1991 V3500 Project Heavy Hauler

[MTCK]

Thanks for the pointers. I'm not too concerned with the cam install. It would be nice to have one of those gear driven stands that rotate but I'll figure it out.

[watahyahknow]

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...-stand.734137/

made from a cam chain setup and a cheap handwinch

[MTCK]

Hey that's pretty cool. Now I wish I hadn't thrown my old timing set away.

Question for all the smart folks out there: I installed the cam and retaining plate and checked the end play. 80 thousandths. Installed the timing sprocket and checked again. 4.5 thousandths. Spec is 5-10 thousandths in the comp install manual. Is it proper to check with sprocket installed? The factory manual doesn't address this (that I can find).

[MTCK]

Stupid smart phone.

[MTCK]

Did a little searching and sprocket on is correct. I had over tightened the cam sprocket and when I backed it off my end play was right at 5 thousandths.

Spent a lot of time doing my favorite thing today: cleaning. Lifters all looked great, pushrods, rockers, lifter retainers and pushrod guides all cleaned.

[MTCK]

I started to put together my #1 cylinder valvetrain so I could degree the cam and discovered I was missing the spacers required to let the lock nut sit above the rocker elbow with no slack. Back to Amazon...

[MTCK]

Still went ahead and installed all the lifters, retainers, spider, rocker studs, pushrods and pushrod guides. I used the air hose spark plug adapter and spring compressor to install the lightweight springs on #1.

[whitels1]

Good work! Bummer about the missing parts, but keep at it!

[watahyahknow]

wat i allways do with hydraulic lifters is compress them submerged in a bad of engineoil , gets the crud out of the inside of the lifters and you can see right away if there still working
leaving them in the engine oil till right before assembly is a good idea too

[MTCK]

Thanks Dave. Yeah the red solo cup in the pic is full of lifters and oil.

Degreed the cam last night using intake cl method. Hit the number exactly so that was cool. That was easier than I thought.

Installed the crank oil seal and timing cover and went to turn the motor over and it was harder to turn over. Pulled the timing cover back off and it spun freely. Hmmm. Took the crank reluctor ring off and reinstalled the timing cover. Spun freely.

One of two things was going on. Either I didn't press the crank sprocket on quite far enough, or the new timing set is thicker.

Grabbed my harmonic balancer installer and went to check that the crank sprocket was all the way on and it pulled the threads right out the end of the crank. Hardly took any force so there is no way the balancer would have gone on. Looks like another side project... Ream and tap or drill and helicoil?

[watahyahknow]

normally you use an install tool wish you screw in the crank and use the tread on the tool to press the balancer on
hope you get the helicoil in correctly

[68Timber]

Great truck and great build. I'd probably call the machine shop that did the work for you and see what they think. I'd be afraid a helicoil insert would pull out without talking to someone that'd done that repair before.

[MTCK]

Originally Posted by watahyahknow

normally you use an install tool wish you screw in the crank and use the tread on the tool to press the balancer on
hope you get the helicoil in correctly

Yep this is how my installer works.

Thanks Timber. I'm excited to get it all together. Chatted with our master mechanic and think I have a plan going forward. No helicoil.

Cleaned up inspected and reinstalled the oil pump, and my oil filter adapter, plug wires and throttle cable showed up from summit. I also ordered and received a new fuel rail, as mine had a broken injector lock tab. I'll get it all together with the new fuel pressure regulator soon.

[MTCK]

My fix on the stripped crank worked great. Reamed it out to 33/64" then tapped to 9/16-18. Balancer is on and torqued to 110 lb ft as specified.

I have another concern though. My reluctor right was contacting the timing cover (it's just outboard the crank timing sprocket) when I had the timing cover and no balancer installed. I gave the crank sprocket one more good game with the balancer installer then installed the balancer. Everything spins freely again now. I'm not sure if I got the sprocket on another fraction of an inch or if the balancer pressing the ring into the sprocket cleared up the rubbing. The balancer looks to me like it should go on a little further. My plan is to install the drive pulley and water pump and check alignment. If it is off the only thing I can think of is the comp cam timing set, specifically made for this motor is too thick??? Hope not...

[watahyahknow]

could be the cam cover bowed in a bit during installing due to the resistance of the sealring , might well be that it will spring back once you run the engine a little

[MTCK]

Not sure I follow. You talking about the timing cover or cam retaining ring? It is the crank sprocket with the issue and timing cover is cast aluminum so it is pretty stiff.

The crank pulley and wear line on the water pump line up as close as I can measure with my carpenters square. I sent a question to comp cams tech support so we will see if they answer.

[MTCK]

Comp cams tech support was essentially worthless. I have them the part number of my timing chain and they wrote back and said we don't recommend a double roller timing chain with this motor. No crap it's a single roller spec'd out for a gen 6 in stock configuration.

It spins freely so I buttoned up the rest of the motor. I installed the plugs in the oil cooler lines and removed a bypass valve that needs to come out to eliminate the cooler. Pained the long block, installed the intake and primed the oiling system. Confirmed oil to the rockers and continued with assembly.

[MTCK]

Painted

[MTCK]

Engine stand protesting loudly.

[y5mgisi]

So awesome!

[DirtyLarry]

Seems like most tech lines are worthless when one calls for help.

The engine looks great! It would have never thought of gray but the L29 wears it well. The L29 is such a good looking big block…..so much cleaner looking than a L18. Can’t wait to hear when you get it going. Did you decide on manifolds or headers?

[MTCK]

Thanks guys. Honestly I had the two cans of grey laying around and figured it would be a good industrial look. And it will show any leaks. NOT THAT IT WILL LEAK.

Went with the manifolds. $138 delivered to my door thanks to Amazon Prime. Hard to argue with the almost $800 in savings and no fitment issues.

[whitels1]

Hell yes man! Keep up the good work!

[y5mgisi]

Cab you post a link to the manifolds you bought?

[MTCK]

Thanks Dave. Links below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000C..._st_dp_summary

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000C..._st_dp_summary