87 Ram 50 4x4 "junkyard" rescue,

[WarStryker13]

I'm not organized enough to remember to organize and separate bolts... I'm only organized when it's actually necessary, like with valve train, or the rotating assembly...

Speaking of rotating assembly, I decided that I wasn't happy with the amount of effort it took to rotate the crank, so I started pulling the rod caps to see what was binding...

Number 2 and number 4 connecting rod bearings had shiny spots where they had made contact with the rod journals, so I pulled all the pistons back out and I'm polishing the rod journals again. I used some cut down foam earplugs to block off the oil passages and keep the debris out, and they're easy to pull back out with a pick.

I found some really fine grit scotch-brite type pads, I think they're 800 grit... I used that to clean up the marks on the bearings, it worked better than I could have hoped. They literally look like brand new bearings again.

I went ahead and bought the high zinc engine break-in oil, as well as a bottle of Liqui-Moly Cera-Tec (added insurance). I also bought a couple of oil filters and 5 gallons of fresh gas, I'm ready to finish this damn thing.

[Salteen]

Anything new? I've just gotten my head back from the machine shop, going to order timing guides and chains soon. Get them installed and be on my way.

I know our projects are at about the same exact stage right now, so igs nice to do a comparison.

[WarStryker13]

Well I decided to pull the pistons back out yet again, because it still didn't want to rotate freely...

I'm still getting wear marks on the bearings, which leads me to believe that at least two out of the four connecting rod bearings were the wrong size. So, I'm going to order a full new set and hope that they actually are the right size. I did use plastiguage to check the oil clearance, but obviously it wasn't totally accurate.

Yours will most likely be done far before mine at this rate. lol

[WarStryker13]

Got the bearings, the box looks like it's been on a shelf since the 80's but the package is still sealed perfectly and looks correct.

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I'm going to work on getting the engine back together this weekend, and I have a gut feeling I'll still have issues pop up here and there... I've got my fingers crossed that I've hit enough small/medium problems to appease Murphy's Law and the gods of internal combustion, I'm really hoping that this engine actually survives.

[geezer101]

Fingers crossed for you. This engine has been through hell hasn't it. I still don't know how a company can manage to screw up packing critical parts. This causes a congo line of pissed off people especially it the parts are being bought by a workshop...

[WarStryker13]

To be fair, I did buy the cheapest I could find... And it probably doesn't help that the new set of bearings only cost $2.19, but they're a decent brand that just happened to be on wholesaler closeout.

And one of my co-workers has to get rid of a bunch of stuff quick, so I got a basically brand new workbench with a peg-board backing for $60. He's going through a divorce and needs to move out of the house he's currently in, so he's selling off a bunch of his stuff as cheaply and as quickly as he possibly can.

Coincidentally he's the same co-worker that had the '86 Chevy S10... Unfortunately he didn't get it running in time, and had to send it off for scrap value, but he did manage to get about half of what he spent on it back.

So now I'm working on clearing out a space for the workbench in my warzone of a garage, I'm hoping it'll help me get some stuff organized a bit better and I'll be able to get more work done.

I'm also finding some of the tools I had lost during this whole engine rebuild debacle, which will come in handy here really soon.

[WarStryker13]

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I think this stator is done for.

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Somehow this alternator still put out a full 14 volts, and I'm 99% sure it's the original alternator. I wonder how hard it'll be to find a new stator...

[WarStryker13]

Rotor, not stator... And I found a listing on eBay for a new slip ring that should fit this alternator, so I shouldn't need a completely new rotor...

I'm going to keep this alternator and just rebuild it, I haven't had much luck with remanufactured stuff.

[geezer101]

Never seen one that badly hammered before. Amazing that it even worked...

[WarStryker13]

I'm going to go ahead and replace the bearings while I've got it apart, they're both a little stiff and the drive end bearing felt a little crunchy at first.

I should probably work on getting the engine back together and in the truck, but I'm easily distracted. lol

[WarStryker13]

I made progress today.

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I need to clean up and paint the oil pan, and then it'll be ready to go back in the truck.

[geezer101]

Nearly there! Nothing like a freshened up engine

[Salteen]

Looking great!

[WarStryker13]

Ordered more stuff, because why not.

I bought new brushes, new bearings, and a new slip ring for the alternator... I have yet to decide if I'm going to repaint the stator and rotor, the factory green is still there but very faded and worn.

New alternator/water pump belt, power steering belt, A/C belt, upper and lower radiator hoses. Better safe than sorry, but I'm keeping the old ones in case of emergency.

New copper-plated hardware for the intake/exhaust, because the old stuff is...old.

I found new heater hose barbs with the correct thread, and without the side nipple... But they only come in a pack of five. I'll probably sell the rest later, once I know for sure they fit properly.

Six quarts of Valvoline VR1 10w-30, because high zinc racing oil. Once the engine is broken in I'm doing an oil change and I wanted to have it on hand rather than wait for it.

A cheap 4" three jaw gear puller, because I don't have one and I kinda need one.

And finally, a seat cover. It's the $50 Amazon A25 bench seat cover meant for a 'yota, but it'll do for what I need.

This weekend I should (hopefully) be able to make more progress... There's still a lot to do, and I want this damn thing running again.

[Giovanni89]

Coming together quite nicely! And you're still married! Really liking your color choice on the engine block.

[WarStryker13]

Thanks! The wife is kinda used to this, she knows I'm a gearhead and has resigned herself to the fact that I'll always be working on something...

I'm officially at the point where the engine is ready to go back in.

I replaced the slip ring, bearings, and brushes in the alternator, soldered everything and re-assembled it.

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I cannibalized the junkyard starter and used it to rebuild my old starter, the gear in the junkyard one was some kind of heavy composite instead of the white plastic that got eaten in the old one, so it should fare better.

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I got the oil pan, water pump pulley, and crank pulley painted, everything else is going to be black.

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And the finished product. I've got most of the bolts cleaned up and threaded into their respective homes. I still need to make a new water pump gasket and thermostat housing gasket, but the only thing keeping the engine from going in is time off and the need to go get an engine hoist.

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I might be able to do it tomorrow, if the stars align...

I'm not going to lie, before I had the oil pan and crank pulley on I was starting to doubt my decision to keep the timing cover plain... I'm still not 100% that I shouldn't just go ahead and spray it orange as well, but I'm more comfortable with it after seeing it mostly together.

[WarStryker13]

I just picked up the engine hoist, in a few hours I should have the engine back in it's home.

[WarStryker13]

Engine is in.

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Still a lot of work left to do, but I don't care. It's officially bolted in.

I'm not gonna lie, it took a little bit of finagling to get the input shaft to cooperate, and to get the motor mount bolts lined up, but it only took maybe two hours from lifting the engine off the stand until it was on the mounts.

The rest should (hopefully) go together pretty quickly.

[geezer101]

It looks awesome dude Are those inlet ports stock? They look ENORMOUS. 2 hours solo is acceptable. No fun trying to steady a long block by yourself without it bashing into everything.

[WarStryker13]

Oh, it wasn't solo... My first line supervisor came over and helped me get it in, and the wife was helping as well.

I realized after that I had forgot to take the trans out of gear, that definitely didn't help.

Those are stock inlet ports, as far as I can tell.

I figured out the placement for the gauges and where to run all of the lines and wires, and got a fresh coat of black on the radiator.

[WarStryker13]

Quick update:

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I noticed this while putting the distributor in, I freaked out for about a minute until I realized I had rotated the engine over a few times to set the valve lash... I was trying to figure out why the link had moved, but the cam and crank were both still at TDC on cylinder #1.

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I went ahead and cut out the center bridge in the intake manifold, I didn't get it 100% perfect but all of the transitions are smooth and it should help a little with inlet turbulence.

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There's the shiny chrome alternator bracket, hiding under the A/C compressor.

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And the front accessories all mounted. I cleaned up the fan shroud and fan, painted everything, and installed everything. I had to make a gasket for the water pump and thermostat housing, really glad I picked up that gasket material a few weeks ago.

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I primed the oil system with a $5 garden sprayer from ALDI's and some hose clamps, and poured the rest of the oil into the pan. I filled up the radiator with plain water and only had one connection start leaking, I had forgotten to tighten the clamp on the lower hose going to the heater core.

I've got to run the fuel lines, install the spark plugs and wires, wire up the distributor and ignition coil, and it'll be ready to fire. Oil pressure line went in without any issues, water temp sensor is threaded in right beneath the thermostat, and I just need to add a wire for the voltage gauge... And decide where to splice into to connect the gauge lights to the illumination circuit.

All that's left after that is to finish installing the seat cover, put the hood and grill back on, and clean up.

I should (tentatively) be driving this damn turd by next week.

[Giovanni89]

Nice work man, that engine bay looks great. Eager to see this thing on the road.

[WarStryker13]

You and me both.

[geezer101]

Oh yeah

[Salteen]

i just got mine on the stand. im not painting it or doing anything too special. i expect in a month mine will be on the road 'restored' and with a classic tag on it, hehehe