Completely Destroyed My Motor... learn from this

[78Suburban]

If you don't know what you're doing, leave your truck well enough alone....
I'm such a yahoo, yall should really just ban me from this site right now..


Well, I pulled the distributor off (thought it would be ok becaues I had done it before on another motor)... Got the old oil sensor off and started screwing the new one on.. I was so happy.. I tightened it all the way down to the block and decided to SNUG it up a little with just two fingers against my wrench....

Well, I stripped the fine threads on the block and the new sensor just spins around and around.. I was a little disheartened to say the least, but said what the heck. I'll just try to finish the install and see how bad it leaks..


Well the distributor wouldn't really slide back down all the way against the block. after wrestling with it I got it back on.. then I finished putting the line on the gauge

went to crank the truck and it wasn't firing, and the starter was grinding every now and then... well, it never fired, but it backfired like a shotgun out the exhaust.. BANG

dicided I would try to crank it one more time, then it backfired a bunch of white smoke through the carb POOF

and I might have dropped a wee bit of crap down the sensor hole...

I am Mr. BEAN in the flesh (You know when he messes up the painting)..
I have NO business touching a vehicle ever again.. I hate me and you should too.

 

[mikey_d05]

Tap the manifold a size larger and use an adaptor if there's room, if not, use an elbow. There was an elbow on my '93 from the factory. As for the dizzy, pull it and set it right and you should be fine.

 

[79k20350]

your timing is way off or 180* out. you can install the dist only 2 ways. did you use teflon tape/ pipe dope on the threads of the sensor? they dont take a lot of torque (there tapered threads aka. pipe thread) so they pretty much self seal, they dont need much assistance.

 

[az-k5]

You can also try a helicoil but I don't know if they make them in pipe fittings. As mentioned above tap it to the next size and run a threaded reducer. It is only for a guage.

 

[clarkjw24]

I think there is a removable plug above the oil filter adaptor that you can put the Oil sensor in. IIRC thats were it was on the 87 motor I did, its a little easier to get to. Also sounds like you may have put the dist. 180 out. The dist should sit flush on the intake if not its not in right.

 

[renny]

I'm 99% sure you didn't strip the threads in the block, Not with a crappy potmetal oil pressure sensor. You may have stripped the threads on a brass insert adapter that many times is used to raise the oil pressure sending unit up high enough to clear the edge of the intake manifold. Hopefully this is the case keep the board updated on what you find out.

 

[Stomper]

Fix your threads like stated above and sounds like the timing is 180* off.

 

[79k20350]

Tap the manifold a size larger and use an adaptor if there's room, if not, use an elbow.

I thought about this but
1. its pipe thread (requires a special tap)
2. the easiest way to get to the bigger size is sensor->reducing coupling->nipple->hole in block
3. your realesing alot of metal shavings into the motor, so you would have to drp the pan etc.

 

[79k20350]

the fine pipe threads are not that hard to strip, it is quite possible it happened

 

[mikey_d05]

Yep, but the taps are still cheap and any hardware store should stock them.
I know it's a long combo, that's why an elbow would come in handy.
If you're relatively sure it'll stay there, shove a condom under the hole to catch the shavings.


Aw hell, whatever you do don't give up on it....a day after I got my trail truck the gas tank developed a pinhole leak and I had to drop the tank and replace it when everything was rusted solid and it was 5 degrees. You'll work something out, just suck it up and go to work when it gets light again.

EDIT: Filling the drill bit and/or tap with grease will also catch a good deal of shavings, just be sure to clean it periodically and regrease it.

 

[wildbilzrydn]

NPT taps are also tapered, So if you strip ot the threads in the hole, you can just thread the hole a little deeper.

 

[79k20350]

not nessecarily because then the sensor wont fully seal. of course the best way is drill and tap but just be prepared to drop the pan, you can only make your problems worse if you dont. Obviously the less you get in there in the first place helps alot but any metal in the motor is a bad thing.

 

[78Suburban]

I think the origional sensor had deeper threads, I might just put it back in...

now about that dist.,,,, how do I set it back? would it really not fire and only backfire if it was out 180*? (it is seated against the manifold now).

 

[tRustyK5]

I think the origional sensor had deeper threads, I might just put it back in...

now about that dist.,,,, how do I set it back? would it really not fire and only backfire if it was out 180*? (it is seated against the manifold now).

About the disty...yes. Remove the cap noting where #6 is on the cap. Rotate the motor until the rotor is pointing at where #6 on the cap was. Check the timing tab up front, it should be very near to the TDC mark. Now loosen the hold down bolt for the dist, pull it up a couple of inches and rotate the rotor 180 degrees...then drop it back in. It should drop down flush to the manifold...if it doesn't you're off by a tooth and the dist is not engaging the oil pump driver (which prevents it from dropping).

Fire it up and set the timing.

Rene

 

[boggerless]

exactly, i went through the same thing.

 

[78Suburban]

is that a joke, or did you really? if you did, could you tell me how you resolved the problem... if you are making fun of me, well, I deserve it..

 

[y5mgisi]

Ya dude your fine practicly everyone that has done a dist or to has put them in a few teeth off or 180* off SO TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION: first thing i would do is pull the cap, then put a ratchet and socket on the bolt in the front of the crank (in the middle of the bottom fan belt pully) should be like a 3/4" socket or somthin like that rotate the motor clockwise untill the timing mark on the harmonic balancer is at TDC on the timing tab coming off the timing chain cover. once you do that see if tf the rotor is pointing at either the #6 or #1 plug wire on the cap(imagine the dist cap was still on) if it is that is a good starting point. If it is than do as trusty said and pull the dist out and rotate it 180* to #6 if it is now a #1 or #1 if it is now at #6. now see if it starts.IF IT IS NOT currently at #1 or #6 pull the dist out and get it to point at one of the two with it puled tight against the manifold. now see if it will fire if not, make it point at the other one... thats it

as for your OPSU (oil pressure sending unit) I too dought you actually striped the treads in the block but if you did i would come up with a way of JB welding the hole( you will need to put somthing in there so the JB dosnt just drip into the motor) then move it like was previously said to one of the other oil pressure test points in the block.

So chill out man its all good. SBC can take LOTS of abusesomthing as simple as droping a couple shavings in the motor or installing the dist wrong will not ruin the motor.

 

[sweetk30]

how come i am the only one that is posting this easy clean out of the oil port idea after tapping out hole. ( JUST LEAVE OUT SENSOR AND ROLL OVER MOTOR TILL OIL COMES OUT AND ITS CLEAN. ) just a idea of mine but it might just work.

 

[mountainexplorer]

Looks like everyone has already pretty much answered any questions you may have had. I've had experiences a long time ago before I knew too much about motors where I've had the distributor 180 out and scared myself. You shouldn't have to worry though. I bet it will still fire and run like it did before once you get things back in place.

 

[78Suburban]

yall are awsome and encouraging..

I will try to mess around with the timing this the weekend...
I think I will use the other hole (by the oil filter) to install the sensor (I guess I'll have to get a new one).....
about plugging that stripped hole... does anybody know exactly how deep the threads would go down into the block? the sensor I put in was at least 2 or 3 threads shorter than the old idiot light sensor, so it might have something to catch on to... but the old idiot light sensor was leaking a little a the very top...

So, where can I get a new idiot light sensor, or something with tapered threads long enough to plug the gutted hole..