SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: Still doesn't explain why it took two of us 8 hours to replace a water pump on a V8.
It was all the climbing up/down the ladder just to reach over the grill. 
Oh, and the half-dozen trips for parts/tools/supplies might have had something to do with it too.
In reply to GTXVette:
I took a 1/2-hour before work this morning to measure the ring end-gap. Per the manual they should be between .016-.018. Cylinders 1, 5 & 8 measured .016; 6 was .017; 2, 3 & 4 were .018. #7 was a little lose at .018, but smaller than .019.
Also, do I need to remove these small oil galley plugs, and if so are there any tips to prevent them from getting stuck in the block?
I think I forgot to mention it, but the two manuals I bought ended up being the exact same text, despite having different names. One was $10-more because it has a DVD...I'll be returning that one.
I know the author addresses those plugs in the book but I don't remember what he says about them. Lots of help I am, huh?
Great progress! I'm loving it.
I thought I might end up with a Corvette of my own this past weekend. But as I expected, it was more project than I wanted to take on. That's really saying something. http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/bar/5933387764.html
I'm pretty sure you're supposed to remove every oil galley plug, you need it to be CLEAN in there and deep blind holes aren't exactly easy to clean.
petegossett wrote: In reply to GTXVette: I took a 1/2-hour before work this morning to measure the ring end-gap. Per the manual they should be between .016-.018. Cylinders 1, 5 & 8 measured .016; 6 was .017; 2, 3 & 4 were .018. #7 was a little lose at .018, but smaller than .019. Also, do I need to remove these small oil galley plugs, and if so are there any tips to prevent them from getting stuck in the block?
petegossett wrote: I think I forgot to mention it, but the two manuals I bought ended up being *the exact same text, despite having different names*. One was $10-more because it has a DVD...I'll be returning that one.
I was looking at the picture you posted and was thinking, "Uh... looks like the same book, except one has a DVD..." The duplicate graphics on the cover weren't a giveaway?
In reply to Ian F:
Not everyone just looks at the pictures in books.
In reply to ClemSparks:
Thanks! I agree, that's a bit much for one needing so much work. $2000-$2500 max.
In reply to NOHOME:
That's awesome! I just need to get those plugs pulled out of the back of the block...
Ian F wrote:petegossett wrote: I think I forgot to mention it, but the two manuals I bought ended up being *the exact same text, despite having different names*. One was $10-more because it has a DVD...I'll be returning that one.I was looking at the picture you posted and was thinking, "Uh... looks like the same book, except one has a DVD..." The duplicate graphics on the cover weren't a giveaway?
Not really. This company publishes a large number of small block Chevy how-to books, and most have similar covers & artwork. These were all the way on the bottom shelf at Barnes & Nobel, which my knees didn't appreciate, and there was this gray-haired old man in a purple leopard-print skirt and tights who had some type of mental disorder roaming around obviously upset about something, so I decided not to waste too much time reviewing them & just GTFO. I wouldn't have been surprised if they shared some text, but they're identical page-to-page.
To remove the cup type of galley plugs I pierce them with a small punch then screw a deck screw into the hole. Then use a pair of dikes to grab the screw and lever them out. It doesn't take much usually.
There's also one more to remove that most guys forget about. Remove the rear main bearing cap and you'll see it down in the block under where the cap goes.
petegossett wrote: In reply to ClemSparks: Thanks! I agree, that's a bit much for one needing so much work. $2000-$2500 max.
It was a potential trade deal for the BMW 520i I have in another thread here. But the Corvette ended up having a trashed interior, a "new" exhaust system (with no cats or mufflers) that the owner was trying to use as a positive, brake problems, steering problems, one disclosed fuel leak, stupid-looking aftermarket wheels, a cracked headlight cover, electric seats...and those were just the problems I knew about. /threadjack (for now)
Day-33(2-hours):
Thanks to Cousin_Eddie I was able to get the front oil galley plugs out! Since most people here seem to be tool junkies, I thought I'd share one I used to pull the plugs that might not be in most people's tool boxes.
I inherited thes from my father, they're intended for stretching an artist's canvas over the bare wood frame, called the "stretcher". They work well in situations like this, as the jaws bite well, and the flat protrusion on the side gives added leverage. Like this:
Digging through the bottom of one tool box I found something to remove the rear oil galley plugs. It's supposed to be an extractor tool, though honestly it never worked worth a damn. However, it just fit the galley plugs, and with the help of an 18" pipe wrench they broke free with no drama.
After all that I worked on removing the piston rings. They were stuck, bad, and broke multiple times each. Any tips to make this job go a bit smoother?
I did get a chance to try out one other tool I picked up at a rummage sale for a couple bucks a few years ago - a piston ring groove cleaner. It works well!
In reply to ClemSparks:
And it was gold. Ugh...
Cool tools. Way to keep your momentum up. I must stay away from the Corvettes, too much other stuff going on but man, I want one.
In reply to VWguyBruce:
Thanks! Though I have to keep my momentum up, otherwise I'll stray off to something else and this will never get finished. Considering I'm stuck sharing our van with SWMBO, as it's our only other transportation, I need to get this one on the road.
Now, do me a favor. Look down through those two main oil galleys that run front to back of the block now that you've got the front and rear plugs out. Use a flashlight. There's some smook in there isn't there ? That's why I've been preaching about removing those plugs regardless of how much of a pain it is. I haven't ever seen a high mileage small block without a few chunks of ugliness in there just waiting to score your new bearings.
Don't forget to remove that last galley plug under the rear main bearing cap. There's another galley there to be cleaned of badness.
Also, for bucks down folks who aren't fortunate enough to own a ring groove cleaner. The sharp end of a broken ring does that job well too. Just be careful not to gouge those soft buttery pistons.
In reply to Cousin_Eddie:
I ran my long brush through the center one, it's just over 1/2 as long as the block so I ran it through from each end, and only pulled out a bit of old grungy oil. I was pleasantly surprised they weren't worse.
I did get the other plug under the rear main cap pulled out - I would have never seen it if you hadn't mentioned it - as well as the square-drive metal plug on the top of the block, so I cleaned it out from top to bottom. Not much oil in there either.
Make sure you remember to reinstall a plug in that galley under the main cap when you go back together with it. It's often forgotten even by experienced machine shops. No plug means no oil pressure, and installing it after you drop the engine in will make you want to kick puppies.
In reply to Cousin_Eddie:
Ugh, I can imagine...hopefully I won't have to experience it!
Woody wrote: In reply to ClemSparks: And it was *gold*. Ugh...
Yes. And that.
petegossett wrote:SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: Still doesn't explain why it took two of us 8 hours to replace a water pump on a V8.It was all the climbing up/down the ladder just to reach over the grill.
Haha yeah we really weren't prepared for the ridiculousness of working on a modern pickup. 
Day-34(1.5-hours):
After struggling to remove the piston rings last night & damn near galling the pistons a couple times I decided to make some bathtub gin & see if I could free them up a bit.
Looking around the garage, I took a bit of this:
Some of this:
And a bit of this:
Then let it marinate most of the day.
While it softened the crud and removed quite a bit of carbon, it didn't really do much to free the rings. So I picked up some laquer thinner & mineral spirits tonight to try out.
I also started cleaning the crank, fortunately no crud inside, just some old oil.
Well berkeley...
The crank has been sitting covered on my workbench since I pulled it out last week, and this side was facing downward. I turned it over to finish wiping it down & discovered it. No idea what happened. 
Polish the crank with crocus cloth. That's no where near anything to go out on a cliff over.
Worst case, you can buy a crank kit at the parts store. They are reasonably priced and will come with matching rod and crank bearings. I just looked it up at O Reilly. 125 bucks for a fresh ground crank with matching bearings.
But in my opinion, yours can absolutely polish.
Word of warning, lye (active ingredient in oven cleaner) attacks aluminum. Your rings look rusty, I'm not sure anything chemical will help with that without eating the piston, you might try a small plastic face hammer to work them loose.
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