6.5L TD Motorhome repair/repower

[3bals]

In this build I am thinking of adding a Feed the Beast FFM to the rig, as long as I'm in it this deep. Now, I don't have the time to build one myself. I remember somewhere on here, someone had parts and/or complete units for sale. Does anyone know who/where? I've tried the search mode, but didn't have any luck.

 

[JayTheCPA]

Walking J had them.

 

[3bals]

OK, here's the next quest. Where is the best place to get EGT and Boost pressure gauges? And, which ones are the best to get?

 

[DieselCash]

OK, here's the next quest. Where is the best place to get EGT and Boost pressure gauges? And, which ones are the best to get?

I got my gauges from egauges.com I got auto meter phantom. After I purchased everything I notice amazon with prime was cheaper on some of them. But use egauges to figure out what you want and then use google to find it cheaper. I will say egauges prices are hard to beat. Like most places they usually lose out on shipping fees.

 

[JayTheCPA]

OK, here's the next quest. Where is the best place to get EGT and Boost pressure gauges? And, which ones are the best to get?

If the MH is running a standard OBDII system, can look at the Edge Insight system. Got mine on Amazon and am still loving it. Only 'nit' with the Edge system is that the installation manual (at the time) was not very helpful in terms of getting the unit to read the add-on sensors; a quick call to the Help Desk got everything online.

 

[3bals]

Thanks, but too late. I already ordered analog gauges. I have seen these "Edge Insight" systems advertised before. I was thinking analog would be the way to go, although not much difference in price.

 

[3bals]

Here's what I have so far. Gauges and a Heartthrob 4 inch quiet muffler.

I'm still waiting for the P400, turbo, headers and transmission from Peninsular. I'm also waiting for a Feed The Beast mod to arrive.

 

[3bals]

Well, here's kind of an update.

Last week, I emailed Matt at Peninsular to find out some sort of update. I didn't hear back. :mad2: But, figured it was a holiday week and all. I sent another this morning and got a reply from a Mitch at Peninsular. :???: He said it should be to them later this week or the beginning of next week, then it will take them 3-4 days to do their thing and ship to me. I'm figuring another 2 weeks before I see it, maybe. :skep:

 

[3bals]

I got the updated PCM from Heath today and I almost have the FTB mod done too. Now to dig out the new IP I have and finish that part of the FTB mod. I already have new injector lines ready to go too.

I need to mount my intercooler yet and measure for new oil cooler lines that I'll need to get from Leroy, as soon as I figure out what the thread size is on the cooler end.

As far as the new PCM goes, I think I'll have them make sure the rig starts and drives on the existing PCM before we switch to Heath's.

I'm starting to get excited, as this thing might be done before summer is over. :thumbsup:

 

[Husker6.5]

Well you know the WELCOME mat is always out here, the microbrews are cold and tasty:yumyum:, and the Suburban is available for an emergency tow around the campground!:rofl:

Thanks for keeping me in the loop via texts and pics. Definitely go with a 4" exhaust on it. You should post a picture or three on here of what's on it now, it'd be good for a laugh or three. Must have been a slow day on the factory build floor when that exhaust was built and somebody wanted to use up as many elbows and a U bend as they could to go from coming off of the turbo on the passenger's side, swap sides, run down the driver's side a couple of three feet PAST its side dump exit location, a U bend to reverse direction and bring the exhaust forward a couple of feet then a 90 el to side dump it. Must have been a, "Hmmm, I wonder if I can put 32' of exhaust pipe on a 23' long motorhome, let's see if I can." moment.

 

[3bals]

Good news, I got an email from Peninsular today, saying they are expecting my engine to arrive at their shop in a day or two.

Not so good news, I opened the gauge packages to make sure I have everything ready for mounting them and the fuel pressure gauge had everything but the pressure sensor itself. Now I have to send it back for a replacement. I'm guessing that will take a week or two. :mad2:

It looks like the sensor screws into a 1/8in NPT port. I'm thinking I will put a T in the line between the FFM and the IP. Then I'll just put a pipe plug in it until the new gauge gets here. Hopefully I can put it in a spot where I will have easy access to it.

Here's a picture looking into my new muffler. Kind of straight through, but not quite. This was the quietest of the 3 I had to pick from.

 

[Husker6.5]

It's always something, ain't it? With the center mount turbo you can choose either side to run the exhaust down. Is there a clearance problem with the propane tank that would prevent taking it down the passenger side and exiting in front of the dualies? (In case some of you are wondering, I've been under Jody's motorhome a time or two or three or four, like Reno) Otherwise, down the driver's side and eliminate about eight feet of pipe and multiple bends from the Swiss Alpine horn that's on there now. Will you have Heartthrob do it since their shop is only a few miles from you, or the RV shop it's at?

 

[3bals]

I'll have the people that are installing the engine do the exhaust. It might be kind of tricky driving it 2 1/2 hrs one way to Heartthrob with a wide open exhaust dumping right out of the turbo.

 

[3bals]

Does anybody know where the transmission temp sensor screws in?

 

[skywarren]

I put mine in the pressure test port (left hand/driver side) plugged with a brass plug.. many opinios out there on this.. might not be the best but it works for me. (and it just screwed right in)

 

[Husker6.5]

Jody, you mean you're not going to put an aftermarket extended capacity tranny pan on it like a PML, Derale or B&M to give you 3-4 more auarts capacity AND a temp port in the pan sump for the sender? That motorhome is a lot of weight/wind load for the 4L80E.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Jody, you mean you're not going to put an aftermarket extended capacity tranny pan on it like a PML, Derale or B&M to give you 3-4 more auarts capacity AND a temp port in the pan sump for the sender? That motorhome is a lot of weight/wind load for the 4L80E.

A bigger pan doesn't do much of anything for trans temps, it normally makes it take a little longer to heat up, but also longer to cool down. A bigger tranny cooler is money MUCH better spent.

 

[Husker6.5]

Using that logic, why bother putting aftermarket differential covers on that allow increase lube capacity AND increase the cooling of the lube by the heatsink effect of the cast aluminum with internal and external fins? Increasing the capacity of the transmission 3-4 quarts with a largernpan has more benefits than just temperature reduction (although the Derale pans DO demonstrably lower trans fluid temps 20-30ndegrees with their pass through cooling tubes) such as reducing the concentration of suspended contaminants in the fluid. Following your logic further, both the 6.5 and for that matter your D-Max don't need anything larger than a 4qt oil pan on them. Are you willing to reduce that capacity? Why do racing gas motors run 7 or 8 quart capacity pans, instead of stock 4qt, in addition to massive coolers?

No hate, just asking for the reasoning/logic in not increasing both capacity and passive radiated cooling of the transmission by going with an aftermarket cast aluminum or steel pan.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Using that logic, why bother putting aftermarket differential covers on that allow increase lube capacity AND increase the cooling of the lube by the heatsink effect of the cast aluminum with internal and external fins? Increasing the capacity of the transmission 3-4 quarts with a largernpan has more benefits than just temperature reduction (although the Derale pans DO demonstrably lower trans fluid temps 20-30ndegrees with their pass through cooling tubes) such as reducing the concentration of suspended contaminants in the fluid. Following your logic further, both the 6.5 and for that matter your D-Max don't need anything larger than a 4qt oil pan on them. Are you willing to reduce that capacity? Why do racing gas motors run 7 or 8 quart capacity pans, instead of stock 4qt, in addition to massive coolers?

No hate, just asking for the reasoning/logic in not increasing both capacity and passive radiated cooling of the transmission by going with an aftermarket cast aluminum or steel pan.

It's one thing when you add in a pan that is like a heat sink, but to many people believe simply adding capacity increases cooling. Cooling is done by heat transfer, so unless you increase the area for heat transfer, you've done nothing to help with heat. And for a V-8 engine where the valleys, covers, oil passages, and such of the engine can easily hold 3-4 quarts of oil, only having 4 guarts don't make much sense. You can bet your but GM didn't make the oil capacity any larger than they had to. Although many HAVE decreased the oil capacity of the DMAX engine down to about 5 quarts, with NO ill side effects. If you want to spend the money to add in a pan with fins and heat sink area to help with heating, that is fine. I personally feel that money would be better spent on added cooling where you can buy a larger cooler for less money than one of those fancy cast aluminum pans to aid in cooling. As for contaminent loading, added capacity can help with that, but only to a certain degree. Filtraition is key as I would rather have the contaminents held in a filter media than I would to try and hold it in suspension in the fluid. And if your getting that much contamination in your fluid between services, then you have MUCH bigger issues than worrying about a bigger pan.

You can look at it however you like, but larger pans have proven little to no benefit. If they did, the OEMS would have put them on to begin with. GM did increase the pan capacity some in later years, but other changes also took place to increase the amount of fluid in circulation, and I believe those changes neccesatated the increased capacity more than anything lese. MANY people have added in bigger pans, and complained that there temps still got just as hot, it just made it take longer to get there. IMHO increasing the cooling and filtering(if your concerned with fluid loading of debris) is money MUCH better spent than the kind of money most places want for a pan that has minimal results in helping with heat shedding. As for your example of diff covers, yes that can help since they have virtually nothing to begin with. So if you add something to nothing, of course your going to see semi drastic results.

If I thought for one minute simply adding fluid capacity would help, I would have a larger pan on my BURB. But nobody has proven a pan to be as effective as an improved cooler, so I went with a premium cooler since that method is proven to work for less money.

 

[btfarm]

It's all about heat exchange. Whatever is the most cost-effective is where to concentrate the effort.

Sent from my SCH-I535