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Time for new engine

P

packratt

Active Member
Messages
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Location
near Richmond, VA
Weekend before Christmas went down to TN to visit my brother. When I got there the coolant low light came on. Drove about another 250 miles light on. Another 250 light. I've had the truck for about 30,000 miles and heater has always had some odor also had to add the reservoir full about every 6 months. Never overheated and oil analysis has been good. I assumed heater core or water pump had gone bad. Drove it to work the next day because car was in shop and on the way home I got the great big cloud of white smoke that we all know and hate:mad2::eek::mad2:

Bought one of those tarp canopies with sides so I could have the truck out of the weather and heated.

Since the truck had never overheated to my knowledge I was hoping it was just head gasket. Bought a Magnaflux Spot Check Kit (Granger had the best price) wasn't cheap but cheaper than a set of headgaskets if I had reassembled on a bad block. Pulled the heads. Gasket looked fine, OH S*&@. Took heads to machine shop to be tested and rebuilt if possible. Got home and proceeded to test block.

Ran the test and started cussing. I hadn't used the stuff before so I took some pics (bad lighting poor quality) and sent them to a buddy who does NDT and DT for a living. His response was

YEP!!

That's a BIG CRACK!!

Doubtful if there is ANY FIX . . . . .

Sorry, Bur now you know for sure.
Click to expand...

Had 4 cracks in 8 and 1 in 6. Didn't bother to check the other cylinders.

Before anyone posts this sticky :nopics: DON'T in a couple days when I have the block out and can redo the penetrant test in good lighting I will take pics of the carnage and post.
 
Almost have the shortblock ready to pull. Should I unbolt the trany from the bell housing or the bell housing from the block?

Did find one of my oil leaks. One of the studs for the IP was missing.
 
packratt said:
Should I unbolt the trany from the bell housing or the bell housing from the block?
Click to expand...

I've always found it to be easier to leave the bellhousing on the block. Plus fewer bolts in an easier to reach place. A little trick for reassembly is to use a couple of cheap bolt's with the head cut off or studs longer than the originals to line up things easier.
 
98 will be a 10X1.50 thread and IIRC a 15MM socket to remove them, but there is a chance they could be 3/8X16. If the 3/8's fit's loosely then it is metric. GM changed the threads mid year 97 in the castings so 98 could be either.
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
98 will be a 10X1.50 thread and IIRC a 15MM socket to remove them, but there is a chance they could be 3/8X16. If the 3/8's fit's loosely then it is metric. GM changed the threads mid year 97 in the castings so 98 could be either.
Click to expand...

Believe thats the bell housing to block bolts. The trans to bellhousing looked like about a 19mm head.
 
If you pull the bell housing with the motor and leave the manual trans in make sure you get the fuel line holder on the left side disconnected and the right side had double nut for something I can't remember on the rigth side then the motor should come out.

If you run into problems let me know I have done the 6.2 hybrid swap already.
 
buddy said:
That does suck, are you going for a 6.2, maybe bored over a little? Slightly lower compression ratio? Would hold up a little better.
Click to expand...

Can't complain too much about the 270,000 miles the old one lasted.

New engine will be one of the 6.2/6.5 hybrids with
Balanced rotation assembly
20:1 compression
ARP head studs
Stud girdle
Ceramic coated piston crowns
Heath Extra Heavy Duty Cooling System Upgrade
​

Will also likely have
Gasket port matched heads
Ceramic Coated Combustion Chamber & Exhaust Ports
Peninsular rebuilt IP​

Also a number of upgrades I have but haven't gotten around to installing
FTB
Walbro FRB-5
Racor prefilter
Amsoil remote bypass oil filter
A-team turbo
Remote mount FSD​

A Heath HP4 was on the shopping list for tax time before the motor went.
 
packratt said:
Can't complain too much about the 270,000 miles the old one lasted.

New engine will be one of the 6.2/6.5 hybrids with
Balanced rotation assembly
20:1 compression
ARP head studs
Stud girdle
Ceramic coated piston crowns
Heath Extra Heavy Duty Cooling System Upgrade
​
Will also likely have
Gasket port matched heads
Ceramic Coated Combustion Chamber & Exhaust Ports
Peninsular rebuilt IP​
Also a number of upgrades I have but haven't gotten around to installing
FTB
Walbro FRB-5
Racor prefilter
Amsoil remote bypass oil filter
A-team turbo
Remote mount FSD​
A Heath HP4 was on the shopping list for tax time before the motor went.
Click to expand...


Sounds like a real nice set up, should be a winner.:thumbsup:
 
Slim Shady said:
If you pull the bell housing with the motor and leave the manual trans in make sure you get the fuel line holder on the left side disconnected and the right side had double nut for something I can't remember on the rigth side then the motor should come out.

If you run into problems let me know I have done the 6.2 hybrid swap already.
Click to expand...

Left side holder already undone. On the right there is a holder for the starter wire loom that the nuckleheads that installed the new clutch pinched between bell housing and block.:mad2::mad2::mad2:

Also need to chase down a removal tool for the slave cylinder line. One came with the slave cylinder and didn't find its way back to me when the garage installed the new one.
 
packratt said:
Left side holder already undone. On the right there is a holder for the starter wire loom that the nuckleheads that installed the new clutch pinched between bell housing and block.:mad2::mad2::mad2:

Also need to chase down a removal tool for the slave cylinder line. One came with the slave cylinder and didn't find its way back to me when the garage installed the new one.
Click to expand...


If you pm me I can send you one in the mail, I made one on the lathe to remove the line just a small pin to press out the retainer pin.
 
packratt said:
Am I correct in assuming the spin on fan/clutch setup requires a specialty tool for install?
Click to expand...


I can't help you there I have the old style fan clutch, the ones I have done were left handed threads. I used belt wrench to hold the pulley if you already have the other belt off and a large wrench to get the nut loose.
 
Slim Shady said:
If you pm me I can send you one in the mail, I made one on the lathe to remove the line just a small pin to press out the retainer pin.
Click to expand...

That's sounds like something for the pin that holds the line into the master cylinder. I used a drift punch to remove pin and channel locks to install it the 2 times I replaced it. The slave cylinder tool is a piece of sheet metal with a 1/2 circle notch. Need to get on the phone and find out which Napa has it.
 
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