It runs!

[73k5blazer]

Well, after many long hours of research, wrenching and swearing, I almost fell out of the cab when my first complete engine build fired over on the first keystroke. Put about 20miles on her today, throttle response is noticably better, way more umph off the line, a couple 1/2 throttle launches seemed better than full throttle before teardown. Idles smooth at 700rpm, smooth and no shaking through whole rpm band. Still needs a couple adjustments I think, blows a little black smoke on hot start ,a little hard to start hot,. Overall, I think it's a good build, but time will tell.
I know it's just a rusty 'old C10, but it's my Daily Driver.

Specs:
1986 4.3l
1997 Vortec heads (new)
Edelbrock 2114 Manifold
Stock rebuilt Q-jet carb
Silvolite pistons
Hastings Moly rings
Block bored 0.030 over
Crank/rods std. (just polished, not ground)
Comp cams 252 grind flat tappet (non-roller) cam, timing set, lifters, pushrods
Proform roller tipped self-aligned rockers

 

[wildbilzrydn]

I'd be proud of that too! I Like the 4.3L. My girlfriend has one in her S-10, and it really goes.

Bill

 

[southernspeed]

Well done! It's really satisfying when it fires up and runs good from the off ain't it!
Don't go using the 'full rev range' too much if you're breaking in rings and bores...just incase!
If you're getting a bit of black smoke hot I'd get that sorted pretty quick as fuel wash can take your rings out in no time at all.
Good luck!

 

[73k5blazer]

Well, realizing my inability to diagnose a q-jet properly, I found a carb shop and took it there this afternoon. They looked at it, within 30minutes called me and said my new carb had a small hole in the bottom of the float bowl allowing fuel to get sucked straight in. They patched the hole and expoxied it. It needs to dry overnight before they can finish the job, but they were confident it was the source of the problem.

So here's the question of the day, there's about 35-40miles on it in this condition. Did I do damage with tihs fuel wash problem? It wasn't blowing black smoke during crusing speed, just if you revved it, and blowed black for 3-5 seconds at hot startup, cold startup no black.

 

[Greg72]

Congrats on the rebuild.......that has GOT to be a great feeling.

 

[supernaut]

I would say you did extremely little to absolutely no damage. During initial break in blowing some smoke, black or blue, shouldn't be a concern unless it gets excessive. Your 3-5 seconds I would say borders on excessive, especially if it was the dark black carbon smoke and not the lighter greyish black. You did the right thing handled the problem really quickly. keep your foot out of it for at least 500 miles. Way to go rebuilding your own engine man!

 

[tarussell]

CONGRATS !
It's a proud feeling when you hear the first engine you have ever built fire up . Sounds like you are doing things right . Change the oil if you feel it ran real rich and like said earlier don't lug it or beat on it for a while.
Good luck ! Tom

 

[southernspeed]

So here's the question of the day, there's about 35-40miles on it in this condition. Did I do damage with tihs fuel wash problem? It wasn't blowing black smoke during crusing speed, just if you revved it, and blowed black for 3-5 seconds at hot startup, cold startup no black.

Bad fuel wash can waste your rings in a few miles but yours doesn't sound anywhere near that bad, and to be honest it ain't worth worrying about. If the damage is done it'll smoke a bit and be down on power once you've run it in. But until something like that shows up it's not worth fretting over. (unless you have lots of spare time and money to tear it down again 'just to see')
I reckon you'll be fine. Just break it in nicely, change your oil (now, just incase it's a bit fuelly). Don't scream it, lug it or just cruise at 50 for 500 miles!!! (that will glaze your bores and there is no remedy for that apart from a strip down).
Enjoy it!

 

[73k5blazer]

Thanks for all the replies. It is well appreciated.
I used moly rings and told the machinist that so he could hone accordingly, does it make a difference which type of rings where used?

 

[southernspeed]

Chrome moly rings are a lot harder than regular cast rings and require more breaking in so I guess they could resist fuel wash a bit better but the problem with fuel wash is that you get metal to metal contact which you would never normally have in a bore,(or anywhere in an engine really!)
I wouldn't worry about it. Just break it in as normal and enjoy your work. Check the plug colour after 10 - 20 miles just to make sure.

 

[73k5blazer]

Not chrome, molybdenum. Way different from chrome. Chrome is very tough and and according to things I read should only be used on extreme duty engines, engines operating in dusty areas constantly, etc. I used molybdenum, it's still a tough coating , but has excellent oil retention, better than chrome or cast.
From my ring manufacture:
"The three popular types of top compression ring face coatings, chrome, moly, and cast iron, each has advantages of its own with respect to operating conditions. Moly has a very high resistance to scuff. Chrome has good resistance to scuff but does not exhibit moly's oil retention capabilities. Plain cast iron is a durable wear surface in normal operating conditions and is less costly than the moly or chrome faced ring."
Ref: http://www.hastingsmfg.com/Service Tips/ring_set_composition_recommendat.htm

I'll get the truck back monday (that carb shop is closed on weekends ), and I have to go out-of-town all next week, so I won't get a chance to run her again until next saturday I could take it to where I'm going(which is what this vehicles main purpose is, I make this drive every other week), but it's a 3 hour drive, mostly freeway (70-80mph) and 45mins of backroads (60mph), I don't think that would be a good break-in drive.

Thanks for all the help, without that first post about fuel wash, I think I would have screwed with it myself for a couple of weeks, probably would have had many miles on it before I figured out what was going on.

 

[73k5blazer]

Got it back this morning. Runs way better. No more black smoke. Starts with the flick of the switch. They said they made a few other adjustments on the carb too (float level, fast/slow idle, choke), seems dialed in perfectly to me. Idles extremely smooth, especially for a v6, smoth through whole RPM band.
Perhaps a very slight tinge of blue when you rev it, but still only got 60 miles on it. Thanks for all the help!