camaroguy_02

i thought about buyin an old 350 from the junkyard an tearin that apart to find out where everything goes an how everything looks, and possible build it back up with new parts. i gotta few buddies out here that have some pretty good in-depth knowledge about engines, and they all agree that hands-on is the best way to learn, so i figured this may be the best way for me to learn about them as well. just take a day an tear it all apart, clean everything, an slowly work it back together with new pieces and possibly sell it.

what kinda special tools wuld i need to do this, other than an engine stand and possibly a lil cherry picker?

or, what is another really good way for me to learn about this stuff? i really dont want to pull my own ls1 apart an do all this stuff for my first time.

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

IMO to build a motor with no purpose and no experience other than to sell it is a waste of your time and money. I personally wouldn't buy one from you. "Yeah, I built this, but it's the first time I've ever done it, no, I didn't run the motor, but it looks OK..."...

I'm a hard core do it yourselfer. I have been learning the way you propose (still am, there are many facets that I have yet to cover). That said...

I'd look for something like a $2,000 pickup truck, with a 350 in it, maybe a broken 350. Rebuild the motor, put it back in the truck, get it running, and sell it and get your money back. You'll learn far more than if you simply grab a torque wrench, tighten some bolts, and move on to the next task when (if) you sell the untested motor.

You'll also find that machine work is NOT cheap. Boring, line hone, balance, cam bearing install, etc... it all adds up quick. For a low end 350, it's actually less expensive to buy a GM crate motor than to rebuild one, unless you have a machine shop hookup.

You may have a friend who has a junker engine in his backyard that he'd let you have (heh, I have a couple V6's that need to go to the scrapyard). To pull it apart would be fine, but again, it'll probably be a lot more money to rebuild it than it's really worth, if it's 'just' a low end motor. That's why I suggest getting a vehicle to put it in as well, and sell it running. Plus you'll get to enjoy firing up "your" engine for the first time.

cbrich

I agree with Camaroholic about rebuilding it and sell it. I learned on a lawnmower engine at the age of 10 and I built my camaro engine (sig) at 20. Your best bet would be get the SBC (don't spend a lot on a used block) and tear it apart, and put it back together without rebuilding it, even if you did rebuild it you could only sell for $500-$1000 (stock - mild) but it all depends on the quality of parts. A stock rebuild kit will cost at least $320, plus the machine work could cost a fortune. The kit in link is only for pistons, oil pump, gasket kit, rod bearing, and main bearings; all the timing components would be extra to complete a long block engine.


I would not recommend tearing your LS1 engine apart and learn on it, this would be costly learing experience.

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

Forgot to mention...

My LS1 motor in my sig (the solid roller 383)...

Is the first motor I built myself, and it's still together. Big $$ gamble. But I had a lot of help, from here (especially Jason99T/A), my local machinist Jack @ Precision Machine, and a mechanic buddy.

fast377

iTrader: (52)

What these guys said is absolutely right. There is no point in learning how to build a motor if you never put it in anything and run it. Engine ASSEMBLY is easy, if you take your time and pay attention to tolerances, torque specs, and clearances.

If you build one, do it BY YOURSELF!! Have a friend to "point" and make sure you do things right. And put it in something and run it. That way, if you do make an unseen mistake on assembly, you will know once it's built. Hell, I've split a motor in half on a blower application just because I "assumed" all my tolerances were correct. Turned out I had the wrong size main bearings. Imagine if I sold that motor to someone and didn't start it...that would have been a mess.

I say do it...learn from it.

camaroguy_02

lol i just threw out the "sell" part just for s&giggles.. heck, i wuldnt by my own FIRST engine build.

but yea, i really want to build up an engine and learn that way, so i thot gettn an old clunker wuld be a cheaper way to go. wuld a smaller engine size work better to my advantage? i got an old 1985 yamaha yz125cc dirtbike up at home that was stolen and returned to me with the engine in 3 big orange bins, and ever since then i been fartin around with the idea of puttin it back together with my dad (who's pretty good with engines/motors), so wuld that be a better idea? just an old db motor, even though its 2-stroke. it wuld have alot of the same engine parts as a car wuld have, wuldnt it?

cbrich

The motorcycle would be a great starting place, but a 2 stroke engine has less moving parts, ie. 2 strokes don't have camshafts, lifters, rocker arms, and valves, where as you car has all of this extra stuff but really not that much of a problem. Timing a camshaft is really easy anybody can do it, the only big problem is setting the lifters but that is not that big of a deal.

fast377

iTrader: (52)

I would do an old (pre 1985) 305 or 350. Parts are cheap, easy to come by, and are easy to work on.