73-87chevytrucks.com

New To The Group

September 15, 2021, 06:17:18 PM by jimbarry1 | Views: 57 | Comments: 1

Hello, just got a 83 C30 dually and have been wrenching on it to get it dependable. It's pretty clean and doesn't need much (passed Ca smog recently). Currently replacing the intake and rebuilding the carb. Hope to have it back up in a couple of weeks.

Read More | Write Comment

Small block / 350 Starter difference.

September 15, 2021, 12:26:11 AM by 87_Rado | Views: 111 | Comments: 2

Good evening. It's 1:00 A.M here in N.Y and I just got inside from working on my truck. This might be a little longer post but I feel the need to share this with others. Although this information may be posted some where else.. I seemed to have difficulty finding an answer untill I tested it for myself just now. So a little background.. Yesterday I had to have my 87 towed home due to a no start. I drove to work fine and has no issues. As I clocked out and went to leave, I turned the key, engine turns over and fires.. It fired for a split second and died, almost like I let go of the key to early. So I try to turn it over again and absolutely nothing. So my first instinct is my battery crapped out on me and I try to jump it. Still nothing, took the battery from the work truck out, nothing but a very slow sluggish turn. So it seems like something had the motor stuck. I did some looking and feeling around testing grounds and what not. And I realized my starter wire from the positive was alarmingly hot. So this was leading me to believe that something had my motor seriously locked up. So first thing I do is pop the valve covers and check for a bent push rod or valve. Nothing that I could see from the naked eye.. From there I got a breaker bar and tried to turn the engine over by hand and could not get it to budge. So my next idea is to pull the spark plugs and see if the engine will turn over without any compression building in the cylinders. Still nothing... so at this point I'm still in the parking lot at work and just completely fed up. Thankfully I have good friends and a buddy saved the day and gave me a tow. So after getting the truck home I dive back into it tonight.. First thing I did was think of how hot that wire was getting so I pull the starter, thinking maybe a tooth broke off or something. After getting it out and Inspecting it I notice that the starter gear is actually pressed all the way up against the front housing and the starter itself seemed bulged out. (I will Include pictures) So now after a failed bench test I feel like I'm getting somewhere and I remembered having a spare starter that I had gotten from an old co worker. So I rummage through and find that and everything matches up.. accept for the starter gear itself.. The original starter had 11 teeth and the spare one 9 teeth. After searching the internet and coming up shirt on a solid answer I just decided to slap it in being that the bolt holes where the same (Diagonal). After many hours of aggravation and trouble shooting, the starter turned out to be my problem all along. The 9 tooth worked great and I don't think the truck EVER started this easy as long as I've owned it. So for anyone else out there wondering if a 9 tooth starter will work in place of an 11. I say go for it because I'm my situation I couldn't be happier with the result and now I can drive my square to work tomorrow! 🤘

Read More | Write Comment

Is my truck worth a rebuild?

September 14, 2021, 09:59:38 PM by cessnadriver | Views: 149 | Comments: 3

Hey all, new member here. I've got an '85 C20 long bed 2X4 with a 350 and only 7 good cylinders. I've been trying to decide whether it is worth the cost of getting a rebuilt long block installed but I'm having trouble figuring out a value for it. I don't have the time or space to do the work myself so I'll have to pay and estimates are coming back between $4k and $6k for parts and labor. This isn't a passion project, it was a work truck and I'll likely sell it once it is running and can pass smog so I want to know if I'm likely to get my money back out of it. Very straight california truck, 81k miles, no rust but faded paint. What range would I be looking at with a fresh rebuilt long block installed?

Thanks!!

Read More | Write Comment

305 Not Running Correctly. Unable to find problem.

September 14, 2021, 09:31:05 PM by StarrLion | Views: 55 | Comments: 0

Hello everyone. I am new here. But I did search on here before I was approved to try and solve my problem.

85 3/4 ton utility bed 700R4 2 w/d Chevy.

I have a 85 305 engine that started missing out under load. And at certain cruising speeds. I am at a lose to figure out why. What I thought was going to be a simple fix has turned into any but. I have owned the truck for 21 years now. I have never had any problems with the engine till now. Unknown miles. And known history before I bought. But it was still in stock configuration when I got it.

When the truck hits second gear it will act like it is cold. Not warmed up yet. Carburetor on this one. It acts like fuel starvation. You get up to speed and back off the throttle and then give it just a we bit to stay there. It will spit and spatter and backfire sometimes. Throttle down more it is fine. It also does not do it all the time.

What I have done. Which has not solved this problem at all.

New fuel filter. Then carb rebuild. Then another carb.
New cap, rotor and modular Twice! To make sure. Dist. is 6 years old. HEI Vac Advance.
New plugs and wires.
New fuel pump. Which the old one tested fine. Flushed lines out also.
I can not find any vacuum leaks. At idle it is 16.5 to 17. Higher RPM 19 to 20. Needle steady.
Does it with or with out vacuum advance hooked up. Though not as bad with it not hooked up.
I could find nothing lose or wrong with the Distributor. Tested advance at idle with a vacuum and it worked as should.
Plugs were correct color when removed. Good shape really.
Checking timing. Checked advance with light. All was fine. I was more interested in seeing a unstable pattern then what it was set at. I do not remember the number. But it was not way off or way advanced which could cause this also.

I have owned it for 21 years. I have never put a timing chain on it. That is my next thing to check. If the timing chain is at the point it is causing retard timing in the engine. I have noticed that since this has started. There is no spark knock anymore. This engine has always be really bad with knock. Even with 93 Gas and the stat at 180 deg. Not hearing the knock anymore has me at that, or this distributor is going bad.

Any idea or what I should test next would be grateful

Read More | Write Comment