LOOKS LIKE IT MAY GET EXPENSIVE

[Grumpy]

I'm talking cam/lifters, possibly pushrods, plus gaskets and break in oil. I would do the labor. The timing chain only has about a year on it.
My van is old and tired but runs well. A rebuild is out of the question and so is a valve job. I'm thinking of putting a cam in to give the engine a couple more years. The van is a rusty POS, with a lot of miles on it and its just for work. No funds for a newer rig, so this would just be a patch job.
Not a performance cam. Something low lift, close to stock or mileage oriented. No plans to replace the valve springs.......... we're talking cheap and also a cam that would be easy on the (old) existing parts. The #4 exhaust rocker doesn't seem nearly as active as the rest of the rockers... Engine is hot, so tomorrow I'll toss my dial indicator on a few of them to see how bad the situation is....... It looks like the valve is opening about 1/4 of an inch.

The #2 exhaust valve appears to be opening .1"
Doing engine R&R in a van looks like a nightmare even if I could get one for free. I have not even opened the side door on this rust bucket for 10 or more years. I think that's where-n-how you install the engine???
I need another van, but that ain't in the financial plan right now, but Bandaids are, and since it's still running, it's not an emergency till it breaks down. I'm just pre planning and weighing my options right now.

When replacing the rocker seals on the drivers side, I noticed that only 4 pushrods were spinning. I didn't pay attention to look at how active the rockers were.
I have the passenger side rocker cover off now, and this is where I noticed how little the #2 exhaust was moving.
If the valve is only moving .1" or thereabouts....... should I assume the end of the lifter may have mushroomed a little? Will the worn lifter damage the lifter bore much when it comes out?

all the indications are that the cams excessively worn, and all that metallic debris that has undoubtedly resulted is now circulating in your engine,further degrading bearings lifters etc. its only a mater of time before it gets worse, obviously not what you want to hear!
yeah! I know this is not cheap,
or the best time! it rarely ever is.
NEVER RUSH TO BUY PARTS,
think it through, you have options,
thus a total rebuild, or engine replacement is in your near future as one option, but not the only one!
simply installing a new cam and lifters will without any doubt, rapidly result in a second cam failure as the oil passages are full of micro metallic trash, yes you could install a new cam and lifters but I doubt it would last more than 300 miles under the current conditions IF THAT!
yes at some point you'll want to decide if doing the repairs or walking away from the van and finding a new used van is the smarter route! putting the $2000 or so down on a newer van might be a smarter move than getting involved with the engine rebuild or replacement.
You might also want too look into a similar salvage yard engine, pulled from a newer year car wreck, these can frequently be had for well under $1000

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...k-after-a-cam-lobe-rod-or-bearings-fail.2919/
you'll want to pull it down, pressure clean the block after removing the passage plugs and rotating assembly and cam bearings, for a close detailed inspection to see what your dealing with.
don,t pull the damaged lifter(s) up, through the lifter bores as there's an excellent chance you'll crack or score the lifter bore, put the engine on a engine stand with the crank facing up, after the heads are removed, pull the rotating assembly then the cam and lifter will fall out of the bore as the blocks rotated after the cams removed with far less chance of damage to the block.
after you look over the components you'll see if it can be reassembled with new rings,bearings a new cam and lifters as an engine refresh vs a rebuild that will require more extensive work.

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/block-prep.125/

before you start thinking about the cost of a rebuild, let me assure you its generally a bit cheaper, and a bit faster to buy a basic chevy 350 crate engine for $1700-$2100, and yeah you have numerous options , but few in the long run are cheaper than a quick crate engine install.

yes you can buy a new 350-or-383 rotating assembly cheaply, but by the time you get the heads rebuilt and machine work done, to fit that rotating assembly, get it correctly balanced, fitted, clearanced ,honed, decked , new bearings and gaskets etc. its going to cost about the same total and its faster and easier to just swap in a new crate engine
, yes you'll find most of the cheap rotating assembly kits are lacking good quality components and are not correctly balanced, thus the mid range price kits are generally a better long term value so shop carefully, a 9000 series cast steel crank and hyper-eutectic pistons are fine for a street engine, you don,t really need forged
http://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/engine-rotating-kits/brand/scat-engine-components/actual-engine-cid/383?N=4294880931+401106+4294880930&SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Ascending

http://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/engine-rotating-kits

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12499529/overview/

RELATED BUT USEFUL INFO,
several hours reading could save you a great deal of wasted time and cash.
Obviously the cam selected must match the application
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/tbucket-engine-project-dart-shp.3814/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/crate-or-build.11257/#post-50889

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/bits-of-383-info.38/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/tips-on-building-a-383-sbc-stroker.428/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/bare-minimum-tools.11026/#post-48785

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ting-a-grip-on-the-concepts.10532/#post-44678

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ild-a-350-or-a-383-sbc-combo.8310/#post-28891

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ines-budgets-and-those-deals.6624/#post-20986

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/383-street-cam-choice.5988/#post-19550

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...good-street-combo-your-after.5078/#post-14433

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...eries-similar-350-383-sbc-info.519/#post-6077

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/matching-parts-and-a-logical-plan.7722/

 

[87vette81big]

You find some different posts Grumpy on that Chevy Forum.

Melling has a nice line of stock replacement camshafts & valvetrain hardware.
My 2 cents....a High Po Cam grind is not needed or desired in A VAN.

 

[Grumpy]

The info you generously give on this site and your own is fantastic. I appreciate the info in this PM.
The wear is because of two things...... 270,000+ miles on a van that hovers bear 6000lbs and the reduced levels of zinc in todays oil probably hasn't helped. I have always driven the van easy because of the high mileage.
I suppose the engine miss has been coming on slowly for a year or more. I had suspected it was just an ignition issue.
Problem is, that it would be far cheaper to find another van that runs than to do much to my rust bucket. Money is the problem....... there isn't any. I need brakes on two rigs and the van also needs a lower ball joint. I can do all the work, but discovering the valve train issue is a downer.
The van is set up for my work use with a raised floor and shelving for my flooring tools.
For now, the new rocker cover gaskets are getting installed so I can get it back on the road for Monday. On the bright side, I suppose at least I know where the engine miss is coming from.
I have an old hard drive magnet that I can stick on the oil pan, and I'll do an oil change. I suppose it's due anyway. I might put the magnet in the oil as it drains just for kicks and giggles.
I'm in the decision making mode right now. Might be as well do dig up a used engine and find out how hard it is to slip one into a van.

Thanks for all the advice, Paul. It's very much appreciated.
Randy

 

[Grumpy]

On the bright side, maybe all the metal particles flinging around have acted like a bead blaster and cleaned all the carbon buildup from inside the engine

yeah! thats about as likely is my wife getting me a cute female mistress so she doesn,t have to worry about me getting bored while she works two extra jobs to pay the gal

 

[87vette81big]

If he can find a 1987-1995 K1500 pickup Engine Core it would be a decent low $ start Grumpy.
Salvage yards want $750-1500 around here with 200,000-400,000 miles.
Thieves and Morons.
Craigslist ads & word of mouth finds.
The 87-95 TBI Engine SBC 350 Is pretty stout for what it is.
I would try and pay $50-200 Tops.
They are Flat Tappet cam engines.
Many survived low or No Zinc in motor oils today.
Should hear it run before buying it.

Run Only Mobil 1 synthetic 10w30 or Castrol Edge Synthetic 10w30 oil.
I don't use a Zinc additive in my 1994 K1500 Suburban. Just straight 10w30 Castrol Edge Synthetic. K&N Filter too.
Every other oil change I add a few ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil.
No flat cam issues.

 

[Grumpy]

personally I'd expect results , from the constant circulation of metallic trash along with the oil, a bit more like this if you keep driving the car under the current conditions, and for those guys that mistakenly assume the oil filter will trap and hold all the trash , let me assure you it won,t catch all the crap, or prevent eventual severe damage. inspecting the oil filter may me informative.

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ellect-does-make-a-differance.117/#post-15899

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/metal-in-oil.10875/#post-47688

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/8053...9&cadevice=c&gclid=CK3K07Cc1MYCFQ4paQodejIDew

 

[Grumpy]

yes if you look around you have options! I have purchased whole running cars for under $200 several times, I purchased a 1966 impalla with a 325 hp 396 bbc for $175 a few years ago and while towing it home (bad transmission) I was offered $350 , so yeah you have options

Consider this: My 283 pulled a rocker stud and was blowing oil so....
I shopped my area for a car that had a decent running 350...and found an ad for a RUSTY Monte Carlo with a 350 automatic and swivel buckets (rare) for $125 owned by a girl.
So I bought it.
I towed it home and pulled out the 350 and swapped it in. I sold the hulk for $85 to 2 eager boys.
Not only that, but ran the 350 for years. And raced it too. Later I sold the 283 for $50.
The advantage of this was I got to listen to the 350 before I bought the car.
OUTLAW