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Yes indeed.....Very lucky.
Normally the system should be sucked into a low vacuum for about 30-40 minutes with an HVAC vacuum pump...Then the prescribed amount of 134A added......
The compressors used in these rigs was not a stellar unit......But if maintained they would do OK.......
They have a nasty habit of leaking at the O RING where the case goes together......
Glad to hear you got a good summers use from it......
You're right about pulling a vacuum as part of an A/C repair. We may yet need to do that. Pulling a vacuum can be important to remove any moisture in the system (air has moisture in it), which can result in icing of the orifice. This may have happened once this summer. We let it sit for 10 minutes when the system began blowing warm, then it worked fine again. The orifice is not far from the turbocharger... I have a vacuum pump... just need to get a low-side port adapter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn
For anyone who doesn't know, the orifice is what separates the low pressure side of the system from the high pressure side. Refrigerant squeezing through a small hole (orifice) is cooled by the "venturi effect" to below freezing. Any moisture in the system can freeze and block the orifice.
The A/C system in Lil Red was not evacuated when I put the truck's A/C system together back in 2005. It still works great... always has. Hasn't leaked down in all this time. And... my 2001 GMC has the coldest A/C system I've seen in any vehicle. It's still running with its original refrigerant charge. I've been "lucky" with the automotive A/C systems, I guess. ;)
Refrigeration is more simple than that. If it begins with no moisture, it will remain without moisture until contaminated. That can only happen in 2 ways. Either moisture is forced into it (contaminated refrigerant), or the system is allowed to reach negative pressure (leak down), and opened to moisture. A system that is otherwise healthy and still cycles when it shouldn't, is either low or high refrigerant, or the evaporator is icing (usually caused by low refrigerant). High refrigerant prevents the necessary pressure differential to cause sufficient refrigeration, while low refrigerant causes a too great pressure differential (more cold), making the evaporator condense air-moisture more quickly than it can shed it, causing it to ice. An old system that is simply beginning to cycle cold/warm is almost always either tired pressure switch(es), or low refrigerant. If you take it to a shop and it needs some added, their (EPA mandated) remedy is to vacuum the system, confirm no leaks, then charge it. If, over 10-20 years, it leaks down to the point it begins cycling, pulling a vacuum on the system will not likely show a leak. It's simply too small. Usually, adding only a couple/few oz. of refrigerant will have it working fine for another 10-20 years. Vacuuming a system that has never been contaminated is a waste of time and materials. This is also less environmentally friendly, despite the EPA mandate. Vacuuming a system that hasn't been open to atmosphere is just bad practice. You're more likely to cause a system to work poorly than actually fix something.
Another issue I see often is oil. If it hasn't leaked out, and you haven't removed it, don't add any. The refrigeration system volume is finite, and relatively small. Extra oil takes volume away from the refrigerant. If at any time a system is professionally serviced, the requisite amount of refrigerant is added, and it acts overfilled, they've added oil. A complete system vacuum does not remove all the oil (little, actually), and is almost always serviced by the book, adding the specified amount of oil. The result is an overfill of refrigerant, and a reduced capacity system once the refrigerant volume is corrected. If you're just "topping off" a system, such as in the above example, never get the can with oil. If your system is leaking a little oil, it's leaking a lot of refrigerant, and needs additional attention.
Yeah....What Maverick said..
Another thing....NEVER use the leak sealer .....This stuff is nasty.....It "Cures" with air......
Most older automotive systems will eventually start to leak a bit....Either the hoses or the pump seals.....
Our little Red van AC was dead when we got it....Compressor segment seals were bad..
Added a fresh pump ....Sucked the system down to 30 inches for 30 minutes...added some 134A and it is again nice and cold......
The service ports do leak as they get older too.....especially after you open them to add some juice.....Then they refuse to seal back up....Sit there and bubble with soap applied to them.....
The Avalanche needed a little juice....Added about 2 ounces and the service port would not seal up....Had to recover the charge and then replace the Schrader valve and refill the system.....All good....Just time to do it is all....
The recovery unit is nice....Saves a lot on Refrigerant.....
I think that's what happened due to the stopped up low pressure schrader valve. The cycling pressures are still normal.Quote:
Originally Posted by DmaxMaverick
Well, the Blazer has been sort of put away for the winter. We filled the fuel tank with fresh diesel fuel and pulled it into the garage. The Blazer really needs better gripping tires for winter, and the cost is a bit high. Plus, we're not sure about whether to get a set of rims just for the new winter tires if/when they come. I suggested she consider the black wheels and tires like what Casey has on his Tahoe. She likes that idea... We'll see.
So Casey... What are the details on the wheels and tires you have on your Tahoe? Thx.
I am running BFG K02 All Terrain tires in size 285/75R16. IMHO, one of the best tires ever made. Long lasting (I got nearly 70K miles out of my last set), great grip in all weather scenarios, and they look great. The only issue is the price has gotten a bit high as of late, so if I were replacing tires today, I would take a hard look at any of the many hybrid tires available (basically a cross between the All Terrain and Mud Terrain styles).Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
The 33" tires fit my stock rig, but I did crank the front torsion bars just a little and had to trim the lower plastic air dam a bit to keep from rubbing.
As for the wheels, those are OEM "Steely" Toyota rims! A buddy of mine is a Toyota aficionado and sold me the rims many years ago. I understand they are actually kind of hard to get, but I have a complete set of 5 so even the spare matches. Same bolt pattern as Chevy 6 lug, but they are not hub centric. They were originally painted gunmetal gray, but since they were scuffed up pretty bad, I painted them flat black. Recently I painted a metallic silver lip around the edge to dress them up.
Casey
Thanks Casey. Do you know the rim width and any details on backspacing? Thx
I believe they are 7" wide, but I don't know what the backspacing is, sorry.Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Casey
Just an update concerning my opinion/observations about the Fluidampr that I installed as part of this engine build.
https://www.thedieselpage.com/images.../Damper-sm.jpg
This damper sat in my shop for about 20 years. It had originally been used for a photo prop - for an article I wrote about 6.5 harmonic dampers. This one had never been installed on an engine. Originally a sharp looking black in color, it had faded to an olive green. Odd, but it didn't affect it otherwise. There are no rubber components that could deteriorate over time.
My observations... The engine is very smooth running. Watching the outer edges of the damper while the engine idles shows it to spin perfectly. There is no visible wobble, even in the slightest. The rubber isolated front crank pulley (that bolts to the front of the damper) also spins with very little in the way of wobbles. As a result, the serpentine belt runs smoothly as well. Usually, the belt on a typical engine will do some amount of flapping and the belt tensioner can be seen to hunt back and forth in step with the idling engine. The Fluidampr appears to help the engine/serpentine system to be pretty smooth. That's all I got... ;) I'm happy with it.
I have heard nothing but good results with the Fluidamper. I really wanted to use one on my engine build, but my budget was already way overstretched, and I had recently replaced the balancer with a new OEM GM balancer not long before the engine gave out, so I simply reused it.Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Casey
I was doing some maintenance today and had a wheel off; they are actually 8" wide with 4.75" backspacing.Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Casey
Thanks Casey!Quote:
Originally Posted by arveetek
https://thedieselpage.com/images/Bla...13-2023-sm.jpg
Last Sunday was the Blazer's first drive in 2023! It had been 5 months since the last start. I had plugged in the block heater for a couple of hours prior to starting... It started as quickly as if it had been driven that morning... I was amazed... Daughter's coming over this weekend, so I'm hoping we can do a couple of things while she's here.
The batteries had been on an auto trickle charger for some weeks prior. In fact, I rotate the charger around all of the batteries in the garage... motorcycle, Lil Red, and lawn mower. Each one gets the charger a couple times during the winter. Seems to help. Jim
Those trickle chargers are nice. Had a boat in our shop and someone left the key on but not running. Battery was dead dead. Tried a small charger and it wouldn't even see the battery. Put a trickle charger on it for a few days then the regular battery charger would work.
My daughter is already anticipating some camping excursions this year, once the snow melts... She wanted a more upscale awning system than what we used last year... using a tarp and some PVC lift poles. The solution she chose was the OzTent Foxwing 270 degree Awning.
She and I got it installed a couple of days ago, and then set it up to see if it would work well for the Blazer. Aside from needing a set of Harbor Freight's roof rack crossbars, it went on pretty easily. It sets up super fast, and stows conveniently in its own roof rack enclosure, and takes up very little space on the roof rack. Then, a zippered case on the side of the roof rack system makes it safe. To deploy, unzip the case, then walk the 270 degree awning around the vehicle. Set up the poles to the height you want, then add rope tie-downs if necessary. Easy, just a few minutes... We also bought 2 sets of kayak roof rack mounts to make them safe and secure while traveling. We'll have pics of the full load later this spring.
https://www.thedieselpage.com/images...wing-02-sm.jpg
You can also see more info at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/OzTent-Foxwin...7791394&sr=8-2
Those 270* awnings are pretty sweet. We sell some off-road campers at my work that come equipped with those. It's impressive how much shade they provide.
Casey
Sarah has been talking about a smallish towable for her Blazer. Do you guys have brochures? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by arveetek
Sorry for the late response! My wife and I have been in Colorado all week. She had a work conference in Colorado Springs, and then we extended the trip a bit to celebrate our 20th anniversary a few months early. We went snowmobiling for the first time up Cottonwood Pass... what an awesome experience!
Anyway, yes we have brochures, but here's a link to the smallish trailers we carry:
https://intech.com/rv/
The Flyer models are the most suited for off-road and have the 270* awnings; the Luna is a more traditional tear-drop; the Sol, Terra, and OVR models are more conventional travel-trailers.
Casey
https://www.thedieselpage.com/images...ping-01-sm.jpg
First camping trip for 2023! Was a bit rainy, as it normally is for Memorial Day here in Montana. As long as you're prepared for the rain, you can still have fun, and see how well you remember your camp cooking skills... ;) One of the reasons why we go to this campground on Memorial Day is because of the Ruff grouse. They are drumming this time of year, and with the exception of this year, we've always heard them from camp.
Since last trip out, we learned that the windshield washer sprayers weren't... Seems the windshield replacement guys forgot to reconnect the rubber tubing beneath the cowl at the bottom edge of the windshield (it has to be removed to R&R the glass). Once back from camping, we removed the cowl grate and reconnected the hoses, recharged the A/C system (apparently there's a small refrigerant leak that caused it to lose charge over a period of about 12 months). We also noticed that one of the new Wal-Mart Everstart batteries had begun to make a mess in one of the battery trays. At home, I neutralized the acid in the tray and on the battery. If the mess returns we'll likely replace the battery. I've measured the battery voltage a few times since the fall of 2021, so I'm pretty sure the alternator is not overcharging (measures just over 14.0 vdc at idle).
The side steps are now ready to go on. I needed to make a few brackets to adapt them to the Blazer. That's now behind us, but can't do the final install till the bed-liner coating has been applied to the rockers and other places. The steps look great, are solid, and will do the job. We also moved the spare tire to the outside... using a receiver hitch mount. We like it, and it frees up extra space in the interior for cargo and sleeping bags. I'll have pics of this soon.
Blazer did great on this 140 mile camping trip. :)
Hitch mount spare. Are you going to make it swing down to meet the tire to save lifting spare into place?
The receiver hitch mount rotates down and to the rear using a locking pin, allowing the hatch and rear gate to open without interference. It's amazing how much room was freed when moving the spare to the outside. The tolerances found in 2" receiver hitch components needed to be addressed - it was a little wobbly. We addressed that with a couple of ratchet straps on the backside of the tire mount that pull it down toward the hitch. The straps can't be seen from the rear, and they make it rock solid.Quote:
Originally Posted by a5150nut
I think I recall you had previously used a hitch mount cargo rack or some such, and touted the "stabilizer" that came with it. You can use the same hardware for your spare mount. That part (U-bolt and bracket) is also an item available separately at HFT or truck accessory store, or on Amazon for $10-20.Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
Yes, moving the spare outside is a huge improvement! I built my own swing-away spare tire carrier for my Tahoe back in 2016, using plans I copied from a gent over at Expedition Portal. It's worked flawlessly over the years:
https://live.staticflickr.com/8327/2...feb4166f_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/8536/2...65bef2b2_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/8410/2...e098e827_b.jpg
I've added a Hi-Lift Jack mount since these pics were taken.
I built it so it sits high enough that I can still use the receiver hitch, but low enough that the back hatch will still open up without having to swing the carrier out of the way.
If I had to do it over again, I would split it up into two sections so it splits in the middle - it's rather long and takes up a lot of room when swinging out.
Casey
Or open it into the isle of the parking lot and use it as a toll gate. (;}Quote:
Originally Posted by arveetek
Yes, I thought about the Harbor Freight hitch tightener like the one I use on Lil Red.Quote:
Originally Posted by DmaxMaverick
It would take some of the wobble out in this application, but it's primarily a one-axis (up/down) tightener. The straps take out the up/down slop and side/side (spare tire side to side movement due to slop in the other axis). The spare is quite heavy and has a lot of leverage on the receiver, and we plan on some rough off-highway travel this summer.
I like your swing-away spare mount a lot, and a swing-away was our first consideration. Then, Sarah looked at some of the commercially available ones. The nice ones are out of reach in price (between $1k-$2k), and to be honest I have enough projects this summer to think about fabbing one... In fact, I didn't think far enough ahead on the steps I'm installing now... It's taken about 3 days to complete the fab/prep work. The hitch mount for the spare was just $100 delivered.Quote:
Originally Posted by arveetek
By the way Casey, what do you do about the rear license plate? I'm thinking about either fabbing or buying a relocation plate holder for Sarah.
Yes, commercially available bumpers/tire carriers are stupid expensive. I don't have a lot of money tied up in my carrier, but probably 4 or 5 days of fabrication time.Quote:
Originally Posted by More Power
My license plate is in the stock location. The tire is up and to the right, and doesn't block the plate when viewed from straight behind.
Casey
Sarah and I have mostly completed the work to the exterior and have completed the installation of the steps. The bed-liner has been applied (mirrors, grille, wheel flairs, below the belt line, leading edge of the hood and roof). We used the Herculiner brand material. The stuff is pretty slow drying, taking about 2 days to almost fully cure. So, you've got lots of time to clean up the edges and pull the masking tape.
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...0&d=1688142956
Sarah is considering her options now for tires/wheels. Are projects ever really finished?
Time for camping!
Those factory wheels look pretty decent......
Just a bit more aggressive tread would do the trick really well....
I have been giving serious thought to using BED LINER on the cat project as a full coverage product.....Then maybe add some colored stripes.
Looks great Jim.....Sweeeeeeet ride for sure
Looks sharp! I've considered doing the bedliner on the flares, but have seen people who have done the full body treatment and over time it's really hard to keep it clean and "fresh" looking. It's nice enough for a bed or floor, but I just don't feel like it is nice enough for "finished" parts.
The finish on the cat is "MUTTLEY" and putting fancy paint on this beast....Not so much
Getting it brush whipped is a real possibility ....Since the paint is crap anyway....Just going to buff it with scotch bright to rough up the surface...Roll on the bed liner....Good to go...
I may mask off things and do some neon green stripes....BECAUSE....
I love the job Jim and Sarah did on the Blazer...Looks great.
Looks great, Jim!
Casey
Thanks everyone. The rough finish will require a brush with soap/water to clean. Over time, it may need something like a rubber/plastic treatment (ArmorAll, Tire Shine or something). The cured Herculiner feels rubbery, stretchy. Should be good for what is intended. For what we did here, a gallon was way more than enough. The gallon kits included a roller, brush and a Scotchbrite pad.
The wheels will eventually be black as well. Sarah hadn't heard the term "Murdered Out" till about a year ago. She's a little goth, so she liked that moniker. I'm suggesting BFG A/T tires, but we'll see. Tires/wheels are a big chunk of change to spend on a secondary vehicle...
By the way... wife, daughter and I spent a few days in Glacier National Park (we drove our 2001 GMC). Was way too crowded, being over the 4th, but the weather was perfect. I'm mentioning it because among the throng of vehicles I saw there was a 6.5TD camper on an HD 2500 chassis. An RV company called Tioga produced these for a time. Sorry I didn't get a photo of that camper... That one was blue. However, a member attended our 2000 Rendezvous here in Montana with one of these campers. This is a photo from that 2000 Rendezvous.
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...8&d=1688659172
Your daughter's 2 door looks great! Looking forward to seeing it with it's new shoes!
d
The engine ran a little rough for the first 30 seconds or so as the air worked its way out of the fuel injection system and because the hydraulic roller valve lifters had apparently bled down more than I thought over the 11+ years they sat in a box. You can hear the lifter tick go away and the engine begin running smoother as it continued to run... Installing new injectors a week or two later allowed the engine to run even smoother than it did in that first start video.
Sarah was quite excited about this first start, after all the work and the thousand odd bits all coming together. It was fun time - an exciting conclusion to a big project, and daughter Sarah was involved in all of it. :o
This link will take you back a few pages in this topic thread to a post that describes what sort of prep was done to ensure an easy first start.
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...2&d=1635803011
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
And that is how these are supposed to happen :D:D:D
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...0&d=1713816945
Sarah and I took the Blazer out for its first 2024 outing yesterday. We traveled up into the mountains not far from here. We eventually got into a little mud and even snow.
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...1&d=1713816945
Following Casey's lead on tire choice... The BFG's did a great job! These are sized 265/75R16. Sarah asked me what "BFG" stood for.... I answered "Big Farm Girls". I don't think she bought it...:rolleyes: She's really happy with the look of the tires. Surprisingly, they run pretty quiet on the highway and the Blazer handles nicely with them.
The Blazer started quickly yesterday morning, even after not being started for a couple of months. I did keep the batts topped off, using a battery tender, over the winter.
Sarah wants to paint/coat the wheels black before summer arrives. Our options are a paint of some sort or more bedliner coating. We're leaning toward bedliner - for the durability aspect.
We need your help too! Did this forum thread or YouTube video help you with your 6.5L Turbo Diesel? Would you like to share this information with others or help us get the word out about the 6.5? It's easy! Simply link to us in your own YouTube video, or post the link(s) shown here in a forum post, email message or social media site. Thank you!
thedieselpageforums.com/tdpforum/showthread.php?46770
https://youtu.be/9Il2deqwXLA
Looking good Jim!
Sweet looking ride for sure.
Painting the alloy can be an issue.....
Clean very well to get any and all oils off....Then use an acid etch primer (Bites into the aluminum) then shoot the color on....
I repaint a 40 foot coach years ago and it was all aluminum skin....
Like painting a whale..
Have fun .....Enjoy....
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...4&d=1717616992
Here is a photo from the archive showing what the Blazer looked like in the year 2000 when I owned it the first time, and then again (below) in 2010 when, like the prodigal son, it found its way home...
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...5&d=1717616992
The Blazer's original engine/parts were out of view in the bed of my truck here. We used a combination of tow straps and a come-along to get the Blazer onto the trailer. Sorta reminded me of my teen years when most of my vehicles came home the first time in much the same way (towed home without an engine)... ;) It's amazing that way back then my parents and neighbors responded with some degree of tolerance... and patience... Luckily, the HOA Karen hadn't been invented yet... :)
Engine numbers:
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...6&d=1717624275
This Blazer's original (and current) engine incorporated a "599" block (last 3 digits of the block casting number). The above photo is a shot of the engine valley, which is one place where the number "599" appears. The next photo shows where the number "599" also appears.
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...8&d=1717624275
The complete block casting number "10149599" can be found on the upper left side of the bell-housing flange. The "599" is, in my opinion, the best GM block casting produced for the 6.5. These blocks were also used in the naturally aspirated and mechanically injected (DB2 fuel injection pump) 1991-1993 6.2L diesel equipped vehicles (mostly Canadian pickup truck market and utility vehicles here in the U.S., such as Postal vans). The only known difference between the 6.2L and 6.5L "599" blocks was bore diameter. So, a "599" 6.2 can be bored to a 6.5 without fear of thinning the cylinder walls too much.
Some years ago, there was a company in Georgia that acquired about 1,500 retired 6.2L diesel-equipped U.S. Postal vans. They all had a naturally-aspirated "599" 6.2L diesel installed. As far as I know, all of these "599" engines were bored to 6.5L specs by that Georgia company, and then sold to eager buyers. Our Dr. Lee acquired one of those engines for his 1984 Chevy C10. Dr. Lee has since sold his truck, but you can still see the article that explains how his was built, including how the engine was assembled. See: https://www.thedieselpage.com/article/leestruck.htm
Another distinguishing feature of the 599 was the introduction of a one-piece rear main seal. All earlier engines used a 2-piece rear main seal. Curiously, all of the 1994 6.5 vehicles I've checked all had a "599" block. Even the spare/used 1994 6.5L engine I bought in 2021 is also a "599". The casting foundry apparently produced a lot of them.
It's considered a bonus to acquire a 6.2L "599" because of the added flexibility offered during a rebuild... You can either keep it a 6.2 or bore it to a standard bore diameter 6.5. Most go the 6.5 route, especially if you're installing a turbocharger because the 6.5 piston crowns are all anodized, making them a bit more tolerant of high combustion temperatures.
I've used modeling clay a time or two in the past when I needed to "see" the casting number or date code of a 6.5 engine that was still sitting in the vehicle. You can't see the casting numbers by looking over the rear of the engine, but you can feel them (from beneath the vehicle), which allows you to make an impression of the casting numbers using modeling clay.
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...7&d=1717624275
This is the block's 4-digit casting date code "M033" for the Blazer's original engine, which was rebuilt for this project. The "M033" date code indicates a December (M) 03, 1993 casting (the letter I is not used in the alphabet list due to a possible confusion with a number 1, A=January, B=February, C=March, etc. all the way to M=December).
https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...1&d=1717624660
These casting numbers appear on the block surface just forward of the passenger side block deck. Being cast in 1993, and as a "599", this block could have been used in the 6.2L diesel equipped vehicles produced in the 1991-1993 model years and then in the 6.5L turbo diesel's introductory model year of 1992 through possibly as late as the early 1995 model year depending on how many 599 blocks had been cast/used.
Because this block casting could be used in either a 6.2L engine or a 6.5L engine, GM chose to leave the displacement numbers out of the alpha-numeric identification as shown here in the above image. This meant there would be a space between the two sets of letters i.e. "GM LD". Turns out, this gap between letter pairs is another identifier of the "599". In earlier 6.2L and later 6.5L castings, there would either be a "6.2" or "6.5" in that gap, i.e. "GM 6.2 LD" or "GM 6.5 LD". The "LD" refers to "Liter Diesel", not "Light Duty"/"Heavy Duty".
The yellow arrow on the right points to a "005" stamping on the machined deck surface, indicating that the block deck had been machined .005". I installed +.010" Fel-Pro head gaskets during the rebuild to help ensure piston protrusion wouldn't be a problem.
There will be a pop quiz later... :)