78 K10 Plow truck project - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

BurnoutNova · 12-31-2009, 09:59 PM

Here's a little project I did last week at work. I work for a Corvette restoration shop, and we aslo have a fully equipped Automotive machine shop. Makes it very nice to do a quick engine rebuild on shop trucks like this one.

This has been the shop plow truck since before I worked there. 78 Cheyenne K10 with a 400ci small block, th350, np203, D44 and 12 bolt. It has a Western 7.6 Blade with an electric pump. The motor was kind of tired, and burned and leaked oil everywhere. We already had about 2' of snow so far this year and the last snow it really started to run poorly... so I pulled it in when there wasn't snow in the forecast.

BurnoutNova · 12-31-2009, 10:05 PM

Once I tore down the engine, I saw that it had .030" piston in it already. I expected to find an original engine that hadn't been rebuilt. I took off some of the main and rod caps, .010" and the bearing looked great. pulled one piston and checked the bore and measured cylinder wall to piston clearance and bore taper. it only had like .0025" clearance and almost NO taper... so I just put the piston back in and cleaned everthing back up. It's almost like someone rebuilt the shortblock but put the old heads back on with bad valve guides? Once I took the heads apart though the guides were bad, and I found a broken valve spring. After cleaning and magnafluxing them, I found several cracks. I could have fixed the seats and put new guides in, but we had a pair of rebuilt 400 heads ready to go so I just used those instead.

BurnoutNova · 12-31-2009, 10:10 PM

I got the shortblock cleaned, installed the new cam and lifters, new oil pump, and timing set. Then I got the oil pan and timing cover put back on and put the rebuilt heads on. Gave everything a coat of Chevy orange and then put on a new waterpump, intake and all the cleaned up pulleys and brackets. I was supprised there was a factory aluminum intake on it, so I threw it in the bead blaster and cleaned it up too!

BurnoutNova · 12-31-2009, 10:15 PM

I even had to put a Z on the flexplate... noone usually sees it but sometimes I mark stuff with my initial before I put it back together... not on customer cars tho!

Got it all back together just in time, the day I got it running it snowed about 8" Runs real good for just a quick freshen job. I would have taken it all the way and rebuilt everything, but it was in good shape and it is just a rusty old plow truck. It never even see's public streets anymore!

vk_chevy · 01-09-2010, 01:57 AM

it's a pretty cool plow truck,
I got a 400 that I am looking at building some day with some vortec heads that picked up not long ago, should be a fun little motor.

where is the mandatory engine bay shot with the fresh engine?

BurnoutNova · 01-10-2010, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vk_chevy

it's a pretty cool plow truck,
I got a 400 that I am looking at building some day with some vortec heads that picked up not long ago, should be a fun little motor.

where is the mandatory engine bay shot with the fresh engine?

It snowed that day! I had to scramble to get it running and then it was off to plow!

82swampthing · 01-12-2010, 01:24 PM

nice job with the motor looks great.

winchster · 01-27-2010, 12:43 AM

Sweet, I wish you were closer I'd talk you into taking the front clip off my '78 K5 to replace the rust you got eating you up. If I can't get rid of this stuff it's just going to get crushed.

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...949%20Project/

12-31-2009, 09:59 PM	#1
BurnoutNova Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,057	78 K10 Plow truck project Here's a little project I did last week at work. I work for a Corvette restoration shop, and we aslo have a fully equipped Automotive machine shop. Makes it very nice to do a quick engine rebuild on shop trucks like this one. This has been the shop plow truck since before I worked there. 78 Cheyenne K10 with a 400ci small block, th350, np203, D44 and 12 bolt. It has a Western 7.6 Blade with an electric pump. The motor was kind of tired, and burned and leaked oil everywhere. We already had about 2' of snow so far this year and the last snow it really started to run poorly... so I pulled it in when there wasn't snow in the forecast. Attached Images

12-31-2009, 10:05 PM	#2
BurnoutNova Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,057	Re: 78 K10 Plow truck project Once I tore down the engine, I saw that it had .030" piston in it already. I expected to find an original engine that hadn't been rebuilt. I took off some of the main and rod caps, .010" and the bearing looked great. pulled one piston and checked the bore and measured cylinder wall to piston clearance and bore taper. it only had like .0025" clearance and almost NO taper... so I just put the piston back in and cleaned everthing back up. It's almost like someone rebuilt the shortblock but put the old heads back on with bad valve guides? Once I took the heads apart though the guides were bad, and I found a broken valve spring. After cleaning and magnafluxing them, I found several cracks. I could have fixed the seats and put new guides in, but we had a pair of rebuilt 400 heads ready to go so I just used those instead. Attached Images

12-31-2009, 10:10 PM	#3
BurnoutNova Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,057	Re: 78 K10 Plow truck project I got the shortblock cleaned, installed the new cam and lifters, new oil pump, and timing set. Then I got the oil pan and timing cover put back on and put the rebuilt heads on. Gave everything a coat of Chevy orange and then put on a new waterpump, intake and all the cleaned up pulleys and brackets. I was supprised there was a factory aluminum intake on it, so I threw it in the bead blaster and cleaned it up too! Attached Images

12-31-2009, 10:15 PM	#4
BurnoutNova Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,057	Re: 78 K10 Plow truck project I even had to put a Z on the flexplate... noone usually sees it but sometimes I mark stuff with my initial before I put it back together... not on customer cars tho! Got it all back together just in time, the day I got it running it snowed about 8" Runs real good for just a quick freshen job. I would have taken it all the way and rebuilt everything, but it was in good shape and it is just a rusty old plow truck. It never even see's public streets anymore! Attached Images

01-09-2010, 01:57 AM	#5
vk_chevy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 231	Re: 78 K10 Plow truck project it's a pretty cool plow truck, I got a 400 that I am looking at building some day with some vortec heads that picked up not long ago, should be a fun little motor. where is the mandatory engine bay shot with the fresh engine? __________________ 72 Chevy C20 Longhorn 72 Chevy, K20 Custom Camper 67 Chevy, LWB, C20, 350/350, PS, PB, 65 Jag MKII

01-12-2010, 01:24 PM	#7
82swampthing Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: taxachusetts Posts: 138	Re: 78 K10 Plow truck project nice job with the motor looks great. __________________ R.I.P gm 1908-1986 1982 chevy k20,350,sm465,np205,10bolt and 14bolt s.f

01-27-2010, 12:43 AM	#8
winchster Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 220	Re: 78 K10 Plow truck project Sweet, I wish you were closer I'd talk you into taking the front clip off my '78 K5 to replace the rust you got eating you up. If I can't get rid of this stuff it's just going to get crushed. http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...949%20Project/ __________________ '49 AD 5 window deluxe cab sitting on a '78 K5 chassis Support our troops, stand behind 'em or get in front of 'em. What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?



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