VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
I have wanted a diesel K5 ever since I had my old K5 in high school and last December I found one. I picked it up for $1500 and have been working on it since. Here are the only pics of I have it before I started on it.
CK5
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'85 K5 Turbo Diesel
- Thread starter VegasAR15
- Start date
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
The main thing this is going to be used for is a daily driver everyday to and from work. It is also my hunting truck and for towing my 6x12 enclosed trailer and quads to the sand dunes.
It came with no lift, 32" tires, 6.2 detroit diesel (naturally aspirated), 700R4, 10 bolts front and rear, NP208.
There were a few obvious thing that I had to fix pretty quickly on it. Power steering leak, rear diff leak, radiator leak, tranny leak, and a hard starting issue.
Right off the bat I put in a new radiator and started fixing all the leaks. Git leak free pretty quickly. The tires aside from being too small were badly worn and dried and cracking. I went with 33x12.5 Goodyear Wrangler Duratraks mounted on some 15x10 Procomp black steel wheels.
It came with no lift, 32" tires, 6.2 detroit diesel (naturally aspirated), 700R4, 10 bolts front and rear, NP208.
There were a few obvious thing that I had to fix pretty quickly on it. Power steering leak, rear diff leak, radiator leak, tranny leak, and a hard starting issue.
Right off the bat I put in a new radiator and started fixing all the leaks. Git leak free pretty quickly. The tires aside from being too small were badly worn and dried and cracking. I went with 33x12.5 Goodyear Wrangler Duratraks mounted on some 15x10 Procomp black steel wheels.
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
I figured they would fit on the truck alright for a little bit before I ordered my lift so I went ahead and bolted them up in the garage, it looked great but when I went to back out and turn out of the driveway the tire got stuck so bad in the fender that I had to jack up the truck a bit so that I could turn the wheels straight without tearing the tire. Pulled it straight back into the garage, put on my old tires and ordered the lift kit. I just got the Rough Country 4" with blocks in the rear as I was and am on a bit of a budget.
Lift kit went on with no issues aside from the broken rear driver side shock mount. I had been driving around with the shock flopping around and didn't even notice. Here are a couple pics post lift.
Lift kit went on with no issues aside from the broken rear driver side shock mount. I had been driving around with the shock flopping around and didn't even notice. Here are a couple pics post lift.
Nice man, looks good so far. what are your plans for it?
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
Soon after the lift went on I couldn't get the truck started because the starter was grinding horribly. On the diesels there is a bracket at the front of the starter to support it, mine was there but not bolted in. The previous owner had also cracked a nice chunk out of the block on the outer starter hole and stripped the inner hole so and left me with two crappy helicoil jobs. I ended up needing a new starter and a new flex plate. Word to the wise on anyone looking at buying anything with a 6.2, check the start bolt holes on the block, because it is a common problem and can turn into a real PIA.
Very nice start, mine used to look just like yours
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
Around Easter my 700R4 took a crap so we had to pull that out and get it rebuilt. About this time the lift at my shop and having our mechanic as my buddy really started to come in handy. Had all the goodies put into it when it was rebuilt, kevlar bands, hardened sun shell, corvette servos, alto clutches and some other stuff I can't remember, think the whole rebuild cost me about $700 and it was done by a great shop. I wanted a pan with some extra capacity so I went with the Derale with the cooling tubes through it, don't know if it really makes a difference but I figured why not, plus is came with a drain plug and a spot for my temp sensor.
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
I noticed some small cracks starting around the steering box so I welded them up and then welded on the frame repair plates.
Then I happened upon a 6.2 diesel with the Banks Sidewinder kit on it out of a 1987 Suburban with a supposed 137k on it. Some shop out of California had it up on ebay for I think $1300, screwing around I sent him an offer of $1000, moments later I received a congratulatory email saying they accepted the offer. After freight I got it for $1239, the Banks kit alone for my motor would have been over $2k. Got it at the shop about a week later and they even tossed in the boost, EGT and tranny temp guages.
We started replacing some stuff on it that we knew would be hard to get to, waterpump, glow plugs, fuel return lines, freeze plugs, timing cover gasket, and a few other things.
Then I happened upon a 6.2 diesel with the Banks Sidewinder kit on it out of a 1987 Suburban with a supposed 137k on it. Some shop out of California had it up on ebay for I think $1300, screwing around I sent him an offer of $1000, moments later I received a congratulatory email saying they accepted the offer. After freight I got it for $1239, the Banks kit alone for my motor would have been over $2k. Got it at the shop about a week later and they even tossed in the boost, EGT and tranny temp guages.
We started replacing some stuff on it that we knew would be hard to get to, waterpump, glow plugs, fuel return lines, freeze plugs, timing cover gasket, and a few other things.
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
We pulled my motor out, put in the new one and it seem to run great. We figured it would take us Friday through Sunday. Ended up taking about three weeks, it fought us every inch of the way, and they actually seemed to have changed quite a bit of the bolt on crap between 85 and 87, luckily we were able to just swap it all over from the original motor.
The cross pipe between the two manifolds went straight into my cross cross member so I had to have the exhaust shop build me a new one and do a full exhaust system. They couldn't get my new cross pipe out of my fuel pump enough so I put on a block off plate and installed an electric one back by the fuel tank. They unfortunately had to put on a catalytic, but I am able to get away with no muffler here. So I have turbo-downpipe-cat-3" pipe straight out behind my passenger tire. The thing sounds pretty awesome, when I am on the accelerator it sounds like a big block more than a diesel, and without having the muffler you can really hear the turbo spooling up good.
Finally got to drive it home Monday night at about 10pm. It died on me a few miles from home on the freeway. It was then we remembered seeing the main battery cable going to the starter in between my downpipe and frame and saying that we needed to move it. It fried the thing into two pieces. Luckily when I was on the phone Allstate getting a tow truck out there, my buddy MacGyvered the battery cable back together with some duct tape and it fired right up, and I got it home a little after midnight. The new motor had come with all the cables, so it was at least a quick and free fix.
The cross pipe between the two manifolds went straight into my cross cross member so I had to have the exhaust shop build me a new one and do a full exhaust system. They couldn't get my new cross pipe out of my fuel pump enough so I put on a block off plate and installed an electric one back by the fuel tank. They unfortunately had to put on a catalytic, but I am able to get away with no muffler here. So I have turbo-downpipe-cat-3" pipe straight out behind my passenger tire. The thing sounds pretty awesome, when I am on the accelerator it sounds like a big block more than a diesel, and without having the muffler you can really hear the turbo spooling up good.
Finally got to drive it home Monday night at about 10pm. It died on me a few miles from home on the freeway. It was then we remembered seeing the main battery cable going to the starter in between my downpipe and frame and saying that we needed to move it. It fried the thing into two pieces. Luckily when I was on the phone Allstate getting a tow truck out there, my buddy MacGyvered the battery cable back together with some duct tape and it fired right up, and I got it home a little after midnight. The new motor had come with all the cables, so it was at least a quick and free fix.
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
In the middle of tying up loose ends with completing the motor I am also redoing my interior. I have all the seats except for the driver ripped out, as well as all the carpet and padding. I am going to be bedlining the floor, inner fender wells, the new side panels I making, the tailgate and probably the inside of the shell. I am going to probably go with liner xtreeme http://www.sprayonbedliners.info/home.html in the desert tan. I am also mounting a bench seat from a newer Silverado with integrated seat belts into the front and a 3rd row bench seat out of a newer Suburban with integrated seat belts for the kids. I will be beefing up the floors accordingly.
The old interior:
The old interior:
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
Ripping out the carpet, cleaning it out, rust be damned.
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
The seats that will going in there and them partially mocked in because I couldn't help myself.
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
I have tons of plans, don't know when I can get around to everything and what else I will come up with. One of the next things I am going to do is build front and rear bumpers. The back bumper will have a swing on it for a tire, hi lift and maybe one fuel can, and I am thinking of putting some bright offroad lights into it so I can flash people tailgating me if I do so desire. For the front bumper I probably wont have any lights in it but will have a spot to put a winch. I am probably going to build them out of plate and style them like the newer HD bumpers people are putting on the newer trucks, probably with some wraparound protection for the body, and may or may not seal them up so I can fill them with air.
At some point they will be getting one ton axles, not sure of what gears yet since it is a daily driver, probably nothing more than 373's.
I have an overhead light bar and lights sitting around from my old Blazer that I am going to throw on it for the sand dunes and coyote shooting. I will probably be mounting all the switches for that onto an overhead console from a suburban. Here is one of the few pics I have from the old girl
I am going to make a new grille out of some heavy wire mesh. I also have some pretty cool ideas for my side panels, speaker mounts, built in sub enclosure, and inset cup holders to be included. I am a CAD detailer in a sheet metal shop and have free use of all equipment, so I should be able to make some cool stuff.
I am tossing around the idea of building a full cage for it, then having a custom soft top made for it.
Sounds like you've got a solid rig and a solid plan for the future. Awesome. I'll be looking back on this for updates!
agree, this is an awesome build!
Bitchen 
K5 Jess
1/2 ton status
Dying to see that desert tan liner!
VegasAR15
1/2 ton status
Dying to see that desert tan liner!
Me too, I need to hurry up and order it. I haven't been able to work on the truck all week. I don't think I'll have it ready for my hunting trip on October 4th, think I am going to have to leave it sitting in the driveway and take my 4Runner.
sweet build looking forward to more updates!
K5 Jess
1/2 ton status
Hunting where n for what? I go squirlin in paradise valley. North east of winnimucca.
