Spray Booth
We're sprucing this powerplant not only for power, but for looks as well. We steam-cleaned our 355 small-block before it was torn down to remove all the oil residue and road grime. A trip to the local auto parts store scored us a couple cans of Dupli-Color DE1620 Chevrolet Orange spray paint. Nice and bright, just the way we like it-and it only took us about an hour to paint the block, using a piece of cardboard to avoid getting overspray on the internals. Note: Wipe down all gasket surfaces with a solvent or lacquer to remove overspray.
Before the thrust could be...
Before the thrust could be checked, we needed to install the Comp Cams two-piece timing cover. This not only made for checking the thrust very easy, but any future cam swaps we may have planned will allow for the removal of the top cover, leaving the timing cover gasket undisturbed. It also prevents having to drop the pan for this job.
We installed the top cover...
We installed the top cover onto the front of the engine and removed the small Allen plug. We placed a dial indicator onto the end of the cam and checked for thrust. Ideally, we'd want to see something between 0.006 and 0.010 inch, but our initial check of the cam revealed we had no cam thrust whatsoever. Using the plastic cam button, we could clearance until we reached our ideal thrust measurement. We trimmed enough to gain 0.008-inch thrust. From there we proceeded to degree the cam straight up.
After an overnight soak in...
After an overnight soak in an oil bath, we removed our new Comp CS R-series hydraulic roller lifters. These come preassembled with link bars and will allow our 355ci to rev more freely and lower the valvetrain loss normally associated with flat-tappets. Our set worked perfectly, and since they have an 0.842-inch outside diameter, they fit our factory lifter bores.
Although our old set was also...
Although our old set was also from Comp, we couldn't help but splurge a bit when it came to upgrading to newer and stronger rollers. The most noticeable difference is the nearly unbreakable 8650 chromoly body. The arched, weblike design delivers a nearly 29 percent increase in strength and rigidity. A black-oxide exterior finish looks cool while ensuring long-term corrosive resistance. They also feature unique hardened roller tips for reduced friction and eliminates valve stem side-loading. The Ultra rocker arms also feature a fully rebuildable design. We installed our set and locked them down with the supplied hardware.
After laying down the Brodix-supplied...
After laying down the Brodix-supplied intake gaskets, Ernie Mena gently lowered the gasket-matched Brodix SP1 manifold. Once down, we secured it in place using the supplied hardware.
Front man Steve Brulé prepped...
Front man Steve Brulé prepped our small-block's valvetrain by lashing the valves. Good news: Since it's hydraulic, our lash was set to zero.
Next, we rolled the engine...
Next, we rolled the engine over and removed the older pump and pickup. While the unit we pulled out was still in working order, our deeper sump pan and increased rev characteristics means our engine would need more oil control and pressure. We replaced it with a new Moroso unit the pickup already attached. Our new Moroso pan was next. The pan's kick-outs are functional and will hold more oil and with its pre-installed screen, oil slosh is kept to a minimum. We laid down a one-piece oil pan gasket with a dab of silicone on each corner of the block and bolted the unit down.
The Goods
Brodix did all the hard work, making our decision to use this top end kit easy. Their IK (Iron Killer) small-block combo package comes with off-the-shelf components that act like custom one-off pieces. The intake and exhaust ports have extensive CNC work and even come with cleaned and blended bowls. The IK cylinder heads come completely assembled with 11/32-inch intake/exhaust valve stems. Brodix takes it to another level by match-porting the intakes to mate up perfectly to its SP1 single-plane manifold. The combo kit comes complete with intake, exhaust, and head gaskets; NGK B8ES spark plugs; and taller "BRODIX"-cut valve covers. Brodix also flow-tests its valve job-you can't beat that!