Topic: Please help me with my engine.. (pics)

[b3nny]

ok now that i have your attentions with the pics.. My goal at the moment is to get the rear pans in .. but while i wait for that to arrive i might as well get all the engine parts at least working in harmony.. as you can see there is a lot of stuff missing... like vacuum hoses. Warning i am a serious nooby.. so i need indepth explanations Oh yes and thanks if you do have any input.. also what size of hose for each hose part would be a great help, ,and what hose goes from where to where sort of thing. THANKS! Ok now for the pics.. I resized them down a bit hope you can still see ok. bare with me please.

The motor is a GM 1971 block 350.. It has a rochester carb.. so thats a little different motor i suppose.. I know the AC is missing and the wiper fluid reservoir and hose.. what else...

























And too give you a laugh at my sooo small garage 8(
New house coming next spring.. when the rides on the road.


Thanks for the help and input!

[Rick]

First question:  Do you have to meet any emissions requirements?  That makes a lot of difference in what does and doesn't have to be hooked up.

[b3nny]

thanks - nope its considered a classic here in canada so i do not believe so.. im pretty sure its exempt..

[b3nny]

perhaps easier.. if anyone can take some pics of their setup that would be helpful to me i suppose.. thanks!

[Rick]

Well, I've been thinking this over...perhaps the best thing to do is to decide what year engine you *want* it to look like.  Pics, even excellent ones (which some guys here have taken) can be confusing for stuff like vacuum connections and routings.  Even EXCELLENT pics generally will show vacuum tubing like spaghetti -- all running to and fro, under and over, and up and around.  What you need to do this job right is to have a DIAGRAM.  The service manual has excellent diagrams of how the vacuum tubing needs to be connected -- what ports go to which thingys on the engine, etc.  So the place to start (IMHO) is to get a diagram of what you want your engine to look like.

I'd suggest, since emission controls aren't a requirement in your area, that you pick something like a 1970 or 1971 Firebird V8 with an automatic transmission and model your vacuum layouts like that.  Those years didn't have all the emissions controls on them and are pretty siimple, so they'd be easy to duplicate.  Members here can help with pics of carbs and the connection points, but at least you'd have a basic connection diagram to replicate on your engine and a guide to work from.

That's just my $0.02...but that's what I did with my car when I was figuring out how to modify it to eliminate all the hooey on the top side and accept a peformance exhaust system in place of the catalytic converter system it came with.

[b3nny]

Thanks for the reply .. I suppose that all makes very good sense.. I do have a haynes repair manual but i dont think it shows the vacuum hosing. But perhaps i need to get the service manual as well.. I shall have to do some research.. I am going to take your approach. Thanks!

[Rick]

Hitman sells the service manuals here on his site in CDROM form.  They are in PDF format so they're really easy to use, and the CD also includes the parts manual up to and including your year car.  It's really better than a paper copy for most things you will do.  Check them out!

[b3nny]

Ordered .. thanks Rick.. now when it arrives ill have LOTS to do!