One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban

[Fastereddie]

One of the more distinctly jeep things that happens at EJS is this measuring contest. Metal Cloak tests and applies a score, and folk compare and compete. They have stickers.

Initially, the people running the trailer said no way my truck would fit, but I reminded them that a suburban is actually shorter than the jeep truck and they relented. I was charming.

View attachment 409231

View attachment 409232

They should have stuck with “no.” Average scores for different jeeps are 700 and 800. Fatty McGee represented our kind well, and threw the bell curve. The brand loyalists didn’t understand how a grocery getter with a M1116 engine that still had some leaf springs could score 1010. They were impressed, deflated, confused, and very gracious and kind and chatty. It was a hoot.

I’m not sure what a score like this tells us; very little I assume. The exercise does show the value in good suspension design, bump location, and for this truck it tested the weight limits of their trailer setup. It’s neat to see the suspension all flexed on an easily viewable platform, and study how parts work together without holding up progress on the trail.

It was a fun day. Jason is making a video.

David

Haha! I get to play on that at Hump n Bump every year. It is fun. A 1010 score is EGGcelent! My K5 hurt some feelings too when I broke 900 on leaf springs at all four corners. Last year, a custom built “jeep”, maxed the trailer out. It was ridiculous.

 

[skunked]

As usual, nice job David.

 

[ZooMad75]

That’s absolutely hilarious. Nothing like forcing a paradigm shift on peoples thoughts what Suburban can do.

I bet slack-jaw looks on their faces were priceless. Can’t wait to see Jason’s video.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Awesome, that has to make you laugh really well.

Is that your Dad on the trip with you?

 

[Greg Ducato]

I loved those "Top of the world" pictures. I doubt many Suburbans have ever seen that same Vista. Congratulations on the success of the build and the trip.

 

[AgDieseler]

My K5 hurt some feelings too when I broke 900 on leaf springs at all four corners.

I bet. So many feelings were on display in Moab this week.

As usual, nice job David.

By far the best thing I’ve done as a result of peer pressure.

I bet slack-jaw looks on their faces were priceless.

She told me “no.”

Is that your Dad on the trip with you?

Yessir. His first trip to Moab. Plans are for him to join BB22, hopefully with the M38.

I loved those "Top of the world" pictures. I doubt many Suburbans have ever seen that same Vista. Congratulations on the success of the build and the trip.

Buddy, it was really something, but I can only be proud of the moment because I had a perfectly working 4L80 to keep this hunk of junk moving.

David

 

[ZooMad75]

So did you take the east loop down from the overlook on top of the world? That was definitely the harder way down when we went last year.

 

[AgDieseler]

So did you take the east loop down from the overlook on top of the world? That was definitely the harder way down when we went last year.

We did. It had some dug out bits, but dudes in Toyota looking things on 33s were getting it done. Gravity is in the driver seat, and there were good lines to follow that didn’t seem too bad for the jeep and sami.

David

 

[AgDieseler]

Change of plans.



The duramax has at least one injector stuck open. As you can see, I can’t haul it with big booty Judy - 2” of travel left on the rear, and no brake controller - so we’re splitting the load.



The white truck stays and gets the injector fixed at the stealer, and I drag Kurt’s trailer back to him.

Forward.

David

 

[Bent77]

Yeah team. Another Moab experience

 

[ZooMad75]

Change of plans.

View attachment 409335

The duramax has at least one injector stuck open. As you can see, I can’t haul it with big booty Judy - 2” of travel left on the rear, and no brake controller - so we’re splitting the load.

View attachment 409336

The white truck stays and gets the injector fixed at the stealer, and I drag Kurt’s trailer back to him.

Forward.

David

No trip to Moab is complete without a little adversity.

Remind Kurt, the dealer does NOT have to replace all 8 injectors on the dirtymax. They will make the recommendation because, well, it’s a dealership. As long as it’s not a LB7 they won’t have to tear down everything on top of the head to access the injector. LLY injectors don’t require all the tear down to access them.

Might want to check the oil level and see if it got washed down with fuel. Change it if it’s overfull or has heavy raw diesel fuel smell.

 

[miniwally]

One of the more distinctly jeep things that happens at EJS is this measuring contest. Metal Cloak tests and applies a score, and folk compare and compete. They have stickers.

Initially, the people running the trailer said no way my truck would fit, but I reminded them that a suburban is actually shorter than the jeep truck and they relented. I was charming.

View attachment 409231

View attachment 409232

They should have stuck with “no.” Average scores for different jeeps are 700 and 800. Fatty McGee represented our kind well, and threw the bell curve. The brand loyalists didn’t understand how a grocery getter with a M1116 engine that still had some leaf springs could score 1010. They were impressed, deflated, confused, and very gracious and kind and chatty. It was a hoot.

I’m not sure what a score like this tells us; very little I assume. The exercise does show the value in good suspension design, bump location, and for this truck it tested the weight limits of their trailer setup. It’s neat to see the suspension all flexed on an easily viewable platform, and study how parts work together without holding up progress on the trail.

It was a fun day. Jason is making a video.

David

Corey that runs that was on Ultimate Adventure in 2011, he's a good guy.

Glad to see Judy with a Big Booty representing.

 

[6872xtc]

Too bad about the injector.
We probably could have taken care of it at my work tonight, sorry that I didn't see this sooner.

Edit. I am thinking that you were in Grand Junction at the truck stop when you took that picture. That's only a few miles from my work.

Awesome trip and results from all of the work on the suburban though!

 

[AgDieseler]

Yeah team. Another Moab experience

An adventure, from start to finish.

the dealer does NOT have to replace all 8 injectors on the dirtymax. They will make the recommendation because, well, it’s a dealership. As long as it’s not a LB7 they won’t have to tear down everything on top of the head to access the injector. LLY injectors don’t require all the tear down to access them.

It is an LB7, so would you recommend all 8 get changed? This set has about 10K on them.

Corey that runs that was on Ultimate Adventure in 2011, he's a good guy.

Glad to see Judy with a Big Booty representing.

He was super cool, and totally onboard with us crashing a jeep party.

Awesome trip and results from all of the work on the suburban though!

It worked pretty well. We were in Quanah, TX on the way home when the white truck decided to start puffing smoke rings.

David

 

[ZooMad75]

10k is a short time on a set of injectors. No I wouldn’t go after them all if they’ve only been in there that long. The sucky part is it takes about the same labor to replace one injector on a bank as it does four.

Having an injector take a dump that soon probably comes back to a defective part more than anything so I’d slam one in and go.

Though the dealer will give the might as well pitch to do all 4 since they are there. I’d make it an option but if the customer told me the injectors are that fresh I’d back off.

 

[AgDieseler]

10k is a short time on a set of injectors. No I wouldn’t go after them all if they’ve only been in there that long. The sucky part is it takes about the same labor to replace one injector on a bank as it does four.

Having an injector take a dump that soon probably comes back to a defective part more than anything so I’d slam one in and go.

Though the dealer will give the might as well pitch to do all 4 since they are there. I’d make it an option but if the customer told me the injectors are that fresh I’d back off.

Thanks Rob. I’ll relay to my dad, who is also looking at options to update the injector driver harness, too.

Separately, this is the mess I left behind, and what I’m working on this weekend.



David

 

[max 02]

Stuck open injector on a Lb7 sounds like something is going to fling out of the block! And the black smoke and soot out the exhaust is quite a sight!

I’d probably just do the one like Zoo said with the few miles that are on them.

Too bad it happened on the trip.

Awesome pics BTW and congrats on the new engine and trans!

 

[AgDieseler]

Please also enjoy the young Watson casually park his junk and flex for days.

David

 

[83ChevyK5Blazer]

Nice representation for the full sizes!

 

[AgDieseler]

Just dropped off the HE351 for another round of upgrades. This time, it’s an HX40 turbine and machined housing.

The stock 12 blade and exhaust port is really pretty small, which wasn’t a huge problem at the fuel levels coming from the 4911 pump, but the new pump pushes 1/3 more fuel, and EGTs will soar with a load. The new turbine is a larger 10 blade from an HX40, and is wrapped in a machined version of the same housing. Along with the 60mm billet wheel, it should be more than enough for 300hp and 550 lb-ft.

EGTs are supposed to drop. Responsiveness is supposed to improve. Pretty interested to see how it works.

David