Topic: cant get engine to run

[83crawler]

Hey guys i need some help with my motor.  Over the last few months i have been building up my truck to get it road worthy again.  what's going on is, that i have an 83 SR5 with a brand new crate engine that i had built at NAPA.  It is an 83 block with a new cast head. everything in the head except th cam is new.  I took this cam out of my last engine that i put in the truck, the guy that I bought it from said he was sure it was from North west off road or NWOR.  The last motor that i had got was a good deal and I threw it in and it ran but I wanted something newer.BLaBlaBla. So when the new motor was put to gether I had it put in thinking there was no need for buying a new one.  Also I have an offenhauser c-series intake and a slightly used Webber 38 outlaw carb and a brand new distributer. As far as the bottom end goes, it has flat top high compression pistons im sure the crank is new.  When i put the motor back in I cleaned everything.  The motor was bought as a long block so I bolted everything on it my self.  HOWEVER THE ASPIRATION WAS A  HOLLY 500(not sure though) AND AN OFFENHAUSER DUEL PORT INTAKE TO BEGIN WITH .  With this on the engine it did not seem to run well.  I came to believe after some research that this was too much air and fuel going into the motor. So I purchased the current intake and carb that i have now. Also i have a newer radiator, hoses, and thermostat. I think this is everything i can list about the specs to give you guys an idea of what I have going here.

Now what's happening is that after I start it up, it seems to run OK. But as it heats up its seems to get tight almost as if it were about to seize up.  But i have always shut it off before i thought it would or it sputtered and shook violently then died. I have checked to see if I have oil pressure it does so i am sure the oil pump is working fine.

If there is anything!!!!!! that someone might know to make it run right let me know.  there is too many things to type about one here so ask questions and i can fill you in on what i have tried to do to make it run. Or what ever I might of left out about what I have done to the engine or anything else

Tomarrow I will double check to make sure it is not the water pump and i will run it without the themostat.   
now keep in mind that it only runs for maby 2-3 minutes at the most before it gets really hot and wants to die. And the only things not new on the motor are the cam, the carb, (which is in great condition and does not leakany fuel) and vale cover. If you get my point.

please let me know of any ideas

IF I CANT GET IT FIGGURED OUT I AM GOING TO TAKE IT TO A SHOP I KNOW AND HAVE THEM GO THROUGH IT HOWEVER THIS IS A LAST RESORT AS IT WILL COST ME $65 AN HOUR UNTIL THEY GET IT TO RUN RIGHT OR TELL ME IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT BUT I HOPE NOT.

EMAIL: RHODES.RYAN@COMCAST.NET

PHONE: HOME 1-360-435-6698

CELL: 1-360-631-6217

THANKS: RYAN

[83crawler [OP]]

sorry this post should be in the engine/drivetrain/suspension section but if anyone knows anybody with knowledge  if you send them to this post that would be great.

THAKS AGAIN.

[CTENG in KS]

Well, while you are putzing with your thermostat and such, check all your coolant lines.  Possibly there is something kinked, bent, squeezed where it shouldn't be?  Also take a few minutes and check your electrical connections, especially your grounds, they'll get ya every time.  Is it possible that you have a blockage or something in your new radiator?  Do you have an old one hanging around you could throw in there to test with?  Did you use gaskets or sealant on the hardline flanges?  If sealant, could they have gotten blocked up?

[79coyotefrg]

are you sure your timing is  dead on??  cam timing?? all new engines will get warm quik,  how hot  is it getting??   do you have water flow thru the radiator??

[CTENG in KS]

On a seperate train of thought, it could be external drag on the engine.  Have you checked your belts and pulleys?  Is anything sticking or hard to turn that might be causing the engine to work too hard?

Edit:  What about your trnsmission?  You sure the tranny is going into neutral while you idle?  Clutch problem dragging on the engine?  When it starts to die is it at idle in neutral?  Try standing on the clutch pedal as it is dying to see if that relieves the pressure on the engine.

[Willy Mammoth]

You say the engine is getting tight when it gets hot. Does the engine turn free after it dies while it is still hot. Pull plugs and turn by hand, you should be able to turn by hand. If not you could have a clearance issue with piston to cyl wall not being enough. Does it have forged pistons? They need a little more clearance to allow for expansion.

Also ring end gap is important too.

How much end play do you have on the crank?

It is hard to tell exactly what the problem could be without seeing it in person.

[83crawler [OP]]

The radiator was fine with the last two motors. And it stayed in a clean dry place until it was ready to get putted backed in.  Also the coolant lines are fine and brand new and not binded up.  But I am not sure what you mean about the hard line flanges.  but i don't think its the cooling system causing this.

Also I think what is going on with it is internally like with the pistons or rings.  I will try running it will pushing in the clutch and see if there is a difference in how it runs.

I don't know to much about the pistons and the spec ts on the rings or the crank.  I will got into NAPA and ask them about the exact specs on the motor.  But i have a feeling they will piss me off. I've had issues with them before. 

I should of just rebuilt the darn thing!!!

[83crawler [OP]]

Also a quick question, what exactily is the crank end play? Sounds dumb I know.

[Duffil]

Also a quick question, what exactily is the crank end play? Sounds dumb I know.

front-to-back movement of the crank.

[83crawler [OP]]

Hey guys, me and some friends spent some time with the carb and timing and got it running great, but still need to do some adjusting on the valves and it should be done besides break in time and re-torking the head.  don't worry though i will post later on what kind of condition the truck is in.  after this it gets paint,regeared, and bumpers then it will be don for now.

Thanks again for your help.