Well, I really wanted the 4" all the way out the back, and it actually ended up lower in the back after
I took the shocks off, so in order to raise it I bought a Rancho leaf and added it, also added a 1/2" lowering
block, so its right where I want it now. I was able to add a couple sections to the exhaust, cut a section of
bed brace out and stuff it up almost against the bed. Also found Belltech had a short shock with the correct
size bolt eyes. Had to notch the bottom CalTrac bracket for the lower shock bolt. Just to add to the joy of
it all, had to shorten the driveshaft 1/2", but gotta keep the economy rolling. Finally calling the bottom done,
Just adding some sound deaden-er to the cab, clean up some wiring, and I am ready to roll-now I have
untill Feb. 22 to decide on Drag Week. I may do LS fest instead.

 

Since not much going on due to the Virus thing, decided to finally do something with the inside of the bed-It was still the nasty gray, although the cover kept it hidden, it needed to be done. I found that the Raptor spray liner had tintable stuff, so I ordered a kit. was pretty easy to use, came with 4 24oz bottles, hardener, and a gun. For the tint stuff, 4 bottles isnt enough, maybe for the black though. Def suck laq. thru the gun bet. changing bottles to keep gun open. I added 10% paint to each bottle. I was able to coat it, but one more coat would cover better.

 

This truck has been pushing my button way to hard, its lucky its not a burning mass, lol. Anyway, it always had a nagging problem where it might run fine at first, then feel like it dropped a cyl. Everything always looked good, but I always was susp. about the injectors, as I bought them used, flow checked, but no off time info. Some people say that wasnt important, but I picked up some used Holley 120's as Holley self populates the info. After a couple easy drives, seems to have cured a years worth of problems, lol. Still fighting an issue with the Holley HP not wanting to learn, so man. fattened up a couple areas. Decided to make a little test hit, jumped right up to 6200, but lost the belt. I was on a 2 lane road, no shoulder, maybe a mile or so from home, and the gauge said 200, so went for it. Got it in the garage, water coming out the overflow tank, the gauge lied, it was over 300 degs. To hot to put the belt on, so I spun the pump by hand, fans on, just trying to cool the engine. Put the belt on, fired it up, but temps started climbing rather than lower, cked the radiator, didnt see water moving. It was an raftermarket pump, so ordered a new GM one, and a new thermostat, prob not either is the problem, but making my self feel good, lol. I ran a spot ck on a couple cyls, heat can take the tension out of the rings, but they were still as orig specs, 180. Kind of fear either a cracked block or warped head, gaskets, leaking comp. into the water jacket, not sure how much heat these engines can take and survive. Kind of suprised at 300 degs it still ran, idled. Hopefully have it back together tonight. Dont have a plan if problems, maybe sell as is, try and get a few bucks back.

 

def change the oil. >300 * F and the oil breaks down. have a peek at the filter. when I overheated mine like that it lost a cam bearing. still ran perfect, just was a bit lower on oil pressure than it was before

 

Well, got it back together, seems OK, good oil pressure, got what was supposed to be a Mr Gasket 180 stat (prob should have got the 160), but runs 192, but at 200 one fan kicks in, the other at 210. Before sometimes the second one turned on at idle, but now just the pri fan handles it, drops it below 200. Wonder if the GM WP is just better than the off brand stuff. I replaced the tensioner also with GM, the other had a spot where it didnt want to get tight, prob what threw the belt. Need to go in and tweak the fuel map at idle and off idle, thats a little diff.
Good advice on the oil, filter, def do that. Prob make a few easy trips, let it all settle back in before a hit. And carry a belt and wrench, lol. What next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

i threw belts on mine till i figured out that i didnt have the power steering pump pull perfectly pressed on inline with the crank, since i fixed that my belt issues have been solved, maybe something to check

 

I have good alignment, pretty sure it was the tensioner, it always had a spot where it kind of stuck-guess i'll find out, lol.

 

Still having some problems with the tensioner, seems like it goes over center for a better word, seems like it should be clocked diff so it gets the effect of the spring. I put a shorter belt on, but does the same thing. Maybe there is one clocked diff, i'll ck with ICT Billet. Other than that, truck is running awesome, got the Holley to learn, tune is zeroing in on where it should be. It will blow the tires off in 1st and 2nd, prob 3rd if I stayed in it. Its close enough to hit the dyno now.