1994 C3500 350 Spun rod bearing

[tanman_2006]

This truck isn't a show truck. It needs to be useable. It is a cab and chassis truck with a service bed.

So the chassis has 120k miles on it. Rebuilt Blumenthal nv4500, all new front end, and a a new luk clutch. I am having trouble finding a used motor for a 3500, I have found plenty of 1500 engines with low miles. What would it take to make one of them run right in the farm service truck?

 

[lxe4]

how bad is the broken one? my dad and my cousin replaced the bearings in my 96 after it spun one. that was in like 02, still drive it everyday, work it hard on occasion too

 

[tanman_2006]

Still runs. I haven't torn it down but it doesn' start knocking until the coolant hits around 120* sounds ok cold.

I wouldn't mind fixing what I have since the compression is just under 140 still. Just worried I'll tear it down and find a trashed crank and need rods also.

 

[Eveready]

I have a friend who had one of the big work vans with a similar engine. His did the same thing. They tore it down and polished the crank and put it right back together with a new bearing. Last I heard it was still running fine. It wouldn't cost all that much to drop the pan and have a look, especially if you aren't planning on running it all that hard.

 

[tanman_2006]

Define running hard? Lol. It will be loaded heavy every day and stay hooked to a 1500 gallon sprayer trailer. So it will be worked but I don't plan on trying to get anywhere fast.

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

Any TBI 350 will work. There's no difference in a 1500 350 and a 3500 350.
A passenger car 350 may have 2 bolt mains, but even that will work just fine in your truck.

 

[tanman_2006]

Any TBI 350 will work. There's no difference in a 1500 350 and a 3500 350.
A passenger car 350 may have 2 bolt mains, but even that will work just fine in your truck.

I was told a 1500 had 2 bolt main and higher compression

 

[tanman_2006]

The one I found is in a 2 door Tahoe getting a ls swap

 

[Eveready]

Define running hard? Lol. It will be loaded heavy every day and stay hooked to a 1500 gallon sprayer trailer. So it will be worked but I don't plan on trying to get anywhere fast.

As long as you are not loading it beyond normal weight limits and driving it up hill in both directions as fast as you can it should hold up just fine with a replaced bearing. I would ask around and find an old time mechanic who has done rebuilds and see if you can strike a deal to have him look at it. That is what my friend with the big van did. They dropped the pan, installed a new bearing and kept going.

Your mileage may vary but those engines are pretty tough.

 

[Supercharged111]

I was told a 1500 had 2 bolt main and higher compression

This is correct. Having said that though I wouldn't hesitate to run a half ton engine in a heavy truck. The light duty engines were sufficiently gutless and detuned to keep them from hurting themselves. The heavy duty engines were, IMO, unnecessarily detuned to live longer.