1986 GMC S-15

[ckupq]

I found this while I was looking for something else. I didn't know if this would help you, but I think what you're doing is cool so keep it up. http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Project_XJ/Project_XJ.htm

 

[Andrew_S]

Wow, I’m really surprised you got your money back! Don’t feel bad about being “that guy,” they screwed you. Just take a break like you said. Make sure to preserve everything before you put it away. In a few months (or years) you’ll be ready to come back to it. The best deals come when you aren’t looking!

PS: don’t forget about 90’s GM FWD cars as a source for parts (think Pontiac Grand Am, Chevy Impala, etc...), the ones with the 3400 have “3400” cast into the aluminum intake, real big, right on top! Maybe grab a motor or a set of heads on 1/2 price day at the U-Pull-It!

I wish the aluminum heads were that easy to swap over. Have to swap over the whole top end and I'm really trying to keep this simple. Thanks for the advice and tips.

Andrew_S

I've been through a similar experience with my truck. I can say for sure that it took the fun out of the project and made me want to put it down for a while.

My suggestion is to push forward and get it right while you are able. I think a shelved project gets put on the back burner pretty fast and often times goes unrealized.

To be honest I feel like your build is one of my favorites because it's based in reality. This build is a great example to show people the truth of putting together a vehicle. A man has to take the bad with the good during a truck build. Sometimes this happens and our response to it determines our character.

If it were easy everybody would have a cool 1986 S15.

Keep pushing forward.

I really appreciate that. You're completely right about digging in and not dropping a project just because of a few setbacks. I'm back on track now. Thanks again for the comments and advice, I really appreciate it.

FYI, the 3400's will NOT bolt into a RWD application. You have to use the camaro block. But I think you CAN use the 3400 heads, which flow quite a bit better if you want. Makes better HP, but probably won't do much for torque...

If they deliver to Canadia, Rock Auto has some good prices on valves... Still cheaper than paying the machine shop for the parts they wanted to sell you...

Will your cam require new valve springs too? Hopefully the stock springs will still work...

Thanks I looked into rock auto and it was about $90 to buy new valves. I think what I'm going to do is just use the ones out of the 2.8 in the '86 right now. I was hoping to sell the motor complete and recoup some money but after stripping off the accessories the likely hood of someone wanting this motor that needs to be completely resealed is nil. It'll be more beneficial for me to reuse parts from it and save money buying them then to sell it. Yeah I ordered some new comp cam springs.

Time for an aluminum block 5.3

No dice on that one haha. That would be a large expense. I highly doubt the wife would go for that.

I found this while I was looking for something else. I didn't know if this would help you, but I think what you're doing is cool so keep it up. http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Project_XJ/Project_XJ.htm

Thanks for the link! I've read through that once before, it's a great reference.



So I took a bit of a break and did some work in the garage.

I noticed the workbench that came with the house was taking a serious dive down the wall. This was something I've wanted to do for a while. Up until now this was my only work station in the garage.

some pics during

I got a laugh out of this. The old boy that owned the house before had quite the stud finding technique haha. You can see where the screw that "secured" the bench missed the stud and was just getting pushed down the drywall with loading.

Some more progress pics,

and complete, what a difference it is to have a nice big work area now.

Managed to get out for a drive on Saturday. So much snow in the hills.

This road was about ten kms long with only two spots to turn around. Needless to say we were really hoping not to run into anyone oncoming.

Nicole wanted to do some redneck tubing,

Purpose of the drive was to sight in the new .17

I finally decided to stop being so lazy and placed my order for the remaining parts I need to finish the swap.
Hoping to get it wrapped up before this spring camping season. Hopefully the next updates involves a bunch of shiny new stuff.

 

[Andrew_S]

Bonus: pulled the '84 out to wash the engine bay down as it got a good coating of salt spray during the trip out here.
Untitled by Andrew Schwerdtfeger, on Flickr

 

[chilliwak]

Cool pics Andrew. Looks like your misses had some fun in the snow. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[Andrew_S]

Thanks Chilli,

We went out exploring last weekend and drove by this great looking property near OK Falls.

Pretty cool lawn ornaments.

For some reason I felt it was a good idea to go canoeing and try and catch a few crappie for supper. To my credit it was sunny when we first started out.

If it wasn't for this northen pike minnow we would have been skunked.

Took the long way home and got one last taste of fresh snow.

I absolutely love finding unique trees growing in the most difficult places. This was on a hike the following day.

For 32 year old paint still doesn't look to bad when it's clean,

Last summer one of our main "problems" was keeping our food cold after the 4th day out. We talked about coolers a little bit at the end of the season but couldn't settle on anything. I just randomly stumbled upon this 65 for $250 or about $190 USD. The guy bought out an old dealer and was just selling what was left over. This should definitely solve our problem. Huge upgrade from the two $11 colemans we were using.

 

[Andrew_S]

Lastly, after over a month on backorder,

So stoked to be able to make some forward progress on this motor now,

Untitled by Andrew Schwerdtfeger, on Flickr
Picked up this leveller for $46 and a piston ring compressor for $12 to help with the build.

Couldn't help but get started. Crank and rear main seal in.

Next up, piston rings

Have to grind off this nub on the new timing chain tensioner

Finished the evening by banging in the freeze plugs

apparently there are some issues going with the forum update, hope those photos show up

 

[chilliwak]

Pics are great Andrew. Is this motor going to be a high performance build? Great progress and I am looking forward to following your build. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[Darkrider]

Finally all caught up on this. Started reading earlier this evening and am looking forward to seeing future progress on this build!

 

[Andrew_S]

Chilli I'm just rebuilding it more then upgrading anything. The cam has a little more lift/duration and the heads were decked slightly. Aside from that just having the extra ci's will be the performance gain. This little 3.4 makes roughly 20 hp more then the 2.8; however, the real gain is in the torque, 50 lb-ft more. With the cam and slight bump in compression I might see a little bit more then that. I'm just building it to be a reliable runner.

Thanks darkrider, it's a slow go right now unfortunately.

Those last few pics didn't seem to work so I'll try again.

Picked up this leveller for $46 and a piston ring compressor for $12 to help with the build.

Couldn't help but get started. Crank and rear main seal in.

Next up, piston rings, rod bearings

Have to grind off this nub on the new timing chain dampener

Finished the evening by banging in the freeze plugs

 

[Andrew_S]

Managed to get a little more done this evening.

I received some really good advice once when it comes to projects like this.
"Whatever you originally budget, double it. However long you think it's going to take, quadruple it."

Budget is still relatively good. However I was hoping to swap this over in December...

Anyhow, got the pistons all stabbed in and torqued down,

Next I got the cam installed. Still have to figure out a nice way to plug the hole on the top center of the block. Thinking little freeze plug?

and then I hit a road block. The new silver timing gear below the old one. Summit had this listed for the 60v6's GM motors but after talking to their tech support it was a mistake on their end. Another one is on order. Hopefully here early next week.

and how it sits,

 

[1stDeuce]

Coming along nicely!!

What hole are you plugging?? The distributor hole?

I'm still not happy with mine camaro setup, and now the $100 ebay aluminum radiator is leaking...
If I wasn't building a barn and house, I'd be swapping the TB I setup and accy drive off an S10 blazer that I located in the junkyard...

Keep up the good work!!!

 

[Andrew_S]

^ It's the cam sensor hole. I'll probably just end up sticking the sensor back in it. That's too bad about the rad. Plastic build?

Nicole finally made it home and opened up the cooler,

Start off the day looked like this

Started stripping it down. Even got the wife to help out.

looking super clean,

Spent far to long dinking around with exhaust manifold bolts. Thankfully all but one came out without breaking.

Intake, heads, accessories, and exhaust manifolds out,

Maybe yank it tomorrow, see how it goes. Working on these 4wd chassis is ten times tighter and more difficult then the 2wd trucks. Hoping I can swing out the motor tomorrow without having to pull the trans/transfercase as well.

 

[Andrew_S]

So not a whole lot of progress this afternoon.

Pulled the water pump and timing cover,
my impromptu harmonic balancer puller

Stripped down the old 2.8 heads because the "engine builder" lost all of my old valves.
Thankfully these are the same size. Pretty evident the valve seals were dried out and leaking.

Side by side. Have to run these over to a local head rebuilding company and have them grind them.

Then this showed up. Killer deal on this box, ($400) and the guy delivered it to me! Spent the remainder of the afternoon reorganizing my tools.

and another day with the motor still sitting in the truck.

So unlike my other truck, working on these little 2.8's in a 4wd chassis is proving to be a pain. To pull the 2.8 in a 2wd truck you just simply unbolt it from the bellhousing and yank it out. Well the 4wd chassis is a different animal. You have to remove engine/trans together. So I started by pulling both drive shafts, draining the transfer case, spent 2ish hours fighting with 4 rusty transmission cross members bolts in terrible spots. Now I have to unbolt the cat forward of the exhaust and move a second cross member. Hopefully at that point I can tip it back and then forward enough to get it out. If not I'll have to remove all the cab mounts and jack the cab up, then slide it out.

 

[BPD53]

I know this is easier said than done, but are you going to freshen up the transmission while it's out?

BTW: You aren't kidding about a killer deal on that tool box. I'm looking for another box right now and I'd love to get a deal like that.

 

[Andrew_S]

^ I have to be honest pulling everything wasn't part of the plan so I hadn't thought that far ahead at the moment.
Thanks! I'm so incredibly stoked to have a real tool box again. It's such a pleasure. Previous I was working out of 2 small 3 drawer boxes, one of which I found in the garbage! So yeah anything like this box is just a dream come true.

So yesterday was a challenging day. This assortment made up 6-7 hours of misery.

I definitely jinxed myself previously when I said everything was coming apart nicely....
One of those broken bolts is still stuck in the transfer case.

Removing the cat proved to be a giant pain as well. I'm just deleting it as it had a couple holes in it.

The much anticipated money shot. These little 60v6's are tiny. I previously was under the impression that the entire drivetrain had to be pulled together but managed to figure out a way to leave the tc and trans in place.

Now just to fix everything and pretty it all up. I highly doubt I'll be able to get back to this for 3 weeks though as I'm just about to go into final exams and doubt I'll have any time to even think about it. So the fun part will be playing the memory game about how I removed everything.