Suddenly ran like poop!

[skippy]

Why? Wicked has done this a number of times.

The only thing I'd add is that there are a FEW potential things to remove beyond the engine mount, but nothing significant. From memory, it's the oil level sensor connection and the engine block ground. The HEGO sensor bracket will come off when the transmission is unbolted. To cut down on the mess, you should probably drain the oil, and remove the engine block coolant plugs normally underneath the back ends of the exhaust manifolds. Quite a bit of coolant doesn't come out the water pump or the radiator draincock.

I find it easier to pull a (nearly) fully assembled engine than a block, just because the exhaust manifolds are convenient for attaching the crane. RBVs do not have enough room to pull an engine and transmission together (especially if the transmission has a transfer case on the end). Though mating the two inside the vehicle is a big PITA, it's really what you have to do.

Remove the fan and clutch and perhaps the water pump in the vehicle. Get all the accessories out of the way (I like to wire the A/C compressor to the rad mount). Remove the radiator and put a piece of plywood behind the condenser to prevent another disaster.

Unless you are ready to spend a lot more money, all you're going to do on the block is replace core plugs and external gaskets. You can measure the crank and rod bearing clearances if you want with Plastigage, and measure cylinder taper (etc). But if you're replacing bearings or rings, you're in for a LOT more expense. You can have the block inspected at a machine shop if you want (it's not very expensive), and you should consider having the heads Magnafluxed.

A full rebuild costs nearly $2000, if the castings are good. I got mine down to about $1000 when I did the Chevy, because the block was in pretty good shape (no boring, just honing; reused the cam, crank, rods and pistons), and most of the cost was in rebuilding the F-d up head.

You probably DO need a valve job, perhaps including guides, but that's easily inspected for. A poor man's benchtop leak test is to turn the head upside down and pour ATF or some other light oil onto all the valves. Then, look into each port to see which ones leak. Make sure you don't rest the heads on the valve stems or you may get a false positive.

thanks,didn't know about the lack of room issue.can he fix the oil leak issues without pulling the engine?

 

[MAKG]

thanks,didn't know about the lack of room issue.can he fix the oil leak issues without pulling the engine?

Only if they are really coming from the valve covers or lower intake. It's actually pretty easy to mistake leaks from there as coming from the rear main seal or oil pan.

It's a one piece rear main, so either the engine or the transmission must come out to get at it. The oil pan is quite difficult to service in the vehicle. Perhaps impossible on a 4x4.

 

[fireguy12117]

ive got access to a puller and engine stand if need be. i got the names of a couple shops, and actually called a shop nearby that does race engines, with a personal referal from a guy at work. really they said they need to see the parts to make any call, but he said i could be in for as much as $1,800 for a full rebuild, so what im thinking is at this point- pulling the engine and actually seeing about a rebuild. if anything, it seems to be the work i need to do to even put the thing back together could be better accomplished out of the truck, so really, the engine is coming out. if i decide on the route of a rebuild, i see some benifit to it, since i want to keep this truck.

i guess i do have two major concerns beyond the engine itself. the rear main seal, and the exhaust. what am i dealing with in replacing a main seal? and what options do i have for repairing the exhaust? the flange for the drives side is pretty shot, and its part of the Y pipe assembly. can you buy a stock replacement? junk yard it? aftermarket performance?

 

[MAKG]

With the engine on a stand, replacing the rear main is REALLY easy. Remove the oil pan and the rearmost main bearing cap, and it will just pull right out with your fingers.

A replacement flange can be welded on, but it's easier and probably cheaper just to get another Y-pipe at the junkyard.

 

[fireguy12117]

took a shot and yanking the engine today. no luck. im stuck on one exhaust manifold bolt and two transmission bolts. i tried breaking the bolts for the pass. side manifold/Y pipe joint and could only break 1. i rounded the head of the other bolt, so im stuck on what to do about that.

the two trans bolts are the lower pass. side bolt, and one of the upper pass. side bolts. i cannot get them to budge for the life of me. i just cant get in there to get leverage on these two. everything else is disconnected and ready to go.

very annoying to be 3 bolts away from pulling the block, and then spending 4 solid hours on those three bolts.

any suggestions?

i figured lifting the truck to give myself more room for the bottom bolt, but im either going to have to get creative for the top bolt and exhaust bolt, or start pulling the heater box and front fender to get more room...

 

[gamble71]

any suggestions?QUOTE]

blowtorch

 

[skippy]

took a shot and yanking the engine today. no luck. im stuck on one exhaust manifold bolt and two transmission bolts. i tried breaking the bolts for the pass. side manifold/Y pipe joint and could only break 1. i rounded the head of the other bolt, so im stuck on what to do about that.

the two trans bolts are the lower pass. side bolt, and one of the upper pass. side bolts. i cannot get them to budge for the life of me. i just cant get in there to get leverage on these two. everything else is disconnected and ready to go.

very annoying to be 3 bolts away from pulling the block, and then spending 4 solid hours on those three bolts.

any suggestions?

i figured lifting the truck to give myself more room for the bottom bolt, but im either going to have to get creative for the top bolt and exhaust bolt, or start pulling the heater box and front fender to get more room...

nothing is easy on your truck is it?pretty soon you will have a pile of parts that used to be a truck.the lack of room is the killer here.you have soaked them in penetrating oil i'm sure.can you get a dremel tool in there?a cutting torch will work but could get out of hand and a grinder probly won't fit so see if you can get a dremel tool in there.cut em baby!

 

[fireguy12117]

lifting the truck gave me a little more room to get the bottom bolt out. spent a good few hours on just the manifold alone. tried busting the flange, breaking the bolt, saw, chisling, just about everything and just working that baby over time and using the engine puller to manipulate the head i got it up, beat the snot out of the flange and actually pulled the flange from the Y pipe. by then a friend came by with a magic tool, a 3/8 breaker bar. with the head out of the way and about 2 hours of farting around i just climbed into the engine bay, reached down in with a breaker bar and 13mm socket and managed to get it loose! the breaker bar had all the right angles and was just the right size for the space and torque needed. bit if a rough time popping the trans and engine apart, and a giant pool of trans and coolant ( should'a heeded your suggestion better MAKG) had the engine dangling.

trans is supported, so now ive got to get this engine stripped and see who can rebuild it. any thoughts about some post engine pull tasks? ive got things i want to clean and fix up under the hood, but what do ya normally do with an engine out of a truck?

 

[fireguy12117]

so i pulled the wiring harness to look over it carefully. i found a bunch of completely broken wires, some frayed wires, and some wires with insulation worn off, right by the larger harness plug ends where they clip on at the wheel well.

how does one post pictures? i have a 393k pic of the broken wires that id like to post up so people can see it, and see the value in doing basic checks when troubleshooting. i have a strong feeling my original root cause of why the truck 'suddenly ran like poop', and why when i moved this bundle the idle changed, is because of so many poor connection or completely broken connections in this thing!

 

[skippy]

so i pulled the wiring harness to look over it carefully. i found a bunch of completely broken wires, some frayed wires, and some wires with insulation worn off, right by the larger harness plug ends where they clip on at the wheel well.

how does one post pictures? i have a 393k pic of the broken wires that id like to post up so people can see it, and see the value in doing basic checks when troubleshooting. i have a strong feeling my original root cause of why the truck 'suddenly ran like poop', and why when i moved this bundle the idle changed, is because of so many poor connection or completely broken connections in this thing!

i don't know about the picture thing but i been following your thread as you got in deeper and deeper,and you have been up against it bigtime.i'm glad you found the wire problem, and when you get everything back together you should have a solid truck,hang in there.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

pics have to be hosted on an external site (cardomain and photobucket are free).

then just use the "insert image" button on the top of the reply screen and post the images URL.

im also glad to hear you found the problem. while your in there, take a close look around for signed of teeth marks...rodent damage is a PITA.

 

[skippy]

pics have to be hosted on an external site (cardomain and photobucket are free).

then just use the "insert image" button on the top of the reply screen and post the images URL.

im also glad to hear you found the problem. while your in there, take a close look around for signed of teeth marks...rodent damage is a PITA.

wicked is right,my brother has a 2005 dodge truck with major damage to under hood wiring and vacuum lines from critters.