1990 Shorty Project.

[1Gary]

Yeah you can change that seal in vehicle.The seal remover for the top haft looks something like a flexible cork screw.

[rjfalski]

My short block builder is an hour away so it's difficult to go back an forth, but he's been very helpful with suggestions and trying to diagnose from afar. He'd asked me what kind of PCV valve I have. I told him it's one of those chrome ones from the local auto parts store...He said those gadgets sometimes don't work at all and could be causing the issue. So what my next step is to get an actual PCV Valve and propper grommet and see what happens. His explanation was since the engine rings haven't set yet, the crank case could be pressurising and blowing oil out..

Cause if ya think about it, it makes sense. At start up, oil pressure is at its highest at close to 60 psi.but it doesn't leak imediately. It doesn't actually start leaking until it gets warmed up. And who knows what the crank case pressure can get up to...

I'll post my progress.

[1Gary]

Yep-that is one thing that could make sense.I bought one of those dye kits for coolant leaks off a help section at a local auto parts store.Your right, they have a oil dye for oil leaks too.The black light in the smaller kit kind of sucks through.I would suggest if your going to get one,buy the larger kit.Not a bad thing as a tool for your tool box.It can cover coolant,oil,and A/C.

[rjfalski]

Ok, here's the deal...

Oil pan still leaked and my thought was the only way to determine what was leaking after viewing all possible locations, I tore the S$%it apart one more time....I truly thought of just redoing the oil pan one more time, but fellas at work said, "It's got to be the main seal" so with hesitation, I tore into it. Upon my dis assembly, I found the seal to be offset and in the correct direction. However, my concern is the roughness on the crank at the seal location...it appears to me that its pitted and either sat too long and sort of rusted to the seal and initial start up wore it right down.

Any comments and or thoughts would be greatly appreciated..I've sent the pictures to the engine builder to ask him his recomendation......i cleaned up the crank with some metal polish and face cloth...took off most of what looks to be burnt rubber but it still seems pitted to me.

[doyoulikeithere]

Ewww, Thats not good news, pretty hard to seal against that.

[1Gary]

I suggest taking it back to the builder.It's their mistake to correct.

[Smiliesafari]

I know this is not the answer you were looking for but regardless of the amount of work involved that area needs to be repaired. You will never get a good seal if you don't get it fixed.

[rjfalski]

I'm sure you are absolutely right! However, as the timing isn't the greatest as I'm moving in the next week. So my though was this: What could I possibly do to make an attempt at temporarily fixing this...Off set seal and some elbow grease and polish....I guess what else do I have to lose? The alternative is engine R&R and I just don't have the time to do it at this point.

So below is how it turned out. And this is I did...I found a Fel-pro 2912 off set seal and "borrowed" a polish kit from work. I spent hours doing this. I cuts small strips of sandpaper beginning at 400 grit and fed the strip up and around the crank and started going back and forth. 100 swipes of the paper, then turn the crank a third and with a new piece the same thing. I did this until the crank made one complete revolution. After the 400 grit, it was to 600, then 800, then 1200 then 1800, then 2400 then, 3600, then 4000 then 8000. there was a 12000 grit piece in the kit and I just took that and smeard some Flitz metal polish on that to finish it up.

Then it was a can of break clean to remove any contaminates. With the new seal, you can see where the lips ride now compared to where the other ones were. I followed the seal instructions and it was quite easy to install once I got to this point. I also put some grease on it, shot some engine oil on the main bearing and put it back tothether.

Tell you one thing, I've learned alot and have gotten quite good at doing stuff on my back...But none-the-less, it totally sucked...No doubt about that

I just want to know what caused that in the first place. Next will be an Engine R&R...FU#k

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Looks good to me...Reminds me of the thread "You know you love your van when..."

[rjfalski]

All,
It's been way too long since I've posted...many things have happened since last posting...For one, retired from the USAFR with 25 years of service...(11 total active duty years and too many trips to the middle east) moved into a new house and went on vacation for 10 days in the caribbean...

So now that I've come back to reality, I can tell you some good news about the repair I did on the rear main seal...After driving it around for a few miles, it stopped leaking. Unless all of it ran out, it's holding fast...didn't want to have a leaker in my new driveway.

Not sure how to address the next issue, but it seems to have a mis-fire of some kind....with my little knowledge of engines, what is the best way to attack it...more specifically, where to start? Any ideas...

[doyoulikeithere]

I've heard that these vans have a tendency to misfire, and often it is either the bad cap/rotor, or it is the wires arcing or both.

Plan A: I would suggest a great way to start would be to buy a new cap/rotor, wires/plugs. Ive heard the cheap ones are not the answer. for wires or cap. The cheapies just end up misfiring again soon. get the better quality, some insist on Delco brand, I dont. I finally bit the bullet and got good quality wires and cap and it stopped my misfire ever since.
Plan B: I guess if your rich & retarded, you could drive up to any GM dealership and let them hook up some fancy computer device that looks impressive to some, and costs you about 250 bux an hour. Then you could bend over & smile while they sell you some wires, a cap, plugs etc for at least 250 bux, then another 300 to install them.

I like plan A better. You?

[97CargoCrawler]

You don't need to be rich or retarded to find a repair shop that has the diagnostic computer that will give you the entire misfire history for each cylinder. You might find a mechanic who will check the history for a small fee or for free since it takes all but 30 seconds. I'd try the cap and rotor first since that's like $30 tops. New wires and plugs can be quite costly. Check the resistance of the wires and inspect the plugs.

Good Luck!

[MountainManJoe]

some insist on Delco brand, I dont.

What do you get?

[doyoulikeithere]

some insist on Delco brand, I dont.

What do you get?

I used Bosch Premium last time.

You could check the resistance, but it wont tell you if the insulation is failed, only if the conductor inside it is failing.
Sometimes you can look under the doghouse at the engine bay, in the dark, and actually see where your old or dirty wires are arcing.
If wire leak/arcing is one of the problems, an ohmmeter wont give you any clue of that, and its the #1 most common problem i've come across re: misfires.

[rjfalski]

Thanks for the info....However, I guess I should have indicated what I put in it first vs. assuming someone reading the entire thread. The 350 is a fresh rebuild - I put it all together and bypassed the ecm totally because I went old school for simplicity (ie. 1 fuel line and 1 positive battery connection). Ive got an Edlebrock Performer Manifold with an Edlebrock 600 cfm carb. For the Electronics, I put an MSD HEI Distributor in it. With plug wires I got from Autozone...not sure which ones they were, I think I used Accel plug wires.