Since my last post in December, I completely disassembled the short block and took all the parts and pieces to a local machine shop. They planed the deck, bored the cylinders, machined the crank and cam, and fitted new pistons and rings. I reassembled the entire engine myself and installed it back inside the truck.
Today was a red-letter day. I stomped on the starter and she turned over like nobody's business. I don't have the fuel lines hooked up yet, but after 2+ years of working on this truck, it's exciting just to hear the motor turn.
I also performed a compression test today prior to the actual start-up. My gauge registered 165 to 170 psi at each of the six cylinders. That's a vast improvement over the original compression values (80 to 130 psi)! I'm surprised the compression readings are this high. The engine spec says 130 psi (min). Is this normal? Can I expect the numbers to drop significantly after the rings are slightly worn, or will the numbers stay high as a result of modern equipment and machining? If the rated horsepower on the engine is 145 HP, does higher compression mean I get more horsepower? If so, how much?
Another week or two and I should be ready to actually start this thing. Sweet!
