1992 gmc 3500 build thread

[turbonator]

hi guys, we are building a '92 gmc 3500 reg. cab 4x4 truck into a dually trailer puller....

the truck started out as a 5.7l gasser with a 4l80e tranny, we chucked the 350 boat anchor into the scrap, but we are keeping the 4l80e.... we bought a set of front adapters from fred to change the front to accept the steel dually wheels.....
the plan is a rebuilt 6.5l with 18:1 comp, 5 pin stud girdle, holset 351 vgt turbo mounted on a custom built center mount turbo pedestal... we also have bought a dually box from our local scrapper.. anyways here are some pics..

 

[turbonator]

the bus

also we bought a 2000 shortbus to have pieces for the build.... paid 700 for the bus and drove it home... 3 days later we started it up to pull into the garage to pull the motor and she was blowin white smoke like crazy.... when we finally pulled the motor out and pulled it apart, we found the head gasket on the pass. side was blown.... also the mains were all cracked... pistons and crank were good but the 506 block is scrap.... here are pics of main cracks.. also here is a link to the bus running...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHlsmb_ON0U

 

[turbonator]

here is a pic. with the box on the truck... also a pic of the intercooler mounted behind the grille... and jim's photogenic huskies....:thumbsup:

 

[ak diesel driver]

so what exactly do you mean by a 5 pin girdle? looks like my dually but the colors are reversed (white cab red box). Also noticed in your pics that the countryside around you looks pretty similar to here so I assume the temps are too?

 

[turbonator]

so what exactly do you mean by a 5 pin girdle? looks like my dually but the colors are reversed (white cab red box). Also noticed in your pics that the countryside around you looks pretty similar to here so I assume the temps are too?

the girdle bolts onto the 5 outside holes on each side of the caps..... i think we are a bit farther south.... mont tremblant. quebec.... we had the past 4 nights -20C down to -30C..... even plugged in, the old 6.2l is interesting to start... the motor is nice and warm, but the starter is pretty sluggish....sometimes when it is -30C i go under the truck with a small frying pan full of coals and heat the starter up a little... sure helps...

 

[turbonator]

here are some more shots of our modified c-code intake, also some shots of the turbo sitting on the custom pedestal..... sorry for the crappy shots of the turbo and pedestal..... anyways since these pics the setup is 3 inches lower to clear the hood.... i will post new pics when it is possible...

 

[ak diesel driver]

you guys look like you have the typical northern cold climate shop everything you own is in there to keep it dry warm and unrusty. same here. You guys are probably pretty much on par with us temp wise. we had -38f Sunday wife's been here 15 years she's seen -54f and many moons ago when I was a youngster I saw -65 here not so much anymore

 

[turbonator]

you guys look like you have the typical northern cold climate shop everything you own is in there to keep it dry warm and unrusty. same here. You guys are probably pretty much on par with us temp wise. we had -38f Sunday wife's been here 15 years she's seen -54f and many moons ago when I was a youngster I saw -65 here not so much anymore

god bless global warming LOL

 

[buddy]

I was wondering when I saw the pictures how it was going to fit under the hood, then read you lowered it 3" somehow. I would love to see the finished product. How high is the cowl? I always thought center mount makes more sense as far as equal length exhaust manifolds, but I am not sure how important it is once the system is already spooled with a constant backpressure. My digital drive pressure gauge may smooth out the readings, but doesnt show any fluctuations/pulsing while I am boosting steady, I'll have to hook up a mechanical one sometime to compare.

This is looking like the makings of a strong rig. Did you fabricate the stud girdle?

 

[turbonator]

I was wondering when I saw the pictures how it was going to fit under the hood, then read you lowered it 3" somehow. I would love to see the finished product. How high is the cowl? I always thought center mount makes more sense as far as equal length exhaust manifolds, but I am not sure how important it is once the system is already spooled with a constant backpressure. My digital drive pressure gauge may smooth out the readings, but doesnt show any fluctuations/pulsing while I am boosting steady, I'll have to hook up a mechanical one sometime to compar


This is looking like the makings of a strong rig. Did you fabricate the stud girdle?

the cowl is 4.5 inches high, when i first tacked the turbo crossover together, i had a j-code intake on there at full height, i would have needed to lift the cowl another 2.5 inches.... thats when we decided to take an old c- code intake and gut out everything for the egr, and cut the three inches off of it where the air cleaner used to sit... after that we welded closed the egr ports inside and a piece of alum. plate over it and cut our hole in for the intake tube.. we used a intake tube from a gm-6 from a van and cut it off real short and welded it on..... yes we also build our own girdles.... they are hand filed to fit with any stock 6.2l/6.5l oil pan.... here are some pics...

 

[ak diesel driver]

how thick of mat in that girdle? it looks alot beefier than most

 

[turbonator]

the thickness of the girdles we build is 3/8 x 1.5'' it is all cut by hand grinder and hand finished with files and paper, they are not the cheapo DSG bed frame girdles these are quality units... and they fit under factory pans.... the girdle that maxpf built is an awesome unit, but is not a bolt-in unit, it takes considerable fabricating to use...

 

[ak diesel driver]

so are you selling them?

 

[turbonator]

so are you selling them?

ya know, we have discussed it and maybe someday, but not until we can afford to buy a milling machine... it took some crazy time to do the last set and we just cant put a price on it , it would be unrealistic and unfair to everyone involved....

 

[buddy]

real nice

 

[tanman_2006]

I like the idea of a center mount turbo and have been thinking an ATT center mounted would make a real nice set up but your center mount VGT takes the cake. I have been talking to my local machine shop about custom headers and intake to do a center mount on my Z71.

 

[turbonator]

this will be our second one, the first was built to work in a medium duty dump truck, with the 351 vgt turbo.....

 

[Michaeljp86]

Looks like a project, I love doing that sort of thing. Is the exhaust manifolds going to make it impossible to get to the injectors or glow plugs?

 

[turbonator]

Looks like a project, I love doing that sort of thing. Is the exhaust manifolds going to make it impossible to get to the injectors or glow plugs?

no problem for the injectors, the glows will have to go in first and then the exhaust manifolds, it is kind of a PIA but do-able... for removing glows the exhaust manifolds will need to be removed each side.... good way to keep the exhaust manifold bolts from seizing up LOL

 

[Michaeljp86]

did you cut the hood to make the cowl? Id like to get a fiberglass cowl hood for my rig.