4.3L to ?? swap.

[DeCaff2007]

Yes, and make sure your lifters aren't collapsing. When they pump up you'll get a different measurement. You can get a solid lifter or, a small single spring with less resistance for checking length.

I think the solid lifter would be easier in this case. That means finding one.

 

[tayto]

as long as its in the 1/3rd of the centre I would run it. a narrow pattern is far more important than dead centre. you should be checking this with a solid lifter. i take the lifter apart and stack washers to make it solid. I've tried using checker springs but have found it really hard to read the pattern.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Alright, here's the skinny with the frikken push rods.

Length of push rock checker: 7.944 and the pattern looks like so:

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Length of new in box pushrod: 7.904 (which is a difference of 0.04 - it's within the 0.05 tolerance) and the pattern looks like so:

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This is all with a hydraulic lifter. If you all are saying run it like this then I'm not going to argue. How exactly does one get a narrow pattern?


Now, I do have a confession to make: I'm an idiot. I installed and torqued down the intake manifold without the valve train being complete. Why? Because having to mod the intake to suit the new heads wore me the Hell out. Then I sealed it all up without thinking and now I can't access the hydraulic lifters unless I tear the intake back off.

The broken record is still playing lol.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Still waiting on parts, but one quick update before then:

@Schurkey, your suggestion about wedge washers was outstanding! I'd never heard of such a thing before, so I looked them up, found what I though to be the correct size, and voila.

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That's a WAAYYY cleaner look and nothing is cockeyed now. So for that I thank you.

And now, the wait continues.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Still waiting on parts, but one quick update before then:

@Schurkey, your suggestion about wedge washers was outstanding! I'd never heard of such a thing before, so I looked them up, found what I though to be the correct size, and voila.

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That's a WAAYYY cleaner look and nothing is cockeyed now. So for that I thank you.

And now, the wait continues.

Do not forget to use a sealer of some kind on those bolts. The 4 center bolts will leak oil without it. Also watch the bolt length there. Too long of a bolt will interfere with the pushrods.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Do not forget to use a sealer of some kind on those bolts. The 4 center bolts will leak oil without it. Also watch the bolt length there. Too long of a bolt will interfere with the pushrods.

Now see, that's good info. I'll take them back out and use my trusty Permatex Aviation Form-A-Gasket. As for the bolt length, they are the bolts that came out of those bolt holes to begin with. Shouldn't be a problem, yes?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Now see, that's good info. I'll take them back out and use my trusty Permatex Aviation Form-A-Gasket. As for the bolt length, they are the bolts that came out of those bolt holes to begin with. Shouldn't be a problem, yes?

Provided it had the right bolts to start with there and they were not grinding on the pushrods. It is easy to tell, pull on of the end bolts, the center bolts are about 1/2" shorter. That is iff all the bolts are OE original.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Well, that complicates things. Damn. I should be OK, but I guess I could scrounge some hardware from the junkyard quick.

 

[DeCaff2007]

@L31MaxExpress you were spot on with that info. I mocked up a push rod and lifter in cylinder 4. This was the closest that any bolt came to any push rod. All others were at least another 1/4" away.

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So, I pulled out just that bolt and cut that 1/4" off. Then, slopped it up with some thread sealant and bam... problem solved.

I did put thread sealant on the remaining 3 center bolts, as well.

Anyway, aside from putting on the accessory brackets and some other minor details, that's really all I can do until parts get here.

Stay tuned.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Welllllll...... so I went to the junkyard today because that's what I do to aggravate myself lol. I found a MINT condition passenger side wheel well and a near mint condition battery tray bolted to it.

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Anyone who is in the rust belt knows: You don't find rust free body panels in the yard. Well I did today so I could not pass them up.

The fender well still had the sticker where the PO bought it from.

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Battery tray is in, too.

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So really that's it. Small update, I know, but there's literally nothing else I can accomplish on this junk without the push rods.

OH! BTW, the truck I found these parts on was a 95 K1500. Same exterior, same engine bay, completely different interior.... but the PO installed aftermarket headers. I don't need them, but it did give me a visual of how to effectively install the oil dipstick tube

That meant I had to take the passenger side header off yet AGAIN, slide the oil dipstick tube in past the cylinder 6 collector, THEN slide the header up past the tube and bolt it to the frikken head.

BAH!