Building a 355 for my Cross-fire Z28...
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Originally, I set out to add World Products Torquer 305 heads and a CompCams XE268h cam to my stock 305 shortblock. When we got the stock heads off (1.82 intake valves btw) the #4 cylinder had more wear than I liked, and so after a few days of debate, the project grew once again!
I had a friend with a .030 bored 350 block in his garage - he'd put about 10k on the block and pistons, so it only needed to be honed. A trip to the machine shop later and the block was cleaned, honed, and had new cam bearings.
I stuck with the Torquer 305 heads - they are similar in flow to the aluminum vette heads, and I figured they would be matched well with a ported crossfire system.
Parts Used:
Heads
Cam and Lifters
Timing chain
Oil pump and shaft
Crank
Gaskets
Oil Pan
Dipstick
Valve Covers
Whatelse?
Heres a basic timeline:
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2
3
Lessons:
Don't pull the heads unless you are ready to accept what you see...
Keep the stock bolts organized, or buy new ones. We pulled some threads out of one head bolt hole by using an incorrect bolt.
Damper pullers and installers break and leave threaded rod in the crank. NOT FUN.
Backfires suck. They kill plenum gaskets. They shoot off vacuum caps. They burn the hair off your hands.
Timing matters - see the comment on backfires - I now have an ADJUSTABLE timing light.
New motors + 20 year old distributor = new distributor - Might have been distributor gear wear not meshing with the new cam well, but the timing was really erratic until it was replaced with a nice red billet MSD small cap.
Big cam = low vacuum = map sensor telling ECM the car is under load = RICH at idle.
Surprisingly, the stock ecm handled the new motor ok - it ran with no major issues (needed a little more idle). Of course performance was terrible with 305 injectors, stock tb's and the stock ecm - but it ran.
High compression motor = mini-starter. Just give in, buy a good one up front - don't kill two weeks on starter issues. Of course 5 months later, mine still grinds every few starts :(
Yes, a 1/2 socket can fly off an extension, land on the crossmember and stay there for over 1000 miles. I thought I had dropped it into the open ypipe, and at one point, even got annoyed enough to cut off the exhaust to look for it. After I'd reinstalled the exhaust I saw it sitting up on the crossmember between two brake lines.
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Bare block, back from machine shop with one head attached for pics...
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Lots of masking...Next time, I'll know better where NOT to mask - I did TOO much...
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After painting...
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Painted my "aluminum" heads...Yes, you might be a redneck if you store your heads under your car...
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Heads and timing set are installed...
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Here's what it should look like...part 1...
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Here's what it should look like...part 2...
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The 305 has left the building...
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That crossmember should would look good red!
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And it does...
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Enter the 355...had to have some red on the motor now...
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It LOOKS ready to start...
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