Doesn't seem like it's been that long.
Looks good, all downhill from here.
Looks good, all downhill from here.
CK5
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One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban
- Thread starter AgDieseler
- Start date
Nice! Always a good sign putting parts back on.
Keeping out of the sun makes a big difference when outside this time of year.
Keeping out of the sun makes a big difference when outside this time of year.
Pieces going back on!
Nice progress!
Good long day. Several more steps closer to First Fire.
Prior to installing the core, I spent a good bit of time routing power cables and looming everything into a few neat bundles. Less spider web, more tree limbs.
I haven't posted much about the power cable routing following the batteries' relocation to the rear. Here's a shot of how they pass from the driver frame rail across to the studs on the passenger fender well. You can also see my college-built intake housing support. 1/8" angle over a cut up LMC battery tray. It's what I had at the time; not going to remake that one right now.
With the core installed and new body mounts torqued down (they didn't go without a fight)...
...it was time to start populating the core with the trans and engine and power steering coolers and get their respective rubber lines in place. Each flare was double checked before installing, and the front wiring harness is starting to lay in place.
Here's the PS side. Not entirely satisfied with the short rubber return, but it will get me running and I can remake with a combination of hardline and rubber.
Charged the batteries, and hooked up power for smoke check. Everything looked good, and after a tap-tap-tap on the starter solenoid, the engine cranked over (pink wire on IP unplugged) - needed to verify the oil flow path from the block.
Immediate next steps - circuit in the rest of the coolers with rubber lines, and start hooking these two things together.
David
Post Script:
I had reached that point in the project, as I do in each one, where my workbench was overrun with tools. Early this morning was all about cleanup and organization in anticipation for a productive evening.
Prior to installing the core, I spent a good bit of time routing power cables and looming everything into a few neat bundles. Less spider web, more tree limbs.
I haven't posted much about the power cable routing following the batteries' relocation to the rear. Here's a shot of how they pass from the driver frame rail across to the studs on the passenger fender well. You can also see my college-built intake housing support. 1/8" angle over a cut up LMC battery tray. It's what I had at the time; not going to remake that one right now.
With the core installed and new body mounts torqued down (they didn't go without a fight)...
...it was time to start populating the core with the trans and engine and power steering coolers and get their respective rubber lines in place. Each flare was double checked before installing, and the front wiring harness is starting to lay in place.
Here's the PS side. Not entirely satisfied with the short rubber return, but it will get me running and I can remake with a combination of hardline and rubber.
Charged the batteries, and hooked up power for smoke check. Everything looked good, and after a tap-tap-tap on the starter solenoid, the engine cranked over (pink wire on IP unplugged) - needed to verify the oil flow path from the block.
Immediate next steps - circuit in the rest of the coolers with rubber lines, and start hooking these two things together.
David
Post Script:
I had reached that point in the project, as I do in each one, where my workbench was overrun with tools. Early this morning was all about cleanup and organization in anticipation for a productive evening.
Again, great progress. A shop cleaning day always helps with refocusing. I am in desperate need of a shop cleaning day...
Ditto!
Looking Good Dave!
Looking Good Dave!
Thank you. I've come to realize that my work-space reflects my mind-space, and keeping one organized can help influence the other. Also, I hate searching for fittings that are loose among the vomitted contents of my tool chest.
Thank you, sir. She'll be singing that beautiful diesel rattle tune soon enough.
David
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I couldn't agree with you more.
Nice work, man. 
Just a quick update, with photos and videos for tomorrow. First fire was successful.
Satisfied.
David
- Intercooler is finish welded, flushed, and installed
- Radiator is installed
- Air gap gasket is made and installed
- Engine cooling lines are made and connected
- Transmission lines are made and connected
- Power steering lines are made and connected
- Extended cranking session to fill all new coolers
- Filled the radiator with tap water, connected the lower hose, ran the upper hose over the fender and out...
- Fired the engine and continued to fill the radiator with tap water as the system flushed itself - lots of crud out, no more green stuff, garden hose can't keep up with the HO 6.5 water pump
- Flushed out water until orange dexcool showed up
- Connected upper return
- Reinstalled throttle linkage, installed thermostats
- Hooked up turbo to intercooler
- Ran the engine one full heat cycle, blowing any remaining sediment or moisture in the intercooler
- Tightened several fittings, fixing several small leaks
- Ran the engine again, no leaks
Satisfied.
David
Sounds like a long but very satisfying day. 
Awesome, man. I'd be much more than just "satisifed," that's quite a list! 
Exciting!!!!!
Thanks, All. I recommend avoiding 6 months without your favorite vehicle.
Been trying to upload a video, but without success. Imagine a successful and immediate startup for now.
A recap:
The intercooler has been substantially modified, and during the process some aluminum dust made its way in between the tanks. You can hear the pieces falling between the tanks if you shake it, so I spent a good bit of time flushing the cooler with water. A lot of water. Watered the whole front yard with what came out, so I figure whatever is left is pretty minimal, and I plan to change this sump of engine oil after the first 100 miles or so.
Couple of quick shots of the end tanks and their modified orientation. I straightened the inlet, and added about 50* to the outlet. What is captured in two photos represents one full day of install, fit, uninstall, modify, install fit, etc.
I used dense foam insulation for 3/4" copper, cut to fold and fit as the gap filler between the radiator and intercooler. It's snug, and no air is getting around that. It's all held in place with 3M ultra-hold double sided adhesive tap - same stuff used on exterior emblems.
Then, everything was setup to purge the block of old coolant and sludge. Radiator is filled with tap water, lower hose connected, upper hose ejecting over the fender. So much junk came out, though I could only run the engine at idle. A single blip of the throttle evacuated the entire radiator - successful ops check of the 130gpm water pump. With the turbo hooked up, this was also a nice purging for the intercooler of any remaining aluminum sediment or water before connecting the intake to the engine.
I used a new universal Dorman burp tank. Easy install with plenty of room where the secondary batter used to sit.
Here's the upper radiator hose along with the new CDR routing.
No change to the air filter - AEM Pro-Guard 7 with prefilter from their Duramax kit. I did change the CDR connection to a -16AN for simplicity.
Wide shot. Everything rearward of the core support is back together. Old AC is bundled until the Vintage Air stuff arrives. My t-bolt clamps were delayed, so I'm put together temporarily using worm gear pieces I had in stock. Good enough for now.
I've done 5 full heat cycles driving around the block several times; tightening fittings as the fluids warm. I'm finishing reassembly forward of core tonight, and lots of functional testing through the week.
David
Been trying to upload a video, but without success. Imagine a successful and immediate startup for now.
A recap:
The intercooler has been substantially modified, and during the process some aluminum dust made its way in between the tanks. You can hear the pieces falling between the tanks if you shake it, so I spent a good bit of time flushing the cooler with water. A lot of water. Watered the whole front yard with what came out, so I figure whatever is left is pretty minimal, and I plan to change this sump of engine oil after the first 100 miles or so.
Couple of quick shots of the end tanks and their modified orientation. I straightened the inlet, and added about 50* to the outlet. What is captured in two photos represents one full day of install, fit, uninstall, modify, install fit, etc.
I used dense foam insulation for 3/4" copper, cut to fold and fit as the gap filler between the radiator and intercooler. It's snug, and no air is getting around that. It's all held in place with 3M ultra-hold double sided adhesive tap - same stuff used on exterior emblems.
Then, everything was setup to purge the block of old coolant and sludge. Radiator is filled with tap water, lower hose connected, upper hose ejecting over the fender. So much junk came out, though I could only run the engine at idle. A single blip of the throttle evacuated the entire radiator - successful ops check of the 130gpm water pump. With the turbo hooked up, this was also a nice purging for the intercooler of any remaining aluminum sediment or water before connecting the intake to the engine.
I used a new universal Dorman burp tank. Easy install with plenty of room where the secondary batter used to sit.
Here's the upper radiator hose along with the new CDR routing.
No change to the air filter - AEM Pro-Guard 7 with prefilter from their Duramax kit. I did change the CDR connection to a -16AN for simplicity.
Wide shot. Everything rearward of the core support is back together. Old AC is bundled until the Vintage Air stuff arrives. My t-bolt clamps were delayed, so I'm put together temporarily using worm gear pieces I had in stock. Good enough for now.
I've done 5 full heat cycles driving around the block several times; tightening fittings as the fluids warm. I'm finishing reassembly forward of core tonight, and lots of functional testing through the week.
David
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What is your plan for batteries now?
They were relocated to the back a couple of years ago. Grabbed a pair of Odysseys.
David
David
I think you told me that, but I'm getting all these trucks mixed up. At some point the squares all start blurring together.
