Honestly if you're going to drop the engine, you might as well do it all now - it's a lot easier doing a cam swap or any work to the engine while it's out than doing it in the car.

Here's a tutorial on dropping it out in case you need it:
http://www.michiganspeed.com/enginepull/index.html

 

Well like I said, I'm on a strict budget and I don't waiting and dropping the engine again to put in the cam and whatever else I might add. Its really fun for my dad and me to do, plus it allows us to spend some time together.

Thanks for the all great info! I'm going to give it some thought of what course of action I will take. Going to get into this engine when I come back from my washington and kentucky trips. Leaning towards the smallblock rebuild...

 

That rebuild price is right on and the engine will come out better than when it left the factory because the tolerances will be held closer that the factory's tolerances. However, that's for the machine work, the cost of any parts will have to be added.

When you get around to making a firm decision of what you're going to do, post here and we'll recommend the best, most cost effective parts to buy. Which parts you'll need to replace and which ones that can be reused. Should help you keep from buying unnecessary parts, saving $$.

Since you're in the metroplex, I have an engine hoist and a Delco engine stand you can borrow for as long as you need them. Just let me know and I'll give you the directions to the shop where they're stored.

They're In DeSoto, in a shop right along I-35E. Also, whatever specialized tools you need you can borrow too. Just make out a list of what tools you need and their yours. Hope that'll help keep your costs down; I've got two in college also, so I know about the money crunch situation.

As far as mileage, unless "F' bodies are different from 'Y' bodies, I believe the mileage is stored in the CCM. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong; that'll save me from having to look it up in the FSM.

Another reason for not using a High Volume oil pump is they kill oil pump drive gears. They cause the gear teeth to wear down in only a few thousand miles. Now this is from personal experience where I had four new gears (one was even a new GM Melonized Gear) on three different engines, running different camshafts, etc. Then only common factor is all of the engines were using new HV oil pumps.

Remember this too, in a LT1, if the oil pump gear gets worn down to the point that it fails and oil is no longer being pumped through the engine, the engine will keep running WITH NO OIL PRESSURE. Not like a L98 which, with those engine models, a failed gear will also shut off the engine because the distributor rotor will quit turning, killing the ignition.

I know the LT1 keeps running because it happened to me on my 388 LT1!! Gear failed, but engine kept running. Fortunately, I saw the Check Gauges light right when it happened; under other conditions I might not have seen it until it was too late and the engine locked up.

Some guys mistakenly think there's a fuel pump cut off switch that activates and shuts down the fuel pump when oil pressure drops below a certain pressure - no such animal on our cars - maybe one other models, but not ours.

Jake

West Point ROCKS! Nation's TOP COLLEGE per Forbes Magazine!! Graduation Day Parade 20 May 2010!!!

 

JakeJR:

Wow, all I can say is thank you for that offer! Definitely will appreciate that when the time comes!

Yeah we will be doing all of this from my dad's place in Haltom city, and my dad has his own company in commercial refrigeration so he drives all over the DFW and surrounding area.

So say I go with the rebuild, my dad is sorta leaning towards the idea now instead of getting a new short block, what all will go down with the mechanics? They give me an estimate on the machine work, do it and check my parts out and tell me what needs replaced? Then I'd post here, get some feedback on parts and quality, make a decision and either buy it and give it to them to assemble and balance ( crankshaft, rods, ect for example ) or just tell them what i want and they buy the parts ( of course ill pay in the end ) and get it all ready for me to throw together?

With a lot of talk about the oil pump, it probably just be best to buy a new stock one, do the "white spring mod", weld the pick-up on to it, and new gears for it? I have understanding how the whole engine works, but how the oil pump works is a newer area for me, from what i understand its driven off the cam? Ill be doing some research on this later after i complete my assignments for college.

Thanks for the great info, and the offer to borrow your stand/hoist and maybe some tools!

 

No sir - that was $1200 for all the machine work and the short block to be rebuilt with all new bearings, new pistons and piston rings.

This was how I delivered it to the machine shop:



And this is how it came back $1200 out the door (MINUS THE RED PAINT, I did that before I took the pics)

 

Make sure you keep track of all the accessories like cam retaining plate and bolts, oil pump drive and bolt, waterpump drive and bolts, etc. I left all this stuff on the short block and had the builder tell me I didnt. Needless to say, I had to track all that stuff down online (thank goodness for ebay). Also, when I spun my rod bearing, a quick pull of plug wires when it is running revealed that it was the #3 cylinder. I guess the bearing loads up when the cylinder fires...

Good Luck!

Charlie

 

Very true, I was surprised my block was not trashed, drove it 30 miles with spun rod (which turned into rod's, and mains). My builder said the block was nearly trashed but it survived to run another day.

 

Hard to beat that deal!

 

Right! Because my cost was higher.

In addition to the block work included mine included ARPs, head work: (new guides, valves, springs, stem seals, pushrod slot enlongation, valve job,etc.) and I had to assemble it.

In order to know more precisely, I suggest he make a shopping list. To get an assembled short block with new pistons, bearings and rings for $1,200 is a good price, depending on the parts of course.

Jake

West Point ROCKS! Nation's TOP COLLEGE per Forbes Magazine! Graduation Day Parade 20 May 2010!!!