JV69Novatruck

Hey guys, new to the forum.
I bought a 69 Nova from a guy that dropped a 98 Chevy Vortec 5.7L with an automatic trans in it. I know this is a truck forum, so I'm hoping to get some advise on the truck engine he installed. I'm also new at engine building and this will be my very first engine job, so please give it to me in the lowest common denominator.

So far, I got new MSD ignition Distributor, 6AL 2, Blaster coil, Hooker headers, 2116 edelbrock manifold, 1406 edelbrock 600 CFM carb and that's about it. Have an aluminum radiator with dual fans standing by, before I decide to drop in the cam.

After the engine started running a little sluggish, I thought it needed a valve adjustment. Valves we're good and didn't need adjusting. Figured while I'm there, I'll pull the heads and replace the gaskets, clean up and inspect the heads and lower. Found out one of the push rods was bent.

Where I'm at:
Wanted to upgrade the cam (possibly LT4 or something comparable in HP gains), springs (beehive), push rods, and lifters. I just took the heads to have inspected for cracks, pressure tested, have the valve seats redone, and honed/ decked ( sorry forgot which is which). Found out from the engine guy, that's they already bored it out .30 over.

Open for recommendations and or suggestions on the cam, lifters, rods, and springs. Also might upgrade the manifold to a Victor and Holley carb. Hoping to do as little engine shop mods to the heads and block, and don't know the stall on the trans and hoping not to upgrade the stall. Any suggestions on how to find out the stall on my current trans? Looking to cruise around town, turn some heads, and hot dog it every once in a while when I pull up next to some rice burner with too many lights. What would you seasoned vets do if it was your build?








Budget: $3000
Should I opt for the lower build? Should I get flat pistons?

FFDP

iTrader: (2)

I'm not the guy to ask about camshaft choices for a 350 small block but I will say that you need invest in a wideband oxygen sensor once you do get the engine back together.

Knowing the real time air fuel ratio is going to be key for performance. Everything from idle, part throttle and full throttle need to be good for fueling. Otherwise it won't drive right, burn through fuel like crazy or make power at unsafe fuel mixtures.

IIGW

Why the fresh clean piston? Nasty cast looking piston as well, but either burning coolant in that cylinder which cleaned the piston off, but something doesn’t look right compared to the other oiled up nasty looking pistons.

2nd, the tips of those valve stems look beat. The valve with the orange spring looks like it was ground/surfaced at one point, where the other two look flattened/oblonged/beat to death.

If you are going to run any cam over .450 lift, you need to take the heads back and have the machine work done to the valve bosses to accept different seals, or you’ll have some issues.

Personally, if it were me, id pull the engine, hone the cylinders and get some new flat top pistons put on your rods, rebalance the assembly, and then put on the vortec heads. You can have a decent 400hp little sbc for your car. But, those ‘ricers’ as you put it, might still take your lunch money, as 400hp in an old car isn’t much to brag about nowadays with everything darn near everything having 1000hp these days…

JV69Novatruck

Sorry, should have told you.... My buddy from the dealership said to clean them with a wire brush (found out from others this was a big no no). Took the Vortec heads that were on it to get decked, checked, and pressure tested. Engine guy I took it to is wanting to pull the whole engine and rebuild with comp cams cam, lifters, new springs, push rods, bore the block to .40 over, put flat top pistons and bolt it all together for 2900 including parts and labor.
Other buddy that is still in the race world and is kind of like me (on a budget) says I should just opt for a new blueprint engine, due to the fact that it's comparable in price, and unlike the engine I'm trying to fix, I can rebuild it again in the future if needed. Whereas the engine I have, if I bore it .40 now, he wouldn't trust it without testing the thickness of the castings, and he definitely would not ever rebuild/rebore to .60 over and I would have to replace the block anyways.

Looks like there was a prior rebuild due to them boring it to .30 over (stamped on pistons). Thinking of rebuilding the engine anyways and throwing it in my 67 malibu instead of the nova ( malibu has an older 350 (still have to see if that was ever rebuilt/bored).

I really appreciate all the input guys. Like I said, I'm gonna ask alot of dumb questions and any input would be greatly appreciated. At this point I'm running out of aspirin, and sleep thinking about all the possibilities.

Bgbldodge

Not exactly a race car but I’m running a 60 over bore in my blazer with no issues. It is the max you can bore one but it is doable.