4.3L to ?? swap.

[Schurkey]

the magnet is cracked in the distributor. A wire brush won't fix that. Time for a new one.

Or a new distributor mainshaft.

I bought three mainshafts off of eBay for a good price. I figure that's a lifetime supply for me. As long as the distributor housing and bushings are in good condition, a new mainshaft would fix that right up.

But at this point, an entirely "new" distributor is the easier solution. Downside is that nearly all "new" distributors are Chinese junk.

I guess there's at least one company still selling made-in-USA TBI distributors; but I wonder if the housing is made here and the guts are imported. I don't know. Haven't researched it.

Take a look behind the fuel-pump blockoff plate. 4-bolt main engines sometimes (often? always?) have the drillings to make an engine-mounted fuel pump possible if the cam has a fuel pump lobe. Not critical for your application, but I've got one of those blocks machined and ready-to-assemble, going into a '77 Nova.

 

[tayto]

It's a TBI with an oil cooler. Four-bolt mains?

looks like it has the "HD" alternator too, CS144. I suspect it will be the lower compression motor >8.5:1. I think the HD L05 ones were 8.3:1 IIRC.

 

[DeCaff2007]

I'll be damned:

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EDIT: Is it just my eyes or are these pics blurry?

Double EDIT: I have a new distributor, intake manifold gasket, oil pan gasket, and new freeze plugs on the way (should be here tomorrow afternoon.). In my stash of parts, I have a new ignition module, TBI to intake gasket, and a few other things I'm sure I'll be swapping on.

Also, the parts for the Wife's DD should also be here sometime tomorrow. Guess which vehicle gets priority?

 

[Erik the Awful]

Score! The pics don't look blurry to me.

 

[Schurkey]

Are my eyes blurry, or am I seeing the wide forging mark of a steel crankshaft?

Rod throw, just ahead of #3 rod. Too lazy to track down the crank number which--admittedly--does look to be cast in place.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Are my eyes blurry, or am I seeing the wide forging mark of a steel crankshaft?

Rod throw, just ahead of #3 rod. Too lazy to track down the crank number which--admittedly--does look to be cast in place.

Damn. I'm seeing this post AFTER I put the oil pan back on... with a new gasket. Would you care to elaborate on whether that is good or bad news?

 

[DeCaff2007]

Continuing... and a question. I'm replacing the freeze plugs. All were dry behind the plug, except for the plug that covers cyl #8. It looks milkshake-ish....

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All others look like this:

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I don't want to dig any further into this than I have to, however, NOW would be the time to replace whatever needs to be replaced. Head gaskets? This engine looks to be in decent health, other than the milkshake behind that freeze plug. Oh, and the oil pan gasket was DEFINITELY leaking. Also, I took off the oil filter bracket and the line adapters and gave it all a good cleaning. To get the oil filter off, however, I had to use the duct tape method.

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Ready for re-installation. Oh and I already know what you all are going to say when you see the pic below this text. Save any opinions you may have. I'm working on a budget here.

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[DeCaff2007]

Looking better already. I also have a new knock sensor and new engine mounts on the way. For the engine mounts, only the clamshell part of the mount was readily available. Looks like a junkyard trip is in my near future for the stamped steel portion of the mount that connects to the engine block.

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[Schurkey]

Damn. I'm seeing this post AFTER I put the oil pan back on... with a new gasket. Would you care to elaborate on whether that is good or bad news?

Most folks go nuts when they find a steel/forged crankshaft. It's like hitting the lottery.

In real life, cast cranks or forged cranks make no difference. Cast cranks cost less to make; and are about a thousand times more common than forged. But forged has an advantage when the power numbers go WAY up.



If I were concerned about "milkshake" in the block water jackets, I'd have hit the water jackets with a pressure-washer before pounding the core plugs in.

What did you use to seal the core plugs? GM is using 242 "Blue" threadlocker. I've used Red 271 threadlocker, and before that I used epoxy. The L-A-S-T thing I'd use is RTV silicone sealer.

I would have expected that the engine-side mount bracket was the same from V6 to small-block. But I've been wrong before. At least the small-block brackets should be very common. Be sure to get the CORRECT brackets, there's more than one design. If you have the incorrect ones, they may not line-up properly with the rubber cushions in the clamshells.

I'd paint a nice, white or yellow stripe along the groove for the timing mark, to make it easier to see.

NOW is the time to deal with those rusted fasteners on the exhaust manifold outlets. Any real parts store will have exhaust studs with brass nuts in several thread pitches, lengths and numbers--two to a package, three to a package, etc. VERY recommended. The brass won't seize to the steel studs.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Most folks go nuts when they find a steel/forged crankshaft. It's like hitting the lottery.

In real life, cast cranks or forged cranks make no difference. Cast cranks cost less to make; and are about a thousand times more common than forged. But forged has an advantage when the power numbers go WAY up.



If I were concerned about "milkshake" in the block water jackets, I'd have hit the water jackets with a pressure-washer before pounding the core plugs in.

What did you use to seal the core plugs? GM is using 242 "Blue" threadlocker. I've used Red 271 threadlocker, and before that I used epoxy. The L-A-S-T thing I'd use is RTV silicone sealer.

I would have expected that the engine-side mount bracket was the same from V6 to small-block. But I've been wrong before. At least the small-block brackets should be very common. Be sure to get the CORRECT brackets, there's more than one design. If you have the incorrect ones, they may not line-up properly with the rubber cushions in the clamshells.

I'd paint a nice, white or yellow stripe along the groove for the timing mark, to make it easier to see.

NOW is the time to deal with those rusted fasteners on the exhaust manifold outlets. Any real parts store will have exhaust studs with brass nuts in several thread pitches, lengths and numbers--two to a package, three to a package, etc. VERY recommended. The brass won't seize to the steel studs.

I can pull the freeze plugs again and wash it out. I have a whole box full of them. My issue is moving that engine around. It's HEAVY.

I used Permatex Red anaerobic gasket maker to seal the freeze plugs. I've used it many times w/out an issue.

As for the engine-side mount, I know I've read on THIS FORUM that they are different from the V6. As for there being more than one design, please clarify?

Let me tell you something about the parts stores around here - and more specifically the employees. They are uneducated and self-entitled. If the computer (or Lying Google) can't tell them what they need to get for a customer, then they (the employees) just make some excuse and put their noses in their smart (matter of opinion) device. Ignorant countermen is a sore spot for me. I'm not going into that story right now.

However, on that same topic, there is an individual around here at Advance Auto that won't even look up a part. He'll put you on hold until you hang up and if you do come into the store, he will take your year/make/model and simply say "We don't have it". I asked him what his problem is one day. He didn't verbally reply, but the look he gave me clearly said "a$$holes like you."

Anyway, what engine mount bracket design do I need? I'm heading to the junkyard in the morning to see if I can score some oil cooler lines and maybe a radiator. NOT paying Auto Zone's nor Advance Auto's prices for that.

Oh, and from time to time, SBC headers show up at the yard. If I could snag a set of those, I'll weld an O2 bung into them and use those for some nice dual exhaust action