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1990 K5 Duramax Blazer (BroDozer)

LB7 Duramax and Allison 1000 5 speed in a 1990 Chevy K5 Blazer
Overview Gallery Discussion
Pistons and cylinders don't look all that bad of shape. Little bit of scoring on the walls and maybe some coolant contamination. Any Opinions? Planning to tear it down to the block and see what is salvageable. Hoping to rebuild it on a budget since I'm not shooting for high HP. That way i can get the truck running sooner and ill build a performance engine on the side at a later date most likely.

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Hope you're bouncing back well! Honestly would love to pick your brain about that engine a bit at some point.
 
Also started ripping the interior apart and got it pretty close. This will be my next focus so i can get it coated for heat and sound before winter.

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The_Tomato said:
Hope you're bouncing back well! Honestly would love to pick your brain about that engine a bit at some point.
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Thanks! It actually wasn't that bad for me. Fever, cough and a LOT of sleeping. I'm going to do my best to document everything for those who are interested but sure i got no problem chatting about it. Or if you got anything particular you want me to focus on when i get to that step i can try and capture some details.
 
I just read your overview – the part about oil puking out of the dipstick tube… My motor was doing the same thing. I clamped a hose over the dipstick tube and routed it to a jug. Put oil down the valve cover, and it would be in the jug by the time I got where I was going!

I pulled it and replaced it with it another engine, and have yet to tear it apart to find out what was going on.

Never occurred to me that a Duramax would fit in there! This thread should be good to watch
 
Finally had some time to make some more progress on this. Life has a way of throwing a lot at ya and then kicking ya while your down. Amongst all that was going on, my shop foreman and best friend had his last shift a few months ago. I was fortune it enough to know he had an aggressive cancer about 6 months before it took him but there isn't anything in the world that could prepare you for that day. RIP Kelso.

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On a lighter note, This beauty found a new home in my garage. 79 Ford Dana 60 HP out of a F250. Plan to update the outers to 35 spline and convert to Hardcore Yukon locking hubs. I plan to run Artec high steer arms and haven't decided on gears and lockers yet.

I really like the brakes that are on there but everyone keeps pushing for me to convert to GM brakes but they never really seem to be able to explain or justify why???

Any opinions on this?

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Got the front interior all prepped and partially coated using the Lizard Skin sound and ceramic coatings. I am really happy with how this stuff lay's down and looks and can't wait to see and hear how it preforms. I have heard good things. I coated all the way from the top of the firewall by the windshield to the top of the step up in the back before the bed/passenger area.

Next will be to apply the top coat and the start the reassembly process for the firewall and interior. Then i plan to move back to the front frame section.

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Finished the final Top Coat of the three stage lizard skin application and picked up a new toy for the garage. Made myself a little cover plate with it. Then applied a adhesive rubber to the bottom to seal the shift hole in the floor.

My original plan was to put an atlas in this thing, but I felt with the intended use (mild off roading, overlanding, camping) it was over kill and wouldn’t be used to it abilities. I also stumbled on a perfectly good 273 transfer case out of a ford for free.

I’m fairly confident I can get that case in and working for pennies compared to an atlas so that is the direction I will head for now. That being said I will not need the hole in the floor and thus the cover.

I should have the new floor and firewall insulation showing up here soon as well as the vinyl floor and those will be my next projects along with new seat brackets.

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Glad to see you didn't coat the dash in that stuff!

Not a big Duramax fan, but like watching quality work, keep it up.

Martin
 
Fyi, the ford brakes are bigger, i think too much so to run 15’s even with grinding vs the gm brakes can be ground to fit 15’s. If you are going to run 16”+, then i see no reason not to keep the dual piston ford brakes
 
82355 said:
Glad to see you didn't coat the dash in that stuff!

Not a big Duramax fan, but like watching quality work, keep it up.

Martin
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:haha: Thanks!

muddybuddy said:
Fyi, the ford brakes are bigger, i think too much so to run 15’s even with grinding vs the gm brakes can be ground to fit 15’s. If you are going to run 16”+, then i see no reason not to keep the dual piston ford brakes
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Ya, current plan is to run 16's or 17's so not going to be an issue with me. I really am trying to keep things simple so i don't have parts from every different make and model when its done unless it provides some serious improvement or benefit.
 
I forget company off hand, but there is a big brake kit for the d60. Think it requires 17”+ wheels. If you search on here for d60 big brake kit I’m sure it will pop up. Just something else to think about (especially if you needed to replace your brakes anyways)
 
muddybuddy said:
I forget company off hand, but there is a big brake kit for the d60. Think it requires 17”+ wheels. If you search on here for d60 big brake kit I’m sure it will pop up. Just something else to think about (especially if you needed to replace your brakes anyways)
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Truckman4life said:
These are the two I had saved from when I owned a Ford. The Torq Motorsports one was the one @muddybuddy was thinking of I think.
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That makes soo much more sense now! This must have been what people were trying to explain to me. I don't think they knew entirely what they were saying or maybe just not explaining it well enough. Any way thank you for the information. Not sure i want to go through all the trouble when it is probably not needed but good information to have just in case.
 
bigjimmy82 said:
Has anyone used that Torq kit? Looking for master cylinder recommendations for it.
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I have a 1983 6.2L diesel K5 with hydroboost. I did rear discs on my 14BFF and swapped in a master from a 1983 Chevy P30 step van with a diesel and hydroboost. It bolted right up to my hydroboost and it has a larger bore and plenty of braking power with a nice firm pedal. I run a disc/disc Jeg's prop valve but had to add a manually adjustable one to the rear circuit and I have it turned almost all the way off to get the rear to not lock up before the front in slippery conditions. I think that same master would work well with larger front brakes. Might need to go to a newer master to match the newer Chevy front calipers but then you can run into issues with it bolting up to your booster and also with the line hookups being different.
 
Ok, first my rant! Most of the project has been put on hold due to part availability and the parts that are showing up are not correct. I have spent the majority of my time getting the run around by customer service at multiple companies and fighting to get my money back or the correct part. Really gets irritating hearing the COVID excuse for everything and burns you out. Ok I'm done!

I helped a buddie of mine source a parts truck for his project. It was a diesel K20, and on it was this firewall shroud that i had never seen before. He had no interest in it and since the duramax is likely to be loud and hot i figured it couldn't hurt to have the extra protection. First thing was to clean it up and i used JB Weld Plastic Bonder to fill the holes i didn't want. Stuff worked great, adhered and sanded well.

www.jbweld.com

Plastic Bonder Syringe - Black

PlasticBonder™is a quick-setting, two-part, urethane adhesive system that provides strong and lasting repairs and works on thermoset, carbon fiber composites, thermoplastics, coated metals, concrete & more.
www.jbweld.com www.jbweld.com

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Sucks about the parts issues. Part of it I feel is that people just don't give a crap to help each other out and actually do a good job with parts and such. They just take the easy way and if it's wrong no skin off their back.
 
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