I had a friend ask me if $1500 was a reasonable price for replacing the gear case. He already had his truck at the shop and they were in the process of tracking down parts. I told him to get his truck from them quick as possible. Chris (Strick-9) wanted to get in on the "mess" which made it really nice to have some help and moral support
Though it's a long job, it's really not that difficult. Cam removal is the one major pain in the a$$. Chris and I both scratched our heads a few times but within about 30min the cam was out. Our main concern was hitting the tappets (which are stuck to 1/2" dowel rods) therefore causing them to drop to the oil pan. Cam installation was much easier than removal. Our only screw up came when we put the push rods and rocker assembly back together. The intake push rod on #1 cylinder did not seat properly in the tappet. When we tried rolling the engine to TDC I felt resistance and stopped... . but it was to late. Luckily a new push rod is only six bucks. My friend was real pleased, he got the gear case replaced, timing set to 15. 5 deg, and new u-joints for a fraction of what the shop was going to charge him. Chris should have some pictures to post if anyone is interested.
