Some may remember my thread from a couple of weeks ago about pulling the engine on the 98 project truck. Well we started and drove it yesterday. It starts great, runs great. I'm a happy camper.
While I had it out I set the timing to 16degs, honed the block, new rings and rod bearings, all new hoses, flushed out and pressure washed the crud out of cooling fins of the aftercooler and radiator, serviced the auto transmission, adjusted bands and raised pressure one turn.
A couple of thoughts on engine r&r, I highly recommend leaving the trans in place, I did and other than using a comealong as a temporary support under the transmission it was very straight forward and a huge time saver. Do not remove the motor mounts if you can avoid. My home made lift bar did not provide sufficient clearance between the cowling (I lifted using the head mounted lifting eyes) and the end of the bar over number 6 to clear the frame mounts on removal. So, we unbolted the mounts from the block. No problem on the engine removal, however on the install it was a bear getting the mounts back in place and bolted to the engine with the engine in the engine compartment.
I didn't mark any of the connectors when I unpluged them, I did use duct tape to keep crud out, on the install, it was fairly easy to see where things went, due in part to the natural set the wires and hoses had, and the connectors are easy to match if you look closely.
On duct tape. It's a pain removing the glue when fuel or oil cause it to disbond from the fabric of the tape, if it's still wet, easy to remove, if it has dried, it's no fun. I suggest finding some other type tape to use on open hoses and connectors. I moved the truck and engine out of the shop right after pullin the engine and pressure washed everything and detailed the engine compartment so had to tape things up.
On the ring wear due to a bad seal with the stock air filter (and why I use a BHAF with stiffener). The end gap on the top ring from #6 was 7/16". Thats right, . 4375. #1 was . 076. Carbon had built in behind the worn rings and aided in keeping the ring to block contact.
The amazing thing is that other than having to turn over a dozen times or so when starting, and a miss for the first 2 or 3 minutes, the engine ran fine. No smoke when driving normally, it did use a quart of oil in about 300 miles. But still, I'm amazed that it ran at all.
Still have to have the ac system re-charged and I'll change the oil after the first 100 miles or so, but it's a done deal, less than $1000, and about 40 man hours invested.
RR
While I had it out I set the timing to 16degs, honed the block, new rings and rod bearings, all new hoses, flushed out and pressure washed the crud out of cooling fins of the aftercooler and radiator, serviced the auto transmission, adjusted bands and raised pressure one turn.
A couple of thoughts on engine r&r, I highly recommend leaving the trans in place, I did and other than using a comealong as a temporary support under the transmission it was very straight forward and a huge time saver. Do not remove the motor mounts if you can avoid. My home made lift bar did not provide sufficient clearance between the cowling (I lifted using the head mounted lifting eyes) and the end of the bar over number 6 to clear the frame mounts on removal. So, we unbolted the mounts from the block. No problem on the engine removal, however on the install it was a bear getting the mounts back in place and bolted to the engine with the engine in the engine compartment.
I didn't mark any of the connectors when I unpluged them, I did use duct tape to keep crud out, on the install, it was fairly easy to see where things went, due in part to the natural set the wires and hoses had, and the connectors are easy to match if you look closely.
On duct tape. It's a pain removing the glue when fuel or oil cause it to disbond from the fabric of the tape, if it's still wet, easy to remove, if it has dried, it's no fun. I suggest finding some other type tape to use on open hoses and connectors. I moved the truck and engine out of the shop right after pullin the engine and pressure washed everything and detailed the engine compartment so had to tape things up.
On the ring wear due to a bad seal with the stock air filter (and why I use a BHAF with stiffener). The end gap on the top ring from #6 was 7/16". Thats right, . 4375. #1 was . 076. Carbon had built in behind the worn rings and aided in keeping the ring to block contact.
The amazing thing is that other than having to turn over a dozen times or so when starting, and a miss for the first 2 or 3 minutes, the engine ran fine. No smoke when driving normally, it did use a quart of oil in about 300 miles. But still, I'm amazed that it ran at all.
Still have to have the ac system re-charged and I'll change the oil after the first 100 miles or so, but it's a done deal, less than $1000, and about 40 man hours invested.
RR