302 Chevrolet Engine Build

Greg Reimer 7376 · 09-25-2018, 10:07 AM

That disparity you mentioned on the dimensions regarding the block decks isn't unheard of. Many moons ago, I built a 283 for a car I had. The block line honed fairly well, but I had .050" deck height on the right head. It was consistent from cylinder #2 through cylinder #8. I brought it down to be correct with whatever steel head gasket we all used at the time.The left deck was .050" for cylinder # 1,but it rapidly shrank as I measured back until i had .025" on the outer wall of cylinder #7, but the portion of the deck closest to the lifter valley at cylinder#7 had only about .022". That head obviously slanted downhill front to rear, and was twisted as well. The good thing about '60's blocks is that they are all real seasoned by now and aren't going to move any more now. I got hold of an original unrebuilt block wiith factory stampings visible on the right front of the deck,and it had a final assembly date of about May the 15th of 1967. The cast date on the rear of the block indicated it was cast May 12. Hardly a seasoned casting.I didn't rebuild it, it got sold or traded off, but I wonder how accurate the machining at the engine plant could have been,especially when it hardly cooled off from the foundry. Your attention to detail on this project is refreshing to see!

09-25-2018, 10:07 AM	#29
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,137 Likes: 172 Liked 719 Times in 220 Posts	Re: 302 Chevrolet Engine Build That disparity you mentioned on the dimensions regarding the block decks isn't unheard of. Many moons ago, I built a 283 for a car I had. The block line honed fairly well, but I had .050" deck height on the right head. It was consistent from cylinder #2 through cylinder #8. I brought it down to be correct with whatever steel head gasket we all used at the time.The left deck was .050" for cylinder # 1,but it rapidly shrank as I measured back until i had .025" on the outer wall of cylinder #7, but the portion of the deck closest to the lifter valley at cylinder#7 had only about .022". That head obviously slanted downhill front to rear, and was twisted as well. The good thing about '60's blocks is that they are all real seasoned by now and aren't going to move any more now. I got hold of an original unrebuilt block wiith factory stampings visible on the right front of the deck,and it had a final assembly date of about May the 15th of 1967. The cast date on the rear of the block indicated it was cast May 12. Hardly a seasoned casting.I didn't rebuild it, it got sold or traded off, but I wonder how accurate the machining at the engine plant could have been,especially when it hardly cooled off from the foundry. Your attention to detail on this project is refreshing to see!