Got a few plans for maint and upgrades, opinions?

[great white]

So, my recently purchased 1998 K2500 6.5 is wanting some love. It's got approx 300-350 000 kms on it (4004 000 kms on the rest) with original injectors and all. So it's gonna get it:

Plans-

New Bosch injectors

New glow plugs (ever so slightly slow to start, but it's summer here so winter is probably gonna be worse)

New CDR (water test - down 1/4 at idle, up the tube 4-5 inches at 2000 rpm)

Provent- opinions on this unit please? I'm thinking it may help prolong the turbo's life. It's a new -8 turbo, put on last year.

Oil centrifuge- http://www.dieselcraft.com/EngineOilCleaningOC25.php . should help keep the soot down in the oil. You can read about it in the new diesel power mag (which is where I first saw it). As a side bonus for your 5 bucks, there's a write up by Bill heath on his 500 hp 6.5 in there also.

Fuel pre-filter/water separator. Haven't decided on one yet.

Engine/trans fluids and associated filters have already been done.

Of course, there's lots of chassis stuff to address, but this is all engine talk for now....

Opinions?

Anything I missed?

:smile5:

 

[buddy]

Fill out your signature to let us know the current status.

The quality of pop tolerances on Bosch injectors is pretty bad, better off getting rebuilt by a trustworthy outfit. Or new or rebuilt set to custom pop specs even, maybe standard nozzles up to the stock marine pop of 2150psi or even higher.

Unless youre going to be driving a lot, and extending oil change mileage intervals I dont think the centrifuge is necessary. If you want to drive 10,000 miles in 6 months and have that the oil change interval it would be great.

The fuel pre-LP filter is a good idea and get rid of the tank sock. For your list make sure to add the Feed The Beast mod and an aftermarket lift pump on there that will be 10-15psi.

If its going to be towing look at the DMax fan and clutch engagement mod.

Bosch Duratem glow plugs.

Does it already have a new mandrel bent downpipe, crossover, and 4" exhaust system and aftermarket programmed PCM?

 

[tanman_2006]

If a person is unable to find a local shop to rebuild them then what should be done?

 

[great white]

Fill out your signature to let us know the current status.

The quality of pop tolerances on Bosch injectors is pretty bad, better off getting rebuilt by a trustworthy outfit. Or new or rebuilt set to custom pop specs even, maybe standard nozzles up to the stock marine pop of 2150psi or even higher.

Unless youre going to be driving a lot, and extending oil change mileage intervals I dont think the centrifuge is necessary. If you want to drive 10,000 miles in 6 months and have that the oil change interval it would be great.

The fuel pre-LP filter is a good idea and get rid of the tank sock. For your list make sure to add the Feed The Beast mod and an aftermarket lift pump on there that will be 10-15psi.

If its going to be towing look at the DMax fan and clutch engagement mod.

Bosch Duratem glow plugs.

Does it already have a new mandrel bent downpipe, crossover, and 4" exhaust system and aftermarket programmed PCM?

My sig pretty much says it all except 400 000 kms on the chassis, about 300 000 on the engine.

I don't have any shops on Vancouver island, closest would be heath diesel in Washington state I guess.

The truck is stock, I mean stock!

PMD has been relocated, that's about it.

This truck isn't going to produce power numbers much above stock. MAYBE 50 Hp at best.

I'm aiming for longevity and fuel MPG....

 

[buddy]

For longevity and economy goes all the same stuff that is good for power. FTB and aftermarket LP will keep the IP happy, and less likely to fail. Larger exhaust will lower the amount of parasitic power loss from the turbo and lower engine backpressure, EGTs and ECTs. For a non towing or performance truck I would still recommend setting pop pressure a little higher than stock, so that when it settles it is close to stock pop pressures. Stock is 2060psi, and setting them to 2150 will allow it to settle and maintain better atomization. If not getting a PCM upgrade that will flow more fuel then stock pop pressures are OK. The PCM upgrade if from the right place can have modified shift setting, TCC, kickdown and timing curves that can be more economical and provide much better driving experience. Along with nice things like longer glow times, better cold advance and idling. A little more fuel output can help save fuel and the tranny by maintaining gears instead of downshifting as much. Also would be good to use the vacuum system and specify to the programmer how you want the boost curve to work. Meaing its more efficient with low boost when cruising, but its still nice to have 12-15psi when accelerating. So they can program in a custom curve rather than setting it to 10psi all the time and disabling the boost code. The vacuum system will anticipate fuel rate changes as well.

Maybe you can purchase injectors from Accurate Diesel and pay them to reset the pop pressures within a certain tolerance. They offer to test 8 injectors for $30 and provide analysis, so resetting new standard ones to 2150 +/- 20psi or so should be no problem for them. Heath may be able to do the same.

 

[great white]

For longevity and economy goes all the same stuff that is good for power. FTB and aftermarket LP will keep the IP happy, and less likely to fail. Larger exhaust will lower the amount of parasitic power loss from the turbo and lower engine backpressure, EGTs and ECTs. For a non towing or performance truck I would still recommend setting pop pressure a little higher than stock, so that when it settles it is close to stock pop pressures. Stock is 2060psi, and setting them to 2150 will allow it to settle and maintain better atomization. If not getting a PCM upgrade that will flow more fuel then stock pop pressures are OK. The PCM upgrade if from the right place can have modified shift setting, TCC, kickdown and timing curves that can be more economical and provide much better driving experience. Along with nice things like longer glow times, better cold advance and idling. A little more fuel output can help save fuel and the tranny by maintaining gears instead of downshifting as much. Also would be good to use the vacuum system and specify to the programmer how you want the boost curve to work. Meaing its more efficient with low boost when cruising, but its still nice to have 12-15psi when accelerating. So they can program in a custom curve rather than setting it to 10psi all the time and disabling the boost code. The vacuum system will anticipate fuel rate changes as well.

Maybe you can purchase injectors from Accurate Diesel and pay them to reset the pop pressures within a certain tolerance. They offer to test 8 injectors for $30 and provide analysis, so resetting new standard ones to 2150 +/- 20psi or so should be no problem for them. Heath may be able to do the same.

FTB? Fuel something something?

Things like exhaust, etc are essentially brand new and finances dictate they'll have to stay until worn out. So no joy there.

I may also just spring for efi live n the future and do some tuning myself. I'm fine with tuning OBDI and burning chips, OBDII is even easier as it's usually flash memory though the OBD port. Setting flags, adjusting ve tables, blm's, etrans, etc, no problem. The rest I'll figure out as I go. Just drive it, log it, adjust, drive it, log it, adjust, etc.

I just have to find out if EFI live supports the GM diesels and if the PCM is flash memory and swallow that high buy in price.....

 

[NVW]

FTB is Feed the Beast. It's in the stickies. It replaces the 1/4" fuel line between the fuel filter and IP with 3/8".

Walking J Designs sell a kit with all the parts or you can get a filter manager with the work already done.

 

[tanman_2006]

FTB? Fuel something something?

Things like exhaust, etc are essentially brand new and finances dictate they'll have to stay until worn out. So no joy there.

I may also just spring for efi live n the future and do some tuning myself. I'm fine with tuning OBDI and burning chips, OBDII is even easier as it's usually flash memory though the OBD port. Setting flags, adjusting ve tables, blm's, etrans, etc, no problem. The rest I'll figure out as I go. Just drive it, log it, adjust, drive it, log it, adjust, etc.

I just have to find out if EFI live supports the GM diesels and if the PCM is flash memory and swallow that high buy in price.....

I don't think EFI Live works on 6.5's, i tuned my old 2002 gasser with it and it worked great.

FTB is feed the beast- it gives you larger openings on the fuel manager to the IP and on the IP inlet. The IP has more fuel at its disposal and wont lose pressure or fight to get fuel under hard acceleration.

Larger exaust is vital to better fuel mileage and even longevity. It flows more air obviously and lets heat from the cylinder escape easier and faster.

 

[Matt Bachand]

http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=218

Read every word in those threads there, and you will know more about your 6.5 than most ASE Certified Diesel Mechanics!

 

[Woody35]

efi live doesnt work on 6.5s. not enough interest

 

[great white]

efi live doesnt work on 6.5s. not enough interest

Well crap.....:mad2:

So, how do the tuners do it?

They burn chips or flash the PCM?

What do they use to flash the PCM if that's what they do?

Because I've already run a couple data logs with my elm327 device and Scanxl.....old habits die hard.....

 

[NVW]

PM KOJO, or check his threads out. He has mentioned the software he uses but I can't remember what it was.

 

[buddy]

You have to have the definition files for the 6.5 which are only available for purchase from Westers Garage for like $1800 on OBD-II which you have. Nothing is compatable with the 6.5 PCMs as far as aftermarket tuners go. Its reflashing the EPROM within the PCM. Ultimately for the price a vendor here does it for is much cheaper in cost and time than trying to learn it for the 6.5. Although, it can be fun messing with it, its time consuming.

 

[great white]

You have to have the definition files for the 6.5 which are only available for purchase from Westers Garage for like $1800 on OBD-II which you have. Nothing is compatable with the 6.5 PCMs as far as aftermarket tuners go. Its reflashing the EPROM within the PCM. Ultimately for the price a vendor here does it for is much cheaper in cost and time than trying to learn it for the 6.5. Although, it can be fun messing with it, its time consuming.

So, the mask is the issue?

Hmm......a plan is forming......

 

[dangerousdave]

After the bumper mount FSD (Heath Diesel), clean the coolers; radiator, oil and trans coolers, AC condenser. they collect debris and will fry your motor when you need it most. Fan clutch adjustment or replacement.

Then get an Oil cooler kit; life or death issue. Stock oil lines and fittings can fail loosing all oil pressure before the truch can be shut down. Leroy at pmdcable.com has a kit for a good deal, and he's one of us.

Intake and exhaust; AFE or S&B filter for better filtration and flow, see if the catalytic converter can be perforated through the middle or emptied out. I know a guy... the innards magically fell out of his "soot trap" after he straight piped it (replaced the muffler with a pipe) and now it runs cooler and gets better mileage! Not ME of course.
My, er HIS wife loves the sound of HIS truck with the empty cat and straight pipe.
A Turbo Master also from Heath Diesel, will smooth out the waste gate function but will need a chip or "boost fooler".

 

[great white]

After the bumper mount FSD (Heath Diesel), clean the coolers; radiator, oil and trans coolers, AC condenser. they collect debris and will fry your motor when you need it most. Fan clutch adjustment or replacement.

Will with time. My truck never gets over 85-95 C as it's currently used and only has to haul me and the wife in the near (and distant) future....no heavy loads for this retired work truck. She's earned her bones and is getting her just rewards...

Then get an Oil cooler kit; life or death issue. Stock oil lines and fittings can fail loosing all oil pressure before the truch can be shut down. Leroy at pmdcable.com has a kit for a good deal, and he's one of us.

Money....need some....):h

Intake and exhaust; AFE or S&B filter for better filtration and flow,

Again, money....need some

see if the catalytic converter can be perforated through the middle or emptied out. I know a guy... the innards magically fell out of his "soot trap" after he straight piped it (replaced the muffler with a pipe) and now it runs cooler and gets better mileage! Not ME of course.
My, er HIS wife loves the sound of HIS truck with the empty cat and straight pipe.

That's a big NO good buddy. My cat is staying on and functional. I have a 7 year old daughter and want to leave the world for her at least as good as I found it, if not better. That's not to say I won't replace the catalytic convertor with a high flow one. I've got a magnaflow high flow cat (3" in/out) sitting in the garage still in it's box from a previous project......

A Turbo Master also from Heath Diesel, will smooth out the waste gate function but will need a chip or "boost fooler".

My understanding is my 98 is controlled by the PCM, so it needs to stay as is. I'll look into it though, don't know much about the Turbo Master, maybe it works witrh my truck. But am fairly reluctant to take the truck away from stock condition. At least, in the control department...

Thanks for the suggestions.

Cheers

 

[Matt Bachand]

Exhaust ASAP with high flow cat 4" kit be nice.

 

[great white]

Exhaust ASAP with high flow cat 4" kit be nice.

When the OE stuff wears out. No money to cut off a perfectly good working system right now.

Probably use the 3" high flow I've got in the garage and already paid for too.

I'm not in the "Po house", but at the same time can't afford to be wasteful with the money we have. Cutting off a system that has nothing wrong with it (IE rotted out) is just not do-able right now...

 

[buddy]

What RPO code do you have that is 3.62 gear ratio?

The exhaust is one of those things that if you want it to be efficient and perform well you make it bigger. But if youre not towing anything and leave the boost low youll be alright.

 

[Matt Bachand]

I thought you were looking for longevity mods. Sorry.