my 88 k1500, tons of pics

[HotRodPC]

You can get lucky on lifters. But it's like playing Russian Roulette. As in this case. So far of 16 you've only lost 1 that you know of. So you might think, that's not bad. Only 1 of 16. But when you need all 16 to function properly and not send metal grinds throughout your bearings it's important. And there is also the possibility that the other 15 wiped off just a little found a new comfy home and the grinding stopped but nontheless, you'd still have lost some lobe or lifter base. Sounds like you got the right plan to fix it now with the 88 cam and some new OE style lifters. IIRC, they're only about $2.50 -$3 each. It's been awhile since I bought lifters. I just hope all the shavings didn't go through all your bearings and now your bearings and crank are getting chewed up, or low oil pressure due to chewed up cam bearings.

 

[Swims350]

well motor is out of the truck now, torn down, tons of metal shavings everywhere, going to have to rebuild it, or the 305 I got.

after pulling the cam about 6-8 or more lobes were wiped off, and at least 9-10 lifters wiped badly, like over a 1/4 of material gone from them.

So I jerked it out to inspect the bearings, they have scratches, crank has some rough spots on the mains, rods seem fine.

Thing is if anyone remembers my flexplate bolts are rfounded off and the machine shop said they didn't have anything to get em out, how stupid IMO.

So IF I can remove them, have it checked to see if it can be reused, and if not buy a crank, or rebuild the 305, and with that it's crank needs to be mic'd for out of round and to let me know what size bearings to get.


So I'm down for a while for sure.

 

[HotRodPC]

Sorry to hear Dawg, but it sounds as if it's exactly as I had expected. Hopefully others will learn from this mistake. NEVER NEVER NEVER run used lifters on a cam. NEVER. The $40-$50 shortcut is NOT worth it.

Now there is no way to cheap out on this build either. That block needs to go to the machine shop to be vatted to get all metal shavings out of it. Those shavings are pumped all through the oil gallies and channels. Pull all the oil plugs you can, vat it and blow air through every channel and every little orfice you can to make sure it's all out or the shavings will come loose in your new build and trash it too.

I once told my bro to do this, and he didn't listen. ******* had a rod knock after 100 miles on a new motor and had to start all over again, with a new crank polish, and did vat it this time, so it all came back apart.

 

[HotRodPC]

If the scratches on the crank are fine enough, you can probably have them polished out and still run a .001 over bearing if the journals are round and true. The rods should be fine as the bearings protect that finish. But if you're going to do a whole build, spend the $80 and have the rods magnafluxed, trued and resized, checked for twist and shotpeened. Con rods is the #1 failure of an engine rebuild. Doesn't matter if they look straight and round by the naked eye. All it takes is one rod to be the slightest of egg shape and it knocks thousands of miles off your NEW engine, and you well know, it only takes 1 rod to hinge and go through a block or oil pan and it's all over then your left with nothing but a good set of heads.

 

[HotRodPC]

Let me find a pic if this tool that you can get so you can get those flexplate bolts off. Sounds like a real ******* of a machine shop, I think I might try to find another one. If they can't do something as simple as get rounded off bolts out of a flexplate, they pretty much suck ass.

 

[HotRodPC]

See if one of these is big enough. IF not, do a search and find one big enough. These things work great. The tighter the bolt and the more ass you have to put on it, the tighter it grabs. Mind you, the bolt is no good after this gets them out, but they were no good in the first place. I've used the hell out of a set of these and they work flawless.

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-...p-00952061000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

 

[HotRodPC]

What sux, is I don't see the sizes listed. I think that first 5pc set on sale for $10, should have the bigger one you'll need. If not, might need to get this $30 set of 10 in the case.

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-...p-00952166000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

 

[bucket]

What year is the 305? If it's older like your 350 then you should be able to use the 305 crank in it.

 

[Swims350]

I got a set of those craftsman bolt out sockets you posted, mines the 5 piece set, doesn't go big enough, need the next size or two sizes bigger to fit.

the 350 is a 88 1 piece rms and the 305 is an 84 2 piece rms.

I was gonna do up the 305 but it has a busted piston, I went to take out number 3 and it almost fell out on it's own, the bottom oil rings all messed up and then the side between the rings fell off. then I dropped one and he skirt broke off. plus the cam bearings in it are very rough feleling and dark.

so now my focus turns back to mine, I plan to take both cranks to the local shop, have both check or roundess and what size bearings needed, and see if mine can be reused or polished out to work.

 

[bucket]

For some reason I thought you were running an older block. Does your 350 block have the provisions for a factory roller cam? Some do in those years, while others do not. If it is, that would be great, then you could get a used LT1 cam for cheap and get a set of used roller lifters and go to town without any worries.

 

[Swims350]

tea it's setup for factory roller, but they aint cheap so I never gave em any thought.

Plus I want to run mech. fuel pump since it's cheaper. That and less work to change, no return style fpr required and such.

I really hate to run a stock type cam in it. I want a nice rough idle in it, but I don't want to chance buying a new cam, then break it in, I hate that. I know how to do it, and I hate to run it everything new for like 2k-2500 and be for 30 minutes or so, not knowing my timing is right, and all the other things, carb tune, it just worries me, always did.

 

[bucket]

Roller cams don't need any break-in, and you can safely run used lifters. It's a very nice advantage.

 

[HotRodPC]

Roller cams don't need any break-in, and you can safely run used lifters. It's a very nice advantage.

Not to mention the much less friction restriction. You can actually get more hp to the ground with a smaller cam grind if you went roller. It's worth the money in the long run for certain. Just the initial expense up front seems steep when you're comparing it to flat tappet valvetrain, which I'll end up having to do also.

 

[Swims350]

I meant break in for a flat tappet cam, not a roller lol.

anyways I may end up just redoing the 305 because I know that crank is smooth, but it needs 2 pistons, and just keep it fairly close to stock rebuild, and save the 350 for something later. I'd really like to get myself a camaro or trans am, like 77-81 style, or maybe a square body 2wd and have the 350 for it and hgopefully be in a position to buil dit better later, maybe 383 or roller cam.

but that's all still up in the air.

for now I'm going to make another thread about cam in a 305 and one for sale to try and sale off some tbi parts to earn some cash to rebuild a motor for mine.

 

[HotRodPC]

I meant break in for a flat tappet cam, not a roller lol.

anyways I may end up just redoing the 305 because I know that crank is smooth, but it needs 2 pistons, and just keep it fairly close to stock rebuild, and save the 350 for something later. I'd really like to get myself a camaro or trans am, like 77-81 style, or maybe a square body 2wd and have the 350 for it and hgopefully be in a position to buil dit better later, maybe 383 or roller cam.

but that's all still up in the air.

for now I'm going to make another thread about cam in a 305 and one for sale to try and sale off some tbi parts to earn some cash to rebuild a motor for mine.

I'm not sure, I might have a couple 305 standard bore OEM pistons. I scrapped that 305 from that one truck I bought for $100 with a rod thru the pan. I was certain I saved all the bracketry on the front, like 4 of Rods since they are standard 5.7 rods and of course the pistons are on the rods and I know I'll never use the pistons. I'd imagine replacement pistons aren't but about $10 or less each in most cases. Don't about shipping vs cost of new ones, but I'll look and see if I still have them if you want them. I'd think they should fit in a medium flat rate box via USPS for $13 or so. Maybe you have a local buddy with a 305 laying around. I never have a problem using used pistons salvaged from another motor so long as they are matching wrist pin height and same CC dish or dome. In OEM form, wrist pins next to never wear out, and piston skirts might get a tad of wear if ran in a motor with bad rings, but in most cases, pistons really don't wear, the rings on the pistons do.