DISASTER on my way home the other night...

[epashhans]

So the other night on my way home from work; disaster. Long story short...actually, its long, the push rod broke at the rocker arm, jammed behind the guide plate, and then wiped a lobe in my cam...all before I could find a place to get off the road in rush hour. Not until after getting the truck home and that side torn down did I find this out. Come to find out, the PO or whoever built it had this particular engine had the push rod upside down. The end on the lifter had an arrow and "top" stamped in it...? So I am guessing that is why it snapped the tip off at the lifter. Drained the old...the dreaded metallic fleck! Darn it. Although that is not exactly what I said. So, this engine is coming out...and I have only owned the truck for a month and a half. I wanted to cry! Especially because I am new to chevy's (I have a mopar and fords).

So...today I got on the horn and found a local guy with a 454 out of an '89 chevy pickup. Says it ran before it was pulled. Hasn't done a compression test. Its the TBI...he doesn't know if its stock but it has the TBI edelbrock intake and a different timing chain cover than stock so he isn't sure. He wants $500 but I think I can probably get it for $400. So, now the question is, can I put my intake and carb on this engine and swap it in and be back on the road (given it actually IS a running engine)? I hate to have it off the road since I just got it and its my only driving project out of 3. Is it worth that money? And the time? Or should I just take the money and time and put it into fixing this other engine? One of my friends said to fix the parts, pull the pan and clean, flush the engine a few times with magnets on the filters and pan, and then swap filters every 100 miles and just drive it. I just don't trust that really. But I don't want to have to take it out and tear it down and all that. It will be winter before I get it rebuilt and back in. Any advice? I have quite a dilemma...

[dan42]

Is your truck a '67, and was the motor a 454 before? They must have cut the frame rails if it was. If it were me, I would find a solid complete 350 at a JY and pop it in, and call it good - that's what I did with my '67, for $600 I got a complete (used) GM crate motor. No problems so far.

[71swb4x4]

How much money do you have to play with?

[westofb]

Assuming you have a big block, the engine swap is do able. Not really into BB chevy's like the sbc better...that being said, a sbc of that vintage (89) would have a slightly different bolt pattern on the intake manifold which would require oblonging the holes in the four center bolts on the intake. Old engines had intake bolts that went in at angles to the intake (square to the head), the newer ones have the 4 center bolts (2 on each side) that go in square to the intake (angled to the head). I am not sure if this is an issue on the BB chevy or not. Just by looking at the newer motor you will be able to tell this easily. I know on sbc you can oblong the holes in the intake and get it to work, then is still possible to use modified intake on old style motor. Hope this of some help...again, not sure if this is the case on big blocks...Oh, there may be differences in the tin work (pan, valve covers, and timing cover), but if you get complete engine not an issue....don't forget to sale the intake and throttle body to recoup some of your money!

[epashhans]

Yep, its a 67 with a 454 in it right now. I would like to keep it that way. I don't think the rails are cut, but I will have to look closer.

I don't really have any money to "play" with. Nah, I would like to keep it under $500-$800. Thats why if I could pick up that other engine for $400...and then other things that come along, I would be right where I want to be. I guess I could spend more money...your thoughts 71swb4x4...

[Pont406]

Pull the pan on your motor and check the bearings. You might get away with new bearings and a cam with lifters.

[epashhans]

Pont406, what exactly should I be looking for? And how will I know if I can or not? I assume I still need to pull the engine? Isn't there metal throughout the entire engine since it was in the oil?

[Pont406]

Look for scoring marks on the bearings. To me a gasket set, bearings and new cam/lifters are better than some unknow used engine. You'll have to pull it out anyway. Might as well strip it down and clean it.
I wiped a lobe once. I replaced cam and lifters only and got away with it. Do you have an oil pressure gauge? What was a pressure if you know?

[petey-pablo]

Originally Posted by dan42

Is your truck a '67, and was the motor a 454 before? They must have cut the frame rails if it was. If it were me, I would find a solid complete 350 at a JY and pop it in, and call it good - that's what I did with my '67, for $600 I got a complete (used) GM crate motor. No problems so far.

dan42 why must they have cut the frame rails for a 454? Is there a difference in the frame with the other years?

[special-K]

I`d take it out and tear it down.Inspect the damage and see if it can be fixed within your budget.If it`s more than you can spend I`d go with that other motor.That`s not a whole lot of money to get back on the road.I`d inspect that motor all I could and see what the compression reads.You could swap parts or maybe get an ECM cheap enough to run the TBI.

[bigsnookmaster]

He saya it ran before it was pulled, but how well did it run and were there any other problems? Be careful if you can't hear it run. Been there, done that! It won't cost you anything but time to pull it and inspect it! Good luck

[epashhans]

Thanks Pont406, thats what I have been thinking, I just know I will be off the road longer with it that way. It had just the original oil pressure gauge in the truck...always read good.

special-K, I agree, but I guess this weekend that guy is selling that engine to a guy up in a different town. It might be one of those whole "I have 3 other guys waiting to buy it" bs. He was just saying I better come take a look at it before the weekend.

I think I will hold off for now on that other engine. I am sure if this one that I have in the truck right now is too damaged there will always be other engines floating around I could pick up.

[QKENUF4U]

hell if ya got 500-800 you could do a quick rebuild on yours and be good to go... all new gaskets, bearings, etc.. and still be in your budget. good luck

[epashhans]

Originally Posted by QKENUF4U

hell if ya got 500-800 you could do a quick rebuild on yours and be good to go... all new gaskets, bearings, etc.. and still be in your budget. good luck

Yeah, that was my first idea and could be done within budget, but then I got to thinking how long that will take me with my spare time. Maybe 2011 I would have it running again. Haha. I am leaning towards that option right now. I was just really enjoying driving it...now I know if I start tearing into stuff I will be like "well, I have this apart now...might as well do that...and if I am going to do that, I might as well go a little further and do that" and pretty soon I've got a complete tear down and rebuild of the whole truck! Which wouldn't be an all bad thing.

bigsnookmaster, I agree...hard to know what it was like before. I could just put that money towards my current engine...at least I know it was a good runner before this incident.

Thanks for all the input by the way everyone!

[Northern lights]

This is not a bad thing necessarily. While the unexpected cost and downtime suck, now you can pull the engine, tear it down and rebuild it at minimal cost. Rings, bearings gaskets, cam & lifters is not a huge bill and when you're done, you KNOW what you have when you put the engine back in. You'll know what you have for pistons so you can also choose the right cam for your application.