It's at the Machine Shop
 

I've got a great old timer here local that folks were recommending I take my 305A to. He knows the 305 well but said it's been 15 years since he's done one and was happy to see it.

However, I just got the call. "No parts available". He found some .60 over pistons for $700 but hates to do it cause they only need to go .30 over. Basically trying talk me out of it with a $2000 parts only cost so far. Figure it would total about $4k all in.

Anyway, I already knew the 'no pistons' thing was coming due to the awesome folks on this board that have already run that down. I hadn't been paying that close of attention to the rest of the stuff. My desperate plea is 'does anyone have a source(s) for engine parts'? If I can't get that bill down to something I can sneak past the wife, I'll have a 305A for sale pretty soon and I'll be stuck throwing in a 350 :spinsick:

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Existing pistons are in good shape? Can't resort to cylinder sleeves in order to use std. bore pistons??

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Agree with sleeves and using standard bore pistons - used or new. Doesn't cost much to punch & sleeve 6 holes compared to ditching your V6 and living with the "quilt" of cobbling in a cookie cutter everyday "mouse" engine. :ahhhh:

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Okay, GREAT point. I understood him to be saying he cannot get pistons period other than .60 over's. Let's assume he meant it had to bored so we need to sleeve it for stock. I though I had understood stock pistons weren't available for these...is that not correct?
I had figured I would take him the old ones too...they don't look that bad to me.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

That is what we're trying to say, if the original pistons are in good shape you can sleeve the block, bore sleeves to standard bore, and reuse your original pistons.

Hope this helps.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Yeah, sorry, I see that. For some reason I had in my head you were talking about stock size piston, not original. Weird how my mind works, lol. Anyway, I will be talking with him about it today. The originals look good to me...a 'little' bit of scoring on the skirts but otherwise look fine. We'll see what he says. I'll post updates. Thanks!

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Well that didn't work. He took one piston out of the box and said 'NOPE'. Coincidentally I had my consult with the financial department at the university my son will be attending the same day (sigh).

He estimated that he could get it done for around $4500. I realize that is similar to a new 'built' crate 350 so wouldn't be completely out of the arena of possible engines but I wasn't really in the engine mindset yet anyway. Add that to the fact I can't do it now that I've got a massive college bill to prevent massing student loan debt for the boy...I'm going to have to put the brakes on this for a while.

I will continue to finish the front end and blast/paint the frame and the park it back in the garage for the summer. I'll be looking for maybe some NOS pistons to show up on eBay...? etc. If anyone comes across any and you're not too greedy :helpsign: please let me know.

Thanks all!

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

:banghead::banghead::banghead:
Danged if you can't catch a break! I'm sorry about your pistons. I can tell you that you can probably catch a full engine that comes up for sale and piece together a full set though. They aren't everywhere, but they do come up for sale. I'd ask on the chevvvy boards in the want ads, those nuts pull out 305s like baby teeth to put in 350s. Or you could check with a small machine shop in a town out a ways from a big city. They may be able to make some for you cheaper than $4500 bucks.

I did a search on custom pistons and I don't know anything about making them, but a guy on another forum said they were 800 bucks a set at https://www.jepistons.com/
You might pay more since they'd probably have to take one of yours and build it off the measurements, but once it's done they could make them for any of us.

If it helps, ask them (or whomever you go with) what the number is to drop the cost and post in the market place. If it's not too high, I bet someone else would want a set in backup for the future, especially since they're so hard to find. Collectively we might pull the price down some.

Or, again, just get a used motor when it comes up for $500 and see if you can salvage the pistons.

More piston shops i found online
http://www.bmeltd.com/
https://www.rosspistons.com/
https://www.cp-carrillo.com/pt-3507-pistons.html
https://www.summitracing.com/search/...t-type/pistons
https://www.us.mahle.com/en/motorspo...erpak-pistons/

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

That sucks to hear! If you decide on custom pistons one could bump up the compression some, shouldn't hurt.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Thanks for the tips...will definitely be keeping an eye out for options like that.

Sorry, I wasn't clear on the cost. Yeah, shoot, that may be the exact place he was looking at pistons! He mentioned $800 for custom made from someone. He was just saying that is the most expensive of a list of expensive, hard to find, parts for it and the total would end up (after all parts and machine work) around the $4500 range. No assembly but 'ready to assemble' price basically.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Man that sucks to hear. If you can find a replacement 305A, possibly from one of the forum members here, that'd be the way to go.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

It makes no sense to rebuild a GMC 305 V6. Fixing semi small issues is OK. These motors have virtually no parts left, no one knows anything about them and they are, for the present, available for a low price from non believers. Find a donor, hear it run and/or do a compression test. Check the oil. Keep your old one for the bolt on parts.

An easier option
If you like the truck and not worried about if it has a GMC 305A V6, Drop in a SBC. A SBC is a GM product. Lighter, faster, HEI, parts galore. That wouldn't hurt anything. Gives you the chance for any trans, manual or automatic with OD. Everything fits everything. Don't obsess over a GMC 305 V6. The truck itself is very nice to own.
Change course, be happy.

P.S. I didn't search your posts, so I don't know why you are rebuilding it?????????????

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

'

:ahhhh::machinegun::machinegun:

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

It's the second option man :tiphat: Trying to help the gentleman. Ease his mind and his wallet. A brainstorming session. Inflexibility killed the cat. I didn't say throw out the truck with the motor. :getrdone2:
Waly mentioned it first.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

If you end up replacing your 305, keep your eyes and ears open for a truck engine too (351 v6), it could be easier to find.
It’s a direct fit, although you’ll have to swap your light truck parts (front of engine and bell housing). Then you have a running and larger engine. I’m currently running a 5000 series 351 in my half ton and have another 4000 spare.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Bet the 351 has some added 'git up and go' compared to the 305?

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Hang in there, it seems we are all having some issues. My block stock bore block cannot be used, found a crack, so my replacement block has already gone .030 over and it had a broken piston in it. I have some really nice .040 pistons/triple rings, waiting to hear if I can make it work, might need a sleeve myself. If it needs more than one sleeve, I might punt the football and sell all my bearings/pistons rings and gaskets. Sleeving the cylinder is pretty expensive these days.
Steve

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

I rest my case.....................Fetch. :egyptian:

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Okay, so back to looking at the engine again.

My brother is the engine guy, of the two of us, and he thinks we'd be better off just putting it back together. Having the heads done at the machine shop, get new sleeves/bearing etc. and maybe have the crank turned...but then just put it back together. Which means I would still need to find rings.

The only problem it ever had was the oil pump started squealing right before I tore it down, it was seeping at various gaskets/seals, and there had always been a valve issue with it if the timing wasn't set out of specs (don't ask, I have no idea but clearly something in the heads). It never smoked at all, really it ran great. Kinda back to ticked that I got talked into tearing it apart in the first place now.

Anyway, that's what I think we're going to do. I talked to the machine shop and they're going to do the heads for $150 and would polish the crank for $20, but I was just looking at it and I think it's going to need turned, as it is a bit scored in places.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Great to here, I just finished my 305 and have somethings left from my rebuild.
Machined crank and set of .020/.020 main and rod bearings. Found out my engine was a 1974 305 and took a different main bearing (bigger), so the main bearings are for 60-73 motors.

Good luck with the rebuild. Dont forget to replace the oil pump, I found out there are two different ones to based on the size of the oil mounting bolt. They are NOT interchangeable.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Great to hear, I just finished my 305 and have somethings left from my rebuild.
Machined crank and set of .020/.020 main and rod bearings. Found out my engine was a 1974 305 and took a different main bearing (bigger), so the main bearings are for 60-73 motors.

Good luck with the rebuild. Dont forget to replace the oil pump, I found out there are two different ones too based on the size of the oil mounting bolt. They are NOT interchangeable.

Re: It's at the Machine Shop
 

Thanks tbucket! I will PM you about your left overs :) . I am going to pass it on to my brother so he can tell me what exactly we are going to need first but I'll hit you up.

I definitely have the oil pump on my list since that was the one thing I was worried about before. Thanks for the heads up, I will get the specs off the original to verify.