So Fix it

Manufactured from 1967 to 1998, the 350 c.i.d. engine became Chevrolets main eight cylinder small-block after it retired the earlier 283 and 327 engines. Long respected for its performance, reliability and interchangeability, the Chevy 350 is very common and easily identified.

General

One of the most popular Chevrolet engines ever produced, the 350 was used in everything from Corvettes to school buses. Standard Chevy identification techniques may be used to identify the engine, such as the orange paint and GM markings, but only the casting number gives exact identification.

Block Identification

To identify positively a Chevrolet 350 or any Chevrolet small-block, the engine casting number must be located and checked against a code chart. Chevrolet small-block casting numbers are located on the passenger side of the engine block on a machined pad in front of the cylinder head. The numbers often are hidden by the alternator.

Casting Codes

The casting numbers are a combination of numbers and letters, eight digits long. They give manufacture date and location in the pix, and the suffix, a series of three letters, gives the engine specifics. For example, casting code V0101CML reveals the suffix as CML. When matched to a chart, the code will reveal that the engine was a 350 built for a 1975 Camaro with 155 horsepower.

A 350 Chevy can be any engine in a Chevrolet vehicle with a displacement of 350 cubic inches. The last version of this engine was the Vortec 5700, which appeared in full-size Chevrolet trucks from 1996 to 2002. The 350 Chevy engine used central sequential fuel injection, which fires the fuel injectors in a specific order. The installation procedure for the fuel injectors is the same for all trucks with a 350 Chevy engine made after 1998.

Instructions

1

Turn the ignition off and remove the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Open the filler cap on the fuel tank to release the fuel tank pressure.

2

Wrap a shop towel around the pressure fitting on the fuel rail and connect a fuel pressure gauge to the pressure fitting. Place the free end of the bleed hose of the pressure gauge into a container suitable for gasoline. Open the valve on the pressure gauge to relieve the fuel system pressure and disconnect the fuel pressure gauge from the pressure fitting.

3

Detach the electrical connectors from the fuel pipes on the engine. Disconnect the fuel send and return lines from the fuel pipes with a socket wrench and discard the O-rings for the fuel lines. Remove the upper intake manifold from the engine with a socket wrench. Release the lock tabs on the fuel meter and disconnect the fuel meter from the engine.

4

Remove the retaining nuts on the lower hold-down plate for the fuel injectors with a socket wrench and disconnect the hold-down plate. Pull the nozzle of each fuel injector down as you push a small pry tool between the electrical terminals of the fuel injector. Pry the injector out of its socket on the fuel meter and discard the O-ring on the fuel injector.

5

Lubricate the O-rings for the fuel injectors with engine oil and mount the new O-rings to the new fuel injector. Install the new fuel injector to its socket on the fuel meter. Attach the lower hold-down plate and tighten its retaining nuts to 27 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.

6

Connect the fuel meter to the intake manifold and tighten the retaining bolts to 88 inch-pounds. Attach the lock tabs for the fuel meter bracket to secure the fuel meter in place. Connect new electrical connectors for the fuel injectors. Mount new O-rings on the fuel lines and attach the fuel lines to the fuel pipes on the engine. Tighten the retaining nuts for the fuel lines to 22 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

7

Turn the ignition on for two seconds, then turn it off for 10 seconds to pressurize the fuel system. Turn the ignition back on and correct any fuel leaks.

The power steering components on your Chevrolet Monte Carlos 350-cubic-inch V8 engine actually have very little to do with the engine itself. The power steering system uses power generated by the running engine to provide you with easy handling and steering. Without power steering, your car would be extremely difficult to steer or control.

Power Steering Pump

The power steering pump is a pump that supplies the hydraulic power for the power steering system. Without the power steering pump, the Monte Carlos power steering system will not work. The power steering pump takes the power generated by the pulleys and belts from the engine and converts it to compensate for the steering and assist you in turning and handling the vehicle. There is a reservoir on the power steering pump that holds the hydraulic power steering fluid.

Hoses

The power steering hoses allow the power steering fluid to travel. The hoses connect the power steering pump into the steering mechanisms themselves, normally the gearbox or power steering box, depending on the model of Monte Carlo you own. The power steering systems have been updated and improved since Chevrolet originally introduced the Monte Carlo in the 1970s.

Belt and Pulleys

The power to run the Monte Carlos power steering pump is generated by a belt and pulley system that turns power generated by the engine into the force that generates the hydraulic power for the steering system.