1987 gmc needs an engine. help please?

[jesdude7789]

This past weekend was my brother's wedding in Austin and my truck has been having some issue for a while now and I drove it over there on Friday night. It has had a knock but I had no choice but to take it. Well..... I let my brother borrow it, the engine seized, now my truck is dead and I had to leave it there and luckily I got a ride back to Houston with my dad.

I have been looking on craigslist but I haven't found anything that will work yet. I'm hoping to find any of the 88-95 engines for sale and freshly pulled out or still in the truck running so I can hear it in person. I say 88 and up because I want to get the serpentine style belt setup in the process because my 87 engine is TBI but it has four v-belts which have always been a pain in one way or another when servicing it. Anybody on here in the Houston area have one of those? Any company that y'all recommend to get one from or had experience with?

I can't afford to buy a crate engine for this because it's about $1800. My engine had about 135,000 miles on it and I want to get something with similar mileage or less if possible and taken care of.

[old Rusty C10]

You need to call every local scrap yard and see what they have... I haven't bought a tbi model but ive bought two of the Jegs crate motors ( carbed ones) and they are cheap and good

[jesdude7789]

well I have called a few in Austin but they would want $600-700 for them which is too costly for me and then I can't even hear it run or anything either. I wish I could spend the money on a crate motor but I just can't. From what I vaguely remember hearing in the past, I have to use the specific engine replacement for a tbi motor. Something about the older engines not working with my accessories or the intake or something like that??

[tucsonjwt]

Used engines in a local Tucson scrapyard are about $250 "from air cleaner to oil pan" and I think a core charge of about $35. You take a chance that the engine is junk, but there are some things you can check if the engine is not running. I saw a good post somewhere online from a mechanic who gave instructions on how to evaluate a non-running engine in a junkyard. I would call other yards to see if you can get better prices. I don know that prices in Phoenix junkyards are much more expensive than at our Tucson Pull a Part.

[K5owner]

This is going to sound harsh but I hear way to many of these stories of where people fail to plan ahead then later on can't afford to replace what they knew needed replacing and now need to get back on the road but want to do it on the free/extreme cheap. Sorry but it isn't going to happen. Start saving your money, get another side job, or take out a loan. Now if it were me I would have my brother at least help me with the install labor and/or the cost of some of the small parts. That is the least he could do since it was he who seized it up(if I understand your story correctly). Second is if I can't afford the $600-700 for a used engine yet I knew it was "having some issue for a while now " and it "has had a knock " then I would have not been driving it. I think you answered your own question as you already got your answer from the wrecking yards in your area and you admittedly can't afford it. From my perspective you either need to
A. Sell of scrap your truck then take the proceeds and find a beater car.
B. Take out a loan or sell your property to make ends meet and get a replacement engine.
C. Start saving your money/take an extra job/do side work etc.

Try this http://www.car-part.com/

[jesdude7789]

I just got off the phone with a yard in Alvin and the guy said he has a couple engines that are already out and he wants about $400. I'll be trying to go take a look at them this weekend and his price is about what I want to spend.

k5owner,
I agree completely. There were several factors outside of my control that I would explain to you and you would be more understanding but I don't want to clutter this thread and I appreciate your input. My brother will be helping me though. I do own a 1990 suburban that is a beater and I will be using it in the meantime so I'm lucky I bought that a few months ago.

.

The things that I can think of right now are:
I will clean it, shoot it with a coat of paint, replace the motor mounts, replace the water pump and thermostat, spray some oil in the spark plug holes and rotate it slowly to make sure everything moves freely, new plugs, check the harmonic balancer against the timing tab and top dead center of piston 1 with a piston stop, r&r the intake and valve cover gaskets, use new flexplate bolts, exhaust bolts, replace the y-pipe gaskets and bolts....

[K5owner]

I would use marvel mystery oil in the plug holes. I like Seafoam Deep Creep for this as well. Also see if you can get the pulley system off of a later model TBI engine. Much less in terms of belts to deal with and easier to work on. Also I would get 5 quarts of a cheap oil and filter for that engine and after install run it for a few miles then drain and refill with a premium oil and filter. Also check out that link I posted. It is always good to have a backup plan just incase the yard in Alvin doesn't have what you need.

[tlawre87]

Car craft the other day actually had a really nice article online of a quick ways to test junkyard engines. This would probably be a good read for you.

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/...41028_34557057

[piecesparts]

Just a question, but where is your brother in this ordeal? Does he own any of the part of the engine seizing up? I agree a good engine from a yard is hard to get and trust, but it has been done.

[jesdude7789]

Originally Posted by tlawre87

Car craft the other day actually had a really nice article online of a quick ways to test junkyard engines. This would probably be a good read for you.

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/...41028_34557057

Thanks tlawre87. That is a good refresher read. I do have a spare starter, battery, and cables to bring with me to the salvage yard. I just need to rent the compression gauge then.

Originally Posted by piecesparts

Just a question, but where is your brother in this ordeal? Does he own any of the part of the engine seizing up? I agree a good engine from a yard is hard to get and trust, but it has been done.

My brother doesn't know any better and it wasn't really his fault but I wish he was at least mechanically inclined enough to have known to shut the engine down a lot sooner so I could have possibly saved it from seizing completely.... He was in a hurry to get to his wedding venue and prepare everything and my truck had the ladder and decorations in it. I was trying to help him leave in time and at the same time he went that way I had to borrow his neighbors car to go another way in order to pick up a groomsman. It was a time crunch situation and my brother's fiancé was blowing up his phone and telling him to hurry up and getting very upset. He is somewhat ADD as well and just kept trying to drive the truck instead of calling me. I am the black sheep of the family with auto/mechanical/handyman knowledge. I normally NEVER let anyone in my family drive my trucks and I made the exception this one time and it bit me. The truck is in my brother's driveway and I am going to have to drive back up there and bring my hoist and everything with me and hopefully we can get it done in a weekend.

Originally Posted by K5owner

I would use marvel mystery oil in the plug holes. I like Seafoam Deep Creep for this as well. Also see if you can get the pulley system off of a later model TBI engine. Much less in terms of belts to deal with and easier to work on. Also I would get 5 quarts of a cheap oil and filter for that engine and after install run it for a few miles then drain and refill with a premium oil and filter. Also check out that link I posted. It is always good to have a backup plan just incase the yard in Alvin doesn't have what you need.

I'm definitely looking to get an engine that has the serpentine system on it because that would be much nicer to work on and it would get rid of the v-belt squealing issues. I have been using the link you showed me and that is very helpful as well. Thank you

[old Rusty C10]

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[old Rusty C10]

ok reopened thread as he subscribed post a wtb ad in classifieds if you want to see if a member has a used motor

[Ski-me]

Glad to see this thread open again. I think the intention of the guy was just brainstorming the idea of an engine swap and what options he may have available. I'm also very interested as my truck has 340k on the odometer and I'll be in his shoes too!

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Ski-me

Glad to see this thread open again. I think the intention of the guy was just brainstorming the idea of an engine swap and what options he may have available. I'm also very interested as my truck has 340k on the odometer and I'll be in his shoes too!

You'd be surprised how much time simply replacing the oil pump might buy you. The OP is a bit beyond this temporary remedy but you probably are not. It's not a fix-all remedy but it will buy you a little time.
In my younger years I had a 73 Chevelle with a 350 that had a light knock on cold start, low hot oil pressure, and ticking lifters. I replaced the oil pump with a high-volume unit. The hot oil pressure came up enough, the cold knock almost went away and the lifter ticking quieted down. It bought me enough time to save up for another engine without 280K on the clock. It never went bang in the just under 25K I ran it and the cold knock never came back to what it was. I probably could've milked another 10k out of it but I found an engine in my price range so that $25 oil pump already served its' purpose and that 350 became a core.

As for the OP. If you aren't strapped for a rig. With the 1990 Suburban it sounds like you aren't. Then save and search. You'll find what you're looking for eventually. If you need that pickup more than the Suburban, right now, then the choice is clear. The Suburban just became a temporary donor.

Thinking out loud... I wonder what would happen to engine longevity if the oil pump were replaced every 80-100K as a maintenance item and low starting viscosity oils like 0W40 or 5W40 or 5W50 were religiously used. My LS4 and 6.xL engines are Guinea pigs for the oil question I'm running Rotella T6 in them all. I'll probably swap out the oil pumps at 100K or so along with the damped crank pulleys on the 6.5L engines and the two harmonic-balancers that aren't already swapped to Fluidamper. It won't solve shaving down the rings and piston skirts but the bearings, lifters, cam, etc will probably last longer.
I've pulled apart engines with 300+K on the clock, mildly low compression, more blowby than I was comfortable with, and whipped valves... probably where most of the compression was going. They both had no perceptible wear on any of the crank bearings or cylinder walls (The honing marks were still evident) but IDK whether the oil pumps were original.

[jesdude7789]

Originally Posted by Ski-me

Glad to see this thread open again. I think the intention of the guy was just brainstorming the idea of an engine swap and what options he may have available. I'm also very interested as my truck has 340k on the odometer and I'll be in his shoes too!

I've been calling more yards and looking at LKQ the most since they seem to be the most organized and give you the information on the vehicle the parts are pulled from. Some of their locations are not cooperative though like New braunfels. It seems that doing an LS swap would be the most bang for my buck. IF they even have an engine for my truck then it is really high mileage and they still want 500-800 bucks for it. I can get a '01-'06 4.8 or a 5.3 for the same price from them with less miles. I would have to save a bit more to get the custom wiring and computer tuned but it would be worth it I think. I would gain quite a bit more horsepower, and even if the LS has 100k on it, that is considered low mileage to these guys. I would rather save and spend $2500-$3000 in a couple months and get a much more advanced drivetrain than spend $2000 on a new long block for my tbi and still have a wimpy truck.

Originally Posted by hatzie

As for the OP. If you aren't strapped for a rig. With the 1990 Suburban it sounds like you aren't. Then save and search. You'll find what you're looking for eventually. If you need that pickup more than the Suburban, right now, then the choice is clear. The Suburban just became a temporary donor.

The suburban drivetrain isn't nearly as strong as my truck's was but I'm definitely checking the fluids frequently. I have to take it to Austin tonight and hit the salvage yard tomorrow! Plus I'm going to help a friend with his truck and he will help me with mine. He's the only one I know that even likes this stuff!

[73kay]

Just a thought, Wrench a Part has a couple locations, Austin and Belton. They have a website with inventory and their prices are on there too. I want to say they charge about $350 for an engine and accessories. I would give them a call. I go there for every once and while about 20-30 squarebodies are always there. Of course you can't test em, but for $350, that might work.

http://www.wrenchapart.com/price-list/

Good Luck

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by jesdude7789

It seems that doing an LS swap would be the most bang for my buck. IF they even have an engine for my truck then it is really high mileage and they still want 500-800 bucks for it. I can get a '01-'06 4.8 or a 5.3 for the same price from them with less miles. I would have to save a bit more to get the custom wiring and computer tuned but it would be worth it I think. I would gain quite a bit more horsepower, and even if the LS has 100k on it, that is considered low mileage to these guys. I would rather save and spend $2500-$3000 in a couple months and get a much more advanced drivetrain than spend $2000 on a new long block for my tbi and still have a wimpy truck.

Jegs has the crates on sale for $1500 or something from time to time. You can be up and running in a weekend. 250hp or 290hp and that is good power in a DD if you aren't towing thousands of lbs. LS swap will take alot longer to sort out.

[jesdude7789]

Originally Posted by 73kay

Just a thought, Wrench a Part has a couple locations, Austin and Belton. They have a website with inventory and their prices are on there too. I want to say they charge about $350 for an engine and accessories. I would give them a call. I go there for every once and while about 20-30 squarebodies are always there. Of course you can't test em, but for $350, that might work.

http://www.wrenchapart.com/price-list/

Good Luck

I ended up at wrench a part on 71 in Austin on Friday. They had a handful of burbans and I got a few things for mine for a great price! $59 got me a very nice driver mirror, an excellent right rear door panel, and another complete gauge cluster that works great. Anyway, I looked at engines as well but they were picked pretty good and I also was thinking about the LS swap still so I wasn't there to get the engine just yet. I mainly wanted to check the place out since I had never been to one like that. I will definitely be back because that is a pretty cool place.

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

Jegs has the crates on sale for $1500 or something from time to time. You can be up and running in a weekend. 250hp or 290hp and that is good power in a DD if you aren't towing thousands of lbs. LS swap will take alot longer to sort out.

From what I understand, those engines won't swap easily into my truck either because of the different heads and intake. I would have to buy a different intake manifold and then I would also need to have a custom tune made for it and change out the fuel pump and figure out a proper fuel pressure spring for the tbi to work right. I'm not too interested in trying to modify the stock computer to do something it wasn't designed for and it's still not a very accurate system. I've enjoyed its simplicity over the last 8 years when I need to repair it but I'm tired of the lackluster performance. I have read a good bit about the ls swap and it's pretty straight forward for a just a stock engine. I have always liked the idea of putting more power in the truck and now I have the opportunity to do so.

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by jesdude7789

From what I understand, those engines won't swap easily into my truck either because of the different heads and intake. I would have to buy a different intake manifold and then I would also need to have a custom tune made for it and change out the fuel pump and figure out a proper fuel pressure spring for the tbi to work right. I'm not too interested in trying to modify the stock computer to do something it wasn't designed for and it's still not a very accurate system. I've enjoyed its simplicity over the last 8 years when I need to repair it but I'm tired of the lackluster performance. I have read a good bit about the ls swap and it's pretty straight forward for a just a stock engine. I have always liked the idea of putting more power in the truck and now I have the opportunity to do so.

I think we got our lines crossed. I was talking about this engine. http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet+Perf...353K1/10002/-1 I think they discontinued the option to get this without the intake and carb (was like $1600 for bare engine). This is a bolt in option, no tuning, no fabrication, no tbi, no fuel pump mods. Just bolt in a weekend.

Now if you have the coin, can afford for your truck to be out of service for longer than a weekend, and care about performance/efficiency, the LSx option is hard to beat

[thepenguin99]

Bare engine http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Perf...oductId=752506

His 87 is centerbolt/tbi but that engine would work. Pretty sure you can use a tbi intake on older heads by slotting 2 of the holes. Would need to buy a new flexplate.

[Oregoon]

Is there a good local automotive machine shop that can clean up your block and crank (not sure if you stated if they servicable or not), and you can get the remainder of the parts and assemble it yourself?

That said, sometimes it's better to have a longblock assembled by the rebuilder... The bulk of the money is in the machining anyway.

[jesdude7789]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

I think we got our lines crossed. I was talking about this engine. http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet+Perf...353K1/10002/-1 I think they discontinued the option to get this without the intake and carb (was like $1600 for bare engine). This is a bolt in option, no tuning, no fabrication, no tbi, no fuel pump mods. Just bolt in a weekend.

Now if you have the coin, can afford for your truck to be out of service for longer than a weekend, and care about performance/efficiency, the LSx option is hard to beat

I don't have the coin just yet but I'm really fortunate to have my back up vehicle to get around while I save more cash for the engine swap. I'm pretty determined to get the LS at this point with all the praise I see about it compared to the old generation engines. I've been in the middle of moving to a much cheaper living situation as well and that is really going to help me have the money quickly.

Originally Posted by thepenguin99

Bare engine http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Perf...oductId=752506

His 87 is centerbolt/tbi but that engine would work. Pretty sure you can use a tbi intake on older heads by slotting 2 of the holes. Would need to buy a new flexplate.

Why would I need a new flexplate?

Originally Posted by Oregoon

Is there a good local automotive machine shop that can clean up your block and crank (not sure if you stated if they servicable or not), and you can get the remainder of the parts and assemble it yourself?

That said, sometimes it's better to have a longblock assembled by the rebuilder... The bulk of the money is in the machining anyway.

A friend just gave me some stock tbi heads off his 88 truck that I helped him part out over the weekend. He had them rebuilt a couple years ago and had them in storage and said "here, I don't need these". I'm considering taking my seized engine out of the 87 truck, keep the engine in storage, once my LS swap is squared away then I might have a machine shop work over the block since I already have the heads that I can use and then I'll swap that whole thing into the suburban I'm driving right now along with the 700r4 from the truck. The 90 suburban is a beater and the tbi engine and 700r4 trans are worn out so it would be cool to do that and keep it around for other things. OR... maybe just do another LS swap?!

[Oregoon]

Where there is a will there is a way.

[thepenguin99]

The GM crate engine is 2 piece rear main seal, yours is 1 piece in 87. Flexplate is different

[K5owner]

I believe this is the actual one he needs:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Perf...oductId=753961