It time to put this thing back together i have spent multiple days painting the block, checking and re-checking things so it can go back together. I had installed the oil gallery plugs and was not comfortable that they would stay where they had been put. So rather than “staking” the block again with a punch i decided to replace the friction fit plugs with some taped, tapered, threaded plugs. As usual the first ones i ordered from Amazon were the wrong size, or to be more precise one fit and the other two were too small. After re-ordering I now have enough for both 350 blocks.
I added grease to the tap in order to keep all the metal chips from falling into the block. I also used a strong magnet to get anything that might have escaped the grease. It was not the smartest move to do after installing the crank but I am really hoping no metal shards fell in. The Tap was large and cut amazingly . I put the plugs in with some thread sealant and I am now very happy with the results. I am confident they will not come lose.
The new timing chain is loser than I would like but there is no way to adjust the tension so I must assume that the electronic timing will adjust for it. This is a little annoying but I don’t want to stop for every new part that isn’t 100% perfect or I will never get this done. And since it is on the front of the engine I can replace it without removing the block again.
So now I have the threaded oil gallery plugs and the timing chain installed I can install the stupid platic timing gear cover. With the new plastic crap installed I can now put the oil pan on. I double checked that the oil pump shaft is in place then install the pump and try the pan. Much to my shock it doesn’t fit. Something is stopping it from mating with the block. I take the oil pan off and it finally dawns on me that I forgot the windage tray. The nuts from the offsets for the windage tray were what was stopping the pan from going down. I remove the oil pump again. install the try and put the pump back on and torque all the bolts to spec and try the oil pan again.
This time it sits on the block very nicely. Time for the oil pan gasket. I bought the felpro rebuild gasket kit and I am not disappointed. The oil pan gasket is a large one piece silicone affair that fits precicely. I put a little grey RTV in the transition points between the block and the real oil seal holder / timing chain cover and set the oil seal in place. I put the pan on and start installing the hold down reinforcement plates and the bolts. It takes me 30 minutes to figure out which oil pan bolt holds the transmission line clamp, but I see a witness mark and call it good.
Next is the oil filter adapter. Since this truck is 4WD the front differential would get in the way of the stock mount for the oil filter so this adapter re-locates it to hang parallel to the block at a 45ยบ angle. After reinstalling the threaded plugs with some thread sealant I go to install the adapter and find that there is something with an indentation still in the block. It is the old gasket. I don’t have one in the kit so I have to take a break and grab another one from Auto Zone. I get that installed and put the oil filter on too. I want to be able to fill it with oil and pump up the oil pressure before starting this engine. Last job down here is to insert the oil pan drain bolt.
The bottom is now done I flip the block back over and immediately run into the next problem. I cant find the roller lifter guide hold down adapter. Feeling like some serious work was done this weekend I call it a night and set my brain to think of where the hell that part could be.
