Builds Finally got my own...Meet BeBe (3 Viewers)

[gregnash]

Boo for the 40 being down! Well guess you blew your wad on the Vortec swap and sure it was well worth it.

Gonna start a theorycraft thread soon on the TBI swap. Trying to decide if I want to do a known good salvage or roll the dice on a cheap Pick N Pull junkyard engine pull. Getting advice to buy a 0hr reman from somewhere like Summit but that is $1800 easy just for the block and heads.

 

[cruisermatt]

1800 for a NEW ENGINE is an awesome deal!

 

[gregnash]

That's not the entire engine though, reading comprehension my young friend!!!!

 

[Output Shaft]

I think I just wet myself ( just a little) when I read Pick n Pull. Holy crap that is such a gamble. To go to all the effort and expense of a V8 conversion, only to find out on judgement day that the newly painted engine sitting in your engine bay is now going to have to be yanked out again to be rebuilt cuz it was a POS from day one? Oh I think I just wet myself again.

 

[cruisermatt]

I would buy an engine used on Craigslist, clean it up, and engine dyno it.

 

[gregnash]

I think I just wet myself ( just a little) when I read Pick n Pull. Holy crap that is such a gamble. To go to all the effort and expense of a V8 conversion, only to find out on judgement day that the newly painted engine sitting in your engine bay is now going to have to be yanked out again to be rebuilt cuz it was a POS from day one? Oh I think I just wet myself again.

yeah that is what I am debating about... of course if I did decide to go that route I would pull a carfax on the perspective donor vehicle (can be pulled on your phone quickly) and get an idea of maintenance history and what "happened" to the vehicle. I don't gamble, well as much as I can, and so I would take what tools and methods I have available to quickly do some tests to see if I am getting an acceptable engine. Granted nothing is 100%.

Other option, there are 3 salvage yards in Reno and they have engine assemblies that are already pulled and have anywhere from 120k to 180k+ on them and charge anywhere from $500-$700 for the assemblies. I have also found a site called Lowmileageparts.com that sells engine assemblies for decent amount... basically looks like it is a large salvage yard network and they ship for free to any commercial/business address (as long as they have a forklift or previsions to pull from a semi) and would offer a 5yr warranty on the engine (if installed in the proper make/model vehicle). They run anywhere from $800 on up depending on the engine you get, no listed mileage though. Also have wreckers row in Sacramento/Folsom area that I could potentially call and find something. But cheapest route definitely is Pick N Pull.

 

[cruisermatt]

I think I just wet myself ( just a little) when I read Pick n Pull. Holy crap that is such a gamble. To go to all the effort and expense of a V8 conversion, only to find out on judgement day that the newly painted engine sitting in your engine bay is now going to have to be yanked out again to be rebuilt cuz it was a POS from day one? Oh I think I just wet myself again.

And really, it's not like he isn't going to have it on an engine stand and pull the head/heads, oil pan and inspect. That would be ludicris not to on ANY engine, reman, new, used...

 

[gregnash]

And really, it's not like he isn't going to have it on an engine stand and pull the head/heads, oil pan and inspect. That would be ludicris not to on ANY engine, reman, new, used...

Oh yeah, definitely going to be pulling a few things to redo gaskets and whatnot....
From what I have seen/read, recommendations are to pull/replace:
- valve cover gaskets
- intake manifold gasket
- exhaust manifold gaskets
- oil pan gaskets
- water pump and associated gasket
- rear main seal
- belts
- alternator (to be bench tested)

Again, I PLAN on replacing all of these items right off the bat just to ensure that I have good functioning engine for things that are normal wear/tear/maintenance items.

 

[cruisermatt]

Will this be the first time you've prepared an engine to go into a vehicle?

 

[gregnash]

Yup but not for buddies that will be helping out.

 

[gregnash]

Bondo is officially a four letter word!!! Really people?!?!!??? Bondo is not for rust repair!!!

 

[gregnash]

And another freaking 10lbs of bondo used on the lower front valence. Seriously this guy was just slapping it on think in hopes it would stop the rust. Looks like he went to the trouble of taking it do metal but damn.

 

[hj 60]

Apply Bondo and sell it to a fool who does not know the magnet test been there, still regretting that
Looks fine once you start the work, reminds me I have some to do

 

[gregnash]

Yeah I dont remember if I took a magnet with me for this truck I know that I did for a few and found hidden rust but cant remember for this. There was some rust spot bubbling through at that point and I think at that time I just really didnt realize what that meant. Oh well, more learning to weld I guess, sucky part is the rest of the door seems to be in very good condition, sucks that it is in such an odd spot.

 

[gregnash]

Up at the new family cabin (The Big House.... Family nickname and running joke) with BeBe and her little sister Black Betty for my birthday weekend up in Lake Tahoe. Aidan our chocolate lab/German shorthair/Pitbull mix on overwatch on the front porch.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Yeah I dont remember if I took a magnet with me for this truck I know that I did for a few and found hidden rust but cant remember for this. There was some rust spot bubbling through at that point and I think at that time I just really didnt realize what that meant. Oh well, more learning to weld I guess, sucky part is the rest of the door seems to be in very good condition, sucks that it is in such an odd spot.

When I got Marley I could put my hand through the outside door shell and open the door from the inside... NOW THAT'S RUST!!!

J

 

[gregnash]

Well as I have been gathering data and things to put together for the engine swap and the thought that I may be changing lines of work has made the engine swap get pushed back a bit. Wife has agreed that I can do in the future but until I know exactly what I want to do we cannot spend money on the major things, like the engine, until I have a definitive that it is going in quickly. Local scouting trip to the PnP yard has shells of engines everywhere but nothing even close to complete (to try and run a compression test).

Things that I know need to be done to the 2F as is (and basis of the question.... DO I SPEND THE MONEY NOW)
- New valve cover gasket and valve adjustment
- Carb rebuild
- New manifold gasket with complete block-off of EGR downpipe
- Possible new headgasket as the back of the block near #5 & #6 always seems wet
- Aftermarket oil pressure gauge as I toasted the original (thinking of tapping into bolt at oil cooler for mechanical)
- Have a leak in the back of engine that I believe is rear main... so would have to drop tranny to replace
- WIIT (While Im In There) Oil pan gasket replacement

Few little odds and ends that need to be replaced here and there as well but the one that concerns me is that if I need to replace the headgasket because it is leaking then why not just go through a full rebuild. Would hate to have it only cause other issues but what are the downfalls of only doing the head gasket?

I do have some smoke, especially when I start up. I do have some cold start issues. I do have some coolant disappearing but it is not ending up in my oil. I do have metal shavings in the oil that I am assuming is probably from rings scraping the side wall, normally just flakes but have found a couple small pigtails about 2-3mm long. Other than that the only noticeable issue is that she has some issues when climbing steeper grades, more than normal. Most recent being detailed a while back which brought about the engine swap thoughts. @beno @reevesci @Spike Strip @Output Shaft @woytovich @cruiser enthuiser .... Just tagging a bunch of guys as I know they have dealt with similar issues and looking for a bit of "bouncing ideas off the wall" scenario.

 

[Homey55]

Isn't smoking on start-up caused by bad valve guides? I think they are fairly easy to check as well. I have no idea on the difficulty to replace though.

 

[Output Shaft]

I feel your pain about deciding what to do with the 2F.

Maybe 20 years ago I helped a friend remove his 2F to get rebuilt. It had low power and low compression in #5.

When we got the head off, there was a Deep gouge in the bottom of cylinder wall of #5. It looked like the piston wrist pin had gotten loose or something, and the piston became a cheese grater inside the engine.

Later on, I dismantled the rocker assy completely, and it was FILLED with pig tail shavings. It was kind of horrifying. We both tried to joke about it (cheese grater), but we both were pretty disurbed by what we found.

That crap had been circulating everywhere.

The engine did get rebuilt and put back together and all was "well".

He sold it a couple years later.

Im not bringing this up to create undo anxiety, but pig tails in the oil are never good.

Unfortunately, my guess is, just a head gasket swap won't do a darn thing.

The following suggestion is my opinion only:

Drive it into the ground until it seizes. (Well not actually seizes).

It might limp along for another 6 years or so.

Since you've got your heart set on a V8, the 2Fs days are numbered anyway. Abuse the s*** out of it.

Who freaking cares about a few oil leaks? Just add more oil.

If a V8 truly will happen one day, save your nickeles for that and put as few pennies into the 2F as possible.


At least that's how I see it ...

 

[gregnash]

Thanks @Output Shaft as that has been my main thought process behind this but I wasn't sure if it was just the lust for more power or what.

Depending on how long I want to wait, which at some points my patience is short, will really determine between a TBI system vs. a VORTEC/Gen III engine. I can pretty easily grab a TBI 350 for less than $700 for a decent engine then mate that to a newer 4L60, which is a point of distress in and of its own, and then should the TBI ever die I would have the ability to relatively easily do a more modernized swap.