I think she **** the bed....

[sweatmachine]

I took my beloved truck for a B-double-E-double-R-U-N, on the way home it sounded kinda funny, like someone threw a bunch of ball bearings in the crankcase....I got home, killed it, and let it cool down. I checked all the fluids, everything was ok, and then I cranked it up again. It started up right away like all was well, but as soon as I hit the gas it sounded like holy hell...clack clack like I was doing serious harm to the innards of the motor...

it's an original 350, 120k miles, no mods...sounds d-e-d to me...

this is my grandpa's truck...I don't want it to die on my watch....

[Ds86C10]

it doesnt cost much to rebuild one of these 350s man...

[70LonghornCST]

I say resurrect the ol' girl. Rebuild the engine, or get a crate engine.

[sweatmachine]

I want to but funds are beyond tight right now. What's a ballpark rebuild cost?

[old Rusty C10]

im going to play devils advocate here..
first off next time youre going on a B double E double R U N send George or Garth... its their turn anyway
Did you recently have an oil change done? Did you use a jiffy lube kinda place? I had a problem like that with a Ford F 250 and it turned out the oil filter would jam and not allow the oil to flow... You may have pushed the truck to the limit and hurt the motor but id take a $3 chance and change the filter.. and for laughs pull down the pan and make sure the screen and all is clear... if that dont help then you have to rebuild or replace the motor
You can get a crate efor around $1500 or rebuild the one you have for about a third of that ( stock kinda motor) or you can get a good used motor for about $300 or so
whatever you do good luck

[sweatmachine]

I didn't just change the oil, or anything for that matter. I rarely drive the truck, maybe 3-4 times a month, and I check the oil/trans fluid/coolant regularly. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.

I made a run to Target for some Christmas lights earlier in the day and it was fine. When I left home to go to the corner store, I left the truck running while I went in. From inside the store I could hear that something was wrong...but when I got in it and gently touched the gas it sounded fine. If I really rev the engine it sounds like it's going to explode.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by sweatmachine

I didn't just change the oil, or anything for that matter. I rarely drive the truck, maybe 3-4 times a month, and I check the oil/trans fluid/coolant regularly. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.

I made a run to Target for some Christmas lights earlier in the day and it was fine. When I left home to go to the corner store, I left the truck running while I went in. From inside the store I could hear that something was wrong...but when I got in it and gently touched the gas it sounded fine. If I really rev the engine it sounds like it's going to explode.

Try & isolate the mystery noise. Pull the valve covers off & inspect for loose rockers. Pull the torque converter inspection cover off & verify the bolts are good & tight on the converter & nothing appears abnormal (metal shavings, rocks/debris caught up between everything etc...). Tug or push on anything under the hood or that's connected to the drivetrain & see if anything appears loose that shouldn't be.

[chevybuldr]

Like Scoti said "isolate" the noise. Is it a broken balancer that has come off of the rubber? What about converter bolts. Look to see if the carb stud is there. Pull the plugs and see what they look like. If they are looking good then its nothing in the cylinder. Just check all the small stuff first.

[84 400]

Yeah and a solid used motor locally can be had for under 300.00.

[68c10owner]

If you nedd a shortblock you can get one from Kragen or just about any auto parts places for under $1000. I just priced a reman long block for my 84 with a 305 and it was $1300. I`m building a 350 for it but I was just curious. I can get a new crate 350 from the local chevy dealer for $2000 which seems high to me but he`s got them in stock with no core needed.

[j hannah]

I had one do kind of like that once. The torque converter bolts were loose, and trans had never been pulled. Had to replace the converter and flywheel.

[78 Big10 454]

Don't forget to check out the motor mounts, too.

[MylilBowTie]

Cracked flexplates are also somewhat common

[lurch115]

i'm gonna say its probably a spun rod bearing but i agree with what these guys have said...locate atleast the general area where the sound is coming from.....another thing not meantioned yet is possibly a half shredded belt, or the transmission bellhousing bolts....can't tell you how many times i have slid under a truck or car and found that the tranny was loose on the motor....they my look tight, but put a wrench or socket to them anyways

[Chevypower292]

Originally Posted by lurch115

i'm gonna say its probably a spun rod bearing but i agree with what these guys have said...locate atleast the general area where the sound is coming from.....another thing not meantioned yet is possibly a half shredded belt, or the transmission bellhousing bolts....can't tell you how many times i have slid under a truck or car and found that the tranny was loose on the motor....they my look tight, but put a wrench or socket to them anyways

I know what you mean there, Me and my Dad replaced a 250 inline six in a '82 longbed, I had to get under the truck to take loose the four bolts that go into the bell housing and only two of them was tight.


As for getting a motor for it, You might want to check around with your local guys, There is a guy I know had a mildly built 350 for about $500 bucks. Which was a good deal. There was nothing wrong with the motor, I'd heard it run. Good luck with it.

[Damien]

If you end up pulling the pan, you might want to pull a few rod caps and check the bearings. If they are bad but the crank isn't scored, maybe you could get by with a new set of rod bearings. I say this because you said, "money is beyond tight."

[Cyclone44]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Try & isolate the mystery noise. Pull the valve covers off & inspect for loose rockers. Pull the torque converter inspection cover off & verify the bolts are good & tight on the converter & nothing appears abnormal (metal shavings, rocks/debris caught up between everything etc...). Tug or push on anything under the hood or that's connected to the drivetrain & see if anything appears loose that shouldn't be.

^ This is great advise....Check all the things SCOTI suggested.....It may not be you motor at all.....

[sweatmachine]

I think it might be something to do with the fan.

when I rev the truck, no matter how high, it sounds fine going up, but once it revs down it makes the noise.

Also, when I kill the motor, it makes the sound after it's off. Like as the fan spins to a stop.

I'll try to get a video.

Sorry guys, I'm a good motorcycle mechanic but this is the first real wrenching I've done on a real Truck, besides basic stuff.

[sweatmachine]

here's a video of it running.

watch the entire vid. When I kill the motor at the end of the video you can really hear the noise. The engine is off, but the noise continues until the fan stops. I think it's the fan....thoughts?

[IMG]http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/sweatm...

[Chevypower292]

It does sound like you've got a loose fan, Somethings wrong with it. I remember me and my Dad replacing a fan on something over a simliar sound.

[sweatmachine]

fan clutch from autozone $20

sweet

[SilveradoDude]

Originally Posted by sweatmachine

I took my beloved truck for a B-double-E-double-R-U-N, on the way home it sounded kinda funny, like someone threw a bunch of ball bearings in the crankcase....I got home, killed it, and let it cool down. I checked all the fluids, everything was ok, and then I cranked it up again. It started up right away like all was well, but as soon as I hit the gas it sounded like holy hell...clack clack like I was doing serious harm to the innards of the motor...

it's an original 350, 120k miles, no mods...sounds d-e-d to me...

this is my grandpa's truck...I don't want it to die on my watch....

Check your flex plate. I had a couple of bolts loose on mine and it sounded like someone was throwing a tin can around in the engine compartment. I also got a lot of "advice" based on the sound that it was a thrown bearing....which it was not.

[sweatmachine]

ok, I figured it out....duh.

power steering was leaking and is bone dry! It probably seized up. All the same, I'm gonna fill it up and see what happens, then probably look for a new pump.

thanks guys

[Chevypower292]

Originally Posted by sweatmachine

ok, I figured it out....duh.

power steering was leaking and is bone dry! It probably seized up. All the same, I'm gonna fill it up and see what happens, then probably look for a new pump.

thanks guys

Well I'm glad you found out what it was. Think of it like this. A powersteering pump is a whole LOT cheaper then a motor!

[70LonghornCST]

Happy days! Congrats on not needing a rebuild!