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'89 R3500 Crew Cab 2wd to 4wd conversion & beyond

Started out with 2wd TBI350 with SM465 to current 4wd with 454, 700r4, NP241
Overview Gallery Discussion
Fastereddie said:
Truggy time!
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I might get a little closer. Maybe just a trugg or trucky.

If I was going to go much further I'd go full buggy. Probably try to pick up someone's abandoned project or stripped down chassis. It would be really fun if I could get a buggy and tow it with the crew cab.
 
I snagged a set of L21 valve covers for the coil mounting. They also have an oil fill cap. I'm thinking I might get rid of the big fill tube that goes thru the intake. Any ideas on how I could plug that hole?

20231221_141006.jpg

I do kinda like the idea of keeping it for easier fills, but I'm thinking it might be in the way of a crossover bar.

It's actually very ironic because the previous 454 didn't have an oil fill. I had to use the PCV hole or the dip stick tube. Either one took forever and it made me dread oil changes. I did figure out it went faster if I heated up the new oil first.
 
mrk5 said:
I snagged a set of L21 valve covers for the coil mounting. They also have an oil fill cap. I'm thinking I might get rid of the big fill tube that goes thru the intake. Any ideas on how I could plug that hole?

View attachment 464418

I do kinda like the idea of keeping it for easier fills, but I'm thinking it might be in the way of a crossover bar.

It's actually very ironic because the previous 454 didn't have an oil fill. I had to use the PCV hole or the dip stick tube. Either one took forever and it made me dread oil changes. I did figure out it went faster if I heated up the new oil first.
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I really like the oil fill tube on my 8.1 for the ease of filling oil. But it is tucked up tight to the intake and less in the way than the L29.

With the right funnel it will gulp down 5 quarts like a frat boy chugging beer on a Friday night. Since the L21 cover has a filler cap it wouldn’t be a huge loss to delete the fill pipe.

But sweetk30 had the same idea I was thinking of. The right size freeze plug and some rtv would seal it up tight.
 
mrk5 said:
I snagged a set of L21 valve covers for the coil mounting. They also have an oil fill cap. I'm thinking I might get rid of the big fill tube that goes thru the intake. Any ideas on how I could plug that hole?

View attachment 464418

I do kinda like the idea of keeping it for easier fills, but I'm thinking it might be in the way of a crossover bar.

It's actually very ironic because the previous 454 didn't have an oil fill. I had to use the PCV hole or the dip stick tube. Either one took forever and it made me dread oil changes. I did figure out it went faster if I heated up the new oil first.
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Blue shop towel just like you have in the thermostat housing. Problem solved.
 
Babaganoosh said:
Why not cut and weld the cap lower then the cross brace?
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I hadn't thought about shortening it. :thinking:

ZooMad75 said:
I really like the oil fill tube on my 8.1 for the ease of filling oil. But it is tucked up tight to the intake and less in the way than the L29.

With the right funnel it will gulp down 5 quarts like a frat boy chugging beer on a Friday night. Since the L21 cover has a filler cap it wouldn’t be a huge loss to delete the fill pipe.

But sweetk30 had the same idea I was thinking of. The right size freeze plug and some rtv would seal it up tight.
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It was a bit of a trick to find the oil fill cap, but I discovered something I didn't realize; RockAuto has a listing for 1999 GMC Topkick. So I can find some of the L21 stuff. Interestingly they don't have them listed under Chevrolet which is what our crane truck is.

rderosier said:
Blue shop towel just like you have in the thermostat housing. Problem solved.
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You don't think I should at least upgrade to the red cloth rag?
 
I have to fill my L29 through the PCV hole in the valve cover. It ain't that bad to be honest, but I would probably shorten the stock filler neck in your shoes.
 
I need some help with the engine oil cooler fittings. Most of the info I've found is about eliminating the cooler, but I want to run a cooler.

I've read suggestions to replace the 2 factory 11psi bypass valves with 30psi units. Would this send more oil thru filter? I'm having difficulty visualizing the effect of a higher pressure bypass.

I want to replace the factory lines with -6an (maybe -8 given the size of the factory lines) so I can plumb a cooler where I want. It seems the fitting closest to the filter needs to have a do-dad of some sort or the oil will just bypass the cooler. Scoggin Dickey used to make an adapter with the do-dad, but doesn't seem to be available any longer.

I could cut the factory hard lines and use a compression to -an adapter assuming it's a size I can get. Can I get some sort of replacement seal for the factory lines? I broke the plastic collars that go around the clip.

Any one have more useful info?

Some associated images:

The fittings in question:
280122-3768ad7308c089f686e386b4131f6c30.jpg


Info on what port goes where:
315409-a68a2141d6f6d6d125699e4c7f2d2b08.jpg

F144841571.jpg


The Scoggin Dickey adapted:
F144785799.jpg
 
my only input is definitely not-6an. You want to run -8 for sure
 
You can get replacement caps/seals/plastic seals. Either that or I saw a trick where a guy used a zip tie around the outside to do the same thing (holding the spring clip on).
 
Not to be the nay sayer here but I’d feel better not having an oil cooler than introducing an extra leak point into a system that if it fails can ruin the entire engine. Is a cooler needed? I can understand in a medium duty truck….
 
Chickntrk said:
Not to be the nay sayer here but I’d feel better not having an oil cooler than introducing an extra leak point into a system that if it fails can ruin the entire engine. Is a cooler needed? I can understand in a medium duty truck….
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With the weight of his truck and what he does sometimes, I would keep the cooler myself. I put an oil temp gauge in my '70 K10. It surprised me. I don't have a cooler on it because of 1/2 ton, only 35" tires, no rock crawling or towing.
 
When I did the cam swap in my truck I took out the oil cooler, I want to add it back in.

Must be living in the desert thing I like my extra fluid capacity and cooling.
 
Is there a thermostat of any kind? In the winter in Colorado I can see it overcooling
 
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