Well just picked up this truck last week, finally giving it some attention this weekend. Its a 98 1500 Sport 189k 318 Auto 4x4 Regular Cab shorty, which I've always wanted one for a build/toy instead of have a sxs or something. PO states it was burning oil and when the water pump started leaking he just parked it and bought a different truck. Been sitting probably 3 years he said, which is the last time it was licensed. Surprisingly i dropped a battery in and it fire up like it ran yesterday. With a signature blue huff out the exhaust so no lie about burning oil, suspecting valve guide seals and/or plenum plate.

Pictures to come, has a nice aftermarket functioning ram air hood, somehow a mint perfect dash ( probably until i try and wipe it off) decent seats. Relatively nice interior besides being really dirty and smoked in. He threw in a nice cam he had and a new rear bumper

 

Initial plans are a nice daily driver and off-road setup. Do the water pump and drive it see how the oil consumption is and go from there. Then get into the modding. Yesterday i performed a compression test and had 155-165 on all 8 cylinders. Not sure what good is on these. My book shows 100psi minimum spec so it doesn't seem to bad in my opinion the plugs in it had almost a .060" gap, there was some electrode left but instead of re-gapping I just threw in 8 new plugs and new wires since half the connections pulled apart removing them.

 

Compression numbers are indeed good. That would imply that you oil burning is NOT the rings. Which is REALLY good.

Considering the wear on the plugs, I would have a look at the cap, and rotor as well. Yeah, I know, not the easiest things to work on..... but, I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't just as worn as the plugs.

 

Yea i have a whole tune plan in my rock auto shopping cart but with having the plugs out yesterday decide to drop in the new ones was easier now and i needed wires since have of them pulled apart. Anyway yes new rotor and cap are in the works, as well as everything else mention. Ill just save the cap n rotor for when i do the plenum plate since itll be alot easier. I am leaning towards installing that cam as well since i feel i have a solid block/rotating assembly underneath me so good time for cap in rotor. Is the dizzy/drive assembly a week point, doing a new cam should i replace that as well or atleast the drive gear? It appears to be a used cam so I feel new lifters/dizzy drive are probably not any big difference at this point and not wirth the investment. Although I do sometimes think i hear a lifter tic

At this point i think im going to yank the heads off one of my pallet motors and port n polish ect do the valve springs and all in them and then swap em out. Id like to get some shorty headers also and i can already hear the manifold bolts snapping off.....

I gave it a little bath this afternoon and a vacuum i was out of interior wipes so the dash will live another day yet





Started some aesthetical mods, roll bar push bar, tried adjusting the hood but looks like its just gonna be a poor fitting fiberglass hood, got the new sport bumper to put on yet also

 

Also in the works will be rims and tires, eventually paint after i decide on a rust repair plan of attack, rebuild the steering and deciding if i want any more lift, its got 33s on it now with a front spacer, was kinda leaning towards 35s, kinda waiting to see if my 15s can clear the brakes on these, they fit my 94 ok

Engine mods are still open. PO stated it has a bored out throttle body im unsure how much or how to tell exactly what it is, cold air intake unsure yet probably stay stock to utilize this ram air hood, still learning about the intake manifold mods that are out there, headers, already has dual exh, tuner, The included cam is P4532635/70-29-01

Adv. Duration - (intake/exhaust) 260/264
Center Line - 109
Lift - .458/.467

probably use it since i have but might research whats out tere

 

Sounds like a solid plan. Just be aware that depending on how mild that can is you will need another tune. I am jealous of that bull bar though lol

 

Subscribed. It’s already a nice looking truck! Good luck!

 

yea a tuner is definitely in the plans sooner then later, haven't really got that far yet but everyone seems to say SCT from hemifever but they're also 12 year old posts is he still about doing tuning?

 

When I contacted him I got no response back. I am going to use Flyin Ryan and he was nice and got back to me within 2 hours. I contacted him through Facebook

 

Sounds like a plan then. I feel i tried reaching out to hemifever awhile back with my 4.7 looking for tuning with no response as you say, but I cant remember for certain.