Rockn-Roll

I'm looking for all the specs, torque specs, rod, crank, carm journal diameters, bearing clearance tolerances, etc. Kragen/Schucks/Checker sells some books like "Engine Builders handbook" by Tom Monroe, "How to rebuild your Small-Block Chevy" by David Vigard, and "How To Build The Smallblock Cheverolet" by Larry Atherton and Larry Shieb. Anyone have these and can tell me if they have all the specs or not? Any other recommendations?

Thanks,
Steve

honaker

These books will give you some specs on performance applications and in a lot of instances they are the same as factory. If you are strictly looking for spec's, go to an automotive store and pick up a "Chiltons" or "Haynes" repair book for a C3. They don't go into as much detail as i like, however i keep one for all my vehicles. If they have anything, they have all the torque specs that you will need for a rebuild.

I would also buy the books that you mentioned. They will give you a better understanding of how your motor works and much better help on a performance rebuild.

Hanes and Chilton are more for a stock rebuild.




[Modified by honaker, 1:22 PM 9/22/2003]

Rockn-Roll

Thanks honaker,

I have both the Haynes and Chilton manuals, and neither has the complete torque ranges for new and used bolts for internal engine bolts. Neither has the journal diameters or tolerances required to check for wear. Both books suggest taking everything to a machine shop. I'd rather not let my engine get out of my sight. I may take a part, for example crankshaft to a machine shop to have it turned, or the block to be bored, but I will ONLY do this IF there is sufficient wear. Otherwise I will just clean everything up and put it back together with a new set of bearings and seals. But, in order to determine if there is sufficient wear to require taking anything to a machine shop I will need the specifications.

I'll probably just go stock this time around...perhaps a little more performance on the cam, but nothing as radical as the CC270H Magnum that I would like to put in there.

ROD NOCK

I saw the book "How To Build The Smallblock Cheverolet" by Larry Atherton and Larry Shieb on a friends garage shelf awhile back and thumbed thru it. Seemed rather complete, and gave specs as they went along with the process. I liked the check list and label sheet included.
All in all, I'd say it would be worth it's place on a gearheads bookshelf. :chevy

MotorHead

"How To Build The Smallblock Cheverolet" I have that book and it is good for stock or modified smallblocks. :D

SLine78

Steve.

I have two of Dave Vizards books, "How to rebuild your Small Block Chevy" and "How to Build Max Performance Chevy Small Blocks on a Budget". The how to rebuild is a good general step by step guide. Even includes tables listing parts and quantities for a particular section of the block you are working on with a column to check the parts off. Does not really detail tolerances.

The Max Performance on a Budget book does a good job on areas to pay attention to in order to gain all of the available hp for a given engine.

During my rebuild, I still used the haynes manual to look up crank and rod diameters and clearances as well as ring gaps and bolt torque specs.

MIke

Rockn-Roll

Thanks Mike. I looked at the Haynes Manual again, and sure enough section 2B has all the specs I need, but the thing that puzzles me is that there is only one spec for 350 engines. Surely, there are a variety of different specs for all the different configurations of 350 available for the Corvette. One thing I am sure of is that the lobe lift for the cams will be different. I would also suspect that the journal diameters for both crank and cam would be different as well. Also, since I've got a 75 L48 it would be different from a 74 L48 due to the drop in compression....perhaps this is just the size of the chamber gouged out of the head, but it's still different. What I'm looking for are the details for my specific engine, along with details for the specs on the other engines, for example the L82. There must be some place where all of those specs are brought together in one place.

Maybe I'll buy some of those other books like the Atherton and Schieb book and see if they have what I need...I could just return them if they don't so it won't hurt.

Thanks for all the posts...I'm starting to see some light here.


[Modified by Rockn-Roll, 1:44 AM 9/23/2003]

honaker

All the journal specs are the same for all 350 chevys. you are right, the cam lobes are differnt depending on the varity of 350 that it is. There are several ways to change an engine without changing the journals For instance a drop in compression can easy be done with a thicker head gasket and/or a differnt head volume or a differnt piston(flat/dish). Most changes that i have witnessed is in the heads and cam/valvle train.

I hope this makes sense.

marshrat99

Hey Rock-n-Roll: If you're new to rebuilding, I'd suggest you get the two JC Whitney videos "Rebuilding the Small Block Chevy" and "Hot Rodding the Small Block Chevy". Both were made by same guy and I found that they were gave most (97%) of the info you'll need for the step-by-step things to do. However, this guy is building a 400 not a 350 and does not go into exact spec's. If you're experienced, don't bother. :cheers: