gwpfan

Before I leave - Noticed a slight howling noise a few weeks ago when I would turn my wheel on a slight right turn while driving ~60 mph. Didn't think much of it, tire noise, they're worn. So I get new tires and don't notice the noise for awhile, but driving home from work while driving straight the night before I am leaving for the trip I hear it again. Check driver front wheel and thought lug nuts were loose, nope, entire wheel was loose. Got home and found that the spindle nut had come loose and the innermost spring on my warn hub and the flare on the inner part of the body assembly had been slightly eaten and ate into the aluminum just a bit, grease was aluminum gray. Rush and call all over and all I could get was new wheel bearings and seals. They give me the wrong bearings, but by the time I figure it out everything is closed. Had the races removed and seal and the inner new race fit just fine, screw it, inner bearing looked fine anyway, but outer just had a few score marks. Cleaned everything up and re-installed it, minus spring and got it working. Figured worst case scenario one wheel won't go out of 4WD w/o spring, but figure inertia would eventually get it out. Threw all needed tools in truck and rest of hunting gear and went to bed a 2AM and got up at 4:30AM. Made 800 mile trip, one way, just fine and 4WD worked fine, I definitely had to put it to use.

Trip Home - about 70 miles from home and some left laner won't get over, find an opening and really punch it to make the hole shot. A few miles later I notice in my side mirrors what seems to be excessive dust in the headlights of the cars behind me, took a bit but realized my truck was smoking like mad. Pull over and all I can find is my PCV had blown out of the header/valve cover? and I lost a quart of oil according to the dipstick. Reinstall PCV and dang a quart makes a mess and takes a long time to burn off! Just take it easy on the drive home hoping to not start on fire. Noticed at stop lights and very low speeds truck is running rough and acting like it is going to die, add some throttle and all seems fine. Paranoid I blew my engine, but after talking to a buddy he suspects I am not firing correctly and my plug wires are shorting out on the oil. Hopefully that is what is wrong, but damn a hell of a trip so far and I'll be working on the truck today, along with cutting and wrapping my elk, busy day....

gwpfan

Well looks like a worn out piston/blown rings on #5. I'll try to post pics of the plug, but after changing plugs, oil, pcv and pcv gasket it still runs rough and knocks at idle.

How long can I potentially run like this?

What would a replacement/repair cost roughly?

Since I am in this predicament I may be willing to 'upgrade' the engine, what would you suggest?

Daily driver so I can't have her down long - >191,000 miles w/no major problems until now.

TIA

7700SCREW

Give us some info on your truck!!! What motor?
Congratulations on the elk!!

gwpfan

Oh sorry, I thought I had enough in my signature, but it is a 302 automatic & thanks.

7700SCREW

If I was you I would get a good junk yard 302 and swap it in! When you take the motor from the junkyard ask if they will leave the engine harness connected! Makes the swap so much easier! Then tell them they can have your old motor and harness if they will knock some off the cost. Or if u want your old engine tell them you'll remove your harness from it and give it to them so you may not have to pay for the new engine harness.

gwpfan

Oh to only have a bit more time and tools - cherry picker mainly, oh and a spare car, that would likely save a lot of $...

Wife's trying to talk me into getting a new ride, maybe I'll have to get a cheap commuter so I can work on the truck and not have to have it running by the next morning!

7700SCREW

Well there isn't any quick fixes for internal engine problems. And if your thinking of paying someone to do the work for you it's going to end up costing more then the trucks worth.

gwpfan

That's what I was worried about. Figured I could justify a few grand, but if that's the case the few grand may be better spent on a different vehicle.

gwpfan

Plugs were sidegapped at 0.50, had almost 30K miles on them. In anther 3.5K the replacements were due.