need someone to work on older chevy truck

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  • boogieman

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    I have a 1987 K5 Blazer that I have been working on. It just has a basic carburated SBC 350. I dropped a new motor in it but was never able to get it running. I sent it to a shop and they are telling me I have a dead #1 cylinder and the rest have low compression. They won't do engine swaps or rebuilds. Can anyone recommend a shop around Indy (I am in Noblesville) that will work on these and can help me out. I don't have the time or facility to tear the motor out and do it again. I don't know if the problem can be fixed or if I need a new engine. I have another new long block if that is the case.
     

    Ricnzak

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    1st step. Walk through it with CM. He knows a thing or two about Motors. If you need one dropped in I believe Hamilton Tire & Auto on 10th Street, (across from Firestone) will do that. I think they did my neighbors. If not there was a shop that moved recently to River Rd. I'll look for them name when I'm out again. They were just west of the post office. Also could call Brannon's wrecker service and ask for advice. They know everyone in this area. I wouldn't think you would have to go to Indy just to get a motor dropped in.
     

    boogieman

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    So did you put a "NEW" engine in it or a "NEW TO THE TRUCK" used engine in it.

    Info is needed for the diagnosis.

    It was a GM crate motor that was built in 1993 but never used. It has been sitting in storage until earlier this year when I put in in this truck. It was a stripped long block. It has fresh rebuilt heads but the long block was new
     

    boogieman

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    1st step. Walk through it with CM. He knows a thing or two about Motors. If you need one dropped in I believe Hamilton Tire & Auto on 10th Street, (across from Firestone) will do that. I think they did my neighbors. If not there was a shop that moved recently to River Rd. I'll look for them name when I'm out again. They were just west of the post office. Also could call Brannon's wrecker service and ask for advice. They know everyone in this area. I wouldn't think you would have to go to Indy just to get a motor dropped in.

    I had Kents on US32 doing the other work on it. They had good reviews and praise but I am lo longer a fan. They had it for 6 weeks before telling me this.
     

    printcraft

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    It was a GM crate motor that was built in 1993 but never used. It has been sitting in storage until earlier this year when I put in in this truck. It was a stripped long block. It has fresh rebuilt heads but the long block was new


    Stuck rings (setting for 25 years) or a head gasket that is not sealing will cause low compression.
    You might have a combination of the two.
     

    WebSnyper

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    You might call Raymond's https://raymondsautoandtruckrepair.com/ in Plainfield. They also have a performance side of the house, so I think they do pretty much everything. I'd call them first and ask about it. Eric would be the guy to speak to and tell him what's going on and see if they would diagnose it, etc.

    I've had a good bit of work done there, and references were also provided to me by some other INGO'ers.
     

    churchmouse

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    OK if it was a new engine as you state one of these things should be an issue. Stuck rings......???? if they put il in the cylinders as they should have and rolled it over then I doubt it.
    Improper cam break in is most likely what happened. Lobe off the cam. Just a guess but I have seen this a few times. Happened to us once and we did it right.

    They most likely did something to it. Chevy's are just too easy to build and run.
     

    Sigblitz

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    :ugh:Does it puff smoke, if it does start (rings)? Did they disconnect the fuel before testing compression (fuel wash). Dead cylinder, plug or wire or cap.
     

    Sigblitz

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    Just thought of something else. If it's out of time, you'll get both fuel wash and low compression. Check all your timing marks.
     

    Brad69

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    I dig what CM is laying down if that place got the engine started!
    Every GM rebuild I have witnessed is coated in a super dry lube covered with a super grease.
    I know a 455 Olds packed 1975 was perfect when unpacked in 2004!
    So I would do a compression test dry and wet if it has not been fired up I would find it hard to believe that low compression diagnostics.
    Stuck rings would be possible or weak ring tension from sitting also a possibility I doubt both.
    My armchair diagnosis it’s out of time the distributor was not installed correctly to begin with.
    Most shops today will not have a mechanic that has even worked on a engine with a distributor much less knows how to install one from scratch. Find a a old man mechanic they would have to be close to 50 plus to have worked on old style engines enough to know what to do.

    BTW
    I doubt the shop actually did a compression test more like (tell that “guy” it’s got low compression and we don’t do that kind of work and get it out of here).
     

    HoughMade

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    If it were me, I would get it running, then have the compression rechecked. I wouldn't go chasing compression on a nonrunner that otherwise should run.

    When engines sit for a long time, it's not unusual for their initial compression numbers to be down a bit, but they come up and normalize after running for 10 or 15 minutes. There are a variety of reasons.

    But, gents, if he is looking for a shop, he's probably not going to do this himself. I'm sorry, I don't have a shop recommendation. However, for a project like this, I'd be looking for a competent mechanic who wants to do a side job or the owner of a small "Mom and Pop" shop. Any place that does volume business won't want to play around with this, which is what it will take- stepping back, and methodically going through the systems to get it running, then seeing where it goes from there.
     
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    churchmouse

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    So you really want to complicate a very simple in and out swap with all of that crazy.....:facepalm:

    The LS stands tall for sure. But not in this situation.

    Easy diag on the cam lobe. Pull the valve covers. Pull the plugs. Turn the engine by hand or the starter. Watch the rockers. If you have a lobe off one or more will barely be moving.
    Run a compression test. Easy peasy. If you were closer (its an hour and a half turn around for me) I would help you out.

    B69 is correct. So many of these alleged new wave mechanics have zero clue.
     

    Leadeye

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    I can't remember when everything went to roller tappets, but when I picked up my Charger engine I was strongly cautioned to use a zinc phosphorus additive in my oil. Modern oil is made for roller tappet cams and the phosphorus in the old oil was bad on catalytic converters so the EPA got rid of it. This is hard on the old flat tappet cams grinding the lobes off in short order.
     

    churchmouse

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    I can't remember when everything went to roller tappets, but when I picked up my Charger engine I was strongly cautioned to use a zinc phosphorus additive in my oil. Modern oil is made for roller tappet cams and the phosphorus in the old oil was bad on catalytic converters so the EPA got rid of it. This is hard on the old flat tappet cams grinding the lobes off in short order.

    Shell Rotella was the go to with the extra Zinc additive for a long time when breaking in a flat tappet especially one with serious springs on the valves. Now even Rotella has been neutered of the zinc.
     

    churchmouse

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    The oil added for break in was penzoil 10-40 with Lucas zinc break in additive. That oil is still in it so cam should be good

    If they did it properly. There is a procedure that has to be followed. And again I am only trying to diagnose a problem over the interwebs.....:):
    If they did not knock a hole in the piston you will have some compression even with bad rings. That s what led to my suggestion unless I did not read your post properly.
    Some very good suggestions so far.
    Good choice on the mixture by the way.
     
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