4.3 Rebuild

[gergAlicious]

Man! Wish I had ordered that already

Thanks!!

 

[alldodge]

Could find it also at your local auto store

 

[gergAlicious]

I'll look for sure!

Did mine have something originally? I figured it was just timed to the 0* mark with the computer somehow in that 'timing mode'.

 

[alldodge]

I'll look for sure!

Did mine have something originally? I figured it was just timed to the 0* mark with the computer somehow in that 'timing mode'.

There should have been some timing marks pressed in the damper, but with your TB ignition, the timing must be set first

 

[gergAlicious]

I'll get it ordered for sure. Until then, with the dist body 'where it was' it ought to fire right off and run nice like it did before . . . . in one of those positions

 

[alldodge]

I'll get it ordered for sure. Until then, with the dist body 'where it was' it ought to fire right off and run nice like it did before . . . . in one of those positions

Not meant as offensive but, think your smoking some really good stuff and need to share some of it . It will run, but as before, I really doubt, fine tuning timing takes very little movement to change things quite a bit.

 

[gergAlicious]

Understood. Maybe ahead of myself, definitely accustomed to tuning engines. Just thinking if it’s on the same tooth on cam, and dist. is where it was it ought to be close. That’s all I changed / messed with for the most part in the sense of ignition and timing. I have a good light and will definitely put it to work when I get the balancer marked / taped.

 

[gergAlicious]

Picking up the hoist again tomorrow AM so I can get this thing off the stand and install the flywheel and rear mount housing.

Need to get the new water separator filter on and replace that old fuel line, and pick up a new belt too.

 

[gergAlicious]

More progress. Got the hoist picked up - holds 1000lbs at the farthest hook, so I am not as concerned as I was the other day. Will still be extremely careful.

Need to gap and install plugs, add drains to exhaust manifolds, install risers and start on the electrical. All block sensors and drains installed now.

 

[gergAlicious]

Life is good my friends!!!

So this thing should have started on first bump yesterday - and it did, with popping and sputtering.

I have NO idea where, but I saw a diagram of the cylinder layout of 'a' 4.3 and it was 1-2-3 on port side, 4-5-6 on starboard. Maybe I twisted it in my mind, I don't know. I DO remember thinking "that's weird". Go figure.

Anyhow, once I corrected the wires at the cap she roared to life with the bump of the button!

Time to run an hour to be sure no water gets into oil. I have a much longer follow up to share on this later today.

Going to put the timing light on it next. In lieu of having timing tape, I took my good friend's SnapOn degree torque wrench and cranked the engine over 350* from TDC #1, then marked the balancer at the tab. Should be close enough for me to verify if it is 'close' or way off.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Nothing better than the sound of that open exhaust rumbling. Way to go.

 

[gergAlicious]

Thanks Rick!!!

1/2 hour through run time. Oil looks great. So far so good.

 

[gergAlicious]

Competed hour run time. All looks good. Ran at various RPM. The timing was off - was almost at TDC. Now 10° BTDC, idle at 650. I did have it in base timing mode for that. Much more responsive.

 

[gergAlicious]

She’s in! Sweet baby Jesus it’s done!!!!

My wife did an amazing job cleaning out the bottom well under the engine! I can actually see the bilge pump and other things.

So glad I put it in COMPLETE versus trying to cobble it together in the boat.

 

[Scott06]

Nice work looks much better in the boat than on the stand

 

[alldodge]

Looking good, time for water and cool beverages

 

[gergAlicious]

Thanks sir! I think yesterday's evening beverages have me down today Haha

Soo much more responsive when timing is right. I got the idle set to 650 not long after this vid was taken.

 

[gergAlicious]

So the job is complete less installing rear seat and cover. Going to run it on the river one time while all is accessible before hiding the engine

One problem - the rams for the OD tilt are not aligned. I got the pin through the port ram, through the OD, and the other ram was about 1/8” too far out to push pin through.

Is is there a way to bleed one down to align it? After setting a while on the one cylinder it slowly bled down and now the starboard side is like 5” away

I almost went into cardiac when I saw power steering fluid locally was $20-$33 a quart. Dayum!!!!!! Was hoping there was a suitable substitute that didn’t have ‘boat gold’ all over it.

 

[Lou C]

Great job really nice to see it come to fruition!
about the trim rams if you pull out the rod and extend them all the way with the switch I wonder it they will equalize....

 

[gergAlicious]

Thanks Lou! Really happy with it. It used to be hard starting, and popped a little when cold. Now it bump starts almost. I figure some of that was due to the timing - and it also used to occasionally diesel after running for a while under a load when I would kill it. I'll see if that still happens once it has had a true load on it. Hoping for one day this week.

I have a secondary, older problem too. I remember the PO telling me he had a problem with the trim switch. I cannot get my pump to come on with the switch at all. I definitely have plenty of voltage at the pump motor, so I figure the dang switch is finally kaput. I'll look into it in morning. I figure there is likely a way to jumper the solenoids at the tilt motor/pump? Would occasionally not work in the past but only for a moment.