I'm back with a keeper. .

[aLpHaSuRf]

Hey all. It's been a bit of a while. My last time on here before tonight and this thread was back in March. At the time I owned a 1999 2 door Tahoe 6.5 & a 1995 6.5 Suburban 1500. Maybe some of you remember my trucks. Maybe not.

Well, the 99 2 door I bought first. Then wanted a bigger vehicle so I bought the 95 6.5 Suburban. I was happy with the Suburban so I sold the 99 Tahoe. After signing the title over to the guy who bought my Tahoe the guy was checking out my Suburban. After getting under it he told me man... This truck isn't safe to drive... Your frame is cracked. Well.. The used car lot bought it back.

That was back in March. Since then I have taken my time and searched the Internet for another 6.5 Suburban. I couldn't find anything that I felt was worth investing my money and time into until 8-03-2016. I found a 1999 Chevy Suburban LT 2500 4x4. The very next day on 8-04-2016 I bought the truck and drove it home.

I looked up some RPO codes & She's got 3.73 gears in the rear and a 10.5 rear axle. Oh yeah She's got 197,000 miles.

PO stated he did the following...
So far she has PMD relocated to front grill, mechanical waste gate tensioner, vacuum pump delete, bully dog economy mode MPG tune, leveling torsion keys with shock extenders, 3.5 down pipe & 4 inch straight pipe no muffler to a 10 inch tip.


Here's what I want to do. I plan on looking for the parts I will need and I'm going to start ordering them this week.
I know how important the grounds are on the 6.5 so I want to buy a good Ground kit.

I want to do a Oil & filter change.

Air filter check.

Fuel pump replace & filter & check fuel lines... Possibly put SS braided fuel lines
& a fuel pressure reader or meter.

Replace my oil cooler lines with SS braided lines

Check my brakes and condition of my brake lines possibly put SS braided lines.

IP... Injection Pump... I'm lost here...

Water pump.... Lost here too....

Pillar pod with pyro meter, water meter, boost and oil temp.

Intercooler with bigger freer flowing intake.

Better turbo... Thinking hx40ll or even hx35 or ATT. I can get a new hx35 cheaper! Cheaper isn't always better so need help here. What's the differences? From what I've read ATT is a direct bolt in and then I shouldn't need a intercooler even if towing. I need help here especially.

Change headlight housings to clear glass.

Fix my AC.

This will be my first diesel I've even worked on. My other two I only owned for a short period of time and didn't do anything to them. Any input and or advice will be appreciated and a well deserved thank you to all in advance... "Thank you"

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

 

[btfarm]

Niiiiice burb. That looks like new

 

[Husker6.5]

Sweet. Welcome to Burb ownership!

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

Thanks.

 

[Will L.]

Nice looking rig. Its going to be easy to find things to throw $ at, dont run out of it with wants incase a need or 2 pops up.

First things first. 2 6.5 killers to check/ replace:
#1-oil cooler lines (from oil filter mount area to radiator stack area)
#2- harmonic balancer condition.

Idk a out a good ground kit- good battery cables, yeah from our favorite nascar mechanic. Do the same size on frame to engine to body grounds. The other grounds are just clean & replace ends as needed.

Also in wiring dept. is lift pump relay harness. If your good with electrical, search here and build your own, if not just buy Leroys kit and save the headache.

Fuel filter- do the screen while your there, leroy sells them along with the filter. Consider feed the beast mod. I personally wouldn't bother braided lines there. Not needed and not visible. Buy sae30r9 fuel line or better. Adding the fuel pressure gauge is a smart idea. Leroy has the snubber also. Also do the clear return line coming out of the Ip while you are there. The future you will thank you greatly, I promise.

While we are at he IP- why are you wanting to change it? I vote no. Drive it a while before giving it a heart transplant. There is other more affordable stuff to get done first.

Planning the turbo, IP, and injectors together is a good thing. Plan it- dont just wing it.

As for waterpump- does your fanclutch bolt on with 4 bolts to the waterpump or is it a big single screw on style? Watch your temp gauge how hot are you getting? 210=ok, 220=worry, 230 is full out panic mode.

Here is an good one to add- new radiator hoses and clamps, flush the coolant system first. Then pull the hoses, and pull the radiator out. Clean the whole stack, straighten all the fins, clean it all nice and shiney!

I like your added gauges. Put extra ect sensor opposite side of engine from the original.

Turn this into your complete rebuild thread. Remember to be patient, your going to hit some roadblocks in the new to diesel class.

How often do you tow, and how much weight?
Are you more interested in mpg, power, longevity?
Are you planning alternative fuels lime wvo?
Hows the blow by?

 

[schiker]

Will beat me to it. I could have waited and said X2.

Welcome back. Good looking Sub.

What are your goals? Being used I'd drive it a while and see what develops before blowing budget too bad. The exhaust and PMD move are best first mods and they are done already.

Might not need an injection pump for a while but probably needs new injectors and glow plugs if originals definitely. Injectors need rebuilding or new between 80-120K miles for best atomization and performance. Depends on fuel usage and lubricity. How big the puff of smoke is on start up or throttle snap can help judge injector age. When cooler weather starts glow plugs will reveal themselves.

Water pump is probably good for now. Depends on how much you tow if you'll need to change fan and or fan clutch. With other maintenance I'd take out grill and thoroughly clean the stack and coolers! Then you'll know where more is needed. Clean stack is very important on these trucks! and will help your AC too.

 

[schiker]

I am definitely more for go than show but one thing that makes these trucks look better for not much money and is suppose to help handling (can't confirm this) are rear wheel spacers to even front and rear track. It helps the rear wheel visibility in the wheel well and gives the appearance of more tire than same tire just mounted factory.

Leroy is working on a group buy might consider it. I'd suggest 2" steel spacers.

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

Nice looking rig. Its going to be easy to find things to throw $ at, dont run out of it with wants incase a need or 2 pops up.

First things first. 2 6.5 killers to check/ replace:
#1-oil cooler lines (from oil filter mount area to radiator stack area)
#2- harmonic balancer condition.

Okay I won't run out and do any unnecessary work. Oil cooler lines were replaced by PO but he used new oem lines. Harmonic balancer I have to check.

Idk a out a good ground kit- good battery cables, yeah from our favorite nascar mechanic. Do the same size on frame to engine to body grounds. The other grounds are just clean & replace ends as needed.[\Quote]

Okay.

Also in wiring dept. is lift pump relay harness. If your good with electrical, search here and build your own, if not just buy Leroys kit and save the headache.

I'll buy Leroys and save myself time. I have to order other stuff from him anyway.

Fuel filter- do the screen while your there, leroy sells them along with the filter. Consider feed the beast mod. I personally wouldn't bother braided lines there. Not needed and not visible. Buy sae30r9 fuel line or better. Adding the fuel pressure gauge is a smart idea. Leroy has the snubber also. Also do the clear return line coming out of the Ip while you are there. The future you will thank you greatly, I promise.

Okay so what's feed the beast mod. I wanted to put a walbro fuel pump I heard it's a big imporvement over stock.

While we are at he IP- why are you wanting to change it? I vote no. Drive it a while before giving it a heart transplant. There is other more affordable stuff to get done first.

I didn't want to change it I just am not familiar with it so needed help. Like how do I know if it's going bad? How can I tell if it's already been replaced?

Planning the turbo, IP, and injectors together is a good thing. Plan it- dont just wing it.

that's one reason of starting this thread. The little easier things come first. Then later do the big improvements.

As for waterpump- does your fanclutch bolt on with 4 bolts to the waterpump or is it a big single screw on style? Watch your temp gauge how hot are you getting? 210=ok, 220=worry, 230 is full out panic mode.

fan clutch bolts I'll look later and give an update. My temp... as for exact temp I not 100% sure. Until now just used her around town not heavy loads so I'm sure she should be fine for now. She idles and runs great.

Here is an good one to add- new radiator hoses and clamps, flush the coolant system first. Then pull the hoses, and pull the radiator out. Clean the whole stack, straighten all the fins, clean it all nice and shiney!

Thanks now added to my list!

I like your added gauges. Put extra ect sensor opposite side of engine from the original.

Thanks I want to have a reliable truck that will last me a long time.

Turn this into your complete rebuild thread. Remember to be patient, your going to hit some roadblocks in the new to diesel class.

will do..

How often do you tow, and how much weight?

Right now I don't tow at all. But with in the next year or so I'll be towing a camper and a 24 foot sail boat.

Are you more interested in mpg, power, longevity?

Longevity first then mpg then power. But if I need my rig to tow then I will settle with different tuning.

Are you planning alternative fuels lime wvo?

No simply because if I travel what will I do for fuel?

Hows the blow by?

Blow by as in black smoke? If you are meaning black smoke it never puffs black smoke. If I don't start it every day I will get a quick puff of it on start up but it more like gray in color not black. When I'm driving it she never blows smoke.

 

[Big T]

Is that a 14 bolt full floater for the rear axle?

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

Is that a 14 bolt full floater for the rear axle?

I don't know I was told it's a 10.5 floating rear axle not sure if it's a 14 bolt. How can I tell?

 

[ak diesel driver]

the blowby comes out of the crankcase and normally goes back into the engine via the CDR. if you pull off the oil fill cap a healthy engine won't have any gases coming out of it, an unhealthy engine will look like a locomotive chugging away

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

the blowby comes out of the crankcase and normally goes back into the engine via the CDR. if you pull off the oil fill cap a healthy engine won't have any gases coming out of it, an unhealthy engine will look like a locomotive chugging away

Thanks. I just got my new PMD relocation kit from leroys so I'm going to check my blow by.

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

Well she's been running for about 5 minutes with no engine oil filler cap & no gasses or vapor streams coming out. I made a video but can't figure out how to put it on here for y'all.

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

Okay I just shut her down and the fan clutch has 4 bolts holding the fan blade on. Is this what you were asking about Will?

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

In not sure if this pic I'll help.

 

[Big T]

I don't know I was told it's a 10.5 floating rear axle not sure if it's a 14 bolt. How can I tell?

You can tell by the axle hubs. Both of these are Full Floater axles: 14 bolt Full Floater hub on the left; Dana 70 Full Floater on the right. You can also look at the RPO codes in the glove box. GT4 = 3.73 ratio. G80 = HD Locking Differential. Count the bolts on the rear differential cover. If there's 14, it's a 14 bolt ;-)

 

[aLpHaSuRf]

 

[Big T]

I'd pass on the glass headlight housings. Go with Euro clear still and install HIDs with All 4 on Hi. You will never go back to halogens. You do need to get the right housings. Had problems with the deflector cups on Lo side drooping from heat. Last ones we got had the cups attaching to the bottom of the housing and the attaching bracket had the thin edge perpendicular to back of housing so it would not droop:
http://www.carid.com/1995-chevy-ck-pickup-headlights/spec-d-euro-headlights-260356.html
http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/threads/hid-all-4-on-hi-install.45258/