Winter project

Post pictures of the progress

 

I'd pull it. You'll only have the motor mounts and bellhousing bolts by the time you get the heads off. Your back will thank you

 

Today's progress. Removed intake and heads, everything looks good except the intake gaskets. They seemed to have moved between the ports. Could this have caused my slightly rough idle and slightly wavering vacuum?
Debating the if it aint broke don't fix it with the oil pump. I have a TA front cover, booster plate and adjustable oil pressure set up on the pump, with no pressure on the spring I have 50lbs cold start up @ 1000rpm and 35lbs at hot 800rpm idle. I'm thinking I should leave it alone.
Heads look good, lifters aren't concave, 10,000mi.

 

I'd leave the pump alone unless it leaks.

 

Your thinking on the oil pump is correct, leave it be
The skewed intake gasket could have caused issues.

 

looks good im chomping to build a new motor ...

 

I am finding no info on installing cam bumper, where to check end play, ect.

Cam is out, bearings look good, 5/8" slack in timing chain, manual says replace at 1" so I'm going to change while I'm there. (10,000mi.)

 

Mike or Dave at TA will give you all the info you need.
You may want to go double roller on timing chainset, with multiple keyways for adjustability.

 

The one I'm replacing is the performance set with 9 adjustments, the double roller only has 3, which would be better? I can't believe it stretched that much in 10,000mi.

 

On another note, are you not running the TA lifter valley baffle that covers the cam like on mine, and a SP3? Did you put a baffle under the PCV in the back of the intake?
Keith

 

9 key has more adjustability, you may need a .005 over set if your mains were align honed.

5/8" slack seems excessive for 10k miles..

 

Yes, maybe the reason for the 5/8" of slack.

 

Probably had that slack in the first 1000. And would have stayed that way.

 

So after a closer look at the cam bearings, and alot of thought, and looking at what all the upgrades cost me, I've decided to pull the motor out and replace all the bearings.
After looking with mirrors and my bore scope camera I found small chunks of bearing coating missing, oil holes not quite lined up and the front dual groove bearing at 8and4 not 7and3. I think I may have moved them pulling the old cam out. The rods and mains will get replaced unless all of them look brand new. May also replace rod bolts with ARP's.
Keith

 

To replace rod bolts the rods will have to be resized/rebuilt.

 

I did not know that, thank you!
Keith

 

Update. Motor completely torn down, cam bearings out. On the crank and rod bearings I'm torn between " if it ain't broke don't fix it" and "while I'm in here"

 

Bearings look fine, drop some new ones in.