[deadsquiggles]

So the machine shop called about 10 minutes ago. My block is ready for pick up. New crank and bearings, new cam bearings installed, block checked for cracks, checked the align hone, and all ready for pickup and for under $550. Sadly I won’t be able to get it until next week at the earliest. On Sunday, my wife and I found it we were exposed to Covid on Friday. So after getting tested today, it’s isolation until we get results back. Since her and I both still feel fine, we’re obviously hoping for negative results.

 

[deadsquiggles]

Well good news. No ‘Rona here so I’ll be picking up me engine Monday after work.

 

[deadsquiggles]

So I had a big funny moment today. I went to the machine shop after work, all excited and what not, to get my engine back. We decided on honing the cylinders, replacing the cam bearings, checked for cracks, check the align hone, get a new crankshaft with main and rod journals, and install new freeze plugs. So I look it over, paying special attention to the cam bearings, the cylinder hone job, and inspecting the crank and bearings. Put the engine in the car, throw the parts in the back seat, get home and get it back on the stand so I can start taping off for paint. Just as I’m bent over putting the second leg up on the engine stand, I just happened to look over at the block and realize there’s no freeze plugs in it. And of course, I realize this 5 minutes after the machine was closed. To make it worse, when me and the machinist were going over the work on the ticket, he specifically mentioned new freeze plugs. So I guess I’m taking it back to the machine shop tomorrow.

 

[deadsquiggles]

So I traded some labor with my dad. Replaced a coil pack and spark plug on my stepmoms car and he came over to my house with his 2500 and helped me get the truck to the sunny side of the garage. Now that I got out of the mud on that side of the house, I can officially say the truck technically runs, drives and stops. Now that I can move it around, I have the ability to move cars around and put it on concrete to work on it. That’ll make the upcoming brake work and oil change less miserable.

 

[deadsquiggles]

Got my block back today. They square decked it and ended up taking 0.006” off each side. Now to get some paint on it, install the oil gallery plugs. Also gonna order rods and pistons soon. Since I eventually plan on running aluminum heads with 2.02” intake valves, might as well get the pistons now so there’s no need for another rebuild later, and now that I’m gonna get pistons, might as well get better rods that take floating wrist pins. Probably gonna be these:
SCAT Engine Components 2-ICR5955-912 Scat Pro Stock I-Beam Connecting Rods | Summit Racing
Keith Black/KB Pistons KB151-STD Keith Black KB Performance Pistons | Summit Racing

 

[deadsquiggles]

Welp, just placed my order with Summit for the Keith Black pistons, Scat connecting rods, Hastings plasma moly piston rings, and Comp 35-320-8 camshaft.