ENGINE OILING SYSTEM MODIFICATION - These engines have a marginal oil system design, and if it is not corrected, it can lead to premature engine wear or failure. If I remember correctly, there are 3 different types of oiling system upgrades you can do. One involves screwing oil restricting plugs into a couple of the passages. Another involves simply using different cam bearings, and one involves installing an oil line. I think I described these mods on Fitzy's epic 100 page thread. Do this mod even if you run a box stock engine.
FRONT CAM BEARING INSTALLATION - There is a large oil hole near the front edge of the front cam bearing boss in the block. If the front cam bearing is installed too deep, it will expose this oil hole which will reduce oil flow to other areas of the engine.
OIL RESTRICTOR CAM BEARINGS - This is the simplest way to upgrade the oil system, and the link explains how this works.
https://www.tmeyerinc.com/product/grooved-cam-bearings/OIL LINE KIT -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254304032842OIL RESTRICTORS - Don't use these if you use the restrictor bearings.
https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/hrdp-1205-351-cleveland-oil-restrictors-351c-oiling-fix/CLEVELAND ENGINE COOLING - Use the bypass thermostat system. This is 100% guaranteed to improve cooling and cures a flaw in the factory design. If you do not use this system, your engine will in fact cool less efficiently than it otherwise would. Do this mod even if you run a box stock engine.
Get a good radiator, and cooling fan etc.
Use a brass Milodon high flow thermostat. a high volume water pump can sometimes create so much pressure that forces a stock type thermostat to partially close.
COMPRESSION - Compression is King, so run as much as you possibly can for the type of gas you plan to use.
HEADS - If you only want a moderate increase in HP, and want to save a boat load of money, buy a stroker crank and stock 4V heads. The stock heads are far cheaper than the aluminum ones and flow plenty well enough for a stroker crank in a moderate build.
ENGINE POWER AND GEARING - If you want more low end power, which will give you instant throttle response without having to install numerically high gears, then stroke whatever block you buy.
If you want an engine that is capable of revving much farther than a stock cleveland, and you don't mind running a least 3.73 gears, then don't stroke it.
FUEL INJECTION - in my opinion, fuel injection is far over glorified, and it will, NOT under any circumstances, give you a significant increase in overall hp, and the aftermarket kits are often very hard to set up properly, and are sensitive to cam choice. i think fuel injection is great...when it works properly, but i am an old school guy that prefers to have an engine feel old school with a lumpy irregular idle etc, otherwise, i might as well buy an ls chevy and be done with it.
CAM AND POWER BRAKES- solid lifter cams are cool, but a bit of a pita, and unless you want to rev to 12,000 rpm's, they aren't all that useful. The "bigger" the cam, the less effective your power brakes will be at low speed.
There is zero reason to have a custom cam ground for 90% of the apps, and if you are paying more than $150.00 extra for a custom ground cam, I don't see the value in it.
Roller cams are bitchen, but a little overkill if price is a concern.
LIFTERS - If you use roller lifters, MOREL makes the best ones.
If you use hydraulic lifters, Crower makes some that increase oil to the camshaft. There are also solid lifters that increase oil to the cam.
ROTATING ASSEMBLY - you can use chinese crank and rods like eagle brand.
BALANCER - don't use a stock type balancer.
OIL PUMP - get an oil pump that has been blueprinted
CYLINDER BORE - you can safely go .030 on a cleveland if your cylinder walls are thick enough. you can have the block sonic tested to determine wall thickness, but if your block does not need to go .030, I would use a smaller overbore, and would pay for custom pistons if the size i needed were not available.
OIL PAN - high volume oil pan . a baffled racing pan is unnecessary unless you drag race it etc.
CARBURETOR - Vacuum secondary carbs are for pussies. Annular carbs will provide the best low end throttle response because they atomize the fuel a little better than a stock 4v carb.
IGNITION SYSTEM - Are you wanting to change your current distributor, ad if so, why?
ENGINE OIL FOR BREAK IN - I only use non synthetic oil, like joe gibbs engine break in oil, for the first 500 miles. Using synthetic oil for engine break in can in fact cause the piston rings to not seat properly.
HORSEPOWER - A basic, properly built, 373 stroker with good heads and good roller cam and 3.50 gears will scare the crap out of most people, and will easily roast the bejesus out of the tires.
HIGH STALL TORQUE CONVERTER - You will need one if you have an auto trans.
FMX TRANS - If you have one of these and it is stock, it will soon be scrap metal with a high hp engine.
STROKE - you can stroke a stock block if you don't plan on drag racing it all the time like glenn does, and by this i mean that you go to the race track and run it hard, as opposed to dressing up like a drag queen then racing it like glenn may occasionally due...im just not sure exactly which one it is.
Hi GLENN