chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

Heat index is 112 degrees right now, but you've successfully talked me into pulling the pan. I'll update back next week after I receive and install the trunion kit

G Atsma

Let's hope you don't find too much more junk, or if you do NONE in the vital parts!
Side note- Every time I see this thread title I think "Needle bearings circling the drain"...

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

Ok little progress, pulled the pushrods and used a boroscope and they were clean of debris. I'll try to find a small magnet, but I don't see anything besides a little grime. This is cylinder 4 rear most lifter, both the tray and lifter were debris free from what I could tell




Inspecting the valve top I could see slight scratching, and then inspecting the rocker I found the same slight scratching. It's probably a wise idea to replace the rocker











Fingers crossed it seems pretty minor

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

What the bottoms of the pistons look like, being blasted w/ hardened steel pieces.

2ToeRacing

iTrader: (5)

*** it dude.....just pull it. Rebuild it and be done. If you fumble *** around with it, it'll leave you stranded somewhere. Spend your good money now and have fun doing it.

slogo

What does the Valve Stem look like where those Rocker Arms
are chewed up? I would take 2Toe's Advice.

mOtOrHeAd MiKe

iTrader: (8)

Spend once, cry once.

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

I don't see a point to pulling it. If I'm going to tear it down I'd probably sell the long block and start over.

I'll pull the pan and replace the pick up tube and o ring. If the pan has a bunch of metal shavings I'll start heavily weighing my options. I should be able to skim a magnet through the sludge and see how much is in there, what gives me hope is that the drain plug with all the needle bearings did not have any shavings anywhere on it

LLLosingit

iTrader: (4)

You have to be kidding, That shrapnel has lived in the pan for 10 years and if he hadn't changed to a magnetic plug 2 weeks ago he would still wouldn't know about them. I would upgrade the trunions since the rockers have been pulled but that's it. I wouldn't even drop the pan, If the parts were small enough to get sucked into the oil pump they would have done it long ago.

Jase01

If there was any chance at all that was actually happening, I suspect he would have known about it long before now.

slogo

In his first post he asked for suggestions, people gave suggestions, no harm.
Post #20 is the way some people think, I know I couldn't sleep knowing
something could be wrong, besides it's a good excuse to pull the engine out.

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

Yep all opinions are welcome. I just don't see any value in pulling the motor. I wouldn't be re using anything from it, I don't have an engine build upgrade path. It would be me pulling the trigger on parts just to get a forged rebuild on a few weeks of research.
Heads, $1500?
Camshaft $300
I'm already two grand into a setup without any machine work or internals. I'd need to upgrade my fuel system, rewire in a new 99+ ecu, have the new setup tuned. I'd rather just plop in an ls3 crate and sell my old core needing a rebuild. It's just a fun weekend car, I'm not racing it or going to dyno days, it's my fun toy.

Just received the CHE trunion kit from TSP, shipped out with next day delivery.

These things are freaking beefy. The trunions are Heavy, I mean they come out looking like an engineered forged piece

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

Besides reeking of old motor oil my old stock trunions were all in good shape. I'm not sure why I'm bothering to clean them up, but might as well since they're out

gagliano7

I am surprised the original f-body oil drain plug wasn't magnetic. All the trucks,gto and my 2008 vette all had factory magnetic drian plugs. When we opened up my friends sbc 383 we found the oil pan windage tray broke off from its welds in the oil pan and a big piece of it broke off and layed in the pan for many years. Motor ran fine. Can't believe it never had any problems since it was run to redline many times. Motor is back together with new pan and tray and new heads to replace the cracked ones.

Chrisingermany

The CHE trunnion kit looks awesome. Are you soaking the lifters in cleaning solution? the 4 in that pic look nice and clean. Is there a way you could count all the rollers and maybe do a count of a known good one to see if the numbers match?

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

I wasn't missing any needles, all of the old trunions were intact.

I went to a couple shops, all were friendly and we're atleast willing to try. Seeing their presses though was like using a grenade to dig a hole in your front yard.

A few buddies said they had some rockers to replace my one scarred rocker, but they never came through. My local dealership with a small parts department had a new one in stock for $18 so I pick that one up

I work at autozone and we have a ball joint press that fit the bill. All of the old trunions came out easily without resistance. Be careful as you finish the old trunion will pop out and spill the needles

Chrisingermany

I know you already said that you weren't missing any needles as this is from a previous owner. I was just saying to count how many you pulled out of the pan and get a good count, then take one of your bearings you pressed out to do a quick check. That way if say a good bearing contains 30 needle bearing and you only found 28 in the bottom of the pan you could speculate that there may be 2 roller bearing still in the engine somewhere. Good quick fix on the ball joint press. When I do the CHE upgrade I think I am just going to go with a arbor press from hobo freight for like $30.

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

There are 46 needles on each side if I recall correctly. I found 52 total in the pan and head, along with what I'll call the outer needle bearing cap

Thank goodness they include an extra snap ring. One of them bent as soon as it tried to open

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

Very cool, car runs great and my old Futral noisy cam now seems silent. It's really strange not hearing any valve train noise, I had gotten so use to it that it always just seemed like it was part of the exhaust. Now if you stick your head under the car by the motor there is no ticking

Car seems to run alot smoother, but the big difference is not hearing any valve train noise, even the exhaust sounds different. It doesn't seem to echo the rattles out of the tail pipe anymore

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

What drain plug did you go with? I might as well throw in a magnetic one on my next oil change.