I have a 350 in my camaro and I was wondering what I have to remove on my car's block to remove the old pistons and replace them with the cast aluminum pistons I plan to buy.

Thanks

you need 2 pull the crank, and to do that ya gotta pull the oil pan. It will be a whole lot easyer to yank the motor and put it on an engine stand to do it.

You do not necessarily NEED to pull the motor. I have done a bearing/ring rebuild with the motor in the car, but generally speaking it is easier to pull the motor to do it. Just depends on what you have available to do the work.

Steve

To change pistons you pretty much have to pull whole engine apart.

The oil pan, damper, timing chain cover, timing chain and crank has to come out.

Pistons needs to be pushed out the top of the block and put back in through the top

So that means intake, dist., and heads has to come off.

To get to the timing cover the water pump, alt, PS has to come off


No way I would every try to change pistons on an engine in a car... Pull engine and put it on a stand, and take it apart.

Make sure you number your main caps and rods/rod caps so you put em' back in the same places they came out of.

If you gonna do all that, it would be a good idea to go ahead and change rod and main bearings too

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2"> If you gonna do all that, it would be a good idea to go ahead and change rod and main bearings too [/B]</font>

What kind of main bearing will I need for my engine? Small Journal or large journal?



[This message has been edited by BlueCamaro (edited July 12, 2005).]

'67 and earlier non-350 SB motors are ALL small main and journal!

Then after '68 all are medium main and journal except the 400's and they have big mains and medium journals..

AND fwiw, Northern Auto Parts is about the cheapest place you can mail-order a 350 kit from...

pdq67

You don't HAVE to pull the crank in order to change the pistons.

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by pdq67:
'67 and earlier non-350 SB motors are ALL small main and journal!

Then after '68 all are medium main and journal except the 400's and they have big mains and medium journals..

AND fwiw, Northern Auto Parts is about the cheapest place you can mail-order a 350 kit from...

pdq67</font>

What part number on the bearing are the ones I should order for my 350? I dont want to accidentally order the wrong bearings http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/tongue.gif

OK, look the ones over that you pull out AND see if they are stock OR how much undersized if they are undersized?

Generally like 010 or 020 undersized, generally up to .030".

But they maybe .040" undersized for the rods and up to .030" for the main journals.. (Check and see what Northern Auto Parts sells here too)..

And if you still can't tell what size they are, mic them so you will know for sure!! BUT you can't mic the mains in the motor...

AND you can spin in new main bearings AND rear main seal if you want to while the motor is still in the car! BUT I would pull it and do it right/easier if it was mine.

Clean the block up good dingle-berry hone the cylinders.

Then wash it clean at the car wash with a quart of "degreaser", a gasket scaper and brush and the washer wand!! Dry her up good and be done with it!! Do the heads with a good valve grind and new seals and put her together.

AND finally spray Chevy Orange on her IF she is orange??

Been there, done several this way!!

pdq67

[This message has been edited by pdq67 (edited July 13, 2005).]

Are all Muscle cars referred to as women? seriously, arent they [muscle cars] too powerful to be called "her" or "she"

For as much as you're talking about taking off the engine, does another 11 bolts REALLY justify leaving the block in the car?

6 on the transmission housing
3 on the converter
2 motor mount bolts

Besides, do you SERIOUSLY intend to run a hone into the piston bores with the crank in the way? You do intend to hone your cylinders so that the NEW rings will seat, right? You see where this is going in a hurry....

Pull it out.

Remove everything down to the heads, and then yank the oil pan.

Please, do not hone the cylinders with the block in the car. I did this once on a Willys wagon years ago. Thought I had everything clean, but shortly afer re-assembly, wasted the bearings. Amazing how little contamination it takes to destroy an engine.

Thanks,

Jim

------------------
1975 Camaro
1973 Trans Am 455, 4-spd
1971 Firebird

[This message has been edited by Burt (edited July 14, 2005).]

I just don't like calling things "it" is all!

No gender thing at all here, just me mouthing off..

You know, like calling something that caused me a real hassle, that "SOB'in" part!!

pdq67