Engine building

[Trip McNeely]

Has anyone here built an engine from bare block down? I have the intention of eventually (years) down the road replacing my inline 6 in my Bel Air with a period correct big block. I have been reading and purchased some good books on building and figured starting to build it now would be good. I know it will take me years and that?s fine but how difficult is it doing the little things or would I be better off piecing it and have a machine shop do those things? Basically I procure the pieces and get them matched/machines by a shop? I?d rather piece my own together than buy a short block. Time is not a factor plus I think I?d learn a lot. I have done all of the work so far on my car and have already learned so much. It?s been frustrating yet fun at the same time. Thoughts?

[Rick Modena]

It sounds like you're buying a used big block, you can use a local machine shop to vat clean it and maybe oversize the piston sleeves and then from there you can do everything yourself at your pace on an engine stand. Not sure what year block, but I would use aluminum heads if available, better cooling and the weight savings is worth it imo. And it looks cool as hell, unless you really are looking for that vintage look.

[Strychnine]

Last one I did, I bought all parts and had a shop do final assembly. While I understand bearing clearances, ring gaps, etc... I ain't got time to play with plastigage, ring filers, etc.
I get that you want to learn all the nuance, but learning and getting a final product that's not going to be a waste of your effort are different things. I understand how home plumbing works, I can draw pipes on paper etc, but I'm sure as shit going to call an plumber when it comes time to spend money.


EDIT: Fun story. When I was 16 and building my first engine I had rods, pistons, and wrist pins ready to go. I thought you just put them together.
After 30 minutes of trying to hammer a wrist pin through one side of a piston (no heat, I didnt know...) I gave up and called a nearby machine shop (they did a lot of dirt track SBCs, etc, so I knew they'd be ok). I took the parts in, they looked at them... looked at me... looked at the hammer marks... "You know with about 5 more minutes you would have ruined this shit, right?"
Woops. They were press-fit pins, not floating, my 16 year old dumbass didnt know the difference.

Maybe my early learning experience shifted my worldview, but there are people out there paid well to be experts in their craft. Unless you have all the tools, all the time, and all the money, just use those people.

[Trip McNeely]

Originally Posted by Rick Modena

It sounds like you're buying a used big block, you can use a local machine shop to vat clean it and maybe oversize the piston sleeves and then from there you can do everything yourself at your pace on an engine stand. Not sure what year block, but I would use aluminum heads if available, better cooling and the weight savings is worth it imo. And it looks cool as hell, unless you really are looking for that vintage look.

Trying to keep everything as period correct as possible. Cast block, but the heads i believe are also cast, however I wouldn't be opposed to an Edelbrock aluminum head(s).

[Trip McNeely]

Originally Posted by Strychnine

Last one I did, I bought all parts and had a shop do final assembly. While I understand bearing clearances, ring gaps, etc... I ain't got time to play with plastigage, ring filers, etc.
I get that you want to learn all the nuance, but learning and getting a final product that's not going to be a waste of your effort are different things. I understand how home plumbing works, I can draw pipes on paper etc, but I'm sure as shit going to call an plumber when it comes time to spend money.


EDIT: Fun story. When I was 16 and building my first engine I had rods, pistons, and wrist pins ready to go. I thought you just put them together.
After 30 minutes of trying to hammer a wrist pin through one side of a piston (no heat, I didnt know...) I gave up and called a nearby machine shop (they did a lot of dirt track SBCs, etc, so I knew they'd be ok). I took the parts in, they looked at them... looked at me... looked at the hammer marks... "You know with about 5 more minutes you would have ruined this shit, right?"
Woops. They were press-fit pins, not floating, my 16 year old dumbass didnt know the difference.

Maybe my early learning experience shifted my worldview, but there are people out there paid well to be experts in their craft. Unless you have all the tools, all the time, and all the money, just use those people.

Thanks for the insight. That story sounds like something I would do myself haha probably at my age though, lol.

I do agree though as much as I want to do all of the work, it looks like the major machining and fitting is best done by a professional. Procuring the pieces though, I can do that.

[dcs13]

If you can follow instructions and watch Youtube, you can handle it. Theres not much difference in the big block and small block builds. I just finished the big block from hell. A 396 that was a total mess. (customers motor)... Machine work bill was probably 8k... I jumped up and down saying buy a crate engine, ...NOPE... And then they had to pay for us to build it out..
And to top it off the fucking oil pump took a shit at start up. Luckily we saw a drop in oil pressure at 3800 rpms.. Pulled pan, swapped new pump, all good now..

We were lucky enough to get a new 632 Big Block. Cant wait to install that booger. Customer has a Chevelle its going in..

[Trip McNeely]

Originally Posted by dcs13

If you can follow instructions and watch Youtube, you can handle it. Theres not much difference in the big block and small block builds. I just finished the big block from hell. A 396 that was a total mess. (customers motor)... Machine work bill was probably 8k... I jumped up and down saying buy a crate engine, ...NOPE... And then they had to pay for us to build it out..
And to top it off the fucking oil pump took a shit at start up. Luckily we saw a drop in oil pressure at 3800 rpms.. Pulled pan, swapped new pump, all good now..

What was wrong that required so much machining, and did you have to sleeve the block? I want a block that I don't have to sleeve if possible. I mean I'm not going to run over 400 hp, but I just don't want the block to be in that bad of shape so I'll be choosey although it might cost a bit more.

[dcs13]

Originally Posted by Trip McNeely

What was wrong that required so much machining, and did you have to sleeve the block? I want a block that I don't have to sleeve if possible. I mean I'm not going to run over 400 hp, but I just don't want the block to be in that bad of shape so I'll be choosey although it might cost a bit more.

Block needed decking. 8 cylinders bored and honed. 8 rods resized.turn crank. He had already been through the heads. That bill included parts btw, forgot to mention that last night. New pistons, rings,roller cam, roller lifters (retrofit), gaskets, bearings,pushrods..

Now im fighting an issue with the Fitech. I hate Fitech. Tech support was supposed to send a new tune file, its been 3 days. Theres a glitch in the tune that came with the unit. We wont use them anymore, period. This is about the 3rd unit we've had issues with.

[barronj]

I've built a few from the bare block, the AFR headed 351 in my bronco is going strong after 12 years. It's not hard. Torque to spec, get your rings right, etc.

[garycrist]

A ring filer might be in your future. Get several sets of head gaskets and intake manifold
gaskets. Because of all the machine work on the block (decking) and the heads you use,
you might have to have the intake milled to fit the ports to line up right and not
suck or leak oil from under the manifold.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

It’s not rocket surgery.