- Joined
- Aug 30, 2021
- Posts
- 64
- Reaction score
- 29
- Location
- Florida
- Ram Year
- 90 W150,ShortBed/87 Ramcharger 2WD project
- Engine
- W150 318,4bbl,auto4x4 VGC/ 87 Ramcharger 318/904 VGC
Its full blow riding season here for a while till the temps get to high.
I had bought a parts truck a month ago, a low milage 1987 W150 318, automatic, short bed. I cut the roof off it to fix my truck. It was a real shame to cut up a decent truck. But I had run out of options.
Anyway it had a 318 truck engine showing 52K miles. I talked with the owner, he had bought the truck new. I just got around to pulling the engine, pulled it apart. Found it had been apart once before and rebuilt. So I'm questioning the mileage. Found it had been bored out, a plus I think. Its 0.030 over with stock looking flat top pistons. The heads looked stock. I pulled the camshaft and found the first journal was galled. From high heat ? lack of oil, I couldn't check oil pressure the engine wasn't complete. There was no signs of pitting on the cam anywhere. So I continued to pull it apart. Dropped the pan and found a swinging oil pump pickup tube. This thing was hanging by a thread, who ever rebuilt the engine didn't make sure the pickup was tight. I still add a tack weld if I have doudts. But this engine was so close to going without oil. But slowly eating its self up with a oil pressure issue. I'm willing to bet they chased this problem for quite a while, and didn't figure it out. So they parked the truck.
Just a reminder to cover the simple stuff and the hard stuff will fall into place. Don't be in a hurry.
Ken
I had bought a parts truck a month ago, a low milage 1987 W150 318, automatic, short bed. I cut the roof off it to fix my truck. It was a real shame to cut up a decent truck. But I had run out of options.
Anyway it had a 318 truck engine showing 52K miles. I talked with the owner, he had bought the truck new. I just got around to pulling the engine, pulled it apart. Found it had been apart once before and rebuilt. So I'm questioning the mileage. Found it had been bored out, a plus I think. Its 0.030 over with stock looking flat top pistons. The heads looked stock. I pulled the camshaft and found the first journal was galled. From high heat ? lack of oil, I couldn't check oil pressure the engine wasn't complete. There was no signs of pitting on the cam anywhere. So I continued to pull it apart. Dropped the pan and found a swinging oil pump pickup tube. This thing was hanging by a thread, who ever rebuilt the engine didn't make sure the pickup was tight. I still add a tack weld if I have doudts. But this engine was so close to going without oil. But slowly eating its self up with a oil pressure issue. I'm willing to bet they chased this problem for quite a while, and didn't figure it out. So they parked the truck.
Just a reminder to cover the simple stuff and the hard stuff will fall into place. Don't be in a hurry.
Ken
