Used engine... What should I do to it before I drop it in???

[veltboy618]

I just picked up a SBC 350 for my car the other day. I didn't get to hear the engine running but I kinda believe the guy saying it was a good engine & it looks to be in good working order. He said it was a Jasper rebuild & it had about 22,000 miles on it from the time it was put in til it was pulled. It had some kind of "Warranty void if removed" think stuck to one of the freeze plugs on the front. It spins freely & it looks clean under the valve covers when I pulled them off to inspect it except where they were leaking. The outside is a little oily from valve cover leaks & the intake looks old. The heads look like some type of aftermarket headshttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif. Should I remove the heads or anything else to check everything out before I clean it up & install it into my car? What are the normal things you guys look at before dropping it in? I plan on doing a couple things...New gasket set, double roller timing chain... What else???


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[rfalker1]

I don't know but, I would love to help but how much did you pay for that setup???
if u don't mind me asking. I am trying to sell mine

[veltboy618]

I don't know but, I would love to help but how much did you pay for that setup???
if u don't mind me asking. I am trying to sell mine

He wanted $250 for the engine & trans so he could get rid of some stuff & make space in his garage because he had too much stuff(which he did)but I only bought the engine for $200. He said the 400 trans was slipping in 2nd & I already have a Th350 sitting in the garage so i decided not to get it.

Where are you playing at & what part of STL are you from?

[monteboy84]

How's the rear main seal look? If it's a 1-piece I'm sure it's probably fine, but if it's a 2 piece seal I'd replace it now. Other than that, I'd maybe put a starter on it and use a battery to crank it over and check for good compression, but really, I'd just give it a good wash/paint and drop it in ;)

-matt

[68Formula]

I'd pull the heads and checkout the pistons and camshaft for wear before dropping it in. I'd also verify the compression ratio. And I'd either confirm the cam specs (if you can get an accurate idea of lift, duration, and lsa you might be able to figure out what it is and make sure it's degreed per spec) or put a new one in so I know what exactly in there.

I bought a used engine once, and had I done this it would have saved me a lot of headaches.

[rfalker1]

i play for a team called cholet basket in france and from the central west end, and u???

[veltboy618]

Thanks you guys for all the tips! If you have any more let me know! I am going to start with the compression test tomorrow. What if the compression is low on a couple cylinders... What will I need to do then? I'm going to head over to the auto parts store & buy all the gaskets, timing chain, couple cans of paint & a oil pump (if I need it)so I can throw it all on if it pass the test. I read on another site that I should squirt a little oil in the cylinders to lube the walls since it been sitting for a while before the compression test. What do you guys think about that? I want to pull the heads off to check for scars on the walls but then again I don't. Will i be able to see the cylinder walls good enough from the bottom with the oil pan off? i never did it but checking the rod bearings & the main bearings shouldn't be that hard. I already looked up the tq. specs & have them saved to my computer.


How's the rear main seal look? If it's a 1-piece I'm sure it's probably fine, but if it's a 2 piece seal I'd replace it now. Other than that, I'd maybe put a starter on it and use a battery to crank it over and check for good compression, but really, I'd just give it a good wash/paint and drop it in ;)

-matt
I really don't know a lot about the main seals so I'm going to do a little research on that tonight & figure out which one I have & how hard it will be to change it. The compression test is first on my list of things to do & it dose need a good bath lol


I'd pull the heads and checkout the pistons and camshaft for wear before dropping it in. I'd also verify the compression ratio. And I'd either confirm the cam specs (if you can get an accurate idea of lift, duration, and lsa you might be able to figure out what it is and make sure it's degreed per spec) or put a new one in so I know what exactly in there.

I bought a used engine once, and had I done this it would have saved me a lot of headaches.
I know what you're saying about saving you headaches & knowing exactly whats inside your engine but you just lost me talking about degreeing a cam... I don't know anything about that so I'm going to do a search on that & how to figure out the lift & duration too. Lets just say the motor was completely stock, whats a good cam that I can put in & it wont break me because I only have a couple dollars to spend on this engine. I'm not looking for anything crazy just a cam that can give me a little get up & go when I want to smash the pedal... Oh yeah I love that choppy sound lol


i play for a team called cholet basket in france and from the central west end, and u???
Oh ok! I'm from E. St. Louis but I'm in St. Louis all the time. Thats where most of my wifes family live but they are from IL too.

[1969CamaroRS]

Definitely a Leak down and/or compression test. Leak-down test can be done without having to turn it over so shouldn't be too hard to do as it sits right now. That will at least tell you if its worth trying to install the motor or if it really needs work.

You might also check the oil pan gasket and see if there are any leaks, its a lot easier to change before the motor is in.

[fishtail8]

I second the leakdown test. It'll tell you if the valves are sealing properly as well as the rings. Simple to do, and can be done at the same tme as your compression test. If it passes those two, you might not even want to tear into it.

[rfalker1]

what part??? the belleville area or what??? let me know if u are having engine problems too, i can sell u mine and its in perfect working condition