1989 Chevy K2500 ECLB 350/SM465 "CayenneCheyenne"

[GarrettGmc]

Wow man calling me out on the ram, I still feel ****** abt selling my ram but dnt worry I'll get another, mayb your model but cummins, who knows.
Anyways, making good progress on the truck. Have you though abt fabbin some heavy duty tires, similar to little yard trailer onto the engine hoist? It'd be good for the sand your in

 

[gstubbz]

Wow man calling me out on the ram, I still feel ****** abt selling my ram but dnt worry I'll get another, mayb your model but cummins, who knows.
Anyways, making good progress on the truck. Have you though abt fabbin some heavy duty tires, similar to little yard trailer onto the engine hoist? It'd be good for the sand your in

Just giving you a hard time lol

I've been thinking of doing that, but from now on I'll be doing it in the little garage. I was just eager to get this done and get to pay the price for it. What I really could use is a forklift!! That would be so nice to have. Actually just started looking at craigslist and it looks like they run about 2-3k for one that is ready to work.

 

[GarrettGmc]

Na it's good to know that people can give each other hard time and not get butt hurt like most ppl nowadays.
Well with a fork lift your gunna need tires meant for the dirt, seen few people get them stuck as soon as they're off the pavement. Cheaper to fab some type of bolt on oversized wheels, something that can come off on the pavement.

 

[gstubbz]

No kidding! Everyone needs their safe space it seems and can't joke around a bit! I'm over my desire to own a forklift already lol. Skid steer is what I want now, with buckets and forks!!

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Saw this truck today. Looks to be a 97-00 ECLB K2500, I think it has a good sized lift and 35s or 37s. I like the green too. Still up in arms with this truck with the 98 on the way (hopefully). If **** hits the fan with this 98 I'll resort back to this 89.

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[gstubbz]

Good day today! Installed the engine, mated it to the transmission (which was easy, jack up rear of truck, put in gear, and spin the driveshaft to get the transmission splines in the clutch), connected all the wiring under the hood, changed oil and the filter, installed the transmission crossmember, all kinds of little stuff.

I still have plenty to tackle tomorrow, but it should be quick. When I pulled the old engine I removed the exhaust manifolds from the block under the hood because I had no impact and I was too lazy to remove the three exhaust bolts, but that kind of bit me in the ass today. I managed to get the drivers side manifold all in place, but the passenger was impossible while still bolted to the exhaust. I thrashed my exhaust manifold gasket in the process. I'll fix it properly tomorrow.

Got to a point where I could see if it ran for a few seconds, it cranks, but I think there is no fuel in the tank whatsoever. I'll get the core support in tomorrow and be driving it hopefully in the afternoon. I also need to drop the spare tire and replace the flat tire on the rear of the truck.

FYI: The 95 TBI unit is different from the 89 so I had to reuse my old one.

My shopping list for tomorrow (so I don't forget and it's fresh in my memory):
Power Steering Fluid; Exhaust Manifold Gaskets; Starting Fluid; Proper Oil Filter; Turn Signal Bulbs; Side post to top post adapters; and I'm sure I forgot a thing or two like usual.

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Also, the 95 water pump had this fitting for a coolant hose, I can't remember for the life of me where it goes, and the old 89 engine had a plug in that spot (which I broke a tool trying to remove), do any of you have good suggestions for how to cap it?

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[Caspian]

A hex plug or pipe plug. Don't remember thread size, but that's a quick connect heater fitting. I've always plugged em that way. About the best way to do it to keep it from leaking. Should be able to match thread size off of a replacement fitting unless someone else knows the thread size. It escapes my mind currently lol.

 

[cool_as_crap]

The fitting on the pump should be 1/2" npt:
https://www.amazon.com/Spectre-Perf...8&qid=1507566288&sr=1-3&keywords=1/2+npt+plug

 

[gstubbz]

Thanks guys! Ended up not working on the truck today, woke up at noon and that ruins everything lol. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow at a stupid time (11:30am) so possibly after that I'll make the trip out there.

Picked up two 1/2 pipe plugs (thanks guys for the suggestions and info!) from ACE Hardware, they were 99 cents a piece. Figured now would be a good time to keep a spare around for whatever may require it. Also picked up the rest of what I needed at NAPA today with the exception of turn signal bulbs since they didn't have any.

 

[Caspian]

You get some teflon tape or thread sealant? It's gonna leak if you didn't.

 

[gstubbz]

I did, no coolant leaks luckily!!

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After the dentist I headed out to the truck. The last thing it needs to "finish it off" is the grille and bumper. Everything else has been reinstalled.

It took me like two hours to find out why it would only run on ether and not fuel from the tank, come to find out I didn't reconnect the power lead to the distributor and that was it. Filled the coolant, power steering works great, installed headlights because I planned to drive it tonight, mounted the spare tire so I could drive it tonight, and all the little stuff. Also properly fixed the exhaust which also ate up a good portion of my day.

Here comes the ****** part. The clutch pedal isn't engaging the throwout bearing so I can't get it into 2, 3, or 4. It grinds when I tried going into L and will not go in, I can get it into Reverse with a fight, but the truck immediately stalls. I'm hopeful that it is just the slave cylinder rod not sitting in the clutch fork, although I pulled it two times today in the dark to try fixing it but ultimately gave up. If the slave is fine, the only thing I can think of would be that I installed the throwout bearing backwards, in which case I'll be really pissed at myself and out comes the transmission. Ugh. The tab that held the clutch fork in at some point fell out so I had to reassemble it after I cleaned it, so that's how I'm thinking the throwout may be backwards.

With that all said, it was nice to hear the truck radio working and hear that mean 350 growl that I haven't heard for a while, especially from this truck (since February).

Crossing my fingers the slave cylinder is just not lined up!!

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