The thing about these old engines people forget is there is no diagnostic system turning on the "check engine" light for any one of 700 miniscule little problems. If you use soft piston rings to conform to the worn, tapered and out of round cylinders, lap the crap out of the valves so they have a complete mating surface and put new valve seals on, as long as the camshaft still has some bumps on it the engine will run. I had a student leave ALL the piston rings off a Honda B series 4-cylinder engine and put it back in the car. The piston to wall spec. is so tight the stupid little engine started and ran with no piston rings. Once it warmed up is ran terrible and began smoking. But it started and you could drive it. Backyard overhaul on a factory 350 HP 400 will probably make 300-320 HP with a quick ring, hone and lap job.
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