Also refurbished the upper and lower plenums, valve covers, steel 9 blade fan upgrade, painted the ORD motor mounts, refurbished the GM8 Turbo and a bunch of other stuff. Added 1/8 npt ports for the boost gauge and pyro gauge.
This weekend I plan on finishing everything except the heads. Get it all assembled as a long block and test run it after the heads are on. If the numbers look good and it runs good, I will install the turbo and serpentine and other small odds and ends and get her swapped out! Crossing my fingers with my first lower end rebuild.
Edit: On a side note, this Optimizer has already been sleeved on 2 cylinders. This motor has been threw hell and back. I can only imagine how many soldiers lives this motor has saved and/or how much work she has had. Being optimistic, we are doing our best to save it!
Looks great....
(1) 1995 Suburban 2500 4x4
(1) 1997 Astro
(1) 2005 Suburban (Papa Smurf)
THIS IS BOW TIE COUNTRY
Thanks! Any guesses on how sand got inside the coolant passages? Maybe the soldiers were in a pinch and used muddy water to fill up the coolant?
Or
Maybe they utilized the snorkel on the Humvee and submerged the whole vehicle in muddy water and fried the glow plug system causing the glow sticks to melt?
Lots of assumptions.
My guess is it's left over from the casting process. Probably running over a couple of IUDs shook it loose.
The Constitution needs to be re-read, not re-written!
If you can't handle Dr. Seuss, how will you handle real life?
Current oil burners: MB GLK250 BlueTEC, John Deere X758
New ride: MB GLS450 - most stately
Gone but not forgotten: '87 F350 7.3, '93 C2500 6.5, '95 K2500 6.5, '06 K2500HD 6.6, '90 MB 350SDL, Kubota 7510
IUDs? Can't see it, myself.
I agree about the casting sand. I've seen that a few times.
90 Chev 3500 c/c 4x4,6.2na,400 auto,4:10 gears.DSG Timing gears,main girdle, isspro tach, pyro,boost,oil and trany temp.Dual Tstats, High volume peninsular pump,on shelf, Custom turbo and intercooler 85%complete. Change of plans for the dually, it's going to get a Cummins. Both trucks are Blue 90 4x4 crews
Sure, I'm waiting on arp to restock the studs right now.
1993 Chevy K3500
owner - Twisted Steel Performance
porting, ceramic & powder coating
like us on Facebook
1993 Chevy K3500
owner - Twisted Steel Performance
porting, ceramic & powder coating
like us on Facebook
Quick update!
The new rings did not like the scratches on the cylinders. I took the motor apart this winter and it is currently getting power honed and all new bearings. As soon as it is out of the machine shop, I’ll start putting it back together again and test run it!
It has been a long crappy winter and I did not get much done.
Hope all goes well....
(1) 1995 Suburban 2500 4x4
(1) 1997 Astro
(1) 2005 Suburban (Papa Smurf)
THIS IS BOW TIE COUNTRY
Machine shop measured the crank main and rod journals to be a standard size. Even after polishing them.
The Rod and Main bearings however are both .26 which is about 1000th of an inch tighter.
The machine shop thinks that is odd. Does that seem right to yal?
Bearings on these engine are "Select fit" It is not uncommon to find several different sized bearing shells in the engine.
The finished size of the large end of the rod can vary a few tenth's of a thou....
A good rule of thumb on these engines is .0025" clearance across the board.....(Rods and mains)
FACTORY SPECS ON THE MAINS = .0017"-.0032"
FACTORY SPECS ON THE RODS = .0017"-.0039"
IMHO.....0017" IS TOO TIGHT......
A nice sweet spot at .0025" is a warm and fuzzy place to be.
The lower end of the tolerance is what I call "Squeakville"
The middle of the road give a tad bit of "Comfort"
With your crank at standard size ....STD BEARINGS SHOULD DROP YOU RIGHT IN THE SWEET SPOT.
PLASTIGAGE EACH BEARING......
Do this dry...DO NOT ALLOW THINGS TO TURN.
Plastigage will give you good results. REMOVE PLASTIGAGE AFTER READING IS TAKEN..
YESSSSS..The little funky scale on the paper sleeve of the plastigage is accurate..
Do the mains with the crank sitting in a position that you can get to all the caps easily.
Sit the dry crank in on dry bearings....do the plastigage measurement on each bearing one at a time..... Place the plastigage across the journal....NOT around the circumference..A tiny tiny touch of oil will stick the PG to the journal so it does not go MIA ON YOU
If all is good.....Remove the crank.....apply lubriplate 105 (White grease) to the bearings....Drop the crank back in and button the mains up to torque EXCEPT the thrust main......
INSTALL THE THRUST MAIN.....*****SNUG THE BOLTS VERY LIGHTLY*****
Whack the crank from both ends back and forth to get the thrust surface settled in.....
Check the end play.... .005" - .010" is perfect.
Torque the thrust main......Recheck the end play
Turn the crank......It should turn freely without any tight spots......
The White grease is the best assembly lube....IT NEVER RUNS OUT DURING STORAGE.
Always use a modified oil pump drive (Vacuum pump) to prime the system.
Driving the oil pump shaft without a drive filling the bore will NOT get the engine primed...
The oil dumps right back to the sump.
Prime on the stand with the valve covers OFF....Be sure every rocker has oil to it.......
Cardboard on the lower side of the rocker chamber will keep the mess in check...
Some times a couple lifters will be a tad stubborn ....More priming....hand bar the engine over to get the valve train in a different location......They will all oil eventually...
A DRY ROCKER CAN DESTROY ITSELF QUICKLY ON STARTUP IF IT IS NOT OILING..
Plug the turbo fitting if it is a turbo engine during priming.......Put a short jumper hose on the cooler lines to allow oil to flow properly
Once primed...Good to go... as all the internal oil passages are filled with oil.......
Rear main seal can usually be installed with the engine on the stand......(Single piece type)
AFTER PRIMING IS DONE....
Allow oil to drain out of the Valve chamber area....Wipe the cover mating surface with BRAKLEEN ....Apply RTV AND CAREFULLY SIT THE COVERS ON THE HEADS
*****SNUG***** the bolts gently with a hand nut driver GENTLY
Let the RTV cure overnight ....Then finish snugging the bolts.......Getting overly GUNG HO on these bolts can result in a leaker....
The Pan is best installed with RTV as well....Some gasket kits have pan gaskets.....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....Install the rear pan seal over the rear main.....Apply RTV as was done on the VC....
Same procedure......SNUG all bolts up GENTLY
Pan should contact the rail.....Let RTV cure ....Finish the torque the next day.....Good to go......
DO NOT BE EXCITED ABOUT USING GASKETS ON THE VC....They will leak.....
The VC on these engines are just too flimsy to work with gaskets.
CLEANLINESS AND OIL FREE SURFACES are the key to a good dry engine.....
Have fun
(1) 1995 Suburban 2500 4x4
(1) 1997 Astro
(1) 2005 Suburban (Papa Smurf)
THIS IS BOW TIE COUNTRY
Great news! I successfully completed my first lower end full rebuild after the second attempt. She starts and runs great! Thank you all for the help!
Good job! Nice photos too!
Contact Me
Lil Red - Duramax 6600 Conversion
Content Web Site
The Diesel Page - 6.2L/6.5L Diesel Books
The 6.2L/6.5L Troubleshooting & Repair Guide
Duramax Diesel Conversion Guide
Duramax Diesel Service Guide - How to Replace Head Gaskets, Injectors, Water pump, and more - New!
Photo Album
TDP Youtube Channel - New!
Looks great.....
(1) 1995 Suburban 2500 4x4
(1) 1997 Astro
(1) 2005 Suburban (Papa Smurf)
THIS IS BOW TIE COUNTRY
Well done, indeed.
Thanks! Here’s a quick dry test run video.
https://youtu.be/07m_iwQ4kmI?feature=shared