Budget Build Advice Wanted

[c10seth]

Hey all,

So, a very long story short I'm in need of a different engine for my '71 C-10.

I want to do a "junk yard" build for several reasons:

1) Cheap
2) I want to do all the work myself (Learn)
3) This is only to keep the truck drive-able until I can restore it.

Goal: To have something to reliably drive around. It doesn't need to make 400hp and 400 ft-lb, but that'd be awesome if it did! I was thinking of maybe some new heads and a cam calling it a day.

Budget: About $2000

I was thinking a TBI 5.7L engine and converting to a carburetor for ease and simplicity.

Option 1) buy a junk yard engine and do that best inspection I can to ensure it is a quailty candidate.

Option 2) buy a whole running '93 2WD truck for like $1400 and just transfer the engine and OD transmission out of that.

Option 3) This is where I'd like your input ^_^

Thank you for your time.

Kindest Regards,

Seth

Here's where I started:


Here's where I'm at:

[N2TRUX]

If it were me I would go with the donor truck. That way you know what your getting and you can test it out before the swap. Once you have swapped and used all the small pieces that you need then you can part out the donor and recoup some of your costs.

[Jdbfish]

GM crate motor
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[Tinkermc]

I must agree with n2trux

[54belair]

With the budget you outlined and the options you are considering---Id go with the doner truck. The crate motor idea is prob. the best long term, but it will stretch your budget a bit. Good luck,

[67ctener]

If your gonna spend 1400 why not consider the 290/hp gm crate engine? I think long blocks are about 1700. Brand new and warrantied
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[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by 67ctener

If your gonna spend 1400 why not consider the 290/hp gm crate engine? I think long blocks are about 1700. Brand new and warrantied
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You can also get the +/-240 horse version if you check around the web for +/-1,500 shipped to your door. That would leave extra $ for a new W/P, belts, and other little miscellaneous parts.

I'm about to give up on my POS motor. It was an "autozone" reman I bought in 2002. I've probably put 40K on it. It was cheap, I got my $'s worth, but I've done everything I know to do (which is quite a lot), and I can't get it to run right. I'll be going with the GM crate engine if I can't get it sorted out soon!

[c10seth]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

You can also get the +/-240 horse version if you check around the web for +/-1,500 shipped to your door. That would leave extra $ for a new W/P, belts, and other little miscellaneous parts.

I would totally consider that option, but I haven't found a crate engine for that kind of money. I just don't want to get into a crate engine and still need a handful of parts that will cost me another grand.



Also,

A colleague and I were going over my cylinder head photos and realized the oil leakage was extremely consistent with the intake valves. Maybe when I had the heads done they just used the wrong seals for the intake valves??

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by c10seth

I would totally consider that option, but I haven't found a crate engine for that kind of money. I just don't want to get into a crate engine and still need a handful of parts that will cost me another grand.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SDPC-SCOGGIN...0845c8&vxp=mtr

$1,599, No taxes, free shipping, from a reputable dealer.

Jegs has it for $1,499, no taxes, free shipping...

http://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance...FSdk7AodQRkAAg

Do a google search for part number 10067353

Since you already have a running engine in the truck, all of your parts should swap. I'd get a new water pump, balancer, fuel pump, new motor mounts, plugs, wires, cap, and rotor and be done with it.

[c10seth]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SDPC-SCOGGIN...0845c8&vxp=mtr

$1,599, No taxes, free shipping, from a reputable dealer.

Jegs has it for $1,499, no taxes, free shipping...

http://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance...FSdk7AodQRkAAg

Do a google search for part number 10067353

Since you already have a running engine in the truck, all of your parts should swap. I'd get a new water pump, balancer, fuel pump, new motor mounts, plugs, wires, cap, and rotor and be done with it.

Those are super tempting.

Part of me wants to buy a set of dressed Aluminum heads and install those since the more I think about it the more I feel the heads were just poorly assembled.

Another thought: Maybe the cam, valves, and rockers were not properly selected and the lift of the cam was pushing the intake valves down too far and pushing into the seals?

[Roostboy102]

I can't believe nobody has said ls engine yet. That's what u should do! If you can keep your trans and buy a $600 ls engine with harness, accessories and ecm you can come in under your budget! Go over to the lsx swap part of the forum. Oh and you'll get that reliability you want...

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Roostboy102

I can't believe nobody has said ls engine yet. That's what u should do! If you can keep your trans and buy a $600 ls engine with harness, accessories and ecm you can come in under your budget! Go over to the lsx swap part of the forum. Oh and you'll get that reliability you want...

X2
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[c10seth]

Thank you for all the help, guys.

I'm still doing research on the crate engines, but I feel like one of those will blow my budget by the time all is said and done.

The LS swap sounds awesome, but I'm not sure where I could get a package deal like that for about $600. That seems almost too good to be true.

I finished taking the heads off tonight and this is what I found:

1,3,5,7


1,3,5,7


2,4,6,8


2,4,6,8


There are more photos on my Photobucket account if you care to see more.

[Katrina/10]

What's wrong with the engine you have?

[c10seth]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

What's wrong with the engine you have?

I've been asking myself the same question. I was foolish and didn't perform a compression test before I removed the heads.

To my knowledge, the bottom end of this engine is good (surviving very high RPM thrashings). All the gaskets looked good as well. It has -always- burned a lot of oil though, so I don't know if that is do to rings or valve seals.

Maybe just a new set of heads would solve my issues, but I genuinely believe the rings are about as good as the valve right now.

This engine has been rebuilt twice by different "engine builders" over the years and has just never really been that great. I guess I'm just tired of this particular engine and would like to build something myself and know exactly what goes into it.

Anyone ever experienced something like this? What did you do to solve your engine blues?

Thank you.

Seth

[CC69Rat]

What's the casting number off the back of the block you have now? It will be on the driver's side, far back corner where the engine meets the trans. You may have a good 4 bolt 350 (?) any idea?

[c10seth]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

What's the casting number off the back of the block you have now? It will be on the driver's side, far back corner where the engine meets the trans. You may have a good 4 bolt 350 (?) any idea?

I will check tonight, but I believe it's 2 bolt main. Thank you.

[Katrina/10]

If you are on a budget, getting your block and heads reworked by a local shop and assembling it yourself is the cheapest.

[c10seth]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

If you are on a budget, getting your block and heads reworked by a local shop and assembling it yourself is the cheapest.

You are right, sir. However, I really don't want to buy new bottom end parts.

GOOD NEWS! My brother moved to California and couldn't take his '97 Yukon GT, so I'm picking it up from him and I'm going to use the 5.7L Vortec out of that! I'm going to try to keep the fuel injection. Maybe I could use the 4 speed transmission too and have OD!!

Also, I inspected the short block further and the group rotated nice and freely, the cross hatching from the machining is still nice and fresh, and finally I pored a little oil in each cylinder to see how long it will hold it there.

PICS:

[CC69Rat]

How many miles are on the Yukon?
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[c10seth]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

How many miles are on the Yukon?
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She's somewhere around 200k miles. Well seasoned engine lol.

[CC69Rat]

Depending on what you have there.. I think I'd build the Gen1. How about a Vortex headded Gen1? You can pull 350+HP out of that setup no problem. The Vortec heads are 64cc.. you just have to use the vortec style intake and headers..

Just a thought. It hasn't been long since your SBC has been rebuilt.
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[c10seth]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

Depending on what you have there.. I think I'd build the Gen1. How about a Vortex headded Gen1? You can pull 350+HP out of that setup no problem. The Vortec heads are 64cc.. you just have to use the vortec style intake and headers..

Just a thought. It hasn't been long since your SBC has been rebuilt.
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That's a good thought. You're totally right about it not having been a long time since that engine was rebuild; about six years actually of only summer driving.

What if I were to take the Vortex heads from the Yukon and install them on the now short block I have sitting in the truck? Could I use the intake and TBI assembly from the Yukon with what I have in the truck? Just asking questions at this point to see what all my options are.

Oh, and this photo of the block casting number failed to upload last night:

[CC69Rat]

I think you might want to consider keeping that block.. its probably unlikely you will take the timing cover /gears off of it at some point? Its possible you have a highly desirable 0010 block there.. a.k.a 'high nickel' block. The metal in the block has a high nickel content.. makes it super strong. A lot of dirt track guys really like that block for 377/385 stroker setups.

The only way I know to tell for sure that's what it is would be a 010/020 stamp behind the top timing gear.. but that's not always convenient. 4 bolt mains of course..
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[c10seth]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

I think you might want to consider keeping that block.. its probably unlikely you will take the timing cover /gears off of it at some point? Its possible you have a highly desirable 0010 block there.. a.k.a 'high nickel' block. The metal in the block has a high nickel content.. makes it super strong. A lot of dirt track guys really like that block for 377/385 stroker setups.

The only way I know to tell for sure that's what it is would be a 010/020 stamp behind the top timing gear.. but that's not always convenient. 4 bolt mains of course..
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I'm definitely considering keeping the block at this point. I don't know what cam is in it (it's very lumpy), so if I were to rebuild this short block I would probably pull this cam out, so I know exactly what it is or just replace with something that will give me better low end torque. When I get to that point of taking the front timing gear off I'll make sure to check the stamp numbers. Thank!

Seth