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I received my short block today. I've overhauled atleast 200 sbc but never a 2.8. Are there any weird things that I could miss? special oil passages? bolt holes that go directly into a oil passage? Also would a high volume oil pump be a good thing or a waste of money and extra hp to turn it? I have a manual and will read it but wanted the tip that the book might miss...

I rebuilt my 2.8L, but it was years ago. After the rebuild, I had a little incident where the bolt on the cam gear came loose and the cam popped out the back of the motor. DOH! I had just pulled of the freeway, and at that same moment that the motor died, 5th gear siezed up in my tranny which had been completely rebuilt a few years prior. That incident paved the way for the future V8 and NP435. Anyway, make sure to lock-tite that cam gear!

The other problem I ended up having was no oil getting to the top end. The rockers we're literally running dry. I never figured out where exactly the stoppage was, but I believe one of the cam bearings may have spun blocking oil flow. I think I also read that there can be an issue with the little plate(thrust?) at the front of the cam that lets all your oil pressure out. No oil to the top end is a common problem with 2.8L.

A few years later I broke a lifter which resulted in stripped distributor gear, or vise versa. That was a result of a high rpm assult to pass a semi while going uphill.

I wouldn't bother with a high volume pump. I put one on my 2.8L and I don't think there was any benefit.

I wish you all the luck with that 2.8L, but in the end there's no replacement for displacement. I sure loved having that V8 and NP435!

I also noticed that the large plate just behind the cam gear has a small slot on each side ? Any idea, it looks weird. I assume a gasket would cover those up?

I think those slots are supposed to be there. I think there is just something associated with that area that can cause a problem. It was too long ago, so I don't remember the specifics. Ranger5.0 probably knows.

Not sure if you've seen this

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_li ... mance.html

Also when you put the front timing cover assembly on, make sure you use an alignment tool on the crank, otherwise you'll bleed oil all over the place.

Dug these up from the old forum

http://www.broncoii4x4.com/cgi-bin/yabb ... 1044848495

http://www.broncoii4x4.com/cgi-bin/yabb ... 1037410897

Thanks, thats some good reading. I will watch the oil passages for sure. At least I'm using a remanufactured engine which is clean with no stopped up passages. the heads are freshly done too. I may need new rockers tho??

I haven't torn into a bottem end. Most of the engines I used were out of already running rigs.(they were cheaper than a rebuild) I only had one fail in the top end due to lack of oil. But for 200 bucks I got my moneys worth out of beating the truck up and managed to run it home while it started to lose pushrods and drop cylinders. The bottem ends are pretty bullet proof though. Sorry for the lack of help.