Monte72Carlo

More progress over the weekend. The belly of the beast: Rods and Pistons: Block: Chanferring: Crankshaft: Also anyone know this camshaft # 11956(6 or 8)SM 93D1B Thanks, Garrett.

I do know, But I want to be able to drive it to car shows, cruises ect..

Yea thanks, I was reading all about BME previously. But there is still so much controversy over weather or not they can handle the street cycling. I Might give them a call and see if they can guarantee them or something of the sort. Thanks, Garrett.

Hey guys, Got the hidden head bolt off today and took the heads off. Flat top pistons with these heads at 32cc should be somewhere around 15-1 compression. I haven't done the math but I will come re-assembly. Cooper head gaskets! The plan for the engine will be freshen as well as rod change. Aluminum rods wont carry me far on the street and have a few passes on them already. Oliver rods most likely, I dunno yet. I need to talk to snow performance on a water-meth plate in order to bring the octane rating down and reduce detonation. They state one tank on water-meth I figure 4 liters or so lasts an entire tank. Who knows. I plan on in the future adding a direct port nitrous system of 150-200 shot. As well as a vacuum pump to the motor. The car of course will need a few upgrades itself to accommodate The old car of 2800 pounds ran a best of 9.40 with this engine. More pictures with tear-down. Thanks, Garrett.

Engine tear down from last night: Bottom End, Bowtie Block Crank Trigger and jesel timing belt Jim Bell aluminum 18 degree ex-prostock heads filled with titanium valves Jesel Shaft Mount Rockers Big springs hiding an impossible to get to head bolt Rockers off waiting for my Moroso jesel shaft mount rocker spring compressor tool inorder to get at the last head bolt Lifter valley. Lifter band unknown as of so far. Looks kinda like isky tie bars. That wraps up yesterdays work, waiting on a backordered tool. Thanks, Garrett.

Hey guys, Today was the big day, I was able to bring home my new engine for the monte. I have liked how others such as davey have done engine build threads of the tear down and re-assembly of their high performance engines sharing tips and tricks. I figured I would do the same for my engine maybe sparking some more threads and sharing some knowledge. Anyways we should start with the engine keeping in mind this is for my 72 Monte carlo racecar which is heading in for a cage and some primer in the next few months or so as money allows. The engine is a 400 sbc estimated at 700 hp or so says the previous owner. We will put that to the test with a dyno run once it has been re-assembled with a few things here and there Engine as it arrives in the shop today: As I tear down the engine tonight I will post some more pictures and descriptions of the engine. Thanks, Garrett.

Sorry for phone quality Garrett.

Sorry camera is out for warranty work unfortunately. Garrett.

yea, the pump is not installed at the moment, but I will go take a picture tonight for you

There is a perfect pump location on the inside of the frame rail at the bottom of the wheel arch curve that tucks up safely under the body away from the rear end and road debis. Can even run the line if it braided through existing holes in the fame to be completely protected. Garrett.

Alright guys, here is what I'm thinking for a semi budget race engine for my Grey Monte. By race I mean 80% track 20% street (at least 94 octane compatible). Just in the rough stages soo far. Machining is all free! I will be going for every little HP gain as possible with this one. Block : Used GM 400 (bored until it cleans up) splayed caps ARP fasteners. Maybe stud girdle/crank scrapper, O.00 decked Crank : Would be nice to find a used steel stroker crank 434ci? Rods : Stock? Refitted with ARP fasteners or Some fairly inexpensive aftermarket rods? Pistons : I'm leaning towards some Ross racing pistons, but really it dosen't matter which company as JE, Diamond ect.. are all fairly close in quality. True flat tops if possible or valve reliefs if needed. Pistons will have as much distance possible between the top and first compression ring landing as possible. Cam : Hydraulic Roller. Opinions? Some where street able and works well with the heads. Maximum somewhere around .550 lift ish. Timming chain : cloyes adjustable. Lifters : some non needle bearing lifters for ease of mind. Pushrods : comp cams magnum (already have them) 0.100 over stock length. Rockers : Some type of roller. 1.6 ratio maybe a split ratio depending on whats needed. Heads : GM vortec 062. 64 cc combustion chamber, mildly ported (rough casting) clean up the combustion chambers. Already milled for larger springs 3 angle valve job already done, steam holes need to be drilled, new valves ect. Screw in rockers, enlarged push rod holes to accept 1.6 ratio. They have been decked about 0.060 already. Would like the CR ration to be around 10.5-10.7ish Headers : Hooker competition headers (maybe get them coated?) Intake : Edelbrock single plane? I have a dual plane air gap for street ability Carb : 750 proform/holley Other additions: Csr electric WP, areomotive 140GPH electric fuel pump, sumped fuel tank. Complete fiberglass front end, 3.73 posi, 3000 stall, th350 Nitrous, 100-150 either single or dual stage plate system. Just bored and thinking up a possible engine for the grey car once my other engine sells If anyone is looking for a stock rebuilt engine with an eddy intake and some Chevrolet chrome tall valve covers, I have one for sale Just trying to get some ideas/opinions Thanks, Garrett.

Alright, noise is still there. New push rods are in and no difference. The noise is still evident, if not worse. hmmmm Thanks, Garrett.

Yea, It seems kind of odd to me as well. I had it up to 6500 a few times but not that many really. My engine builder set the valves with me before the engine went in the car, from what I know they don't need to be adjusted once it has been broken in. I do however have a much higher spring pressure and a large cam for stock push rods, maybe that's the issue? Anyways, new moly push rods on the way tomorrow and I can try my hand at setting valves.... I sure hope there are no other problems Thanks, Garrett.

Well turns out all of my push rods are bent in some way, some worse than others. Is this normal? Must have really over reved her

Alright guys, it's not the converter bolts. They are all nice and snug. I believe it's a bent push rod, I'm heading out to the shop right now to go and pull the valve cover. Thanks, Garrett.

I was driving my car yesterday (fairly hard I must add). I know you probably wouldn't be able to come up with a diagnosis by me just explaining it but you may be able to point me in the general direction and whether or not it's serious. Anyways, it sounds kinda like a knock but not really a deep knock like a rod would make. It only happens when it's been driven for at least 10 minutes (it may be fully warm by then). It happens under low RPM and might happen under higher RPM but the exhaust is just too loud to hear over. It is most distinguishable under high idle. It sounds as if the pistons are coming in contact with the head or a valve perhaps? I can hear it on both sides of the engine and at the collectors. Or could it just be a valve lash problem? It has hydraulic lifters that I set myself (there is absolutely no way it could be a lifter problem, just throwing it out there). It doesn't really sound like the chatter of lifters. I really have no idea what it could be. All oils are sufficient, pressure is good. It defiantly sounds like an internal engine problem Thanks, Garrett.

I would be very interested in seeing some pictures as well. Thanks, Garrett.

hmmm, I guess I have some work ahead of me. I will try some of these suggestions this weekend and see what happens. Thanks, Garrett.

Thanks for the good information. The float level is adjusted correctly as far as I know, it was set by my boss who is big into racing. My carb is maybe 2 years old, not too sure of this but it is definatly not old enough to need the kit. BUT my carb during initil timing setup was definatly backfiring and throwing flames out, multple times. Could this have caused a faulty power valve? The valve is brand new as the carb came with out one and is new to this engine. I will try the power valve test though. I have heard as well that the step up from primaries is 8-10 sizes I beleive you are correct on that one. Mine is a bit less as I had surging under light acceleration. I was recomended to start with 68 primaries and step up from there if I had surging under cruise with light throttle. I will check manifold vaccum soon as I buy a gauge. I have tried peddling the throttle during start up but have seemed to get the best results with out. Thanks! Garrett.

Alright, I need some help from you guys. First off engine/ drive train specs: Engine: 355 Vortec heads/eddy rpm air gap intake. Heads decked intake decked to match. Melling 0.501 intake 0.498 exhaust, I'm fairly sure. I could go check if needed. block is decked (pistons 0.005 below) flat top pistons 64cc combustion chamber (somewhere around 10-10.5:1 comp) stock head gasket thickness Felpro (0.042?) timing- 10-11 degrees initial, 38-40 degrees total all in by 2500 if I remember correct I don't have a timing light to go check at the moment. MSD ignition box digital 6 plus (no start retard engaged) MSD e-curve distributor Carb: Pro form/ Holley 750 mechanical secondary. Power valves unsure, jets 70 primary, 76 secondary Drive train: stock converter, stock 10 bolt for now, th350 ISSUES: 1. Poor starting but I figure that's due to the mechanical no choke carb. Thoughts? It rolls over for a good 5 seconds before it catches if lucky, takes longer sometimes. Gets a little better when warm. 2. Running very rich at idle, not too sure at part/full throttle. 3. Hesitation off idle (fairly bad) Power valve giving too much fuel and killing the engine??? 4. Performance loss?? feels like my old tired stock 350 had more "seat of the pants" feel to it. 5. Runs fairly hot 200 range but not really an issue. Stock rad/ higher performance engine what can you expect. I was seeing 220 in 100+ degree weather during the western meet. 6. Diesels on shut down, but not on 94 octane, not MSD box related but engine temp/octane related. Once carb is tuned should go away. 7. High idle (1200) and drops to (500-600) in drive and wants to die out. Power valve issue? (drowning the engine in fuel?) Thanks for any help. Thanks, Garrett.

I Personally run a holley/proform 750 double pumper on my 350. I have no problems with it yet, mind you it's not 100% tuned right yet. I have some slight modifications to my 350 though such as vortec heads, 10.5:1 compression ect.. I don't know if this helps or not. Garrett.

Thanks! I did do the tubs myself a year back or so. Pain in the [you said a naughty!]. The old quarters were warped as much as a inch where the tub met the quarter so with the new quarters there had to be a strip riveted in, doesn't look the greatest but did the job. The package tray was absolutely hacked by the previous owner so I just squared off the corners for now until I decode what I'm going to do with them. Thanks, Garrett.

Thanks everyone! It's a Griffin Radiator. Thanks, Garrett.

It is. I got the new inner fender thanks to Roy, so wiring should be fixed when I find the time to put it in. Yea Owen was on spare tire duty, lol Thanks, Garrett.

For those of you interested, there are some western meet photos as well as my fiberglass pro front end finished and mounted. LINK edit: oh! new quarters too! Thanks, Garrett.