Well as you may already know from my last post I blew my "new" 350 and I was looking for a inexpensive way out to get me running again. I have found a solution now:
Several days ago I bought a rusty 77 blazer with a 400 in it. The Odometer showed ~69000 miles on it which we were sure it has been turned over. But the interior was almost perfect and after removing the engine, everything was in great condition and worked. I pulled the heads and WOW - Barely ridge and you can still see the cross hatch hone pattern in the cylinders! It must have 69000 miles. It is also standard bore. never been rebuilt, 2 bolt main, and the 509 block to make things even sweeter. I have yet to look at the bearings, I hope it is sill all original. Ill post condition of those later.
But I/it may have a problem. We did a compression check before we pulled it and after it was out we did a leakdown test. Here are the results:
Cylinder -- Compression (PSI)
1. 140
2. 140
2. 130
4. 120
5. 115
6. 100
7. 140
8. 130
Leakage -- (%)
1. 40
2. 67
3. 74
4. 79
5. 89
6. 84
7. 42
8. 84
Now those two tests don't follow each others results...?...The cylinders with the most leakage has the highest compression and vice versa. Kinda lost hear but I think the point is that I got some serious? leakage. When we performed the leakdown, it sounded and felt like most of the air was getting past the rings.
So Im looking for suggestions of what I should do. Still on a budget here. Mainly my two options for a build are (for short block) since it is in so well condition, use it as it is. OR since it is in so well condition rebuild it (doesn't need to be bored) with new rings, bearings, etc. (Take it to machine shop and have it professionally honed, hot tank it, and new cam bearings and freeze plugs installed)(or I could clean it at home, reuse cam bearings, and use a honing stone at home, this would save a bunch of $$$) Then top it with vortec heads and use my 350 cam (224* .465 lift). I would just hope that the pistons can be reused, which im almost 100% sure they can be. And the crank and rods don't need to be ground or resized.
Several days ago I bought a rusty 77 blazer with a 400 in it. The Odometer showed ~69000 miles on it which we were sure it has been turned over. But the interior was almost perfect and after removing the engine, everything was in great condition and worked. I pulled the heads and WOW - Barely ridge and you can still see the cross hatch hone pattern in the cylinders! It must have 69000 miles. It is also standard bore. never been rebuilt, 2 bolt main, and the 509 block to make things even sweeter. I have yet to look at the bearings, I hope it is sill all original. Ill post condition of those later.
But I/it may have a problem. We did a compression check before we pulled it and after it was out we did a leakdown test. Here are the results:
Cylinder -- Compression (PSI)
1. 140
2. 140
2. 130
4. 120
5. 115
6. 100
7. 140
8. 130
Leakage -- (%)
1. 40
2. 67
3. 74
4. 79
5. 89
6. 84
7. 42
8. 84
Now those two tests don't follow each others results...?...The cylinders with the most leakage has the highest compression and vice versa. Kinda lost hear but I think the point is that I got some serious? leakage. When we performed the leakdown, it sounded and felt like most of the air was getting past the rings.
So Im looking for suggestions of what I should do. Still on a budget here. Mainly my two options for a build are (for short block) since it is in so well condition, use it as it is. OR since it is in so well condition rebuild it (doesn't need to be bored) with new rings, bearings, etc. (Take it to machine shop and have it professionally honed, hot tank it, and new cam bearings and freeze plugs installed)(or I could clean it at home, reuse cam bearings, and use a honing stone at home, this would save a bunch of $$$) Then top it with vortec heads and use my 350 cam (224* .465 lift). I would just hope that the pistons can be reused, which im almost 100% sure they can be. And the crank and rods don't need to be ground or resized.