I only had the one longer rod on the passenger side when I pulled my engine....Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Casey
Printable View
I only had the one longer rod on the passenger side when I pulled my engine....Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Casey
The IFS front ends only use one rod.....Diffy is in the way of the other one....
Making progress!
Rebuilt transmission and transfer case installed:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3c4e911c_b.jpg
And then my helper (my 11 year old son) and I worked on getting the engine stabbed back in:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...71e5a1a5_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7aa42801_b.jpg
Success!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0520d72b_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1c7bae69_b.jpg
My son was a great help; he operated the engine hoist and the floor jack while I was underneath lining everything up. He's an awesome worker.
Won't be too much longer now.
Casey
Looking great.....Having that extra pair of hands is such a big help...
Looking good, and you're so close! It's great that your son is taking an interest.
I like that you removed the passenger side wheel well liner. That'll make getting the electrical and the turbo installed easier. Looks cold outside your garage! Was 67 degrees here today, but that won't last long. ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
I'm so grateful to have a son who loves all things mechanical! He'd rather be outside or working in the shop than be stuck inside watching TV.
Removing the inner fender makes life so much easier - whether it's replacing glow plugs, working on the turbo, or working on the exhaust, it's a no-brainer for me. I can literally have the fender out in less than 10 minutes.
It was chilly this weekend in SW Missouri. Lows in the upper 20's and highs in the upper 40's. It was 65 today and will be 70 tomorrow. The temps have been a roller coaster for about 2 weeks now. But mostly what you're seeing are dirty windows! :D
Casey
Of all the parts I had to order for this project, one of the items that I am most excited about is a brand-new, aftermarket replacement wire harness for the injection pump circuit:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1bc932a2_b.jpg
The original harness was in awful shape. After 26 years and nearly 380K miles, the plastic connectors had become brittle and were breaking apart:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...169167cb_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b167165d_b.jpg
A completely rebuilt engine will do me no good if the wiring harness that controls the fuel delivery system is worn out. I feel this will provide a lot of trouble-free service in the coming years:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4d01d904_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a3358321_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...931c03d7_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...aab76cc7_b.jpg
I'm very pleased with the fit and finish of this harness.
Casey
Do yourself a favor and get a can of spay tuner cleaner with oil or us some dielectric grease when you assemble those'
That new harness looks nice! Where'd you get it?
I had a couple of take-off IP harnesses that I got from Peninsular back in the late 1990s. I didn't need to use them with my 6.5 project, but they are a great resource considering the dwindling supply, and a great backup. Luckily, all of the Blazer's original harness connectors were in pretty good shape.
And, I agree with A5150 about the electrical cleaner/lube. I bought a spray can of electrical cleaner and a can of silicone spray from NAPA to allow the connectors to be clean and go together easier. They do get brittle over time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Here:
https://quadstartuning.com/collectio...nt=41414604242
Casey
4:30 pm yesterday (Sunday) afternoon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPMMtMAyQmo
After getting the radiator installed and topping off all fluids, I cranked the engine over without the glow plugs in order to circulate the oil and to also help bleed the air out of the fuel injection system. It didn't take long before there was a decent puff of fuel vapor coming from each cylinder.
I then installed the glow plugs without hooking up the wires. I cranked it over again to see how it would turn over under compression, and to my surprise, it acted like it wanted to start! I then hooked up the glow plug circuit wiring, and she fired immediately and then stalled. Just a little more cranking, and she came to life! One of the easiest first starts I've ever had.
Now I just need to install the exhaust down pipe, the inner fender, grille, bumper, hood, and finish up the air cleaner setup, and she'll be ready for a road test.
Casey
Getting that harness is a real plus for sure.
When I did the engine in Dahooooley I was able to find a NOS delco harness off of ebay.
Definitely provides peace of mind....
Looking good..
Very nice Casey! All the hard work is paying off! Can’t wait to see the next video of you driving it! :-)
Great job! The enthusiasm from your son is priceless. The engine sounds great.Quote:
Originally Posted by arveetek
It's always with a little trepidation that I look beneath the vehicle for leaks and such... ;)
Thanks guys!
I got it on the road about 9 pm last night, and drove it to work this morning. I'm still a bit nervous, but everything seems to be working well. I accidentally overfilled the transmission, so it's burping a bit of fluid out, but other than that, so far so good!
And holy cow, that new turbo is crazy! Driving without the hood on last night the turbo whine was almost obnoxious! With the hood on it's much quieter, but I can still hear the turbo the whole time I'm driving. Very nice! I've already gotten it to 15 psi with little effort. The old GM-4 maxed out at 13 psi under heavy load.
More updates soon!
Casey
Any chance you could hook up a compression tester and take it on a drive to see what your compression is at 15psi with the Hx35w? I am very curious to see those numbers.
Combustion pressure will wreck a compression tester.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2INSANE
?????!
Great job.....
Worth the time and effort for sure....
The engine is running great, but it appears my transmission guy supplied me with the wrong torque converter. It appears I received a TC for a gasoline application; my stall speed is around 2500 RPM! I noticed during my initial test drive that it seemed to take a lot of throttle and RPM to get moving. I first attributed it to the fact that I hadn't driven the vehicle in 4 months, and had gotten used to driving a little Volvo wagon and forgotten what it was like to drive my diesel. However, I finally realized I had a much higher stall speed than before.
There seems to be some confusion on torque converters for the 4L80E... most parts catalogs list the same part number for both gas and diesel versions. However, I did finally find a parts listing that showed low stall and high stall options. The low stall is 1600-1800 for diesels and big blocks and the high stall is 2200-2400 rpm for everything else.
My transmission guy is willing to replace the torque converter. My question: can anyone recommend a good, high-quality performance low-stall torque converter? If I'm going to have to pull the tranny again, might as well do it right once and for all.
I'm wishing now I had pressed this issue further, but I trusted my transmission guy. He's done great work for me in the past, and specializes in GM racing transmissions. But, I don't think he's had too many diesel transmissions come through his shop.
Casey
Guy likely grabbed a converter for a 3/4 ton with a 5.7 gasser.
That is not a good thing.
Buttttttttttttttt....you can yank the Tranny and T case back out and down....The swap in the correct one.
A pain in the butt after all the work.....
If you don't pull heavy with it....It should be OK....JUST GOING TO RUN A BIT DIFFERENT.
Where does the lockup clutch apply ???
Should be at about 45-50 MPH AT MODERATE/LIGHT THROTTLE
Lock up occurs where it did before, about 55 mph; this is with 3.42 gears and 33" tires, so it's a bit higher lockup speed than stock due to the oversized tires. However, there is about a 500 to 600 rpm difference when locked up, which is much more than before.
I pull my 21' camper, so the high lockup will be quite annoying when it's not locked up; probably will hurt the MPG department as well.
I see Transtar makes an upgraded TC for the diesel for a decent price. I'll see if my tranny guy will order that for me.
To his defense, I looked up where he sourced his converter, and they only list one converter for both gas and diesel. I'm not sure why that it is, but if you go to Rock Auto, they also show the same thing....
I spent so much time and effort focused on the engine building, I slipped up and assumed my transmission guy would put in the same kind of effort.
Casey
Monster Transmission is good too
I always use a local tranny converter rebuilder.
If you are using this rig to tow...Get a converter that has the low stall, welded or brazed blades in pump and the turbine.
Be sure to get a heavy service lockup clutch.
For the amount of work involved...stay away from the parts houses and online stores.
Go to a reputable converter rebuilder and spec out what you want.
The better than lockup clutch...the longer they live....
These things get the rat crap beat out of them......
Any other performance upgrades...such as better torrington thrust bearings and such...do it.
The stock spec stuff that most online stores sell are "Sort of a stock part" IF YOU ARE LUCKY..
Monster offers some good things.
Call them up and tell them what you have.
Rig
Engine
Tranny
Butt gears
AND WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
These guys offer a 1300-1600 stall HD converter.
They may have something better too..
Again...A HD lockup clutch if they have it.....GOOD IDEA
Any pics of the motor in your motor bay?
Scroll back one page there are some there.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2INSANE
Sorry, should have been more specific.Quote:
Originally Posted by a5150nut
Pics of the turbo, intake, turbo master mounting and air box? Full completed pics
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2INSANE
My air cleaner setup is temporary, I want to build a true cold-air intake system eventually. For now, I ordered some 4" silicone elbows and a K&N filter to get me going:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a3e84664_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...306e29c6_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...18de68d8_b.jpg
I had to build a bracket for the TurboMaster and mounted it to the turbo flange:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...eb7acd1a_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...99a169b8_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...953f3618_b.jpg
Today I installed a turbo blanket, since I couldn't reuse the original heat shield:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d4120291_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...520da9a4_b.jpg
She's been running great all week and no issues with the engine. She starts great with little smoke, and cold starts in the mid 20's seem to be no effort. I've never had a 6.2L/6.5L (and I've had several) start this easy.
Video of the quick starting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RApRxTOmO90
I'm looking forward to getting the correct torque converter so she will drive easier. Right now it reminds me of a dump truck with an old Allison where you have to mash the throttle and wait for stuff to start moving. It's great for spooling the turbo and hearing the whistle, though! :D
Casey
Can you tell me where you got that turbine housing blanket? Mine's worn out.
Thank you for the motor porn. Looks very nice! Have you considered to run a snorkel of some sort to get a true cold/ram air intake? Perhaps an inner cooler for the 7+boost as Jim suggests? What kind of covering is that over the fuel filter and A/C Dryer? The dual gauges on the fuel filter housing is dope! X2 on the turbo blanket! Where did u order that from?
There is a inline air filter box with a 5” OD that might fit on the Hx35w intake elbow that could help achieve cold air.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/spe-9832?rrec=true
Turbo shield:
https://quadstartuning.com/collectio...-turbo-blanket
All sorts of cool heat shielding products direct from the manufacturer:
https://www.heatshieldproducts.com/a...o-heat-shields
The A/C dryer cover is factory original. The fuel filter cover is of my own design; it's actually a 12V heater; it's original use was for keeping drain pipes from freezing on RV's; it's a peel-and-stick heat pad that I stuck to a piece of sheet metal that is held on to the filter with a hose clamp. The aftermarket Racor filter housing I'm using did not come with any sort of fuel heater, so I came up with this one.
I would like to go with an intercooler some day. One step at a time!
Casey
Turbo shield:
https://quadstartuning.com/collectio...-turbo-blanket
Thanks.
I love 3.42 gears in a 6.2/6.5 - if the vehicle isn't used to tow heavy.Quote:
Originally Posted by arveetek
I think 55-60 mph is likely where the TC should lock in OD with 3.42 diff gears. Locking sooner would be too low of an RPM, which puts more of the torque impulses into the transmission/driveline. Lil Red with its Duramax/Allison and 3.42 gears also locks the torque converter 55-60. I think we did a story once about a BD 4L80 TC manual/auto lock controller. Have to check the table of contents in the 6.5 books.
Casey, I have another question for you. I am not to familiar with Tahoe’s, but I was wondering if you had an RPM gauge and if so, what RPM were you at when you got to 15psi boost?
All production model civilian 6.5TD's have a tach in the IPC, driven by the alternator.
It was fairly short lived, but I believe it was around 2800 rpm in 3rd gear locked, somewhere around 70 mph.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2INSANE
Casey
As of 9 pm last night, this is the current status of the ol' Tahoe:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...72e3b71b_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7c5c1489_b.jpg
With only 931 miles on the engine, Tuesday night she suddenly lost power, developed a knock, started missing, and blowing a ton of smoke out the exhaust. The smoke was white, unburned fuel. I was hoping it was just a failed injector. By cracking one line at a time with the engine running, I narrowed the problem down to cylinder 4. Naturally, the cylinder with the problem is the hardest one to access, right behind the turbo.
Video of engine knocking and missing.
I ended up removing the turbo to gain better access to the cylinder. I pulled the injector, but there was nothing visibly wrong. I swapped in one of my original injectors, but there was no change. I then had my son crank the engine over with the glow plug removed (and the fuel system deactivated so it wouldn't start), and that's when I realized there is no compression on cylinder 4! I can keep my thumb over the glow plug hole with the engine cranking over, and can only feel a slight puff.
I removed the valve cover to make sure everything was okay in the valve train, thinking there might be a valve stuck open, a bent pushrod, or something of that sort, but everything is normal in the valve train.
So after 4 months and thousands of dollars, I'm essentially right back where I started. I still need to swap out the torque converter, so it looks like pulling the engine (again) is in my future.
I'm nearly sick to my stomach at this point and really discouraged. I can't imagine what went wrong, or what I missed. I did everything by the book to the best of my ability.
Casey
Wow, that sucks...
Can you blow air into #4 and see where it's leaking out? Maybe a failed exhaust valve...
That sucks Casey
Had that sinking feeling once or twice in the past as well.
Hopefully after coffee and a night of sleep,you will in a better state and tie back into it to solve the issue.
Try to remember all the trouble free miles you enjoyed in the Tahoe.
Take Care
This.Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnC
It may not be that bad. Maybe a gasket or valve/seat. Think positive, for what it's worth.