new 6.5 owner

[ian]

Problem: My engine vibrates excessively (in my uneducated opinion) could send vid._crack in 2 " diameter diagonal frame member under radiator area(drivers side). check engine light comes on for a day or 2 and then goes out. unplugged wire harnesses every where. already stalled a few times. so installed the PMD isolator, new cdr, and lift pump, i have a TurboMaster in the box, and the new computer from heath is on the way.(more at bottom) __________________________

Demographics: tell us about your truck and your ambient conditions:

- Year: 2000______
- Truck model and class (ie: c2500) GMC 3500 crew cab _________
- Automatic or Standard: auto__________
- Mileage: (indicate miles or km) 82,600_________
- Replaced parts and mods (IP, PMD, chip/PCM, TM, injectors etc) _pmd isolator, idles at 1000 rpm drops when foot on break__________
- Model: ‘S’ or ‘F’ engine, NA or Turbo, EGR? "f" engine turbo (EGR ???)______________
- Ambient outside temp: (indicate *C or *F) 36* F__________
- What fuel are you using? (#1 Diesel, #2 Diesel, Bio, VO, WVO, etc) #_1 (i think)________
- What fuel additives are you using? ___________
- Where are you located? __Juneau, Alaska___________

General maintenance: inspect and evaluate the condition of each. When were they last changed?
- Air filter _dont know________
- Fuel filter _dont know ________
- CDR Valve? _March 2010________
- Coolant – last flushed/replaced at _dont know____________
- Oil – synthetic/regular, changed at _regular Mar 2010__________
- Batteries – state of charge, (matched set) replaced at _dont know____________
- Battery cables and grounds (removed, cleaned and tightened): __dont know____________
- Glow Plugs - how many miles on them? _dont know________ What type? _____________
- Injectors - last changed at _dont know______________


History: (Describe how the problem first appeared.)
- What were you doing when it happened? ______________
- How was the truck running fine before this problem appeared? _____________
- Has this problem ever happened before? _______________________
- Describe any related factors that might be part of the problem. ______________
- Have you checked for DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Codes)? (Y.N) __Y__ And? 1)ignition pump cam system code P0251
2)turbo charger boost performance P0236
3)fuel seliniod response time P1216


Diagnostics:

1] Starting:
1a] Does the engine start? __Y_______
1b] Does the engine crank over? __Y______
1c] Are your batteries fully charged? __Y_______
1d] Have you removed, cleaned, and tightened all battery connections? ___N_____
1e] Does your Wait to Start light come on for a time? How long? __Y_______
1f] Does your glow plug light come on? ____N_____ For how long? _________
1g] Do you see smoke from the exhaust while cranking? What color? ___Y white_____
1h] Does the Service Engine Light Glow during Start/bulb check? ___Y_____

2] Fuel Issues (if not running):
2a] Can you hear your lift pump working? __N_but i just replaced_________
2b] Do you get a steady flow of fuel from the water drain (T-handle) ? _________
2c] Loosen the inlet line from the IP – is fuel coming out (Lift Pump on)? _____Y______
2d] Loosen an injector line and crank the engine - does fuel come out? _____dont know____
2e] Do you hear a vacuum (hiss) when you remove the fuel cap? _____dont know______

3] PMD / IP Issues
3a] Location of PMD (on pump, on intake, remote mounted) _front skid plate__________
3b] Condition of Extension harness (if used) Vendor or Homemade? _____new____
3c] Condition of grounds / ground wires to IP / PMD. Check Harness. ___dont know______
3d] PMD Make: __heath_________
3e] PMD Age: _____new________

4] Stalling Issues
4a] Do you experience stalling only when hot? __n__________
4b] Does it stall under particular circumstances? (ie hit bump, or on accel) _n_____
4c] Does pouring cool water over the IP seem to help with restarting? ____n_____
4d] Is stalling momentary (engine recovers)? __n_______
4e] Does SES light come on when engine hiccups? __n_______
4f] Does cruise control quit working when engine hiccups? __n/a_________
4g] Does re-starting seem to reset engine, restoring cruise and power? ____n/a_____
4h] Changes to dash lights or instruments during stalling events? ____n_______

5] Running Issues
5a] On cold start, does upper rad hose get hard before engine warms up? __dont know_____
5b] Any bubbles or oil film in coolant overflow tank? __n_____
5c] Any white slime on oil surfaces (dipstick, CDR, oil Fill cap)? _____n_____
5d] Excessive white smoke from exhaust on cold start? __Y_______
5e] Excessive black smoke from exhaust under hard acceleration? _____N_____

6] Performance Issues
6a] Do you have gauges (boost, EGT) ? ___N________
6b] Maximum boost under load? ____________
6c] Have you added a performance PCM (reflash) or Chip? _not yet_____________
6d] Have you changed exhaust / downpipe / crossover? _n_______________
6e] Wastegate – mechanical or vacuum (OEM)? ___vacuum___________

7] Temperature-related Issues:
7a] Single or dual thermostats? ____dual________
7b] Have you replaced them lately? Manufacturer of replacements? __no_______
7c] Have you pulled and cleaned Radiator and coolers lately? ___no_________
7d] Have you replaced the fan clutch? Manufacturer of replacement? ___no_____
7e] (winter) Have you tested your antifreeze? Good to what temp? ____no______
7f] (winter) Are you using a winter grille cover? _no__________

List and describe any other factors which are not addressed in this checklist. We can’t see, hear, smell, or touch your truck, so the more descriptive information you can give, the more likely it is that somebody can assist you.

__I just bought my first diesel and want to make it a dependable and powerful towing rig for years to come, but i believe its been neglected and mistreated for a decade. Help me prevent it from blowing up!!!___thanks in advance Ian____________________________
__________________

 

[bk95td]

Welcome. You should start by cleaning every ground on the engine ,frame and body. These trucks don't tolerate bad grounds and will do weird things if they are dirty. There should be all the locations in the technical library. Most important ones are on the rear of the intake manifold. They are the ecm[computer] grounds. This is a free thing and can save many future headaches.
Since you milage is getting near 100,000 miles the injectors could be getting worn causing the rough idle. It has been proven that "new" injectors right out of the box need to be tested and reset for pop pressure. Even pop pressure makes for smoother running. Some new ones vary by as much as 500 psi. A local injection shop can rebuild and set pop pressure.
A pic. of the frame crack would be helpful. Possibly caused by a snow plow or wreck. Or both.

 

[JMJNet]

If it is vibrating check the pulley, especially the crank pulley and the harmonic balancer. May be bad motor mount.

Do a compression test to make sure it is not anything to do with the piston.

 

[Matt Bachand]

Welcome Ian. You found the right place!!!

Get us some pictures of unplugged harnesses. Also of your engine bay in general. More angles the better.

 

[buddy]

You need to make sure all harnesses are connected, clear the codes, and run it and see what comes back.

Perhaps pull the serpentine belt off and see if any pulleys have play in them or have excessive resistance. The vac pump could have seized, down below the alternator, it should have some resistance as it builds vacuum and the breaks free and then build resistance. Tensioner should spin freely, alternator easily too, compressor should spin when clutch not engaged. Look at the front of the harmonic balancer to see if it has visual damage, and around the rubber to see if it is rotted or cracking.

If those codes are active then you are in backup fuel mode, so its going to run crappy. We have to know which ones are real and which ones are just from unplugging stuff though.

 

[ian]

thanks for the quick reply's. i will attempt to locate all the grounds first thing in the morning, from the past thread it looks like theres 8, and difficult to find and or get to. 3 of the pics could be anywhere to me. i will take pics of the crack and unplugged harness's and vid the vibs too. i will jump on the belt/pulley project this weekend for sure, ill try to find a compression gauge and knock that out too. thanks again for the help.
Ian

 

[buddy]

if you are looking for compression gauge it needs to go to at least 400psi, so most for diesel go to 1000psi. Normal gas engines the gauges only go to 300psi, but the 6.5 should have 400psi compression.

 

[ian]

My computer trouble shooting skills are about the same as my engine trouble shooting skills. I can't get the photos and the video of the crack, harnesses, and vibration to upload. I will work on it. In the mean time I cleaned the grounds, applied noalox, and checked the pulleys. The service engine light turned on again yesterday with the oil pressure gauge read about twenty at break and forty with the high idle. While driving it was about fifty. What does this mean? If I can get any pointers about how to size a photo with a mac computer I am all ears.
Thanks again,
Ian

 

[Matt Bachand]

You running a 15w40 oil?

Need to find out what code it stored when light came on. Autozone/parts stores, unless you have your own scanner.

Another option on the pictures, is you may be able to set your camera to save smaller resolutions. May be easier for you than dealing with the puter?? Or it may be worse

Those oil pressures seem normal to me.... Mine increases with RPM also. One reason some recommend idling for long times in high idle. More oil pressure.

Worry under 10 I think.

Should always double check with a 2ndary mechanical gauge too if overly concerned about it. Bad OPS or bad Factory gauge could modify true readings.

 

[ak diesel driver]

check out car code it will be a scan tool and allow to time it also. http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/showthread.php?t=9198

 

[ian]

glad to hear the oil pressure variation doesn't concern anybody. i do have 15w40 for sure.
seems the engine is getting louder with clickin and knockin. ill get that vid up asap it would be a relief to have some one with an ear for it to tell me it wont throw any rods.

i came back to my truck idling in the parking lot with a small puddle of trans fluid.
looks to be coming out at the most forward part of the pan just over what looks to be a actuator for the steering system.

what exactly is this "car code" and how do i use it? the web site looks like it was designed by me(which means its terrible to navigate) do i have to hook it to my friggen mac laptop? or is it more like a multi-meter hand held quick and easy tool?
thanks a ton for the help. Ian

 

[TurboTahoe]

If I can get any pointers about how to size a photo with a mac computer I am all ears.
Thanks again,
Ian

Welcome Ian. If you have a Mac, then it comes with iPhoto. You can use iPhoto to size the photos. Just import the photos into iPhoto (open iPhoto, then drag and drop them onto the application). Then select the photos you want to size, and use the File -> Export command. You can choose JPEG as the type, and just adjust the size and quality settings until you get the size you need to upload here.

-Rob

 

[ian]

http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/at...ent.php?attachmentid=13140&stc=1&d=1270196507
i think ive worked out the picture uploads but still cant get the vid.
these are the crack in the frame at the weld under the cam shaft pully, and all the unhooked wire harnesses. thanks for the help. Ian

 

[ian]

that "crack in the frame at the weld" comment may be incorrect im going to pull the skid plate off and get a better look. Ian

 

[buddy]

The stuff in the cab just looks like some wiring to put a CB in or something.

In the engine bay can you zoom out on the wires? Can you not seen any unplugged sensors? On top of the intake or AC clutch. how many pins or wires are on each of those harnesses. Is there no AC clutch right there on the drivers side, thats what two of those likely are. The other could be the Crank Position Sensor, unless there is another 3 wire harness coming up from the bottom of the timing cover and it actually plugged in.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Take a pic of the injection pump I'm wondering if someone did a db2 conversion

 

[ian]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3PxHtS9auA
so this is the link to my engine vid if somebody with a trained ear for these sounds could check it out id appreciate your opinion. any thoughts on the significance of the crack? just weld it up and drive on? i got a DTC reader to check out the service engine soon light and its a P0236 (turbo charger boost censor A circuit/range performance code) any ideas of how i can right this code? i did get a Heath turbo master waste gate and new ecm ill be puttin in today. my simple logic/hope says that the TurboMaster improves turbo charger performance there for could possibly right the code if it were a crap vacuum right? ill get those other pics up when i can find my effin card reader. thanks for passing on your knowledge. its invaluable right now.
Ian

 

[buddy]

That answers the question of do you have an AC condenser and that is NO, so thats what two of the wires are. Yu didnt get any good close up of the injection pump area.

Did you locate the crank sensor pig tail that comes up the driver side timing cover to the thermostat housing area?

That is vibtrating way too much, that is not healthy. Need to read codes in it, write them down, then clear them and then run it and read them again.

Are you also having to jump it to get it to start?

 

[Brooklyn Tow]

Agreed about to much vibration.....Have to check harmonic balancer rubber insert for cracks, dry rot, deformed/bulging rubber. Remember a bad balancer will take out a crank, cause severe vibration. Next would be Crank pully, same deal with the rubber, also see if the bolts are centered....A bad crank pully will make noise. If there is any doubt about either, change them...espescially the balancer, they've been known to break many cranks.
After those two, check your motor mounts.....Also, maybe you could run another vid without the high idle.....All in all, she didn't sound bad.

2 Cents

 

[ian]

no the jumpers are charging a motorcycle im going to use till the truck is squared away.
which i hope can happen soon being in juneau theres a ton of rain.

the codes that i read this morning were only the P0236 (turbo charger boost censor A circuit/range performance code) ill run it and read it again.

i didnt locate the crank censor pig tail ill go check it out and see if its plugged in. any other thoughts on my next plan of action addressing the unhealthy vibs/sounds?

thanks Ian