1990 454 SS Pickup

[bucket]

Went and picked up pizzas. I guess that qualified as hauling my first load with it

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[Rusty Nail]

Saturday was spent getting everything ready to stick the replacement engine. Things like painting the intake, water pump and valve covers.

I also had the tedious work of replacing all 6 exhaust manifold studs that broke off.

While doing that, one of the manifolds slipped out of the vice and hit the floor.

F-suck job fer sure.

Yes, keeping the truck.

Ya.
Pretty sure if you can actually get your hands on one of those now, you kinda got to keep it, gmt400 or not - LOLz!

 

[bucket]

Ya.
Pretty sure if you can actually get your hands on one of those now, you kinda got to keep it, gmt400 or not - LOLz!

That was my thoughts too. I've always really liked them, but never actually searched one out. I used to see them often, but it's maybe only a couple spottings a year now. This one kinda fell into my lap and that was probably never going to happen again.

 

[bucket]

I gravity bled the brakes a couple more times and now the brakes are reliable. Still squishy, but reliable. Someone had recently replaced the line that goes to the rear, they must have left a bunch of air in the system.

When I get back home, I'll get someone to help me bleed the brakes again. Then it should be ready to put a bunch of miles on when the weather turns nice again.

 

[ajd89]

Almost ready to go in:

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And going in the next day:

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Got it in and everything under the truck buttoned up, working on the top side:

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I also chose to delete the heater hose that was plumbed through the factory TBI adapter. It's a highly probable leak point and I wanted it gone, lol. I happened to have a heater hose in stock that went from the intake and directly to the heater core. The fit was perfect but I don't remember the application unfortunately. It's a GM hose though.

Any reason in particular you put the gen 4 intake on your gen 5 engine? For some reason I didnt think you could swap them.

 

[Swims350]

if you have not yet done so my 88 gave me fits on soft pedal.

I bypassed that RWAL crap with the flare fitting to remove the pump for it.

I have to change that rear flex hose as it was messed up inside I guess.

I also had to adjust my rear drums out a good bit to get a nice pedal but after all that and already having new calipers, pads, wheels cylinders, shoes, good lines and new master, it had good firm pedal.

 

[78C10BigTen]

if you have not yet done so my 88 gave me fits on soft pedal.

I bypassed that RWAL crap with the flare fitting to remove the pump for it.

I have to change that rear flex hose as it was messed up inside I guess.

I also had to adjust my rear drums out a good bit to get a nice pedal but after all that and already having new calipers, pads, wheels cylinders, shoes, good lines and new master, it had good firm pedal.

With my 90 i just pulled the fuse on the rwal what a differance!

 

[bucket]

Any reason in particular you put the gen 4 intake on your gen 5 engine? For some reason I didnt think you could swap them.

They are a direct swap. We used the original not only because it was correct for the year of the truck, but also because I scrapped the gen 5 intake long ago, lol. I didn't think I'd ever want to use it. It's ok though, imho, both style intakes are just boat anchors.

 

[bucket]

if you have not yet done so my 88 gave me fits on soft pedal.

I bypassed that RWAL crap with the flare fitting to remove the pump for it.

I have to change that rear flex hose as it was messed up inside I guess.

I also had to adjust my rear drums out a good bit to get a nice pedal but after all that and already having new calipers, pads, wheels cylinders, shoes, good lines and new master, it had good firm pedal.

I think it's just air in the system. Everytime I bleed it, more air comes out and the pedal gets better. Someone had replaced the line to the rear, I think they didn't get it properly bled and it was driven that way for who knows how long.

 

[Swims350]

gonna bring it to wv next trip here lol?

 

[bucket]

gonna bring it to wv next trip here lol?

Potentially! Mostly depends on the weather, as I don't want to drive this truck on salty roads.

 

[ajd89]

They are a direct swap. We used the original not only because it was correct for the year of the truck, but also because I scrapped the gen 5 intake long ago, lol. I didn't think I'd ever want to use it. It's ok though, imho, both style intakes are just boat anchors.

I see. I had to look its the heads that you cant swap something with coolent passages. I dont care for where the egr valve is on the mark v gets in the way of the removing the valve cover. I kept the steel covers when I swapped mine too.

 

[bucket]

I see. I had to look its the heads that you cant swap something with coolent passages. I dont care for where the egr valve is on the mark v gets in the way of the removing the valve cover. I kept the steel covers when I swapped mine too.

Right, the gen 5 block has little scallops in the water jackets that need matching gen 5 heads. Mark IV heads bolt up and 'can' seal the water jackets, but it's not recommended. Aftermarket heads work with both block styles and so do gen 6 heads.

A big reason I didn't use the aluminum valve covers is because I already painted them orange and used them on my K30 a few years ago, lol.

 

[77 K20]

I'm not sure how I missed this thread until now...

Awesome truck!! I was living in Spokane WA in 1994-1996 and had a few extra bucks and started looking to buy one of these trucks. Found one and on the test drive realized on dry pavement how easy it was to break the tires loose. I was planning on trading my '86 GMC full size 4x4 Jimmy for it.

Hard decision but I kept by Jimmy as I needed something in winter.

But still have a soft spot in my heart for those 454SS trucks. You just don't see them much anymore.

 

[bucket]

The truck has been sitting, my Suburban became ill today. It was around 15 degrees and the truck had not been started in 3 or 4 weeks. It started up and ran well, so it's my driver for the next few days.

I love how it runs and drives, but that clutch fan has GOT to go. The only thing you hear while driving it down the road at highway speeds is a constant hum/roar of the cooling fan. It gets annoying, lol.