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New to diesels - 6.5L Suburban

I don't believe you can high idle a 98 burb???, I whole-heartedly agree, go with HEATH, nothing I bought from his ever had a problem. from SS, I had a new duramax fan clutch go bad in a month, and coolant upgrade I had to modify to make work. Granted I never called SS to straighten out, I cut my loss, and moved on. Exhaust--beware Jardine-over month to ship and parts nowhere near working together. I ran new down-pipe and 4". Get rid of cat and I recommend just using a medium, straight through resonater to cut the rumble/ humm in the cab.

do:
fill out signature then
1 Heaths recommended radiator clean
2 change tranny fluid and filter
3 change rear differential fluid(if 4wd the xfer and front diff)
4 check cdr
5 if 4wd, check front hub/bearigs- see Turbine Doc's issue
6 as mentioned-Battery cable mod
7 check out heathdiesel.com
8 most important-read, read and read this sight, saves thousands on repair.
9 many more preventative measures.
oh yeah, read about wastegate solenoid-as mentioned Heaths TM and chip as options.

10 mpg is low, mine gets 11.5 with 9k lbs behind it. check lift pump and fuel filter. with that mileage, injectors possibly soon. clean intake, etc, etc, etc.
 
Why wouldn't you be able to high-idle a 98 'Burb?
1 Hour Ago 01:28 PM


I thought that was what I have been somewhat seeing on posts? not shure, I could very well be wrong as my attention is basically limited to 94-95 models.:confused: more than willing to be corrected///educated.
 
Thoughts on Burban:
Excellent buy, excellent choice in choosing this site as well. all the knowlegeable people are here, and this site is very friendly and helpful.

thoughts on vendors:
Heath Diesel: actively developing products for the 6.5L, uses his own stuff, has a land speed racer. great products, great service.

Kennedy Diesel: also a good vendor, is focused on d-max, 6.5L is not top priority, but still has tinkered with 6.5L and is pretty knowledgeable.

SS Diesel Supply: well... lets just say buy exhaust only, as it is a heart throb product. this is the vendor that designed the worse-than-original pmd solution. i would buy the GM service manuals from him, and a few other small things. otherwise, be careful.


Thoughts on upgrades:
Change out the factory harmonic damper with a Fluidampr unit. The fluidampr is similar to that of one found on over the road trucks. good upgrade, as a failing factory one could break the crankshaft.

oil cooler lines need upgraded as well.

otherwise, everyone has pretty well sumed it up.

Also, things that are not needed, but would be nice,
DSG (diesel services group) girdle kit
ARP studs for heads and mains.


good luck!
 
Wow, lots to read and figure out. Again thanks for all of the input from everyone. I will look into the battery modification first. Apparently the oil cooler line is leaking a bit so it will need attention right away. I drove the truck on a 75 mile trip and the mileage was 18.5 mpg which isn't bad considering.

Im just going to take my Sub to K&S Fuel Injection across town. They only tune diesels, have a dyno etc., and have been around for a very long time. So how long is too long to be idling the truck without the fast idle mod? I let it warm up for 5-15 minutes in the morning since its so cold here.

BTW - plugged it in last night all night and it fired up this morning so problems with no smoke! I think I'll continue to do that for the rest of the winter. So who has the quietest 4" exhaust out there, any thoughts? My truck sits below my sons bedroom and so noise is a concern (to my wife).

Thanks again all!

Mike
 
docdray said:
Why wouldn't you be able to high-idle a 98 'Burb?
1 Hour Ago 01:28 PM


I thought that was what I have been somewhat seeing on posts? not shure, I could very well be wrong as my attention is basically limited to 94-95 models.:confused: more than willing to be corrected///educated.
Click to expand...

It is a different wiring than the older models, but of course it is able to be done with no problem.

The TCC lock mod on the otherhand cannot :( Which is a shame.
 
Mike Mead said:
Wow, lots to read and figure out. Again thanks for all of the input from everyone. I will look into the battery modification first. Apparently the oil cooler line is leaking a bit so it will need attention right away. I drove the truck on a 75 mile trip and the mileage was 18.5 mpg which isn't bad considering.

Im just going to take my Sub to K&S Fuel Injection across town. They only tune diesels, have a dyno etc., and have been around for a very long time. So how long is too long to be idling the truck without the fast idle mod? I let it warm up for 5-15 minutes in the morning since its so cold here.

BTW - plugged it in last night all night and it fired up this morning so problems with no smoke! I think I'll continue to do that for the rest of the winter. So who has the quietest 4" exhaust out there, any thoughts? My truck sits below my sons bedroom and so noise is a concern (to my wife).

Thanks again all!

Mike
Click to expand...


i went from a 3" straight pipe to this system....doesn't roar like the 3" but you can hear the turbo more when outside...inside the cab much quieter...as performance goes change IP,injectors and exhaust at the same time....seems to have twice the power it had.....went to get a tv 400 miles around trip 2 lane hi-way 18.75mpg with 305 tires..
 
Wow, well I just learned a lesson. Its 4 degrees here right now and I just got stranded in Sub on the highway with the family in the truck. I went to start it in my driveway and let it idle to warm up (it quit a minute later), started it again (it quit less than 3 minutes later). The third time I started it we all jumped in figuring it just needed to warm up.

We got 1. miles down the road and onto the highway it just quit and would not start. So, in the frigid cold I had to run back to my house as my fam sat in the truck to pick up my wife's car. Got back and my wife had gotten it started again, and it was warm. No more problems for the rest of the night once warm. Is this foreshadowing for greater problems than just diesel and cold weather?

Mike
 
Get the Heath PMD kit first and worry about other upgrades later. If I had to do it over again I would do this:
1: Heath PMD, Battery cable mod/ground clean/any free mod upgrade repair
2: Walbro Frb-5 Lift pump with a spin on pre-filter.
3: Injectors
4: Exhaust
5: Cooling mods (if necessary)/timing chain R&R or replace with gear drive/Fluid dampner since you have it off anyway.(while thats off remove and clean radatior inside and out along with external of AC condenser)
etc, etc, etc..........
just my .02
 
Do those symptoms seem like a PMD issue? If so I'll spend the $300, but I hate to just throw money at fixes until I'm pretty sure.

Thanks again!
 
Could be all kinds of stuff, at this point, Mike.

Let's see if we can't narrow things down a bunch before we start putting your life savings into parts, ok?

Copy the Diagnostic Checklist from my signature, paste it into a new post, and fill it all in by clicking in the blank and typing your answers.

It takes a little while to actually DO all the tests it asks for, but it will hlep us try to figure out what's wrong with your sub. Lots of the things, you already know the answers to, so print off the checklist and get checking!
 
Hey Mike, good to see another 6.5 owner in WI! I'm not too far, infact just went over to wausau the other weekend for a getaway with the wife.

My truck is in relatively good running condition, so I can give you some of it's behaviors as a benchmark. I let it idle for extended periods (30 minutes some mornings) with no issues. I don't have any bucking, so that is an issue. I get some fairly excessive smoke on startup and when it's below zero, pretty sure its an injector issue...no drivability issues.

As for vendors, I dissagree with GMGuy on Kennedy. I started buying from him based on his past work on the 6.5. He laid the ground work for mods on the 6.5. Heath is great and makes great products, but I surely wouldn't say kennedy just dabbled. If you do some reading through the old articles over on diesel page, you'll see that kennedy was making the 6.5 viable when everyone else had tossed it aside. He's focusing on the Dmax because there's not much more to improve on the 6.5 right now. I know heath is working on a cold air intake, but honestly, the 97+ HD airbox is pretty good and I don't see a reason to upgrade it beyond a new filter element.


Kennedy is in Loyal, WI ('bout half way between us) as well, so shipping is fast, and on big stuff it's about an hour and a half for me to drive and pick it up VS paying big shipping (I'll do this on the exhaust when the time comes). He's got a full dyno setup in his shop as well, so he can do lots of good things there.
 
Thanks for the input Jeff, awesome news about Kennedy I'll check them out. I've read that there are people using the Bosch marine injectors as a replacement which should help with the smoke and also help with performance a bit. I may buy a set of those. I've never installed diesel injectors, are they tough to get at & install?

Have you heard of KS Fuel injection in Weston, WI? They're across town from me but they host dyno days etc, and work exclusively on diesels. They've been around for a long time, and seem very knowledgeable.
 
Mike Mead said:
Thanks for the input Jeff, awesome news about Kennedy I'll check them out. I've read that there are people using the Bosch marine injectors as a replacement which should help with the smoke and also help with performance a bit. I may buy a set of those. I've never installed diesel injectors, are they tough to get at & install?

Have you heard of KS Fuel injection in Weston, WI? They're across town from me but they host dyno days etc, and work exclusively on diesels. They've been around for a long time, and seem very knowledgeable.
Click to expand...
From the reading I've done, the marine injectors aren't worth the extra money unless you do some other mods as well. The stock spec injectors can supply more then the IP, so it's money out the window unless you get the marine IP and upgrade the fuel supply lines as well. I haven't put injectors in mine yet, but IIRC the drivers side isn't too bad at all, the passenger side requires some parts removal (mainly the turbo) for easy access or a contortionist.

I haven't heard of KS, but that's good to know, I'd love to make it to a dyno day some time. I know I wouldn't compete, but it'd be fun to know what the ol girl was capable of after 184,000 miles ):h
 
JeffsJeep04 said:
. I know I wouldn't compete, but it'd be fun to know what the ol girl was capable of after 184,000 miles ):h
Click to expand...

Some things are better left for the imagination... When your buddies asks how much HP you have and you say 190 they may look at your truck a little differently :)
 
JeffsJeep04 said:
Hey Mike, good to see another 6.5 owner in WI! I'm not too far, infact just went over to wausau the other weekend for a getaway with the wife.

My truck is in relatively good running condition, so I can give you some of it's behaviors as a benchmark. I let it idle for extended periods (30 minutes some mornings) with no issues. I don't have any bucking, so that is an issue. I get some fairly excessive smoke on startup and when it's below zero, pretty sure its an injector issue...no drivability issues.

As for vendors, I dissagree with GMGuy on Kennedy. I started buying from him based on his past work on the 6.5. He laid the ground work for mods on the 6.5. Heath is great and makes great products, but I surely wouldn't say kennedy just dabbled. If you do some reading through the old articles over on diesel page, you'll see that kennedy was making the 6.5 viable when everyone else had tossed it aside. He's focusing on the Dmax because there's not much more to improve on the 6.5 right now. I know heath is working on a cold air intake, but honestly, the 97+ HD airbox is pretty good and I don't see a reason to upgrade it beyond a new filter element.


Kennedy is in Loyal, WI ('bout half way between us) as well, so shipping is fast, and on big stuff it's about an hour and a half for me to drive and pick it up VS paying big shipping (I'll do this on the exhaust when the time comes). He's got a full dyno setup in his shop as well, so he can do lots of good things there.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the knowledge! I knew Kennedy was a good vendor, did not know that he actually did quite a bit of work for the 6.5L.
 
I had an idea.

Mike, are you keeping up with your anti-gel additives? your dying issue possibly sounds like gelling. More than likely it is our friend, the PMD, but who knows?
 
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