Ok, it's time to go get a book...

 

Is this loose or normal?

 

That looks well worn, combination of wear on the gears and the chain stretched. If it was mine they would be replaced.

 

I'd replace that based on the looseness if I was on a budget.

But then, I never did a motor and not replace the timing chain

The exception to that was one of my old Triumph TR7s where I reringed and replaced the bearings. The chains in those things were like the Ford modulars - tough.

But every other American V8 I ever did got a new chain no matter what.

 

my original 360 was just as bad if not worse , good thing you decided to rebuild it

 

stock intake gasket , and I would use the header gaskets that come with the Hookers or get the Aluminum type they never go bad .
Oh Add to your list a set of locking bolts for the Headers , they love to rattle loose !

 

Right on, on the new timing set.

I got a set of intake and head gaskets from the guy that sold me the pistons. They were a bit over priced, but the conversation was good, and free so I bought the gaskets.

Header bolts for sure.

I pulled the cam shaft, and the lobes are chipped on the lbes in a few pieces, so time for a new one. I was using Summit's narrowing feature and I found one that seems good. I read a few websites on cams to try to get an understanding. It went like this, "blah blah blah, camshaft blah blah", lol, a lot to digest.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/hrs-cl250021-11

3 reasons that popped out, says it is good for pickups, and is under $200, and isnt too wild for a stock engine.
Any opinions are more than welcome.

To remind you of what I am working with, streetmaster 390 intake, street demon 650 carb, hooker comp headers, and the rest is stock.

I am also thinking of a standard link replacement timing chain/sprocket set. No reason to go crazy here, I don't think.

 

That Howard'ss cam looks good for your application.

You should call Ken at Oregon Cams and see what he recommends. He grind you a cam and sell you lifters right at $200.

Brent Lykins at Lykins Motorsports is a good FE builder. He can spec and supply you with a Competitions Cams cam & lifter set for $200.

Just some options.

 

I will keep those places in mind.

I got everything apart Tuesday night, started scraping off all the gasket and RTV. The PO had it all up in the oil pan, dripping off the oil mount, the timing cover is a mess in and out.

Googled some ideas to clean everything. Oven cleaner seemed to be promising, eletrolysis looks cool.
Googled on how to remove the cam bearings, looked at Youtube, websites, etc.

Spent an hour or 2 last night just on the timing cover. Great to get elbows deep in it, and being 100 degrees in the garage was building character x2.

Rushed home today, about 30 minutes early in fact.

Hoisted the block and crank into the work van and took it to a machine shop. He is going to grind, balance and polish it for $150. He will get bearings to match the grind. He is also removing the cam bearings and ordering replacements. Hot tanking the block is $35.

He is a smart guy. He is doing the work even though he knows that this is a slow build and I am broke. Easier to run up a tab on future payments. $35 here, $60 here, just like the Dope man.

Pretty soon, I can seriously see myself standing on a street corner to support this addiction.

 

Yeah, I think most of us know that feeling

 

have him install the Cam bearings too , tool to install them is like $150.00 alone !

 

i Have used Aircraft stripper to clean blocks and nasty parts.It takes dirt ,grime and paint off .
be sure to wear long rubber gloves ! it takes skin off too .

 

I know you can run up a big bill at the machine shop, but there are two things to consider - first if the shop doesn't have a torque plate for an FE take it somewhere else to have the cylinders honed or bored, and second (if you can scrape the money together) make sure you have align honed.

 

Yeah, I found out that a pressure washer and aircraft stripper is a bad idea. Like a poor man's napalm shower.

I paid up front for the crank work. Going in next payday to play catchup for the block cleaning and main bearings that are coming back with the crank. We will see how and when cam bearings and line honing comes in, lol.

 

ouch ! that had to hurt .