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84 K20 "Ethel" Not an Sbc/NV4500/241C

Semi restoration of a 1984 K20 pickup. 5.3 LS, nv4500, np241c.
Is there enough room in the starter bolt holes and block material to hog them out to the next size up for some added strength?
 
@sreidmx, I am missing my starter brace bolt, and this thread has motivated me to get that brace installed before I wind up fixing it again (on my own truck this time :rolleyes:).

Do you know what size of bolt you used on the block end? I'm thinking it's an M8 coarse thread that's 10 or 15MM long. But I would love to have some confirmation before I go buy the wrong bolt.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure what size of stud is on the starter, either.

I think I've put this off too long, I've lost the bolt AND forgotten what it was. :doah:
 
Thanks guys.. I'll slam the seperator on tommorow. Hope me and @bergerking and @Dil.Pickle can go wheelin big bear next weekend. Now I am satisfied that I have fixed it. Hope nothing else goes.. Lol

So jealous that I'm not going with you guys.... Hopefully next time, if I ever get time to with on my rig...
 
In the block mine had a bolt not a stud, it was smaller than the starter bolt so u assume like 1/4 maybe 7/16 if it breaks I'll drill and tap the hole larger.
But the bracket.. Making one was a huge pita.. Trust me
 
In the block mine had a bolt not a stud, it was smaller than the starter bolt so u assume like 1/4 maybe 7/16 if it breaks I'll drill and tap the hole larger.
But the bracket.. Making one was a huge pita.. Trust me

I thought it was really easy making an MT-28 brace. But then I had a factory template to copy. :whistle:

I cut up a bedframe with a torch and drilled 2 holes. Even threw a grinder on the ugly edges. Just a few minutes apiece.

brace-1-jpg.157026


The MT-27 (bent) brace is harder to fab. But then I'm assuming that most of us have upgraded to the newer starter style by now.

The really, really embarrassing part is that the forum tells me I posted that picture 2 years ago. And installing them is still on my to-do list. It's true that I don't have many starts on the vehicles in the last 2 years, but that's still negligence on my part. :doah:


Anyway, the block has a hole, the starter should have a stud hanging off the back end. I don't know what either size is off hand. I'm confident they're not standard, these are thoroughly metric engines. You're saying you just screwed a random 1/4" bolt into your block? And it worked? :screwy:


Here is what my CUCV had before I took it apart:

blazer-starter-brace-jpg.157029


That bolt dimension is what I'm looking for. I had one screwed into my block, and I pulled it out to buy more of them. I have moved 4 times since then, I have no idea where it is now.
 
Took the starter brace off of the CUCV today to measure the block bolt. It turns out that I was right, it is an 8x1.25MM bolt, with about 10MM of thread length. I couldn't find anything shorter than 16MM, so I may wind up using washers to space it out.

The lug on the starter, confusingly enough, is a 1/4-20 thread. No idea why one side is metric and one side is standard. But that's what fit, so that's what I got.

Posted for future reference.
 
If I was you I'd cut the threads before I used washers..
Got the fg500 mounted somewhat.. It was a needed switch the I had to rig for Now because the old square assembly was leaking bad causing really long starts in the morning, so as of now I just need to fix my parking brake and ac and it should be pretty much a driver. Rolled out to my buddies to grab a load of railroad ties, ended up with about 10, I figure it was in the 800-1200lb range.
Rode like a caddy doing 60-65 on the highway, and down to 36mph up the big hill. All temps in check no issues no weird sounds just trudged up the hill.
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If anyone has any reason to really desire these trucks with this engine, here is the sole reason. I drove about 80 miles from filling up at my house and down to get my load and back..
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Here's the other reason..it'll pull a tire almost off the ground and still move up the rock.. @bergerking was there to play front yard flex.
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I think we won the baddest house on the street award today..
We had lowered trucks,
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And lifted ones
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Plus we rejetted the carb on the dirtyC and got Ethel clean fuel.
Winning.. Big bear cannot come fast enough..
 
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My 83 GMC 1/2 ton that I used to DD has the 6.2 as well. When were were in the process of moving from Vancouver to Edmonton i made a few trips back and forth. It 750 miles one way. I used to make that trip without stopping for fuel at all, and have 1/4 tank left when I got there...

OK my pick-up had dual tanks, but it would only take 32 gallons...
 
My tank switch valve isn't working, funny thing is I don't even care.. 20 gallons seems like plenty..
 
Tank switch valve. Mine no longer has one

Mine actually does real well on fuel
 
What caused you to yank it? Leakage? Solenoid failure?
Switched voltage was correct but not enough amperage to fire the solenoid open. I bypassed it like kay86k5 did on his crew. Still have both tanks
 
Does it draw from both tanks?
Not anymore, bwahaha!
The drivers side tbi pump is a transfer pump now to the pass side. Which runs as the main. Drivers side is toggle driven while the pass side is driven off the oil pressure switch.


Thinking on a dweezel that a frame mounted pump could do the same. The transfer outlet goes into the filler vent
 
Makes sense so basically fill the other tank with the aux tank. I am tempted to go to an electric fuel pump.. Just for priming purposes even.
Here is the filter manager mounted, yes it's only two bolts and yes I know it's angled, I don't care because it will get a custom bracket sometime but for now it's stable. Rush job.. Now it doesn't leak which is nice and feels like I gained power.
image.jpeg
 
Switched voltage was correct but not enough amperage to fire the solenoid open. I bypassed it like kay86k5 did on his crew. Still have both tanks

Interesting. Mine was bypassed when I got the truck and I hooked it back up. Range = good thing.

'Course, only once have I actually needed to go more than the normal 400-450 miles between fillups. I was on a long-haul trip through Canada, and I didn't want to pay Canadian fuel price. :wink1:
 

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