Chevy 350

Discussion in 'Inboards' started by mikealston2428, Jan 22, 2014.

  1. mikealston2428
    Joined: Jul 2011
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    Location: aussie

    mikealston2428 Senior Member

    Hi all,
    As some of the regular visitors to this site may be aware I have been rebuilding a Chevy 350.
    I have to put out a huge thanks to the regular guys that have given me invaluable advice during my rebuild.
    We'll I am a couple of weeks away from completing my rebuild, prior to fitting the engine back in the boat I would like to give it a start up on the engine cradle.
    My question is how do I go about doing this ?
    The basics I think is to give to motor a pre oil with a drill to the oil pump, connect fuel to the fuel filter fitting.
    Not real sure about ignistion ?
    Sorry to be a pain but I would like a detailed explanation of what I need to do.
    Many thanks,
    Mike.
     

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  2. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Unless you have a"run" stand, don't bother. You have to go through all the hook ups, you would in a normal engine install on the run stand, so you're just wasting time. Drop her in the boat, bolt her down, hook her up and if you've been anal about assembly lube, pull the plugs and give her 5 seconds on the starter, to see if the pressure comes up. If it does (it should), put the plugs back in and crank up this puppy. If you think you must, prime the oiling system with a distributor shaft in a drill, but a quick spin with no compression will tell you a lot, before she's asked to fire. FWIW, when these engines are factory assembled, they're not pre-primed - they just fire them up and break them in, so unless you're running some serious HP, I'd just go for it.
     
  3. Dave T
    Joined: Sep 2011
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    Location: Anamosa Iowa and North Buena Vista on the Mississi

    Dave T Senior Member

    I always ran a rebuilt motor on a test stand before installing it. Mainly because most of them were for customers who were going to be installing themselves. I have rebuilt motors that were going to be installed in boats but I have never installed one in a boat myself and I'm not that familiar with that. I always figured that it's much easier to fix something in case there was a problem when the motor was on a test stand than after it was installed in a car or boat. The main reason I always primed a motor was to make sure the lifters were pumped up especially if the motor had new lifters installed. If you do prime the motor with the oil pump turn the motor over slowly by hand and run the oil pump until you see oil coming out of all the push rods. If the lifters are not pumped up it will take a lot of cranking before the motor will start. If you haven't filled the oil filter with oil before installing it then take it back off and fill it and reinstall it. Remove the thermostat housing and thermostat and fill the block with water then reinstall the thermostat. I don't know what keeps the water from draining back on a boat but I assume there must be some type of check valve. Fill the carburetor with gas and double check timing and that the plug wires are correct. Good luck with your rebuild and keep us informed.

    Dave T :)
     
  4. Dave T
    Joined: Sep 2011
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    Location: Anamosa Iowa and North Buena Vista on the Mississi

    Dave T Senior Member

    If you decide to start the motor before installing it then you will need to connect a battery. Connect the positive cable to the starter and ground to the block. On the starter solenoid there should be one large terminal and two small terminals. You can connect a starter button between the large terminal that the battery is connected to and the small terminal on the inside closest to the block or just short these together with a screwdriver to make the starter work. For the ignition, since it looks like the distributor is just a normal electronic ignition with the coil built into the cap there should be a two wire connector on the front probably marked ignition and tach. You just need to run a wire from the positive of the battery preferably through a switch so you can shut the motor off to the terminal marked IGN. You will need to install a fan belt to make the water pump work and it looks like it must have an external oil cooler so you must plug the connection on the oil filter housing and probably a return connector somewhere. In the back of the block by the distributor there will be a small 1/8" pipe thread hole that will either have an electric oil pressure sender or a fitting for a mechanical oil gauge you should connect a gauge to this so you can check the oil pressure. For water the best way would be to use a radiator from a car but if not, you can just connect the two radiator hoses together with some extra hose and pipe you just won't be able to run the motor very long this way. Fill the block with water by removing the thermostat housing and thermostat and fill it through the hole for the thermostat then reinstall them and top off the coolant tank. I'm not sure how the water cooled exhaust manifolds are piped but you may have to plug them if water runs out. I would have a heat gauge connected as you won't be able to run the motor very long at a time without a radiator and even if you do have a radiator you won't have a fan. For gas you can just run a hose from the suction side of the fuel pump into any type of a gas can. Good luck

    Dave T :)
     
  5. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Yeah, sounds like a lot of work doesn't it Mike. Pretty much a full up, in the boat install, just on a stand. I admit to test stand runs too, but I have a test stand, which includes a battery/starter/alternator hook up, ignition wires and full instrumentation for engine vitals. It also has cooling provisions for both systems and I have a couple of flexible ducts for the exhaust. This is a lot more than most have, so if you want to go to the trouble of making up a test stand . . .

    Filling the oil filter should be standard procedure as would topping fluids, priming the pumps (you have more then one and at least three) is a good idea, but you should get oil pressure within 5 seconds on an uncompressed spin (starter, no plugs), which does the same thing. Again, assuming good application of assemble lube, the lifters might clack for a few seconds after actual startup, but this isn't unusual.

    Do NOT plug your exhaust cooling, just let the water run out (why I have the hoses). The engine can tolerate no cooling water for several seconds, except the raw water pump, so if you just want to fire her up, rough in the timing and shut down, just pull the raw water pump belt, so you don't cook an impeller. The problem with a raw water pump is the pickup, which needs to be immersed, not under pressure (it's designed to suck, not be force fed). Don't just hook up a garden hose, because you can fill the exhaust and it can back flow into the chambers.

    Again, it's just as much work as installing and starting in the boat. If there's a problem, you'll find it early in the break in process (usually very early, if you break in right). I guess it all boils down to how much faith you have in your engine building efforts. Yeah, it's a bit of a gamble, but if you've cross all the T's and dotted the appropriate I's, you'll be fine.
     
  6. boatbuilder41
    Joined: Feb 2013
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    Location: panama city florida

    boatbuilder41 Senior Member

    If you gonna get any kind of insurance on it, be sure to get rid of the H.E.I. distributor before adjustor takes a peak
     
  7. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    If the HEI has the windowless cap (non-vented marine cap), he'll be fine.
     
  8. mikealston2428
    Joined: Jul 2011
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    mikealston2428 Senior Member

    How many hours after start up should I change the oil and filter
    Thanks
    Mike
     
  9. 7228sedan
    Joined: Nov 2009
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    Location: New Jersey USA

    7228sedan Senior Member

    I'd recommend changing it almost immediately after the first time she runs for a few minutes. You'd be amazed at all of the bits fresh bearings & rings will lose during the initial bedding in process. It's enough to fill a good filter pretty quick. Whenever I do a motor I get it running check for oil pressure then shut her down. I'll start it back up and run to break in the rings, bearings, cam etc, then change the oil. After that I'd be changing the oil again after 10-15 hours. Assuming all is well, you should be good to go. What kind of cam did you install (Hydraulic roller, flat, solid)? The type of cam will really determine how you run it when you first fire it up.
     

  10. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I do the same thing, a quick test run, shut down, look for leaks, etc., another start up, dial in the everything and break her in. This is about 20 minutes of run time, the cam and other parts have seen enough heat, so I shut down and drain the oil, having a good look at the oil fitter top to see what's in there. Some metal is normal. Change the oil, filter and have fun for a several hours, then do it again.
     
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