[bccsrc]

I would like to build a Chevy 350 Small Block for my Nova. Eventually I will change it over to a 383, but for now I just want to rebuild my current engine as cheap as possible but decent.

Here are the parts I'm thinking of:

Edelbrock Air-Gap Intake
Comp Cam 286H Magnum & Lifters
Keith Black Pistons Flat Top KB228?
Fel-Pro Full Set Gaskets
Rings and Bearings

What type of compression would I have with stock 350 heads and the KB 228 Pistons?

[firestone]

Compression will depend on the volume of the combustion chambers of the heads.

Adam

[bccsrc]

Originally Posted by firestone

Compression will depend on the volume of the combustion chambers of the heads.

Adam

Any idea what the stock heads on a Chevy would be?

[jimfulco]

64cc - 10.2:1
76cc - 8.9:1

This is from KB's chart on that piston. (.040" piston-to-head clearance)

Get the casting number from your heads and look it up at www.mortec.com/castnum.htm to find out what size chambers they have.

[ap72]

on a side note- I think that cam is a little too big for stock heads. Unles you have a damn good port and polish job.

[bccsrc]

Originally Posted by ap72

on a side note- I think that cam is a little too big for stock heads. Unles you have a damn good port and polish job.

How about if I swap out my heads for the AFR 195cc heads. Seems like the heads and the cam will be in the right RPM Range.

[firestone]

If you have the ability to go with the AFR 195's, you can go quite a bit bigger on the cam if you wanted to, as long as your compression was high enough. You would also gain signicantly over a set of stock heads. As was stated, the 64cc 195's would put you at 10.2:1. Depending on how much and what kind of cam you want to run, you could get as much as ~500 hp out of that 350. Before buying AFR's though, I would recommend reading this article, it may be in your best interest to wait.

http://airflowresearch.com/articles/article113/A-P1.htm

If you buy the AFR heads, order them FROM AFR. You will be getting the new eliminator heads. I am sure other places will have old stock that they are trying to get rid of. You will be looking at a 8 week wait, but it will be well worth it.

Adam

[bccsrc]

Would it be crazy to run the 292H Comp Cam? .501 lift

The 195cc heads say they will support a .550 lift.

Basically I want to build this engine for now and then later rebuild it as a 383. So I want to experiment with an awesome cam. I think the 292H would be insane. Very rough idle makes me drool.

I'm thinking of going with the 68cc heads and flat top KB 228 pistons. Compression ratio would be in the range of 10.0 - 9.8, I think.

With all of this stuff can I run my old pushrods, rods, crankshaft?

I will have to read over that article. Can you give me the short version?

[firestone]

Those heads could easily handle the 292H cam. I would actually recommend a set of 1.6 rockers on top of it. If you used that cam though, you would need around a 3000 stall. The 68cc heads would be a good choice for that combo. I dont know about using the old pushrods, but old piston and crank should be fine. It would be good insurance to get the crank and rods freshend up and use some good rods bolts though. The article pretty much says that AFR cam out with a totally redesigned head that is way better than the old one, and the old ones were great. If you ordered a set of the AFR 195's from jegs or something like that, you may be able to get a set relatively soon, but they will be the old ones. The new ones will be 8 weeks out. As far as flow, the new street 195's cost the same as the old ones, but flow like the old comp 195's. Below are flow numbers for the old comp and street 195cc heads, but you can see the difference of the new heads by comparing them.

http://www.airflowresearch.com/195sbc_sh.php

I would also consider having the heads milled to 64cc to get the compression up.

Adam

[hotrodf1]

I have the 292H in my hotrod, 355 sb, 10.5 c/r. It's a street rod 48 pickup with a/c etc., and it does really well. With vacuum advance tuned up (manifold vacuum), carb set right, the idle is not as "radical" as you might think (although you could tune it to be more wicked sounding". It'll make a 350 haul some serious butt, though. You'll like it.
have fun

[bccsrc]

Originally Posted by hotrodf1

I have the 292H in my hotrod, 355 sb, 10.5 c/r. It's a street rod 48 pickup with a/c etc., and it does really well. With vacuum advance tuned up (manifold vacuum), carb set right, the idle is not as "radical" as you might think (although you could tune it to be more wicked sounding". It'll make a 350 haul some serious butt, though. You'll like it.
have fun

Good to hear how the 292H cam works. Does it seem tough?

[bccsrc]

What are the 1.6 rockers gonna do for me?

edit: (So now that I have researched this, they will give me more lift.)

Do you think I need 3/8" or 7/16" rod bolt?

edit: (ARP-134-6003)

I will have to wait for those AFR heads to come out. That will make it even better.

When I get ready I will take the block down and have it bored to .30 over and get the crank and rods checked out.

[firestone]

I called AFR, the heads are available now, but there is a 6-8 week waiting list.

Adam

[bccsrc]

Originally Posted by firestone

I called AFR, the heads are available now, but there is a 6-8 week waiting list.

Adam

Guess I have a little time before I pull the engine then.

So I'm gonna run stock rods, and crankshaft. Guess I can't really run the stock pistons if I'm having the block bored out to .30 over.

Just Are the piston pins pressed in or ?

Can I do this if I have a press? Might save me $64.00

Here is a list of engine machining from NAPA:

$136.00 Bore Block to .30 over
$50.00 Clean Block
$30.00 Install Cam Bearings
$20.00 Install Soft Plugs
$64.00 Rods Put On New Pistons

[bccsrc]

What pistons should I go with to get my compression ratio up? Preferably Keith Black I think the KB 228 is going to be too low.

Looks like my CR would be 9.9 with a 68cc head.

I just called CNC-motorsports and they reccomend KB106 and said the AFR heads are 10 weeks out.