Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Decided to go with the 260 HP GM crate 350 to replace my cracked block 350 in the 72. Many thanks to all who helped me along the way.

The JD 445 sold yesterday, so today it was off to the GM parts department. $1320 + $100 core (which I can't return cause of this...):

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Tr...cked Block.jpg

Here are some pics of the new powerplant coming home in the crate:

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02186.jpg

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02190.jpg

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02193.jpg

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

I'm planning to give her the "GM factory orange" treatment soon. What's best way to get the paint to stick and last?

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02200.jpg

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02204.jpg

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02213.jpg

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02215.jpg

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

for paint they sell high heat made specifically for engines and in chevy orange

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They wouldnt take the core cause of that spot? Why not?:( Look at the paints by POR, I did a MGB motor with the brush on and it came out nice.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Prep the block well.The paint will only be as good as the prep,just like with bodywork.I usually use a degreaser then rinse well and clean with paint thinner or brake/electrical cleaner and let dry before painting.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

boraxman: Cracked block...that little spot (amazing how small) was letting radiator fluid into my cylinder and into the pan. My oil was ICK. Talked with my engine builder and he said we could sleve that cylinder. But if engine had been rebuilt already (which I'm 95% sure it had), then could probably have trouble with adjacent cylinder walls. And who knows if or when heads would get issues.

PanelDeland: Good advice on degreaser / thinner. Should I rough up the black paint with sandpaper and/or wire brush first? Or just clean and paint?

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Update on the crate engine. Got to know my wire-wheel very well in the past few weeks. And the UPS guy. Parts are still coming in and paints have been here a while, as you can see.

Pressure washed the intake and one ram-horn:

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02216.jpg

Then sent both to machine shop for bead blast (along with flywheel for turning).

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02254.jpg

Turned out good, but realized I needed to paint her, along with other parts. Used Dupli-Color engine enamel with ceramix for all but the exhaust manifolds. For those I'm using Por15 high temp paint.

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02276.jpg

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02284.jpg

Manifold paint is "cast coat aluminum" and looks pretty darn good.

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02320.jpg

Picked up stainless steel bolt kit from Jegs.

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02293.jpg

Decided to replace the following while I had engine out:

• Clutch / press plate / t-bearing
• Fuel pump
• Starter
• Alt

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02304.jpg

Tossed the intake and exhaust manifolds on for a quick pic. Should be doing final assembly this week, but still waiting on z-bar parts before I can get her in the truck.

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02327.jpg

I really like the way it looks...of course it will be a new and painted engine surrounded by an aging and rusty truck. I'm thinking that will motivate me to start the complete tear down and restore :)

For now, I just want to get her running again and give my wife back her parking spot (oh, and prove my neighbors wrong...they don't think I will ever get it running again)

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

damn neighbors! :lol:

Looks good man. Keep the pics and updates coming.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Nice ;) Glad you liked the intake paint idea.

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Looks very nice :metal: and familiar (except for the orange paint, I left mine black)

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Yep, I was following your lead. I even purchased some clear coat to go over and give more, but I got impatient and wanted to be finished. Thanks again!

Hot Rod (or Car Craft, can't remember which one), had article about engine paint...saying you don't need custom paint and spray gun. They suggested you use Dupli-Color! Worked well for me.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Pics 2, 3 and 4 were like a strip tease and then pic 5 she is totally nude! Real nice job on the Chevy Orange and detailing the manifolds, brackets and pulleys. Man, that looks nice!

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Man, seeing pics of that makes me want to go get that darn 290Hp block soon. I was trying to convince myself into buying a junkyard 350 just to have a decent running engine (I have a 307 hittin' on 7 with unknown # of rebuilds), but looking at that makes me want a new one again.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

I looked at the 290 HP crate...it's the same as the 260 HP crate that I got, only different cam. Someone here suggested I stick with 260 HP engine...more low end torque to work with. My truck is 4x4 with 4 spd manual tranny.

The 260 HP version is $1320. 290 HP will cost you close to $1800.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

do you have the part # for that motor the dealer here says they have a 220hp and a 290 hp thanks

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

VERY NICE !!! ive done that same route myself twice and never been sorry about it (mine never came out that pretty though). those are GREAT motors if your not building a drag car/truck. they will do everything you want really well.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

VERY NICE !!! ive done that same route myself twice and never been sorry about it (mine never came out that pretty though). those are GREAT motors if your not building a drag car/truck. they will do everything you want really well.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Here is link to the base crate engine (part # 10067353). I've seen them rated anywhere from 190 to 260 HP. I guess depends on intake, carb, exhaus, etc.

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...3--P62C63.aspx

Call around. If your dealer doesn't order them by in bulk, they will try to charge you close to $1750. Find a dealer that orders them by the truckload and get the better price.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Today's update:

Intake and exhaust manifolds are now installed and torqued down. As is fuel pump & water neck.

I am still waiting on heat shields, plug wire retainers from GMC-Pauls and Z-bar kit from Year One (both were backordered and should ship this week).

I will have to fabricate my own low pressure return hose for the power steering. But I believe the mid 70's high pressure hose will work (crossing fingers!!!). Hoping to post install pics early next week...

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02362.jpg

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

You will like that engine. I bought the same one for my 68, only I swapped out the cam for a Comp Cams 268H. I just wanted a little lumpety-lump at idle. Sounds real good, and they run great! That looks real nice too!!!

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

All the parts are in my possession (wire retainers, Z-bar kit, heat shields), and I even found exact replacements for my PS hoses!!! Thank you GMC Pauls!

On advice of a board member, I ordered myself a set of plug wires from '78 Vette (they had HEI and Ram-Horns). I was a little discouraged at the length of some of the wires...seemed too long. But after some trial and error, I managed to come up with good routing.

I ordered replacement heat shields, but don't like them. I'm planning to get some high temp sleeves to shield from manifold heat. And I'll add thick rubber hose in places where plug wires might rub.

Hope to have pictures of this engine actually in the truck early next week!!!

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02396.jpg

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02399.jpg

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

WOW very nice ....

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Chevy Orange is just awesome!!! Why they ever left it for blue and now black, is just beyond me :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

Great job, looks fantastic!!!

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

are you sure you really want your wires that loooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggg
i would never deal with that when you can get the correct wires that will work with your holders etc. plus youve spent so much time/energy on making this thing so nice/clean. get the right plug wires and finish it up the right way.
or
find a store that sells the correct ends and just cut them down yourself.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Nice Job,all the work you put into her really shows,its going to look Sweet in your truck...

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Very Nice!!!

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I was a little skeptical at first, but in the end I really like how they are routed. It's a clean look and the plug wires are, for the most part, out of the way and far from exhaust manifold heat.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

I must say that engine is looking great. It is sometimes easy to go overboard I think and then at time some people paint the engine and leave everything else crappy. Way to stay on track and see it through for a nice clean look. Take out your fender wells and paint them black and clean up the rest of the engine compartment. You will not regret it. Nice job.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

The plan is to get the engine back in truck and get her running again. Then it's trips to body shops to see what they will charge for cab corners, door bottoms, floor rust. If it's too much, I'll buy my own welder and go to town.

Then the truck comes apart in many pieces and it gets the restore is needs :) Including new inner fenders, painted semi-gloss black!

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Well, it is finally in the truck! But not without drama.

Spent much of Saturday and part of Sunday morning gathering final parts and stuff for the install. Dad and brother showed up for lunch on Sunday, then we started the fun process of dropping the engine in the K-20. The play-by-play:

After pulling the engine with starter on, I figured starter could stay on for install. Nope. Scraped up the newly painted starter and finally decided to pull her off for the install.

As was case with the 82 K-10 way back in college, we had trouble getting trans and engine lined up. After about 40 minutes of jacking trans, positioning engine, we finally had trans shaft and clutch lined up and close. Finally lined up all splines and she started to slide together. But she wouldn't go that last 1/2". Grrr.

Tried and tried again to slide her together. Finally pulled engine back out to check alignment. Of course Dad and brother weren't there when I bolted flywheel, clutch, pres. plate, bell housing on the engine, so they asked lots of questions about that. Dad thought we were hitting on flywheel, but that wasn't the case.

After more attempts to get her together we decided to pull engine back out and take apart bell housing / clutch. The pilot bearing was showing wear and marks where the trans shaft was banging into it...just off center. We determined that the clutch wasn't centered with pilot bearing.

Dinner break.

After dinner we start to re-install the clutch / pres. plate and I break out the torque wrench (remember, Dad and I never used torque wrench in the past...just torqued until we felt it was snug). So I check my specs and start cranking on the wrench. But dumb-butt me looked at flywheel torques, not pres. plate torque. And BAM, I break off one of the pres. plate bolts in the flywheel. It's 6:30 PM on a Sunday and we are effectively done. I send Dad and brother home and plan to hit Sears Monday morning for back-out tool, then hardware store for more bolts.

I get parts and assemble clutch with proper torques Monday afternoon. Dad and brother show up for dinner (if you feed them they will come), and we hit it again. This time the engine slides together with trans in after about 15 minutes of wrangling (we are much better this time...and everything is lined up well). So we got four bolts on trans and now start on engine mounts...here we go again. Big problem.

I purchase motor mounts from local auto parts store. They have one, but have to order another. Look exactly like originals, so I toss the old ones in trash two weeks ago. I even get new grade 8 bolts for the mounts. Driver side lines up well, but passanger side if about 1/2" too far back (engine needs to come forward).

Brother is trying to thread bold and it just won't go. I have a try and it just seems too big. On whim I try smaller bolt and that's the ticket. SUCK. Parts store snuck in a mount with different bolt size (smaller). But it's grade 8 bold and I'm tired of pulling engine, so it is staying in. Big bolt on pass side, slightly smaller on driver side.

Now we need to move engine forward to get passanger side mount in. After many attempts to pry / pull / coax it forward, we finally decide to loosen trans bolts to give us a little room. Finally, success. We start engine mount bolts, then crank down trans bolts...finishing up with engine mounts.

She's all bolted in after two days, broken pres plate bolt, some swear words, four meals and only two beers. I send Dad and brother home and tell them I'll call when I have her ready to fire up...hopefully later this week. Here is pic:

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02430.jpg:dum:

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Glad you got it installed - looks great in there.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Its a good motor. I put one in my old 84 silverado. Just make sure you keep up with any water leaks in it. My brother blew both head gaskets because he didn't take care of it. But it got to live again in my new 84 silverado. I rebuilt it and it runs great again.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

I installed a 285 HP crate from Salee Chev about 5 years ago into my 69 SWB. Also bought a new 4L60 at the same time. I can light them up in second gear. Get 17 MPG.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Thought you guys might like to see a pic of "Ol Blue." Dad drove her to the house on Sunday to help me.

It's a 1962 Chevy Impala that he purchased new and had delivered on his 21st birthday. It's got 327 and "three-on-the-tree", posi, no air, no PS, no PB. He said all those things took away from the power of the mighty 327.

Had it re-done in the 70's and it still looks great. I've driven this car a grand total of three times! Once around the block. One time when Mom's car had trouble and we took Ol Blue to pick it up...I coaxed her in to letting me drive it back to the house. The other time for my brother's wedding (I was best man and got to drive to reception). He drove it for my wedding.

http://www.dougdaubert.com/images/Trucks/DSC02418.jpg

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

Very nice Impala, like the Lab also.

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He's a great pooch. Turns 10 next month. Loves to hunt and is as gentle as can be around the kiddos. And only time he barks is when someone rings doorbell...and that's a good thing!. Imagine a thief looking in the window and seeing 90 lbs of yellow lab smiling back at him.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

It is ALIVE! Pictures coming soon...

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Just curious but why do you have a center dump ramhorn on the pass side and a angle dump on the drivers side?

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Hmmm...driver side came with truck (PO installed). When I had new exhaust on, the pass side broke (it was cracked almost completely around and snapped off when they put wrench on it). I had muffler shop buy and install new one.

Re: Crate 350 Pics & Update
 

cool work they wouldn't take that block as a core? i've returned cracked blocks to a gm dealer aslong as they are together they dont take it apart to look. keep us updated