When it rains it pours....

[tanman_2006]

My 95 1500 6.5 started this morning with some extra clatter. I figured I would just check it over around noon when I wrapped my morning job. Well at my first field this morning my truck was making one heck of a rattle/clatter so I JUST HAD TO LOOK :nonod: . I wish I didn't because it made my 80 miles drive home very TENSE.

The crank shaft pulley lost about a 3in chunk of rubber and was whobbling badly, the idler pulley was bouncing like a sob, and the water pump was slowly weaping (been doing it awhile but it got worse today).

SO, looks like new HO water pump, fan clutch (old one doesnt kick in before 220*, i use foot control), timing chain (its so loose it rattles), IP (hard WARMED UP starting with 30K on squirts and plugs), crank pulley, and fluid dampner.

I am also considering a new radiator, HG's (20:1) w' ARP, rebuilding tranny (shift very hard into a few gears and too soft into others and getting worse), and just an over all clean up of the CHAOS I call an engine bay.

The truck runs ~1200 miles/ week and it was bound to need work eventually, had a great summer with a polaris 700 and seed trailer (12K seed+trailer) in tow most of the summer.

I have:
D-Tech rebuit 5521 IP on the shelf, and a rebuilt 5068 odball (test pump) also
Walbro FRB5

NEED/Considering:
HO Water pump (4 bolt clutch compatable 97 model)
Belt Tensioner
Hayden Clutch (I want ~195-205*)
Radiator (93 model with fill cap maybe, Ideas wanted)
Battery Cables (0-2 guage)
Glow Plug Harness
Diamond Eye 4in
FTB
Cloyes Timing Set
FFM ( ditching stocker for a firewall mount unit, wanting Ideas)
Fluid Dampner
Crank Pulley

The truck has 0 blow by runs strong and has just under 277,777 miles on everything but the engine (~ 170K on the 506 by guessing). When it hits 300K it retires to mud truck/toy and I want it as solid as possible when that happens. I will also be redoing the body myself this winter: inner and outer rockers, below the doors, hood, bed side, pass door, bedliner, and possibly paint.

I would like to get as many parts as possible from vendors. Start shooting me PM's with prices and there is a 90% chance I will buy from you. I will also be taking as many pics as possible although it might be April before the truck is done.

I will make a video of the truck running soon, and give a tour of the condition.

TIA for answering all of the questions I am going to have :hihi: .

Tanner

 

[orrum]

Heres my install of a FFM that Leroy (PMDCABLE) sells. http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/showthread.php?31009-New-type-Wix-FFM-install

 

[buddy]

Wow, that sounds like a terrible thing to see down there. Seems like a pretty good overhaul of everything. You can always use the stock fuel filter manager, but relocate it. With a 30 micron pre-LP filter you wont have to change the filters or LPs as much. Plus with a prefilter you can add another fuel heater and water separating element closer to the tank.

I suppose its as good of time as any to put the head studs on, rather than waiting for some type of failure.

 

[great white]

80 miles with a pooched damper and no catastrophic failures..........you're one lucky SOB........

 

[Acesneights1]

That's alot of coin to spend on a motor with 277k. You'll need a coolant overflow to use a copper rad if that is what you are thinking. I wouldn't bother. It did not make any difference. I blew 600$ to prove that.

 

[deejaaa]

i use 0 guage battery cables that i fashioned up myself. it is real stiff, hard to bend but once it's done, it won't move. crimped copper connectors on the ends and used waterproof shrink tube, red and black. held up for a year so far with NO probs.

 

[tanman_2006]

That's alot of coin to spend on a motor with 277k. You'll need a coolant overflow to use a copper rad if that is what you are thinking. I wouldn't bother. It did not make any difference. I blew 600$ to prove that.

Engines got 170K ish. It has a 99 506 block in it installed by a dealer under the 100K warrenty. Everything else is original.

I am not sure I want a copper rad, just want the convience of a Rad Fill cap. My 93's rad was replaced with a alluminum rad with plastic tanks and still has a Rad Cap.

I am in the situation where I can't just buy another truck, this one is paid off and I have ~$4,000 saved just for this reason. I like the EX cab SB 4x4 for my purposes and would rather fix it than search for another one just to have to sort out wiring problems all over again and have to replace all of these parts anyways.

Like I said, it just has to make it through 1 more summer and it will get replaced and turned into the fun truck (which means it will need all of the ugraded parts I plan to through at it), I just hoped it would hold together until the end of this summer.

 

[tanman_2006]

Ok, Give me opinions of this list, I would like to prioritize if I can. Looks Like I am goin to need to get it running soon and wrench on the rest slowly. My 93 has pretty well lost 4th (wont stay in gear), 3rd is a sob to catch w/o grinding, and the clutch is a sob to press but that truck is another thread on a later day.

Stage 1:
5521 IP OR 5068 IP (I will be getting a reflash on my ECM with 3 settings for each, just havent talked to the resident tuner yet)
FTB while i have the pump out
HO Water pump (4 bolt clutch compatable 97 model)
Belt Tensioner
Hayden Clutch (I want ~195-205*)
Cloyes Timing Set
Fluid Dampner
Crank Pulley
Oil Cooler Lines
ADD ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF IN THIS AREA

Stage 2:
Walbro FRB5 and OPS Relay Mod
Diamond Eye 4in
Install my gauges finally (usually run GMTD Scan on long hauls)

Stage 3:
Radiator (93 model with fill cap)
Glow Plug Harness
FFM (ditching stocker for a firewall mount unit, I think the stock unit is fine but I don't like the crappy plastic cap filters)

Stage 4 (will occur if the tranny takes a dump along the way):
Tranny Rebuild/Beef up (if it lasts this long)
Head Gaskets and studs at this time

Along the way:
Remove fire wall mat, paint with lizzard skin sound and heat reducer, clean up wiring
Body, paint, interior (driver seat rebuild, speakers, new head unit)

Does this sound reasonable? The time line on this isn't set in stone but I need to make sure it is 100% as mechanically sound as an old 6.5 can be by next summer. I will be flipping between this and my 93's tranny, holset, dash, new leafs, gear vendor, ect....

 

[buddy]

Looks like a good list, for stage one, you may want to consider a new CPS for the timing cover, they rot while sitting in there it seems.

You might want to check the motor mounts, and tranny mount. Perhaps replace with Energy Suspension units if either is sagging or collapsed.

For the tranny, you can identify which gears are hard and which are soft, at what throttle levels or if shift points are too high or low, ect. and any of that can be addressed in the programming. You can get a whole electronics kit with new solenoids and wiring harness for the 4L80E for $140, and something you could change yourself. If wanting to beef it up the sure cure kit address the force motor (pressure control solenoid) and TCC solenoid wear issues. Many times its just electronics issues, and can change the fluid, filter and get deep pan while doing that.

 

[tanman_2006]

The 2-3 and 3-4 seem to slip at WOT in performance (they havent always done that). What I mean by slip is the engine revs between shifts and there is a pause.

At light throttle it shifts hard 2-3. Usually 2000-2200 rpm.

My TCC valve is worn out but your programming hides the issue most of the time.

I will pick up a CPS in my parts collection. Is it one of those use only AC Delco things?

I will have motor mounts on hand too, I will use them eventually on one of my trucks.

Thanks for the reply! I will shoot you an Email of what I am planning tuning wise later today or this weekend.

 

[WarWagon]

I would think along the lines of what keeps the wheels rolling and make that the area to concentrate on.

First, get the radio in working order. You need something to listen too if you are waiting on the tow truck!!! Turning the radio up also solves some 'problems'.

Next, the transmission. Auto's showing their age by slipping between gears is only a matter of time before you walk. This should be in the #1 spot. I get them rebuilt here for $895 plus hard parts and electronics or $1200 out the door installed with a new OD gear set and electronics. Not much needed to beef up a 4L80E.

Serpentine belt drive items as listed and I would do a CS 144 alt mod while you are at it. Fluid Damper depending on your funds after the transmission. I would get Burning Oil's oil cooler kit vs. the leaky factory lines.

Belt tensioner I would get from the dealer as the aftermarket cr@p is not usually correct for spring tension.

I would not mess with the FFM, not liking it has nothing to do with going down the road. I would not mess with the radiator except to clean it. IF it needs replacement then a 93 swap requires new hoses and a junkyard overflow bottle. The 94+ design is better with an air cushion in the system.

Why an IP? Skip it if it works. How many miles on the injectors?

Lift pump replacement I would make #1 as well.

Glow plug harness you can make yourself. I have...

Exhaust with down pipe should be high on the list after things that make you walk.

I would pull the pan and check for cracks before dropping too much into the engine with head studs etc.

 

[tanman_2006]

War Wagon thanks for the comments.

I guess I should say what HAS been done to the truck: Injectors and 60G GP's 30,000 ago, New 93 LP ~12,00 ago, Cat and Muff delete, new cross over, PMD relocate, new OEM Alt (i need bigger for 800 watt amp and 15's but....), New batts.

I HATE wiring and would rather have someone make it for me than me get frustrated and skimp. I am going to clean up all of the loose wires from the PO chasing problems and then me buying the problems.

I am planning to order the kit from Leroy that allows me to keep the stock oil cooler, I might purchase the EVERYTHING that is on my list that he carry all at once and that will include the exhaust.

I did not put exhaust at the top because it is not essential to the truck running. The LP i have pushes 8psi at idle and 2 WOT so it isn't extremely essential, I just need to do the relay mod.

My truck is TERRIBLE to start when hot, like 15-20 sec of cranking. I have checked fuel leaks and tried priming with the LP and it really doesn't make much difference. I think that calls for a IP, it has 277K on it.

I agree the tranny needs work soon but that takes $ away from the rest. It still rolls I just take it easy on it. I am not worried about getting ARP's and the bottom going out, They are reusable!

 

[btfarm]

I HATE wiring and would rather have someone make it for me than me get frustrated and skimp. I am going to clean up all of the loose wires from the PO chasing problems and then me buying the problems.
Our vendor Bruce has ya covered there then.http://www.ptwiringsolutions.com/

My truck is TERRIBLE to start when hot, like 15-20 sec of cranking. I have checked fuel leaks and tried priming with the LP and it really doesn't make much difference. I think that calls for a IP, it has 277K on it.

Did you happen to check into the Fuel cap loose trick to see if it made a difference with hot starting?

 

[orrum]

Hard starting could be a stopped up filter among many other things, u need a fuel pressure gauge, that and a OPS mod should be way up on the list. My truck is hard to start if I over pressure the fuel with the LP primer button. Just my opinion.

 

[deejaaa]

Hard starting could be a stopped up filter among many other things.................

also, on the same line, there is a screen on the back of the ip. mine was plugged w/ gunk, causing the screen to burst. it is easy to clean out but will cause fuel starvation.

 

[Burning oil]

Go for the Walbro FRC-10 instead of FRB-5. Fuel pressure gauge is very important as you know.

 

[WarWagon]

Go for the Walbro FRC-10 instead of FRB-5. Fuel pressure gauge is very important as you know.

I have had to clean out the screen on the walbro so I finally just removed it. No point with the tank sock I have now vs. the factory that had a bypass. I have not managed to kill the Walbro yet and I have killed everything else including a carter rotary vane in less than 6 months.

Hard starting hot can be a lot of things. Cold shock the IP to see if it is a head and rotor issue - not sure that the DS4's had this but it is possible. Check for air in the system. You really have to hunt this down as throwing parts at it usually doesn't solve the issue.

 

[buddy]

If its only hard to start when hot, and it is cranking over fast for 20 seconds, then I would think the IP is the culprit. Although, some air and screen checks are always prudent. You can pull the inlet fittings out, upper and lower, and the lower has two screens, one large one around the outside of the whole thingwhere fuel enters the IP and another on the bottom tip of it. A tiny screen that will get clogged and wont allow spill chamber pressure to push back into the transfer pump (inlet). If it has as many miles on it as the engine, then a 150,000 mile IP likely is out of tolerances. The IP likely has a date on the ID tag if you check it out with an inspection mirror.

The tranny, we can easily resolve the hard shifting, and can try to resolve the slipping a couple ways, with shift points, line pressure and shift pressure. Then for $150 you could replace all the solenoids which are suspect with these issues, and that can be done with tranny in the truck.

 

[tanman_2006]

Go for the Walbro FRC-10 instead of FRB-5. Fuel pressure gauge is very important as you know.

I just bought 2 FRB 5's and rebuild kits before you came out with the FRC 10 unfortunately. I need to use what I have the $ wrapped up in. I will likely upgrade my 94 & 95 with a FRC 10 and put the FRB 5's on my NA 6.2's

I have a Kent Moore fuel guage that I check PSI with frequently, I just don't know where I would mount a fuel press on my 95 with trans, egt, and boost A pillar already, maybe a under the dash or in the cubby hole would work but I dont want it in the way.

I am up for checking the screens and everything on the IP but if I already have it off and have a rebuilt IP sitting there and it is the only truck I own that it fits on then WHY NOT just trade it out and eliminate a future hassle. I just dont want to have to tear into this truck again without having time to plan for it. According to the dealer that the truck was originally bought from and did every lick of work on it they put a short block with the original 5067 IP in the truck and after reading the plate I am sure they are right.

I also will try the solenoid issue, it can't hurt anything. I do want to fix the TCC valve issue. By beefing up the tranny, I figured there were HD clutches and a HD/towing torque converter.

 

[buddy]

Since you have a few IPs, then you can attempt the complete FTB, by drilling/boring out the lower IP fitting holes. I totally agree with replacing the IP, might want to check the same things before installing the rebuilt IP.