From my research I find the 4.3 and 305 are both internally balanced. I intend today to drain the oil from the 305. I will strip the accessories off the front of the 4.3 and bolt them to the 305. The water pump is new though looks like crap. Once its all bolted up I will clean the engine and replace all needed bits. I dont want to paint it, nor make it look like some parking lot queen. Clean and functional.
Pulled the accessories off the 4.3 and switched over to the 305. Everything fits fine.
It was suggested to pull the heads and check it out before I slap it in I will do so as it had some noxious water in there and like 95 percent oil. I also blew out the ports and got a lot of something out. I will strip it to the block and check the rotating assembly and go from there. Good time to put a cam in!
I of course will clean this alllllll up lol.
bonylad said:From my research I find the 4.3 and 305 are both internally balanced.
Please explain further both what this means (vs. externally balanced, I assume?), and the significance to the build.
In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :
So far as the engine is made. I should be able to use all the parts from the existing truck 4.3 and bolt them up to the 305. This is beneficial both from a cost POV as well as convenience.
Internal balance means all of the balancing is on the crank and external requires counterweights on the flex plate or balancer or whatever.
It's nice because I have all of the stuff to make it work and get to reuse most of it.
Understood. Out of further curiosity, are many engines out there externally balanced?
In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :
Most are internally balanced fwik. Somebody correct me?
einy (Forum Supporter) said:Understood. Out of further curiosity, are many engines out there externally balanced?
https://www.eaglerod.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=25
The SBF's are externally balanced. The problem is you need to figure out if you have a 28 oz or 50 oz imbalance!
Glad I didn't just send it. Needs cleaning. Lifters are stuck.
Pulled a head off. Needs love. Might as well put a cam in it now!
Currently soaking the cylinders down with sea foam before I wipe them down and rotate the engine to fully clean. Will do the same in the opposite head.
You bent your hammer handle! (Kidding .... I think)
In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :
Well your not wrong! It was under the truck one day when I was backing out and somehow that happened. Lol. I like it. Gives it character?
This engine ain't gonna work. Rust in cylinders that would have required a hone but more importantly it's seized! Soaked all the cylinders in GM top engine cleaner and hot all cylinders with a torch. Couldn't turn it with a breaker bar and ended up snapping the crank bolt clean off in the crank. It's not worth it to me to try and get it out and build the 305 to have so little power. Ugh. Need an engine.
In reply to bonylad :
Can't win for losing.
bonylad said:This engine ain't gonna work. Rust in cylinders that would have required a hone but more importantly it's seized! Soaked all the cylinders in GM top engine cleaner and hot all cylinders with a torch. Couldn't turn it with a breaker bar and ended up snapping the crank bolt clean off in the crank. It's not worth it to me to try and get it out and build the 305 to have so little power. Ugh. Need an engine.
The 305 just did you a huge favor. take the head off your 4.3 and clean it up and replace what's needed. It probably just needs a head gasket or a new valve or two.
Otherwise just grab a 5.3/4l60 dropout from your closest junkyard.
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:bonylad said:This engine ain't gonna work. Rust in cylinders that would have required a hone but more importantly it's seized! Soaked all the cylinders in GM top engine cleaner and hot all cylinders with a torch. Couldn't turn it with a breaker bar and ended up snapping the crank bolt clean off in the crank. It's not worth it to me to try and get it out and build the 305 to have so little power. Ugh. Need an engine.
The 305 just did you a huge favor. take the head off your 4.3 and clean it up and replace what's needed. It probably just needs a head gasket or a new valve or two.
Otherwise just grab a 5.3/4l60 dropout from your closest junkyard.
Rather commited at this point. Picking up a LG4 305. Cam and headers and a good tune is mid high 200s. Cheaper to build reliable power with that than the 4.3 - which requires forced induction to make that sorta power. Either way, I already have the mounts and trans controller so sorta commited. I had thought about that but after the initial screw this moment I figured it would be nice to change the course of the build. I still am not looking for a massive hp truck. Mid to high 200s and close to 300 torque will be plenty.
I still have to work with the fact that most of all the parts I have gotten have been donated or whatnot. I had to buy mounts and the controller and radiator and gaskets etc....but its been affordable because my dad is helping me. Im 41 years old and this took me aback. Reason for it? I think its because its my moms fathers truck. They want to see it become something. I will make that happen. Heck may take Mom out for coffee in it!
This weekend I will put the front wheels back on to roll it out and clean the bay as well as the garage. Next phase is doing the fuel system as well as pairing down the harness to the essentials.
Great time to replace that lower steering column rag joint if is even slightly sloppy. When I had my 2003, I swapped in a u-joint from Flaming River. A few bucks, but well worth it by eliminating nearly all steering slop. I think there is a cheaper way to do this with a junkyard steering shaft from a Jeep something or other (Cherokee maybe?) but not 100% sure on the details.
In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :
That's a good point. Your correct it's a Cherokee steering shaft iirc. Thanks for the tip!
Got the trans separated. I'm debating using a separate trans cooler that I can mount on the frame rails. Slicker look and as long as it's a dual pass would work fine. Idk. May not even bother and reuse the stock bits.
Also a pic of the EXTREMELY dirty LG4. Got it from a local Marine. Gonna pop the heads and clean it all up and slap a cam in it.
All cleaned up. On the fence about painting some things. I like the patina look. Buuuut
Cleaned up the trans.
As well as the bay.
Cleaned the garage and reorganized. All tucked in.
This week may pull the heads on the LG4 and plan the clean them separate. Then clean the block same as the trans. Probably gonna paint that. Black or Red?
Edit. Yeah I'm pulling the wheel liners. If I don't it's gonna kill me to leave them undone. Also realized the pics of the trans are before I cleaned it. Smh.
Pulled liners. Great shape. Probably going to bed line them.
Cleaned the wheel liners with degreaser and a drill brush. Let sit then hit with bed liner.
Began to pull the LG4 apart. It's in great shape!
Turns out it's got 416 heads which are 305 High Output heads. Figure a Summit 1103 cam and lifter set will do it good.
Plan to today if I can power wash the engine and maybe paint it if I get time. Though probably won't paint it till I slap the new head gaskets on. Stay toooooned!
einy (Forum Supporter) said:Understood. Out of further curiosity, are many engines out there externally balanced?
Most V8s are- AMCs, the LS engines and small block fords all use external balancing in the cranks which is why they're so "thick". Old Chrysler engines have counterweights welded to the flexplates/flywheels. Honestly, I can't think of a pushrod V8 that isn't externally balanced.
If it's overhead cam at all, it's likely internally balanced since those weights can be put onto the cams. Toyota does that with their V6s.
Removed a ton of unnecessary bits of the harness. This isn't all of it. I took the harness out to the engine and got it fitted and then cut out what was no longer needed.
This is what I am more or less left with. This is power and grounds as well as some needed sensors that will work on the 305. This will allow me to retain A/C and factory gauges.
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