Looking to buy horses

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Jesse Smith

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the time has finally come! I found a running engine! Picked up a 350 yesterday. Now I’m wondering what the most efficient purchases would be to give me the most boost in HP and/or MPG. I already planned on swapping my 2 barrel carb to 4 barrel and bolting on some headers (also got some Edelbrock valve covers which we all know add +7 speed to any vehicle). Any other ideas of what to add on?
 

Frankenchevy

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It would help the engine savvy guys to know your budget. Otherwise, you’ll probably get responses like, “NOS!”

I’d set some money aside for a professional to time the ignition and properly set up whatever carb you get. A lot of hp stands to be lost in those two alone. A few degrees of timing could take more power than you’ll benefit from headers on a stockish 350.
 

Camar068

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exactly what I was thinking regarding the timing and carb tuning. Quadrajet is supposed the be the best (not including EFI) for power and MPG at the same time.
 

Honky Kong jr

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Compression is horsepower and displacement helps too.
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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I thought this thread was gonna be about actual horses. I think the Quadrajet is a great suggestion and so is the timing. Headers will liberate a good bit of power. You can also throw on a lighter, prettier, slightly performance improving aftermarket intake manifold. That’s all you can really do without opening the engine, and it really depends on how far you’re willing to go. You could overhaul the top end with new or remanufactured heads, a cam, lifters... That would be a big boost right there.
 

Derrick

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have you thought of a cam i am looking into one for my truck granted my truck is new but a cam can do a lot and you don't have to go extreme mild cams make some power too from what I have been reading and what year is the motor
 

Jesse Smith

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I thought this thread was gonna be about actual horses. I think the Quadrajet is a great suggestion and so is the timing. Headers will liberate a good bit of power. You can also throw on a lighter, prettier, slightly performance improving aftermarket intake manifold. That’s all you can really do without opening the engine, and it really depends on how far you’re willing to go. You could overhaul the top end with new or remanufactured heads, a cam, lifters... That would be a big boost right there.
Is a fresh intake manifold gonna be a very noticeable difference? Cause if I can skip out on that and put more into a good carb (quadrajet from what it sounds like) and paying for the timing tuneup I’d rather do that
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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If you need to verify the timing, you can do that yourself on the build stand. Just put your finger over the number one spark plug hole, turn the crankshaft clockwise, and whenever your finger starts to blow away from the hole, just line up the balancer mark with the zero, and voila! You have TDC on the #1 compression stroke. That’s the verification part, which I would assume all that is okay anyways. Setting the timing follows. Just set it to 10* initial BTDC and see how it does. If it can take more, give it more. If it pings, dial it back. You can alternatively opt for the total timing route, which would make an initial setting just a starting point rather than the definite, and even do a distributor recurve if you feel the need, but all of this is very simple. The moral of the story is you can save money by doing this yourself, and if you have a build stand/run stand, it’s pretty cozy. Add in a tachometer and a cheap timing light or just a fancy timing light, and you’re golden. @74 Shortbed is the guy to talk to on that stuff. As far as the intake goes, I think it’s worth it, and you can find a used Edelbrock 2101 for $50-$75 dollars. Absolutely no more than $100. It is a design improvement over a factory cast iron intake. Plus it looks good, it makes assembly a bit easier, and you should gain 15hp give or take. Finally, I would recommend checking for timing chain play while you’re tinkering with timing and what not. If it’s a higher mileage motor, I’d consider replacing the timing set, and if you decide to get a new cam and lifters, I’d definitely do it. The harmonic balancer will also degrade over time, and it’s a piece of cake to replace without accessories or and engine bay to contend with. With that, look for a warped, cracked, or dry rotting rubber dampener between the two rings.
 

74propu

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Engine's are like fish throw the 350 back and let grow some more and get a BIG BLOCK . just ask @Honky Kong jr
 

74 Shortbed

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And 454's can be had pretty cheap too..
 

Jesse Smith

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Found this intake manifold about half an hour from me. Anyone see anything wrong with that?

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AzGeo

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Horsepower is the opposite of MPG, so let's first be clear on what you WANT, will accept, and can afford .

TORQUE moves the load, horsepower does that work at higher speeds .

Please RATE your need for MPGs VS your need for power/speed .

Note; "magic unicorns" are no longer available.

Don't buy that intake just yet . Let's talk about this first .
 

malibuman402

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recommend a 383 rotating assy. cost about a grand off the internet. or like me, a big block.
 

shiftpro

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Horsepower is the opposite of MPG, so let's first be clear on what you WANT, will accept, and can afford .

TORQUE moves the load, horsepower does that work at higher speeds .

Please RATE your need for MPGs VS your need for power/speed .

Note; "magic unicorns" are no longer available.

Don't buy that intake just yet . Let's talk about this first .[/QUOTE


Umm not exactly the whole picture here. For example a gutless engine does not give better fuel economy than something that, by efficiency, produces more power.
 

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