87 GW engine refresh

Stock FSJ Tech Area

Topic author
Cheapthrills
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Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:09 am
Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

Well got the carb and been driving it for about a week now... she sounds good minus the hole in the exhaust... I forgot how anemic these things are... makes me scratch my head on what I was thinking rebuilding it. But I'm happy she drives

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)

letank
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: SF bay area

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by letank »

Cheapthrills wrote:Well got the carb and been driving it for about a week now... she sounds good minus the hole in the exhaust... I forgot how anemic these things are... makes me scratch my head on what I was thinking rebuilding it. But I'm happy she drivesImage

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)
good to read, but the late 80's are usually with 2.80ish gearing, which is rather dull... with standard tires 3.54 is a lot better... even 3.31 is a good kick...
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

weeegoneeer
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Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2017 10:34 am

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by weeegoneeer »

Second that - the move from 2:73 to 3:31 was noticable. Still not screemin, but much better from a stop.

I do think the tow package from the late 80's may have had 3:31s still tho?

Glad to hear you're up and running cheapthrills - sounds like it's been a ride!
1984 GW

Topic author
Cheapthrills
Posts: 632
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:09 am
Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

letank wrote:
Cheapthrills wrote:Well got the carb and been driving it for about a week now... she sounds good minus the hole in the exhaust... I forgot how anemic these things are... makes me scratch my head on what I was thinking rebuilding it. But I'm happy she drivesImage

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)
good to read, but the late 80's are usually with 2.80ish gearing, which is rather dull... with standard tires 3.54 is a lot better... even 3.31 is a good kick...
weeegoneeer wrote:Second that - the move from 2:73 to 3:31 was noticable. Still not screemin, but much better from a stop.

I do think the tow package from the late 80's may have had 3:31s still tho?

Glad to hear you're up and running cheapthrills - sounds like it's been a ride!
This wagon has 3 31s already. But yea she is doing good. I think personally that it's the intake, it's super flat. Holley street dominator.
It just doesn't have much "get up and go"

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)

letank
Posts: 4009
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: SF bay area

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by letank »

Cheapthrills wrote:This wagon has 3 31s already. But yea she is doing good. I think personally that it's the intake, it's super flat. Holley street dominator.
It just doesn't have much "get up and go"

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)
sure at 6000' our engine are a bit flat... try to bump the timing up... in Ouray I cranked it to 23 degrees BTDC
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

Topic author
Cheapthrills
Posts: 632
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:09 am
Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

letank wrote:
Cheapthrills wrote:This wagon has 3 31s already. But yea she is doing good. I think personally that it's the intake, it's super flat. Holley street dominator.
It just doesn't have much "get up and go"

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)
sure at 6000' our engine are a bit flat... try to bump the timing up... in Ouray I cranked it to 23 degrees BTDC
I'll try it and see what happens

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)

Topic author
Cheapthrills
Posts: 632
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:09 am
Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

So I put a 1inch spacer under the carb and it became a whole new animal.. but now I need to put a new throttle cable bracket, it makes the throttle cable just a bit too short.


87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)

Topic author
Cheapthrills
Posts: 632
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:09 am
Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

Well I started to tear down the engine I pulled that had the nasty tick I mentioned in the beginning of this thread, just to see what the culprit was...

While it sounded like a lifter on the Driver side bank, the sound was prominent in the valve cover/head... I pulled the heads and there sounds like a peace of tin in side the head have yet to figure out what it is though.

87 grand Wagoneer mostly stock
90 grand Wagoneer (stalled 5.3 project)
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babywag
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Location: Land of Fruit Loops & Coconuts

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by babywag »

i’ve found wire inside several amc heads, think it’s part of/left over from casting process. of course could be anything on old car. i’ve found some weird stuff inside engines.
-Tony
'88 GW (aka Babywag)

Topic author
Cheapthrills
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Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

Grrr
Last edited by Cheapthrills on Thu Mar 07, 2019 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Topic author
Cheapthrills
Posts: 632
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Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

So update on this..... IM STUPID

After fighting with emissions with several trips to the mechanic with infrared machine (the emmisions place puts it on a dyno..... we got to breaking down everythig i did to the engine and how i did it....
I didnt install f@#$%!g piston rings correctly. The book didnt say anything and there wher no destructions with the rings......

Super high CO
the limit is 30.0 and im at 84.8
Rejetted the carb 32 times with new springs and metering rods, new cat ... yada yada yada.

She runs pretty good though

One more try in emissions place and if it dont pass im gonna pull my hair out then im gonna have it launched on the next space x flight

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SJTD
Posts: 1924
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Location: Lompoc, Sunland or somewhere between

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by SJTD »

What did you that was incorrect?
Sic friatur crustulum

'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.

Topic author
Cheapthrills
Posts: 632
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:09 am
Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

SJTD wrote:What did you do incorrectly?
The rings where not faced, there is a top and bottom side to each ring (the rings are tappered) marked with a dot (dot to the top i guess) i didnt see that.

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Topic author
Cheapthrills
Posts: 632
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:09 am
Location: Sedalia colorado

Re: 87 GW engine refresh

Post by Cheapthrills »

Sold it... makes me sad

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