Engine swap diary

[philo_beddoe]

Unless your 100% debt free, and have cash to buy a new vehicle. Do NOT sign on any line. Debt is dumb and cash is King.

I just had a brand new crate 350 put in, in place of the old worn out 305. The 350 runs real smooth and tight, total stock set up too. I lift up the hood on my square every 3k miles to change oil. Thats it, im so done under the hood. Now i am balancing the dshaft, tuning up the rear end, steering and front susp. Then a little bodywork, paint...done!! All cash, no more credit. I was forced to buy my 350 on credit from Summit, last credit purchase ever!! Dont buy a new colorado!

[Irish_Alley]

you dont need a "down payment" on a vehicle but for a down payment you could have a nice 350 and be done with the monthly payments

[philo_beddoe]

, ok, your cut off..lol.

[Stewart G Griffin]

i have to say that anyone running a small block v-8 truck, or car for that matter is at a tremendous advantage and has a plug and play spare engine(in the crate 350) on the shelf at all times.  That shelf may be at Jegs/Summit or the dealer, but it's on A shelf and can be at your door within 2 days.

These crates have the oil pan, valve covers, and timing cover already installed so all you need to do is put the harmonic damper, intake, and flexplate on and you're ready to go.  Some v-8 crates also have the damper installed.

v-6's not so much.  i think the v-6's are really designed to be installed by the dealer.  There's too many odds and ends things that need to be done for the engine to be ready to run.  But at the dealer, the tech simply needs to walk over to the parts counter and they have whatever parts are needed in a matter of minutes.

[zieg85]

i have to say that anyone running a small block v-8 truck, or car for that matter is at a tremendous advantage and has a plug and play spare engine(in the crate 350) on the shelf at all times.  That shelf may be at Jegs/Summit or the dealer, but it's on A shelf and can be at your door within 2 days.

These crates have the oil pan, valve covers, and timing cover already installed so all you need to do is put the harmonic damper, intake, and flexplate on and you're ready to go.  Some v-8 crates also have the damper installed.

v-6's not so much.  i think the v-6's are really designed to be installed by the dealer.  There's too many odds and ends things that need to be done for the engine to be ready to run.  But at the dealer, the tech simply needs to walk over to the parts counter and they have whatever parts are needed in a matter of minutes.

I respectfully disagree Stewart.  The only issue with the V-6 is their popularity.  Given the fact the 4.3L was a 2 year run in the square body (non-TBI) is the reason for the parts being harder to find.  Try to go to Autozone for a simple valve cover gasket for the in-line 4.1L 6 cylinder, they have to order it.  The V-8 small blocks have been around since the 50's and tons of them were used in many applications.  The odds and ends wouldn't be needed if you originally had a V-6 truck.  I suspect it would be no different if you tried to put an inline 6 in your truck and had to source all the associated brackets and hoses to do it right.

[Irish_Alley]

, ok, your cut off..lol.

which part? 

[Stewart G Griffin]

i have to say that anyone running a small block v-8 truck, or car for that matter is at a tremendous advantage and has a plug and play spare engine(in the crate 350) on the shelf at all times.  That shelf may be at Jegs/Summit or the dealer, but it's on A shelf and can be at your door within 2 days.

These crates have the oil pan, valve covers, and timing cover already installed so all you need to do is put the harmonic damper, intake, and flexplate on and you're ready to go.  Some v-8 crates also have the damper installed.

v-6's not so much.  i think the v-6's are really designed to be installed by the dealer.  There's too many odds and ends things that need to be done for the engine to be ready to run.  But at the dealer, the tech simply needs to walk over to the parts counter and they have whatever parts are needed in a matter of minutes.

I respectfully disagree Stewart.  The only issue with the V-6 is their popularity.  Given the fact the 4.3L was a 2 year run in the square body (non-TBI) is the reason for the parts being harder to find.  Try to go to Autozone for a simple valve cover gasket for the in-line 4.1L 6 cylinder, they have to order it.  The V-8 small blocks have been around since the 50's and tons of them were used in many applications.  The odds and ends wouldn't be needed if you originally had a V-6 truck.  I suspect it would be no different if you tried to put an inline 6 in your truck and had to source all the associated brackets and hoses to do it right.

i think what i meant was that the crate 350 and some of the other v-8 crates like the L31, 350 truck engine, part# 12568758 etc. already have the pan, timing cover, valve covers, balancer etc. already installed so that's it's pretty much a drop in deal.   

Most 4.3 replacements----don't.  For example, yesterday i went to install the oil pump but discovered the nylon coupler thing for the oil pump driveshaft.   It took me a while to figure this out because i never installed an oil pump before.  i discovered that the proper way to do it is to boil it in water---so that it's loose and plyable, then slip it over the oil pump's shaft, then push the driveshaft in and it will lock together after it cools off.  Although you could probably just snap it all together without the water.   i decided not to get a shaft with the steel bushing already welded in because this is just a street motor.  And this plastic bushing should last for the next 200,000 miles.    And of course i had to order a new pump pickup because it wasn't included AND i had to get a pickup installation tool to press it in there which was not easy.  The crate 350 already has this installed.

BTW did you know that the 400 has a different oil pump driveshaft than all other small blocks?   Yes, i learned this too because of all the research i had to do...........

Well, i will say this----at least i'm learning

i just feel some of these GM replacement motors are more designed for a shop to install rather than the home hobbyist, not saying the hobbyist CAN'T do it at home, it may just take a while longer.

[Stewart G Griffin]

To do list:

1) install oil pan.  Clean and paint if necessary.

2) Buy melonized distributor gear AC delco part# 10456413

3) Finish polishing snout of harmonic damper. Install harmonic damper.  BTW this one is not easy to find.  It's a 6.25" diameter  i think the buick v-6 also uses the same one.

4) Install flexplate

5) Establish TDC for cylinder #1.

6) Swap distributor gears.

These will be the goals to be completed by next sunday.  At this rate the truck will be running by next January.   

So you can see why, in my case, it may have been better to just buy another truck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQNvxJk-FUs

[Stewart G Griffin]

v-8 oil pan = 7lbs.

v-6 oil pan = 5lbs.

[Stewart G Griffin]

I'm seriously really thinking about going to CarMax.......

Rear main seal problem:


The oil pan studs (or if you want to use bolts) for the four corners are supposed to be 5/16" - 18 thread.  But they won't fit in the rearmost holes.  They will thread like one turn maybe.   Should i kind of turn them in there with a wrench..........or..........?

These studs came out of the old engine in the same spot and everything else, research wise, seems to indicate that the studs ARE supposed to be 5/16-18.

[Stewart G Griffin]

v-6 iron quadrajet intake = 18.5 lbs.

v-8 2bbl intake =                 38 lbs.

v-8 iron quadrajet intake = 44.5 lbs.

[hatzie]

You have crud in the bolt holes, damaged threads, the stud isn't 5/16"-18 UNC, or the rear main seal carrier was tapped for 5/16"-24 UNF or was even tapped M8-1.25mm rather than 5/16"-18 UNC.

Chase it with a 5/16"-18 UNC bottoming tap.  If it cleans up the threads fairly easily douche it out and install the stud.  If not... replace the rear main seal carrier.  If you have a milling machine or a drill press and files you could drill and tap to 7/16"-20 UNF, install a grade none 7/16" bolt with Loctite 640 or 62040 liquid sleeve locker, mill off flush with the flange, and re-machine for the 5/16"-18 UNC bolt.

[Stewart G Griffin]

i tried metric 8mm both 1.0 and 1.25 thread pitch and they were "worse" as far as going in.

i ended up just wrenching 'em in there, the 5/16"s.  Because my theory is:

a) the studs aren't intended to move or come out anyways.

b) And they probably machined the threads in the hole a little "tighter" for that very reason.

c) If they strip and get stuck in there, it's sort of ok because they're not intended to come out anyways.

d) i did take these studs out of the old engine's rear main seal and as far as i know all small blocks and 90 deg v-6's before and after 86 use 5/16" -18 pitch threads for the oil pan studs.   If i can recall correctly they did have some above average resistance when i screwed them out of the old engine.

As it turned out, they didn't strip or cross thread as far as i know and they aren't moving.  i did put a very little amount of blue loctite on them.

So i guess it's all good.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Oil pan installed.

Oil filter adapter cleaned and transferred from old engine.  BTW 4.3's have a very different oil filter adapter than v-8s and use a different filter.  i have no idea why as the filter ends up in the exact same spot as a v-8.

Harmonic balancer installed and lower pulley installed.

Flexplate installed

Engine put in TDC for cylinder #1.

FAILED ON:
Buying and switching distributor gears.  i didn't get around to it.

i did however, clean the intake manifold.  However, i could not install it because no one carries the intake gaskets for older 4.3's.  i will have to order it.

To be completed by next sunday, revised 6/16:

1) inspect clean or replace water pump bolts
   
2) Buy melonized distributor gear, intake gaskets, new distributor roll pin (old one broke), both correct oil sensors.

3) buy new stock ac/delco water pump

4) install new water pump using bolt sealant on all four bolts

5) inspect/clean intake bolts, install intake

6) swap distributor gears

7) figure out and correctly install oil sensors both near the distributor AND near oil filter

8 trim strut rod bracket on passenger side so as to create room for starter front brace.

9) research proper break-in procedure including break in oil.
http://paceperformance.com/p-3978-engine-start-up-procedure.html

10) install spark plugs

[hatzie]

Oil gauge sender or warning lamp switch is behind the distributor.  Choke and electric fuel pump oil pressure switch is above the oil filter.

Just like Pace says break her in on decent quality 10W30 or 10W40 Dinosaur Squeezins not Synthetics.  I usually put a heifer magnet or Hard disc magnet or two on the outside of the filter to trap small iron particles.  I also cut open the filters to make sure there's nothing nasty.