Building Your Own Chevy Engine

When building your own Chevy engine, you should have an idea of what you want to do, as there are many different configurations. Two of the most common Chevy engines are the 350-cubic inch small block and the 454-cubic inch big block. The best block to use for rebuilding for hotrodding purposes is a block that is 1972 or older. Once you figure out what kind of engine you want to build, you will be ready to start.

Find a suitable block. Check junkyards for core blocks. Make sure to get a warranty on the block---if it's cracked or is stripped, it is not buildable and should be returned. Take the block to the machine shop. Tell the machine shop you need the block hot-tanked and bored. Have them contact you if the block needs to be bored more than .60 over. Any more than that and the metal between the piston holes and the water jacket will be too thin for racing applications or other heavy driving applications. If the machine shop contacts you and lets you know the block is fine, move to the next step, otherwise return the block and get another one.

Have the heads hot tanked and measured. If the surface is warped, the machine shop can shave the heads, but you do not want them shaved too much, as this will affect the distributor---the shaft is a certain length, and oil will leak from the shaft area if the heads sit too low on the block.

Order the parts. Usually, the machine shop is the cheapest place to get quality parts. You will need bearings, cam, cam bearings, lifters, pistons, rods (if you want to upgrade from stock), oil pump, timing chain or timing gears (depending on your application) and a gasket set.

Ask the machine shop to install the cam bearings and to fit the pistons to the rods. If you are not comfortable with putting an engine together yourself, some machine shops will build the short block for you.

Put the block together with the new parts. Once the short block is together, add the heads and the intake. If you are making an everyday-driver engine, you can use the stock heads. If you are making a racing application, you may want to upgrade the heads. Upgraded heads can be purchased from a local speed shop or an online speed shop.

Install the block and the transmission. Install the water pump, alternator, distributor, carburetor, air pump, power steering pump and air compressor. Fill the fluids---oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid and the radiator.

Resources

• Putting It All Together
• Summit Racing
• Jegs Racing