Mechanic help for 4.3 Chevy

[Jim Fulmer]

Ok here is the deal I have a 92' 4. 3 GMC Sonoma that I replaced with my 98'12V , I replaced the motor a year ago(12k) with a rebuild and I'm having some oiling problems, it seems as though after extensive troubleshooting the hole right bank of lifters is not oiling until it gets real warm, what I have done is with the intake pulled and pushrods out you can pull one (or two) lifters out at a time then prime the motor with a prime rod and drill while watching the oliing take place, on the left bank all the holes oil real good(like pore) and with the exception of two lifters oil pretty well out the holes, on the right bank it will not oil at all weather the lifters are in or out. So here I am at the delema of pulling the motor again and tearing it down and finding what appears to be blockage in the oliing system, as far as trying to use air to blow through the oil holes ect. I haven't done that yet and I really don't want to pull the motor as they are a pain, I'm not really worried about the cost but I am selling it to buy my DTT stuff and some car parts for the project, I just can't live with the thought that someone else would have problems with it as the rest of it is in real good shape, Thanks for any help!



Jim

 

[DRR-24V]

Sludged Up?

JFULMER,

Is the inside of that engine sludged up? We used to drain the oil, Fill with 3/4 diesel and 1/4 oil. Start engine and let it idle about 10-15 minutes. (Do Not Rev It Up) Drain the oil and use new oil and a new filter. This will remove almost any sludge that is in there. Sounds drastic, but has never been a problem. Those old Y-Block fords would never get oil up the line feeding the Rocker Arms.

 

[Straight6Jeff]

I have had more experience witht he 4. 3 than I care to imagine. I had an 89 s-10 that went through 5, count em, 5 Gm BadWrench engines before I decide to build my own. The original engine had 75K on it before I tore the oil pan and grenaded the thing. The replacement BadWrench went 2K before it cooked #5 rod bearing. Same thing happened to engines 3, and 4 . #2 spun #1 main. All were still under warranty. Well, I decided to tear apart #5 before I put it in. The clearances on the mains and rods weren't even close. It looked like the block hadn't been cleaned before assembly. AND the main caps weren't torqued down but to about 25#. All of the engines were hooked to two autometer oil pressure guages to ensure oil pressure. at first, all of the engines had decent pressure, but all wnt down quickly.



I retuned # 5 to the dealer who confirmend that the engine was way out of spec. I was able to get a core form an original engine from the dealer and built it myself.



What kind of warranty came with your rebuild? is it a badwrench engine?



I know what you're going through.



Oh yeah, every one had bad valve guides. It would smoke after deceleration.



OK, I'm done

 

[Jim Fulmer]

DRR 24V Ihaven't gone to that drastic of flushing methods but it sounds fine to me and not it is not sludged! Vee Ten it is not a GM motor it is a local rebuild, all I did was buy a shortblock checked TQ and rod end clearences installed a new pump then TQed a fresh worked set of heads on it adn sll the other crap even the studs, The old motor had bad clearence on #1 rod but that's all the teardown I saw cause it was good enough for the core, keep in mind after I got the parts I swapped it out in a weekend with no help and no rides to the parts store(Lone Ranger) I did it this was cause it was my only ride. I'm trying to find in the book where the right bank gets oil from and see if I can unblock that before I pull it.



Thanks, Jim