all my parts listed there (vortec L31 heads). I was hoping to just have to do new rings, bearings, and plugs. I guess I'll just do a mild shot of nitrous in the future. If the bores are worn out, then I will buy new .030-over, forged pistons and get it bored. I hope not, cause then this well take a lot longer than I want it to. We started the engine at the junkyard and it didn't take much for it to start. We let it run till it got hot, no knocking or unusual noises. Antifreeze and oil still looked pretty good. Slight amount of smoke coming from exhaust. I figured probably from sitting for a while, or just old rings, either way no problem.

-Got the 105amp alternator... my sub sounds so much better now, definetly more powerful. Big difference! Funny story though... last night was driving (about 11:50pm), my alternator started to die on me. I already knew it was going, but now it's near dead. Bout a 4 miles away from home and the engine barely want's to stay running. So i turn everythin off (A/C, stereo) and my driving lights, only thing on it the parking lights. Just as I got to the next block cop drives past, turns around and gets behind me. BASTARD! Block later, lights flash, I make a right so that I can pull over somewhere where I can park my car just in case it cuts out. Finally pull over, cop thinks I'm tryin to evade them or I got something to hide. Told them I couldn't shut the car off, nor take my foot off the gas otherwise it would die. They think I'm lying. Anyway... she looks at my insurance and tells me that it expires in 10mins. And she was right. Didn't give me a ticket though, just a warning. My car and I limped home. So, needless to say I got up early this morning and replaced the alternator. This type of stuff only happens to me. Thought I'd share it with yall.

-I'd rather build the engine myself, like drvngstorm05 said, for the learning experience. And for the the self-accomplishment. Ordering one is so much more boring... to me its like the easy way out. I have a mechanic to help me too (my girlfriend's father). So I figure if I have a problem, there's nothing that could go wrong that would cost me an arm and a leg to fix. My labor and his labor is free.

My dad had a badd ass chevy van when i was a kid had a 350 and no exhaust :D

yeah dude, im a goober, missed the sig :) but sounds like a solid plan, and remember, it never goes as quick or as cheap as you thought it would, cest la vie :)

lol, and awesome luck with the cop on that road. hmmm... chick cop, dont suppose you showed a little clevage???? ;)