Chuck’s engine build thread!

[Radiohead]

Also, I had a good conversation with the machinist- I made the mistake of doing some math and realized how close in the end I would be to just buying a Blueprint crate 383. His response: “yours will be better than that in most ways. Maybe not in power, but you’ll know exactly what’s in it, and you’ll have our sheet of specs of everything. It’s gonna be a better motor”.

I don’t know if that’s absolutely true, but it definitely made me smile.

If you want more occasional power, spray it. There's your "lost" power.

 

[legopnuematic]

It might pencil out to be similar $$ than a crate motor, but I think once you assemble it, drop it back in the truck and do the first fire/drive, those thoughts go out the window and a big smile should be on your face.

And as said before, you know exactly what is in it, the numbers for everything, etc, etc.

 

[TotalyHucked]

I agree with the machinist. Even though Blueprint has a good rep and we know those guys, bad engines still get out the door. I've read enough horror stories over the years that I don't think I'd ever take the chance on a crate engine, no matter the platform, it's not worth the hassle if something goes wrong.

 

[idahovette]

Yeah, I', just NOT a very trusting person. If I buy a crate engine, I'm probably gonna take it down and "check" everything before it goes in. Just me, better being "hands on"

 

[DoubleDingo]

I guess I got lucky with my two 350's that I bought directly from the dealer in 98. One went into Mean Green, and the other in my dad's 79 K15 Sierra Grande, and neither one developed issues. Granted, these were bone stock, but they got ran good. No knocks, pings, rattles, low oil pressure, oil consumption, oil burning problems, flat cams, nothing in either one. And I cut the shrink wrap off of them, transferred over the accessories, stabbed them, broke them in, ran the piss out of them, changed the oil after 500 miles, and great engines is what I got. Maybe if I dealt with engine replacements on a regular basis I'd have worse luck?

 

[idahovette]

Earlier, like @DoubleDingo Probably would have ran it immediately..........everything seemed better in the past?

 

[DoubleDingo]

Earlier, like @DoubleDingo Probably would have ran it immediately..........everything seemed better in the past?

True. It was better.

 

[ChuckN]

Finishing hone completed. Next he’ll start clearancing the block for the rotating assembly. ARP hardware came in so I dropped it off and took a gander.

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For some motivation, I had a nice big mug made.

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[ChuckN]

He’s getting ready to check the crank in the block to see if it needs align honing. He’s doubtful it will because the old bearings were wearing evenly. Still, crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s.

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[ChuckN]

Well, got the call from Steven at the shop yesterday. Good news is that the block is clearanced for the rotating assembly. Bad news is that the mains are a little out so will need to be align honed, and they’re not a big enough machine shop to have that machine.

So tomorrow I get to load up the block, bearings, crank and hardware and drive an hour and a half south to another machine shop and wait for them to do that part. But it’s all good, it’ll be done right and it will run and last longer.

 

[TotalyHucked]

That's a bummer, but at least they were up front with ya rather than just taking it upon themselves to send it to god knows who without letting you know

 

[ChuckN]

That's a bummer, but at least they were up front with ya rather than just taking it upon themselves to send it to god knows who without letting you know

Exactly- the amount of stories you hear of that happening is scary.

 

[ChuckN]

On today’s episode of Chad’s excellent engine adventure, we visit Kirkland, WA, an hour and a half south of Bellingham. Here we will see the wild and exotic rare animal…the line honing machine.

Lots of good stuff in the shop. Chuck, the owner, is a nice feller, though I got the impression that I’m at the low end of what his projects are. That’s ok, he’s treating me just fine so far. He said it should be done in about a week, which in machinist terms means two months.

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[straydog371]

Patience is a virtue brother...

 

[ChuckN]

Patience is a virtue brother...

Yep- in this game, hurrying or pushing gets expensive on so many fronts.