Long story short.

Not really dead, but below is what was found in my oil pan:



Removal of cap holding thrust bearing:



Research says this is most likely result of a rebuilt trans on a 166K engine with increased pressure from shift kit as the most likely cause to force converter & crank forward. OK.

During tear-down the cam gear bolt came out with this hanging on last threads:



So I guess its going to need a cam too.

Questions for the group, if you please.

1.) 94 got the roller block & roller versions have the Explorer cam I understand. Which is what I suppose I have. What years (Explorer 96-97?) are available to me to use if I go back with a used version that would be safe for the SD efi?

2.) If I have to go back with different pistons, would flat tops over dishes be possible within the limitations of the SD?

3.) Of course I'll be looking for 3 bar heads, so I'll throw that (question) in too as to if the SD can support that as well.

The "ideal" plan of action was to get the rest of the truck sorted out & do a mass air conversion (I have all the parts now) & THEN rebuild my engine since I have no desire to stack modifications in one major change project.

But then Murphy climbed in the passenger seat.

Thoughts?

 

i have heard that theory but have talked to many builders whom discount it. I had this similar issue on a 5.8 that was rebuilt and had 20k miles on it when it ruined the main bearings.

how are your rod bearings? are they in good shape still? Mine where just fine.

keep the same cam you already have. 1.7 rockers and the gt40 heads would be a great combo. keep the compression ratio below 9.5-1. the intake is the bottle neck on this engine so consider either an edelbrock efi truck intake or get a typhoon lower the an edelbrock performer upper.
being a 94 you could get a computer and harness from a mass air 302 equiped F150 and swap it over. should be plug n play. may still need some tuning but that managable.

 

Could just be locktite.. no biggie, if the cam journals are clean reuse it. And if the worn thrust bearing is all of the damage the motor is rebuildable too.


Used version of what? Not sure what you're asking here.

That won't have any effect on SD so go with flat tops with valve eyebrows for a little more compression.

No problem, Look for a '96-97.5 Explorer/Mountaineer for the 3-bar GT40 heads.

 

No, that's 3/4 circumference of thread metal. I just can't trust putting it (that cam) back in. Never saw anything like it. The engine is good, but a lot of crank metal went through it with bearing particles. Wish I had a shot of the sludge in the pan, the way it separated out was interesting.

In one of your previous posts, I thought you had described the first 5.8 roller cam as the "explorer" cam. I just don't know the specs on my original to try and match it used. I may have to save up for new. What's your list of cam # recommendations?

I have no idea of what the SD ECU does or does not adapts to in real world applications & alterations. The risk is always running lean?

I appreciate y'alls interest and response.

 

This is the best take I found on the subject, and it seems to be industry sponsored, but I can't really dispute some of its conclusions. I was familar with T bearing failures from heavy clutch springs, but not autos.

http://www.atraonline.com/gears/2005...005_01_064.pdf

I've got pictures. They're not pretty. But the bearings all took the hit (very telling wear pattern & weren't eaten completely through). The only really bad damage is the thrust face on the trans side of the crank. Nobody wants to touch it & recommends just a reman stock crank & bearing kit.


Yes, I had so wanted a different intake if I made any changes to the base engine package. May have to live with what I got. I do have an Explorer upper & lower (for my 5.0 92) that I've mulled over using with Price adapter plates on. I had initially wanted to try for a 5.8 FMS GT 40, but they are unicorns or hi priced.


I've got all the parts, I'll link back to them later. Just don't want to try & throw too many changes at a "new" motor & try and debug at the same time I'm trying to start it first time.

 

I believe for some engines oversize width thrust bearings are available. It might not be economical to regrind the crank thrust face as well as all the journals however.

Also, the damaged threads can be Heli-coiled.

 

Yes all small block V8 truck motors(5.0 and 5.8) got the F4TE(Explorer) cam in '94 which produces 0.422/0.456 lift and 256/266 deg duration with 1.6 ratio rockers. You can find that cam in both of those motors and any year Explorer 5.0 and with 1.7 rockers it's almost identical to the Comp 35-512-8 except that the F4TE cam is a little more emissions friendly.

 

Talked to the shop I will be using & got some prices for base services. I feel a lot better.

Worked my azz off this week to fill my project envelope. (Anybody know Dave Ramsey?)

Working on my parts & price lists.

Went junkyarding today and found a good looking 97 Mountaineer. Build date: 8/96. On the window was written "Idles Rough". Makes me what pointless lack of service diagnostics sent it there.



The Damage:

 

More head details, Autolite Platinum plugs, half the threads slathered with anti-seize. Lots of fluffy carbon. One exhaust valve different color right next to where the factory convoluted & pinched to hell & gone header had cracked in half. (See pic above head on right, cyls 3 & 4)

 

Financing for build secured... whewww.

Block went for machine yesterday & tentative bill of $580-ish which is a bit over what I estimated. Machinist tentatively wants to line bore (If the thrust journal is egged the source of additional cost) since thrust main took so much heat. Asked for cam bearing journal inspection first off & he'll do visual followed by mag which might get done gratis.

Waiting for call.

 

Needed to revive this, as I'm half way through my build. Got my rotating assembly done this past week.

This never went where I wanted it to. Wanted to lay out what was seen & possible causes in a more chronological order, but got build fever & fell down a rabbit hole.

So. Once more...


I'm pretty sure this is a result of my rebuilt E4 & the limp mode it was in right after install. (Leaking capacitors on top of a failing PSOM) In a perfect world I'd start with a video of the flex plate rattle, but the site doesn't support MP4. Maybe later if I can do a conversion to MP3.

As a FTE friend said, "The first to second shift was like getting rear ended by a bulldozer"

When I got the trans out, here's the damage to the flex plate, note the blueing:



This is what happend to block plate where the flex plate bulge contacted it. The plate should be flat, NOT flared or bowled:



Main caps #1 left to right:



You can see how the crank moved forward on the rods by the way they wore the bearing material top to the back on the rod top & bottom to the front on the cap. Thought I had better images:



You can see the progressive wear front to back of the bearing in caps at the top of pic:



Rough measurement of crank protrusion prior to disassembly:



At any rate, new crank was laid, measured & torqued with the assembly recommendations in above article & has an end play .005