1994 Chevy C1500 Stepside “Black Lightning”

[dlindsey19]

Definitely looks good! Love the stance! Not usually a fan of an ECSS trucks but as @618 Syndicate said, it looks right! I'm sub'd for future updates, I know you said plans for a rebuild and a swap to carb, any other plans?

Well now I'm in a pickle, I keep meaning to update you guys but about a month ago, I had gotten a tbi to intake spacer from my local junkyard for about 15 bucks and I put it on and took the longer bolts too. One night I was sitting at a red light and the truck just randomly died, started it back up and it started knocking and then it made a loud bang and then barely ran at all. Tore it all apart to find that the head of one of those tbi hold down bolts had broke off and got sucked into the throttle body, got beat around a bit and shattered the number 6 piston. Took a nice chunk out of the cylinder wall too. Block has to be bored .060" over and it's getting flat top pistons, melling M55 high volume oil pump, stock tbi heads with bigger valve springs, same cam and lifters (barely survived the ordeal), Weiand Stealth intake manifold and a Holley 600 cfm carburetor with vacuum secondaries.
Attached below are pictures of the piston and cylinder walls. It sheared the piston clean off the wrist pin and I have it on my work bench in my garage.
If you don't like engine carnage or you're squeamish, look away.

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[SUBURBAN5]

Well now I'm in a pickle, I keep meaning to update you guys but about a month ago, I had gotten a tbi to intake spacer from my local junkyard for about 15 bucks and I put it on and took the longer bolts too. One night I was sitting at a red light and the truck just randomly died, started it back up and it started knocking and then it made a loud bang and then barely ran at all. Tore it all apart to find that the head of one of those tbi hold down bolts had broke off and got sucked into the throttle body, got beat around a bit and shattered the number 6 piston. Took a nice chunk out of the cylinder wall too. Block has to be bored .060" over and it's getting flat top pistons, melling M55 high volume oil pump, stock tbi heads with bigger valve springs, same cam and lifters (barely survived the ordeal), Weiand Stealth intake manifold and a Holley 600 cfm carburetor with vacuum secondaries.
Attached below are pictures of the piston and cylinder walls. It sheared the piston clean off the wrist pin and I have it on my work bench in my garage.
If you don't like engine carnage or you're squeamish, look away.

You must be registered for see images attach

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Man that's a shame

 

[dlindsey19]

Man that's a shame

It is what it is. The motor needed rebuilt anyway as it had only 70 psi of compression on the number one piston. Just didn't know I'd be doing it so suddenly.

 

[SUBURBAN5]

It is what it is. The motor needed rebuilt anyway as it had only 70 psi of compression on the number one piston. Just didn't know I'd be doing it so suddenly.

I hear you. After 474k miles my truck keeps me on my toes and back lol.. need to save up though. She loves attention

 

[Caspian]

If you're going flat tops and having the work done, get a set of Vortec heads done and the guides cut down to accept bigger lift. You're going carb, you'll love the power gain you get from flat tops and Vortec heads. I know I've always enjoyed something for a bit but then wanted a bit more power later on lol.

I had a '78 C10 Big Ten that someone filled the coolant system with water before I bought it from a buddy who'd gotten it for a hell of a deal, I'd never seen so many bulges in a block from being frozen and thawed out.. It didn't pop a single freeze plug, but it bulged and grenaded this block to hell to the point you couldn't even rotate the engine.. Shame too, it was a roller engine with flat tops similar to the one I have in my 3500 now.

 

[Caspian]

Also had an '83 C10 that had a nut dropped down the intake apparently. Put a hole in #6 piston and caused a miss I wound up finally tracking down. The engine that came out of my 3500 detonated a piston too and melted partly onto the valves above that cylinder. I've had some good luck myself lol

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I hear you. After 474k miles my truck keeps me on my toes and back lol.. need to save up though. She loves attention

Yes sometimes I think if I started dating again, my Burb would be jealous.....

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Yes sometimes I think if I started dating again, my Burb would be jealous.....

Well at least it's not christine. But then again that be pretty cool too. Think then my truck would be in mint condition lol

 

[dlindsey19]

If you're going flat tops and having the work done, get a set of Vortec heads done and the guides cut down to accept bigger lift. You're going carb, you'll love the power gain you get from flat tops and Vortec heads. I know I've always enjoyed something for a bit but then wanted a bit more power later on lol.

I had a '78 C10 Big Ten that someone filled the coolant system with water before I bought it from a buddy who'd gotten it for a hell of a deal, I'd never seen so many bulges in a block from being frozen and thawed out.. It didn't pop a single freeze plug, but it bulged and grenaded this block to hell to the point you couldn't even rotate the engine.. Shame too, it was a roller engine with flat tops similar to the one I have in my 3500 now.

Man I’d have loved to have gotten a set of Vortec heads but the machine shop wanted 650 for a set fully rebuilt. I had them drill the holes for a roller cam so in the future it’ll get a roller cam and stuff like that.

 

[Caspian]

Man I’d have loved to have gotten a set of Vortec heads but the machine shop wanted 650 for a set fully rebuilt. I had them drill the holes for a roller cam so in the future it’ll get a roller cam and stuff like that.

Is there a pull-a-part junkyard around you? My closest one had a sale on engines and transmissions and they gave me 20% off on the set of Vortec heads I bought. Still had thread sealant on the bolts and paint on the valve springs when I yanked them off the tahoe they were in which was a shame. $40 for a recently rebuilt set of Vortec heads lol.