Rebuild for a performance oriented 6.5

[3500_6.5]

Well, I had the idea of backing the valvetrain bolts off until the valve closed (used the dial indicator and loosened the bolts until it stopped moving and then tightened just a hair so it would be right at the closing point with slight tension) to check clearances that way while I decide how to actually fix the problem. I figured this way will simulate the spacer or shorter pushrod to get me where I need to be. I checked clearances at stock timing marks and everything was good. So I went back the the ~111 degree mark and everything clears there also. I'm thinking to get a rough idea of clearances, I may tighten the bolts down a few thousands at a time and run the valves through a cycle. That should give me an idea of how much clearance I have and then I can figure roughly how much, if any, clearance I will have with the 1.6 rockers. This is all purely for entertainment really, as I will still recheck all clearances once I have the correct parts for the actual install. But it should give me a fairly good idea of what I'm working with.


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[n8in8or]

Well, I had the idea of backing the valvetrain bolts off until the valve closed (used the dial indicator and loosened the bolts until it stopped moving and then tightened just a hair so it would be right at the closing point with slight tension) to check clearances that way while I decide how to actually fix the problem. I figured this way will simulate the spacer or shorter pushrod to get me where I need to be. I checked clearances at stock timing marks and everything was good. So I went back the the ~111 degree mark and everything clears there also. I'm thinking to get a rough idea of clearances, I may tighten the bolts down a few thousands at a time and run the valves through a cycle. That should give me an idea of how much clearance I have and then I can figure roughly how much, if any, clearance I will have with the 1.6 rockers. This is all purely for entertainment really, as I will still recheck all clearances once I have the correct parts for the actual install. But it should give me a fairly good idea of what I'm working with.


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You have a sick, twisted idea of "entertainment"

 

[3500_6.5]

Looks like the magic number is .066". I'm thinking (and I may be wrong) that the actual clearance will be more than this but this gives me the "minimum" it would be. My thought is that since I am pushing the valve down (open) off the seat when it is supposed to be closed, that I am actually reducing the actual clearance because I am starting at a higher lift from the start than I would be under normal circumstances (valve fully seated and 0" lift vs lifted off the seat .066"). If that makes any sense? Seems logical to me [emoji4] But like I said, this gives me the minimum clearance possible.

So I will assume I have roughly .066" of clearance with 1.5 rockers. I am thinking I will be going to .010" over gaskets to help out on that too, so I'm hoping I'm back in business on this cam. I'm thinking my 1.6 rockers should work, but I will definitely still plan to pull them off the other engine and check them.


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[3500_6.5]

So I am thinking this whole think has just been an overthought mess. EWC touched on this earlier, but I guess I was so caught up in worrying about the cam smashing valves into pistons, that I really didn't give it much thought. But basically, I am thinking my clearances are fine.

I started thinking about the hydraulic lifters and how, like EWC said, the piston inside of them doesn't ride at the max point of travel like the solid lifter does that I am using to check everything. And, I am measuring everything at the valve, which means the lift is being multiplied by 1.5. So I decided to check into the preload hydraulic lifters should have when setting them. Since these are non adjustable rockers, I figured that there is surely a spec on what the preload should be. Sure enough, I found a "general" spec for preload on hydraulic lifters. The general spec was .030-.090". So, when I was checking at the valves what the lift was with the solid lifter, one was .078" of lift when the valve should be closed. That, divided by 1.5, puts me at .052". That is well within the preload spec. So I started checking all of them. All I did was tighten the rockers by hand until I had the pushrods as zero backlash, set the dial indicator to zero, and then tightened the rockers down. Sure enough, all of them were within the .030-.090" spec. They were all roughly in the .050" range. Soooooo, I'm thinking I've spent far too long worrying about something I shouldn't have needed to worry about. I still plan to add the .010" thicker gaskets to help increase dynamic clearances to ensure I have room with the 1.6 rockers. And I think I for sure clay the Pistons when I check the 1.6 rockers. But for now, I'm think I'm good running the stock pushrods. No need for any changes with the valvetrain as of now.


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[NVW]

Better to over think than not think at all

 

[3500_6.5]

Centermount turbo setup on a k3500

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur.../&share_tid=45447&share_fid=6044&share_type=t

Here's a link to what I'm working on right now while I'm waiting on engine parts.


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[nealpellecchia]

Hopefully tomorrow I can get it nice and clean, check for cracks with the spray, and then hopefully get it to the machine shop early next week.


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Cool dude!

 

[3500_6.5]

Well, I thought I would have a surprise for everyone and tell you about how I have my new Harland Sharp 1.7 roller rockers installed, pictures and all. But......seems they failed to take care of their rocker binding issues.

I didn't check the last set before I installed them on my other engine. When I replaced the valve spring, I checked and they did in fact bind like others had noticed. So this time I knew to check ahead of time. Sure enough, the center rocker arms on each assembly bind when they are torqued down. One is so bad that I cannot move it at all by hand. I sent them an email and I have video of the issue, but conveniently, they close at like 11am on Fridays. So looks like it will be another week before the engine is buttoned up.




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[n8in8or]

Unreal. Sorry to hear that. I know Leroy fixed his DIY by grinding down the edges of the retainer straps to give more side clearance. I opted to have HS send me the shorter spacers instead. So if you were really anxious to get it butttoned up you could......just your choice. I'm really surprised (and disappointed) that they're still having that problem!

Oh and 1.7? Wow!

 

[3500_6.5]

Unreal. Sorry to hear that. I know Leroy fixed his DIY by grinding down the edges of the retainer straps to give more side clearance. I opted to have HS send me the shorter spacers instead. So if you were really anxious to get it butttoned up you could......just your choice. I'm really surprised (and disappointed) that they're still having that problem!

Oh and 1.7? Wow!

Yeah, I am having them do it so if something else ever happens they can't come back on me saying they could tell I modified it. Better safe than sorry. I sent them an emailing letting them know that a very large group of 6.5 owners already knew they had a problem that they supposedly fixed over a year ago that they obviously haven't taken the time to actually fix. I let Leroy know too and he has already called them and left them a nice voicemail too lol.

And, yes, I opted for the 1.7s. With my calculations, I should still have enough clearance with them. It will be closer than what the general clearance should be, but I figured what the hell. I was getting some odd numbers when I was trying to check total lift though with these installed. One had lift equivalent to a 1.64:1 rocker and one had a 1.6:1 lift. Clearance was .036" from what I could figure. I'm hoping the binding issue is what was causing the weird numbers and not that they are lacking the precision I would assume they would have considering their reputation and price tag. Hopefully I can get it straightened out and my numbers will be where they should be.


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[n8in8or]

Yeah, I am having them do it so if something else ever happens they can't come back on me saying they could tell I modified it. Better safe than sorry. I sent them an emailing letting them know that a very large group of 6.5 owners already knew they had a problem that they supposedly fixed over a year ago that they obviously haven't taken the time to actually fix. I let Leroy know too and he has already called them and left them a nice voicemail too lol.

And, yes, I opted for the 1.7s. With my calculations, I should still have enough clearance with them. It will be closer than what the general clearance should be, but I figured what the hell. I was getting some odd numbers when I was trying to check total lift though with these installed. One had lift equivalent to a 1.64:1 rocker and one had a 1.6:1 lift. Clearance was .036" from what I could figure. I'm hoping the binding issue is what was causing the weird numbers and not that they are lacking the precision I would assume they would have considering their reputation and price tag. Hopefully I can get it straightened out and my numbers will be where they should be.


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I used the same reasoning when I had them do the spacers rather than me DIY it. Good luck.

 

[Husker6.5]

Maybe you'll be up and running by Labor Day?

 

[3500_6.5]

Sad thing is I originally had planned on having it in the truck by October at the latest LAST YEAR. I have decided to do more to it since then, but it definitely seems like this engine has no intentions of going in my truck.


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[Husker6.5]

The Eternal Project. Not Perpetual Motion, but close!

 

[Will L.]

Yeah, but on the flip side I'm driving mine, sometimes. My tire ctis system leaves it with 4 flat tires half the time, a leaky hub (think wheel seal) means an hour work 2x a month. No heat in winter and no a/c in summer. Fighting overheating problem I have known how to fix for years, no stereo (i h8 that) for 3 years.
Bad shocks last 2 years, etc
All the parts for everything is in my shop.

So im on the road, but wishing I had just downed the thing and been making slow progress on it. Instad Im 51% happy 49% fed up with it. Especially the a/c now that im fat and old- 111 degrees at 9:00 pm sweating sitting on leather...hmm.

Im finding myself putting off little errands until my wife gets home so I can drive her ride with nice ac and stereo. Before, I was like a kid with a new license- any excuse to drive it anywhere.

So keep in mind, at least when everything is done you will be able to not just have a piece of tranportation but something you enjoy driving.

 

[3500_6.5]

Wow, ok so apparently it's been a really long time since I've updated this....

Not much to update though lol. I bought a farm last summer and spent most of late summer/fall working on equipment and combining crops. Then I bought a bunch of cattle and been playing catch up since then. The truck blew up sometime last fall and it's been sitting ever since. I am just now getting it worked on to try to get it up and running as soon as I can.

I worked some more on my center mount setup, but then abandoned the idea and was going to just use all of the van center mount pipes and manifolds. So I have two mostly built center mount setups, but neither complete. Thought about ditching both for now and just using the stock setup, but I'm afraid if I don't do it now that the engine is out, then it will never get done.

The engine itself is about 95% done. I have to install the water pump and oil filter adapter. Then swap over a few parts from the old engine along with the accessories. But the engine itself is basically done. Everything is painted and all the covers are bolted on except the front plate the water pump bolts to. I have essentially had zero time to work on it since last year. I am having the blown engine pulled now, hopefully I'll get some time to work on the center mount setup soon and get the last few parts buttoned up on the engine. Paying someone to do something I am perfectly capable of doing seems strange to me, but at this point I just need things done and don't have the time to do it myself. I've been using my 89 gasser to tow things and it just doesn't cut it. Cattle are getting big enough to start selling and I don't think my gas truck will do too well pulling 15,000lbs.....

So I decided I have to bite the bullet and pay to have some things done. The other guy is pulling the old engine and installing the new one, but I will be the one to finish all the little things and be the one to start it for the first time at least. But since it's spring, I am back in the fields again. So time will still be scarce for the next month or so. I'll post updates as they come.

Thank Nate for checking to see if I was still alive. He got ahold of me about a week ago and kind of lit a fire under me again to get this thing done....and to get back on here and get everyone updated.




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[3500_6.5]

As for the original engine, I don't know what is wrong with it yet. I was driving it home with the family from picking up a few things when it died. I wasn't pulling a trailer or any kind of weight in the bed. I was about 5 miles from home when all of a sudden it got really loud (I thought the crossover pipe gasket blew out) and then started losing power. Then after about 10 seconds the truck died. Tried starting it and it was locked up. I never had a chance to even see what was wrong with it. I just parked it and it's been sitting in the same spot since that day.

I just had the truck towed on Tuesday to get the engine pulled. Hopefully I'll get a chance to pull the pan and see what happened. At 26xxxx miles it could be anything I guess. My guess is that the crank let go though. Mainly bc I've been concerned about that ever since I pulled a trailer home with a load of cattle with the harmonic balancer bad. It made it maybe another 1 1/2-2 years after that happened, but I had been worried about it since that day. But it could be the piston that my valve dropped on when my valve spring broke lol. Hard to say at this point. I'll let everyone know what I find once I tear it down some.


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[3500_6.5]

So some more updates.

1)The centermount setup is about 98% done. I needed more all thread and apparently no one sells metric all thread. So to eBay I went. I am using all thread to make studs for the manifolds. I didn't have enough to do both sides, so I am waiting on the other piece to do the passenger side. I also had the flanges on each manifold machined down to fit the normal v band clamps. I used high temp rtv instead of the gaskets since the gaskets always seem to fail and I've always had better luck with the rtv instead. I also added in the flexpipes per suggestions on here as well as a support bracket that will bolt to the manifold to help support the turbo. Everything seems to fit well. Just need the all thread and then heat wrap everything

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[n8in8or]

So some more updates.

1)The centermount setup is about 98% done. I needed more all thread and apparently no one sells metric all thread. So to eBay I went. I am using all thread to make studs for the manifolds. I didn't have enough to do both sides, so I am waiting on the other piece to do the passenger side. I also had the flanges on each manifold machined down to fit the normal v band clamps. I used high temp rtv instead of the gaskets since the gaskets always seem to fail and I've always had better luck with the rtv instead. I also added in the flexpipes per suggestions on here as well as a support bracket that will bolt to the manifold to help support the turbo. Everything seems to fit well. Just need the all thread and then heat wrap everything

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I don't recall you running cast manifolds....where did those come from??

 

[WarWagon]

I don't know of any RTV that can take 1100 - 1550 degrees. Usually the manifolds go on without gaskets and depend on the soot coming out of the engine to seal them up. Interesting it's use on the oil filter adapter... maybe that will stop them from leaking