any sbc compatibility experts?

[alk]

For reasons that aren't quite clear, on a whim I picked up a pretty much abandoned 19' inboard ski boat last week, and trying to get it running. Considering it was almost free, I still might have gotten ripped off! It's actually not bad, the hull, deck and transom all seem solid. The vinyl, carpet, canvas need to be redone. That will cost some money.

And of course the engine is probably shot. Supposedly it ran a few years ago, but has been sitting since. I could not get the engine to spin, tried all of the kerosene / marvel mystery in the spark plug holes - that didn't work. So pulled the heads, a little more work, and now I can spin it. But the cylinder that was frozen is pretty rusted and pitted - don't think the block is usable.

Looking at new 'crate' motors, rebuilds, and the like - I can get a newer vortec motor ( mine is an 87 pre-vortec) with roller cam that is about 50hp over what I have now, for only a couple hundred bucks more than a like for like.

Trying to figure out what additional parts I will need if I go with the newer (97+) longblock. I know I will need a new intake manifold, guessing valve covers. But beyond that, not sure. Can't find much via google searches. Anybody know if the parts typically reused when swapping long blocks will need to be upgraded? thinking water circulating pump, distributor, harmonic balancer, flywheel, bellhousing, timing cover, oil pan, and anything else I'm forgetting?

 

[jtybt15]

All the parts you mentioned will fit any smallblock from 1956(?) to ???. I'm using a 1970 block with (1997)vortec heads, aluminum exhaust manifold. Flywheel and harmonic balancer to match the 400ci externalled balanced crank. The SBC engine is a wonderfully designed motor that has all components with the same bolt pattern in the block. The main difference was the change from the two piece rear main seal to the one piece main seal.

If you really wanted to, you could probably bore out the cylinders .030" and it would probably clean up the rust.

 

[pdecat]

1955 Charlie

 

[alk]

i was thinking of rebuilding this block - but when you take the cost of machine work, plus new pistons, rings, bearings, etc. -- getting close to the cost of of GM motor in a crate. And the rust is bad in the cylinder which was frozen - pretty deep pits in the wall, so not really sure if .030 would be enough.

I thought I read somewhere online that the water circ pump was not the same for vortec headed motors, but now can't seem to find that page.

 

[j-d]

While we wait for Charlie... When Detroit changed from Vee Belts to Serpentine, in many cases that reversed the rotation of the circulation pump. If the correct pump for the actual rotation dictated by the belt setup wasn't installed, wouldn't cool properly. Pump could look right and bolt up, just wrong internally for the rotation. The new Chevy SBC pumps are BI-Directional. Will work with either belt setup. There was also a time where the Pump had to be ordered according to the material the timing cover was made of. One if cover was stamped metal, another if cover was space age composite (plastic). I thought I'd read the BI-Directional pump would also work with either of those, but I truly don't remember. Finally a boat mechanic told me there was a "long nose" and "short nose" version of the SBC pump. I'd never seen that, so again, I can't help.

What I can offer is this:

1. Experience has shown me that used circ pumps don't keep well. Engine we just replaced, had a recent pump on it that I was going to keep as a spare. It rotated with a scraping sound, and I would not consider re-installing it. But this was a salt water RWC engine

2. This is the 21st Century and the SBC came out in the 20th. So at least go Vortec. Then get the appropriate accessories.

3. "Reman" and even some "Crate" engines haven't had the best reputation for quality. Find a brand that has a track record you can verify. It's bad enough if YOU install a bad Reman/Crate engine and have to pull it. And hopefully the supplier won't fine-print you and deny warranty. Even worse if you hire somebody to install the replacement. They'll charge labor for any engine replacements needed for a third party engine even if warrantied.

4. You show "Pennsylvania" so I guess the old 5.7 ran in fresh water. If it ran in salt, or you can't determine it did not, that alone would be reason for me to NOT rebuild it.