• Recommended parts for Chevy Carburated Engines
• 383 and 396 Balancing
• Priming oil pump
• Ignition timing
• Spark Plug reading

Recommended parts for Chevy Carburated Engines

- Edelbrock Performer RPM intake for the 450HP engine and the Victor Jr. for the 500HP engine.

- Holley 750cfm double pumper carburetor.

- Holley power valve 5.5" Hg (stock is 6.5")

- MSD distributor and coil.

- Aftermarket long tube headers, Hooker Super Comp 1 3/4 primary with 3" collector work great for making power.

- Aftermarket exhaust with high flow muffler, Random Tech high flow cats if needed.

- Aftermarket stall converter for auto trans applications, 3000rpm for 450HP, 3000-3500rpm for the 500HP.

- Aftermarket clutch for standard transmission applications.

- Internally balanced flex plate or flywheel to match crank balancing.

- 3.73 rear end gears work best with these engines on the street.

- Autolite AR3924 spark plugs for naturally aspirated engines, Autolite AR3924 for supercharged engines.

- Valvoline VRI racing 20/50 oil for break in (first 3000 miles).

- Wix or AC oil filters (Do not use Fram, they have a collapsing problem).

- If you are road racing or auto cross racing we recommend a Canton 6 quart road race style pan to avoid oil starving when cornering at high speeds.

383 and 396 Balancing:

All 383 and 396 engines built by Golen are of the late model 1pc rear seal design and are internally balanced in the front and rear which means that you will have to use a internally balanced flex plate or flywheel. You can purchase a internally balanced SFI approved flex plate from Golens for $120 or if you have a standard transmission you can send you flywheel to us to have it cleaned, resurfaced and internally balanced for $100.

Priming the Oil Pump:

You will want to purchase a small block Chevy oil pump priming tool or make one out of an old Chevy distributor. You will need to install the tool through the distributor hole in the intake and connect it with the oil pump driveshaft.  Once this is done use a 1/2" electric drill to run the oil pump and prime the engine. It may take a few minutes to bring the engine up to a full prime. Make sure that you have your oil pressure guage working so you know the engine is being primed.

Ignition timing:

If you are using a MSD distributor you will want to set your total timing to 36 degrees BTDC at 3000rpm. This is a good, safe starting point for both our 450hp and 500hp engines.

Spark Plug Reading:

You will want to keep a close eye on your spark plubs in the first few hundred miles to ensure that they are burning clean and that the carb is tuned properly.  The plugs should be white to a light or medium brown color, you do not want the porcelain to be black in any way. If the plugs are black this would indicate that the carb is running too rich and can possibly "gas wash" the engine and ruin the rings and bearings.

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