My first engine pull/rebuild - 1994 351w

[O'Rattlecan]

So it's been 2 years already???

I got some more motivation to continue on this and spent a little bit of time on it this weekend.

I've been looking for an engine wire harness and under-hood accessory wire harness that would be a perfect fit. The actual engine harness is perfect, everything is fine. The harness that powers everything else under the hood isn't perfect. I had to splice the MAF wires which had been cut at the junkyard, and I still need to splice a turn signal on the passenger side, plus this harness doesn't have cruise control wires. Either way, it should get the truck running even though it's not ideal.

I'm trying to remember how the vacuum system madness goes together currently.

Ryan

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Update.......

I have all the smog/vacuum insanity arranged in such a way that should run great (in theory). You'd be surprised how many vacuum leaks you can accumulate in a 20 year old vehicle. It was running fine when I parked it, yet there were holes burned in vacuum hoses, and other plastic vacuum hoses that were completely cracked & separated.

I got the cooling system back in tonight (sans my electric fan system, I have to splice in a new fuse first, the previous fuse thingamabob melted). I am going to do a little more proper fuse action on some other accessories I have like accessory lights, subwoofer, cb radio, etc. The accessory belt is back on.

I stopped tonight because I put a few fresh coats of paint on my upper intake plenum. The paint on it was beginning to chip and curl. I cleaned it up and sprayed 4 coats on it I think.

So I need to put on the plenum, the throttle body, the throttle position sensor, a few of the sensors around the EGR/throttle body, and I should physically have everything in place.

Oh yeah, last thing I don't have in place yet is the exhaust. The fresh bolts I bought won't work. They ran out of thread before the exhaust is tight, so there's an exhaust 'leak' (if you want to call a gaping hole a leak).

Ryan

 

[mrxlh]

Well the transmission was a '53 and motor turned out to be a '73 and when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone!! Well that or a big gap!!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Ironically that song came on while working on the truck Sunday evening!

Ryan

 

[O'Rattlecan]

The top end is back together.

So here's a list of things I need to get done, and it's just Misc stuff.

1. Oil
2. Coolant
3. Exhaust bolts
4. Engine to cab ground cable
5. Install 5 port fuse box for accessories
6. Install electric fan
7. Pry the dipstick tube into the block somehow
8. Purge the fuel tanks and add fresh gas
9. Permanently attach the air box
10. Wire on headlight/turn signal harnesses that were cut at the junkyard.
11. Add more transmission fluid after it's running

The list looks long when I type it out... I wonder if I'm forgetting anything. Oh well, it feels good to type it out so I don't forget what I do remember.

Ryan

 

[fatherdoug]

12. Drive!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Hopefully sooner than later. I have the title but I haven't gone to the DMV to transfer it (from my parents to me - bought it when I was 16).

I'll have to replace the windshield to pass inspection too. It has a sizable crack.

Ryan

 

[DNFXDLI]

I'll bet you are pumped!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I have completed:

4. Engine to cab ground cable
9. Permanently attach the air box
10. Wire on headlight/turn signal harnesses that were cut at the junkyard.

So I still have remaining:

1. Oil
2. Coolant
3. Exhaust bolts
5. Install 5 port fuse box for accessories
6. Install electric fan
7. Pry the dipstick tube into the block somehow
8. Purge the fuel tanks and add fresh gas
11. Add more transmission fluid after it's running

I got some proper bolts for the exhaust ordered, they won't be in until tomorrow morning. The fuse box is physically installed in the truck but I haven't touched the wiring. The electric fan is physically installed, it's just the electrical wires that need to be fixed. I want to find a better ground and I have to repair the stretch of fuse in the cable that melted.

Ryan

 

[DNFXDLI]

Cool Ryan!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

More work done this afternoon, but I'm done for the day. I finished:

5. Install 5 port fuse box for accessories
6. Install electric fan

Still remaining:

1. Oil
2. Coolant
3. Exhaust bolts
7. Pry the dipstick tube into the block somehow
8. Purge the fuel tanks and add fresh gas
11. Add more transmission fluid after it's running

I bent the dipstick tube a little trying to force it in. I don't know what's wrong, maybe it's the aftermarket shorty headers messing up the geometry keeping it from going in. Annoying as heck.

We're getting veeeeerry close!

Ryan

 

[DNFXDLI]

You might want to consider putting a little anti-sieze on the exhaust manifold bolts before you put them in.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

That's probably a good idea. I had to order that part, so I'm not even sure what grade of metal it is. I hope it's grade 8, but I bet it's grade 5, and I bet even more that they will insta-rust. Anti-seize is almost a requirement.

Ryan

 

[Fellro]

I use antisieze on every exhaust bolt. It helps get things apart should I ever need to.

 

[mrxlh]

If their stainless, use copper never seize, if they are cadmium plated or plain steel, use nickel never seize. If your a torque guy, back way down on the torque, as never seize of any grade is like a 15-30% torque multiplier.

 

[m78]

If their stainless, use copper never seize, if they are cadmium plated or plain steel, use nickel never seize. If your a torque guy, back way down on the torque, as never seize of any grade is like a 15-30% torque multiplier.

A while back I searched for some type of formula for torque specs when using anti seize. Thanks.

Some one borrowed my bottle of copper and never returned it.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

It's just a flange joint so I'll probably crank on it pretty hard. $5 says it's plain steel so I'll get some nickel compound.

Ryan

 

[Fellro]

Tighten them kind of balanced or you will get a leak. They won't be stainless I aknow for sure, not sure which grade they are. I generally use the nickel.

 

[mrxlh]

A while back I searched for some type of formula for torque specs when using anti seize. Thanks.

Some one borrowed my bottle of copper and never returned it.

If you or anyone else cares to calculate it (I know we have several engineers on here) the formula is in Machinery's Handbook.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Okay, I got as much coolant as would fit in it (about 3.5 gallons) without the motor turning. Good enough to feel good about when it finally fires. I can play catch up really quick when it's turning and continue to top it off.

I got 6 quarts of oil in it.

I got the starter & starter solenoid situation figured out, tracked down the bolts I need that aren't standard threads.

All I have on the to-do checklist is to install those exhaust manifold flange bolts, and then to purge those gas tanks somehow. I am dreading the gas tank vacation...

Ryan