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HEY YA'LL PUT A POST IN THE WRONG PLACE........I AM GOING TO REBUILD MY STOCK FOUR BANGER.......WOOOOWHOOOO!!!!!!!

I KINDA JUST NEEED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT, I THINK I CAN DO IT.
I DON'T HAVE THE DOWN TIME TO PUT A V8 IN IT .......YET!!!! BUT I DO NEED TO DRIVE IT SINCE MY SWEETEE WRECKED HER CAR AND NOW SHE GETS MY CAR AND PROJECT LUV GOES BACK TO A DIALY DRIVER! ANYWAY IF YA'LL COULD GIVE ME SOME PIONTERS I WOULD BE GRATEFULL!!!

replace the timing chain and tensioner!!! man...i kicked myself in the ass for a long time for not doin that when i rebuilt mine (i thought a chain would never break on a four banger )

yeah no doubt on the chain and tensinor,
the 1.8 is what is called a Zero clearance engine.
meaning: broken chain = bent valves

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

Just got done rebuilding mine- fired it off last nite. Mine's a '74, and I know there's a bunch of difference between the early and later motors, but anyway here's my 2 cents- DEFINITELY do the timing chain- mine has two chains and a jackshaft, and about 6543453543 tensioners, and boy does it make a difference when all that slack isn't in there. It doesn't even sound like my truck anymore, without all the slapping and rattling under the timimg cover.

The oil pumps pretty much seem to last forever- I was going to replace mine while I was in there, then found out they're not $20 like one for a small block- Some other guys on the site advised me that it probably didn't need replaced, since the gerotor pumps they put in them are fairly burly, I did tear mine apart and checked it, and despite 10 years of abuse that I'm entirely ashamed of (those little trucks really are bulletproof) it really didn't show much in the way of wear at all. I just hooked up an oil pressure guage last nite, and it's carrying 60lbs easily, on the old rod and main bearings.

I also highly reccommend dropping $70 on one of the pertronix ignition set ups. Man, does that ever make a difference- it starts way easier, and is noticeably smoother.

Everything else is pretty straightforward, if you've done any engine work at all. My machine shop surprised me by finding a Fel-Pro full gasket set, with the good "print'o'seal" head gasket, I know gaskets are kind of a personal preference item, but I'm real big on FelPro stuff (don't tell anyone, but I've actually gotten away with reusing the good blue head gaskets on interim "grenade" circle track motors).

The only other advice I have to offer is USE PLENTY OF ANTISEIZE when you re-assemble the thing, especially on the head bolts, 'cause they like to seize up inside the water jackets. It's a P.I.T.B. to work with- a little bit on your hands, and it seems to wind up on every tool you own, and most of the surfaces within a 20 mile radius of where you're using it, but well worth the aggravation of wiping off everything you own 100 times.

hope this helps.

glad to here your luv is on theroad again spindle,
so you was able to use those head bolts huh?
he aint kidding about the anti-seize on the head bolts, id LOVE to get my hands on the little bastard that decided it would be a good idea to use ALLEN bolts in the head

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

Dude, they was the best lookin' two bolts of the whole batch- I put 'em both right in the middle... I've still got a few dds and ends to take care of to start driving it again- while I had the head off, I figured I might as well address some rust, which inadvertantly turned into a 3 month restoration; I just put the new windsheild and dash cap (incidentally, the dash cap from J.C.Whitney is a pretty nice peice- thanks whoever said so in an earlier post somewhere)in last nite... I've got a pile of photos to send to Ben to post, some featuring the $26 rocker panels we were talking about a while back... but I digress from our topic...

Speaking of allen bolts, I'd reccommend running out pronto and getting a set of 3/8 drive allen wrench sockets. The ones they have at Lowe's(I think the brand is Kobalt) are pretty indestructible-- the last two head bolts I took out(which were frozen solid in the water jacket) , I was wailing on them with a 1/2" drive impact wrench, back and forth and back and forth- you know the drill....actually, getting the head bolts out was the most difficult part of the whole rebuild... There's also an allen bolt INSIDE the timing cover on mine that holds the timing cover on exactly when you think all the bolts are out and are "bumping" it gently with a deadblow mallet to try to break it loose....

oops- forgot to log in... that last post was me.

pan in the ass man.i rebuilt mine about 5 months ago.i will never tear it out again.

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

hey thanks for all the post.....i think i am going to do some more thinking on this one. ok, this is my problem the engine runs but it has a lot of pressure in the top of the engine. i think if the oil filler cap was loose it would fly through the hood. it has a loss of power also. anybody have an idea whats going on?



please help!!!!!

Sounds like blow-by. In mild situations it just means your engine is tired and the rings are leaking compression. In extreme situations it means you may have broken ring(s) and/or holes in the piston(s). You can do a compression test and a leak-down test and compare the numbers against the stock specs. If you get numbers that are way off then you likely have a serious problem.

Your always going to have a little blow-by but from your description it sounds like yours is excessive. I would test it before you tear into it.

HEY BEN THANKS MAN I HAVE RACKING MY BRAIN ABOUT THIS TRUCK! I WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE RINGS AND DO A MILD REBUILD, RODS, MAINS, BUT THEN SOMEONE SAID REPLACE THIS AND THAT BY THE TIME I DO ALL WHAT I PROBABLY SHOULD DO IT WOULD COST ME CLOSE TO $500.00 AND I DON'T WANT TO SINK THAT MUCH DOE INTO THE STOCK ENGINE. ANYWAY DO YOU THINK IF I JUST CHANGE THE RINGS AND RESEAL THE TOP END IT WOULD BE OK? WHAT YOU THINK?


THANKS AGIAN!!!!!!

you should be able to get a rebuild kit from JC Whitney for like $300. Not the greatest way to go, but if you really want to keep it stock, then there ya go.