Winter father/son project

[Sledhead]

We gave $600 for this 95 1500 4x4 4.3l 5sp. Motor is in the box, new clutch is on the front seat. A perfect project to teach Will (13) some wrenching skills.

We are going to re-ring and bearing it; not sure if a vendor (Henry?) sells a rebuild kit?

I want him to learn to drive a standard first, D/A much later

Tom's project is in the back of my mind as I do have a LB7 and Ally around but for now, no.

 

[catman3126]

Thats cool man, I remember my first engine rebuild it was a 78' gmc took me all summer to rebuild a little at a time and get going agian.

 

[battlegraduate09]

I always enjoy threads like these. post pictures along the way.

My first full motor rebuild was a cummins ISX 600

 

[leehype]

This reminds me of my dad teaching me to drive standard. I believe I was 12, and I learned in a 82 F250. 7 years later, My dad taught me to rebuild an engine, and it happened to be the 300 I6 in that same 82 F250. My uncle taught me how to fix a wallowed out control arm bracket on that truck. Learned how to pull a trailer with a load on it. Half the repairs I learned by doing, I learned on that old truck.

In September 2005, driving south through North Carolina, the engine threw a rod. Short version, I had no choice but to leave that truck. I still have the receipt from when my grandfather bought it brand new from the dealer, the operators manual, the title... That truck had no redeeming value what so ever, yet I'm kinda tearing up typing this.

I hope you and your son get as much enjoyment out of this as my family and I got out of that old Ford.

 

[countrycorey]

I had an 85 F150 that I learned how to drive a manual in, and how to pull and replace the engine and clutch, and a lot of other stuff I'm forgetting. I loved that truck, but I don't miss the 11 mpg and dual fuel tanks

 

[Schwinn68]

I had an 89 with the v6 5 speed. It was a 4x4 shortbed. I absolutely loved that truck. Just enough power to keep me from getting in too much trouble but got 17 mpg no matter how I drove it. I put a flow master muffler on it and drove the wheels off. Enjoy!

 

[Sledhead]

I always enjoy threads like these. post pictures along the way.

Will do I may be looking for bolts, etc. if anyone has stuff around.

I hope you and your son get as much enjoyment out of this as my family and I got out of that old Ford.

My Dad got me going on small block Fords when I was young, putting a '67 Mustang drivetrain into a '54 dodge step side. Got me hooked on wrenching. The inconsistencies of Ford parts was a big factor in me turning to GM though.

I had an 89 with the v6 5 speed. It was a 4x4 shortbed. I absolutely loved that truck. Just enough power to keep me from getting in too much trouble but got 17 mpg no matter how I drove it. I put a flow master muffler on it and drove the wheels off. Enjoy!

That's my plan with the 4.3l too, he has MUCH to learn about driving and wrenching, no sense in him trying the D'max anytime soon

 

[ChevyTruck]

Why not do a LS swap and go to the 4.8 or 5.3? Plenty of aftermarket stuff for them and very reliable engines. 4.8 with T56 manual swap would be great.

Never had the chance to do a build with my dad before I got my divers license, we talk about getting a Chevelle to this day.

Anyway that you chose to go with the build I'm sure your son will enjoy the time that he'll get to spend with his father and he'll be able to tell that to all of his buddy's. :thumb:

 

[Sledhead]

Why not do a LS swap and go to the 4.8 or 5.3?

If the truck had something else going for it I'd be tempted. It's just a ZE5 plain work truck and pretty rough. This is a stepping stone to something nice like that though.

We have it down to bare block and I showed him how to ream the ridge and hone the cylinders. He got the engine bay cleaned up and Mom has been cleaning the interior and body.

 

[coldLBZ]

Right On :thumb: My first truck was a 79 GMC with a 454 that my Dad rebuilt with a little help from me. At the time I wasn't too interested in the project, so my Dad ended up doing the majority of the work. I drove that truck for about 8 months then gave it to my Dad, missed it ever since. The truck has since been parted out, never to see the road again.

Good luck with the project, your son is a better man than I.

 

[Sledhead]

Good luck with the project, your son is a better man than I.

He is doing pretty good helping me with the rebuild but he's not quite a man yet. He did torque the rod caps but didn't have the oomf for the mains.

He put all the rings on and has participated in most of it. He is really good with his hands, maybe all those video games?

I'm trying to figure out the best way to delete the egr if anyone has done it?

Here is a pic of the rebuild so far:

 

[lts1ow]

Buy the delete plate for the intake, weld up the exhaust and tune out the EGR. (Maybe able to wire in something to fool PCM)

 

[07bluelbz]

If it doesn't have the exhaust smog stuff the just fab a plate to cover the egr valve hole and use a gasket and bolt it down. Then put a vacuum plug on the throttle body. I don't know how it will affect the tuning as those tbi computers are pretty basic. I also noticed that is a later model block since it has a balance shaft. The earlier 4.3's didnt have one.

 

[Chevy1925]

And if you can spare it, ditch those rockers and put some roller tiped rockers on it. ive read those stock rockers dont last long nor keep correct valve lash

 

[dirty-b]

Their is nothing better than father son projects. My son is 4 and he is always in the garage with me. It takes alittle longer to get things done but I wouldn't giveup that time with him. Right now we are pimping out his power wheel jeep.

 

[Sledhead]

Things are progressing slow and steady. The motor is ready to drop in, just need to transfer it to the cherry picker and install the flywheel and clutch.

Will managed to install the rings with no problem but busted a spark plug. That's a good thing because it is about the learning after all.

Going out to take down the bench peninsula and make room for the truck :thumb:

 

[lts1ow]

Do the V6 oil coolers not leak and or suck as much as the V8 ones do?

 

[Sledhead]

Do the V6 oil coolers not leak and or suck as much as the V8 ones do?

I never saw the motor in the truck, it was pulled when we got it. I assumed it to be the oil lines so bought new ones. Oh well, if it's the cooler I have some expertise with that

 

[lts1ow]

Ah ok, I know the coolers that came stock on my gen2 SBC were found to be a restriction, leaked, and didn't do much cooling at all.

 

[07bluelbz]

Looks good. That is a Sequential Central Port Injected 4.3. They are a lot peppier than the T.B.I motors.