The Green Grendel

[campfire]

Ok, the thing I did was cutting a slightly larger opening into the back of the topper. After I was happy with the larger opening, I mounted and caulked a truck topper lift gate. It's backed against the barn wall right now, so I can't get a good picture of it. Plus, the area is covered in fiberglass dust. Turns out the K5 topper is quite a bit thicker than an average truck topper, and it's reinforced with metal strips. And also a roll bar. But so far I'm happy with the conversion. The bottom edge is not going to seal as well as I could hope due to the tailgate bump stop geometry. But I think it will leak less than the window did.

 

[campfire]

Then today I received my new Carter fuel pump (link above). The hardware kit provides everything needed to bolt up to the frame rail (or other locations) and even replacement hose clamps. So that's nice. OTOH, it burns 3 times as much real estate as the AC Delco pump, and the instructions say it must be mounted vertically, with the wires hanging down to snag on brush/rocks/whatever. And it's loud when running. I did get it installed and wired up tonight (though my input hose kinked, so I need to reroute that tomorrow). I hung it off the passenger frame rail in the middle of the truck (because this is where the fuel line splice is). The rubber at the top of the tank should be the only piece upstream of this location. I fired it up and fuel poured out of the old mechanical lift pump. A steady waterfall of 1/4" diameter streamed off of the crossmember. @KirsL was exactly right. And not just about the problem, I'm also going to take his advice about bypassing the pump. I do plan on running dual pumps on the camping truck, but life is short. I need to get this thing to the point where it stops sucking my time. Crawling under it, I keep seeing new potential projects, it really can't ever be "done." Loading it in the dark seems to have scraped the driveshaft.


Oh, and I still haven't remembered to buy a new screw for the top of the IP.

Hope to have it running again tomorrow. And get some pictures for the hungry wolves (@GWeakland620, @78K30)

 

[78K30]

Maybe instead of running dual pumps on the camping burb just keep a cheap parts store spare handy? Since you’ve got three 6.2 rigs keeping a spare in stock isn’t a bad idea

 

[campfire]

Here is the installed Carter lift pump (flowing from right-->left). The input line is happy with its new 90* elbow. The output is just shy of kinking, so a 90* may be in order there as well.



My issue is how far it hangs down. I can't push it any higher without moving the hard line, and it's already high enough to make it slightly painful getting to the 3 bolts holding the pump onto the mount. It'd be easier to install in a lower spot. And yet it is low enough to be quite vulnerable. The wires are the lowest snagging point, and I'm a little concerned about them vibrating loose from their studs (no retaining clip). In fact, while wiggling things around for the elbow installation, you can see that the positive wire started falling off.




Anyway, that's just my impression, we'll see how well it holds up. I bypassed the mechanical pump (so I'll never be able to use my new pump switch to turn the electric one off ), bolted the IP back together, and successfully bled the injection system until it roared to life.


The new speedometer cable is in, though it still isn't getting anything from the T-case. Seems like projects never end.

 

[campfire]

I drove it to town and back to get some of the fiberglass dust blown free from the outside. I need another trip with the rear window open to clean out the inside. I washed all the windows so I wouldn't need to stare through the dust on the way back home, and then parked it in the yard. It's rainy season, so it should look great in a few days.


As for the window, it's not a perfect fit. But it's a better fit than the glass was, for what that's worth. And I expect it to leak less, too.





The issue I have right now has to do with the plastic bump stops that bolt onto the top edge of the tailgate. See the gap at the bottom of the left side of the frame? That's where the plastic piece goes. I left slightly too small of a gap, so the stops had to come off in order to get the gate closed. As such, the gate slides further forward than it should, opening up a gap between the window and the gate.



It's a finger-width gap with the gate pushed forward.



A little bit of trimming on the doorframe will allow me to use the stops again, and a little bit of weatherstripping should close what gap is left.

I had to attach the window to the rear surface of the topper, and the topper placement is fixed (unlike a truck), so sliding the topper forward isn't an option.

 

[campfire]

Overall, the window installation was much easier than I had thought. It originally looked like the longitudinal bulkhead wrapping around the window frame would be exactly in the wrong place. And parts of it were. But cutting was easy. It is true that there is now a gap between the inner layer of fiberglass and the window (because it's so much thinner than the old window frame). But I had been expecting to need shimming along the outside (as the fiberglass has complex shape), and I was quite happy that it fit.

 

[campfire]

Thoughts from the drive:

I'm really glad that we didn't bend the driveshaft. That feels like a close one.

CARC paint is weird stuff (assuming that's what I have). It has a chalky texture that immediately absorbs and dissipates oils (so a drop of diesel turns into a large smear). And then the oil slowly washes off after several rain cycles. It's almost a permeable paint, not like the other rigs at all. And yet it cleans up easily.

This truck is still fun to drive, even if it's not fun to maintain.

It ran perfectly, no hesitation or air bubbles. So that's wonderful.

The Carter pump is loud (but not audible over the deafening engine roar).

I now have a useless switch on the dash since I can't ever turn the pump off.

The inclinometer is still my favorite instrument.

I can FINALLY get into the back with reasonable ease. I do not miss the crank-up window, especially given my broken crank. A truck tailgate would make it better yet.

I can finally get back to the Suburban after a 2-week interruption.

I'm not sure whether to sell the truck now or in the spring. It is handy in the snow.


All good thoughts.

 

[campfire]

And an academic question for @AgDieseler. What happens if someone bumps the lift pump power switch while driving? I assume the IP can't draw a vacuum. If so, the engine would immediately stop. But it shouldn't affect prime because there is no air to suck. So turning the switch back on should immediately rectify the situation, right?

I'd go try this, but I don't want to intentionally starve the pump of its necessary lubrication.

 

[AgDieseler]

I’ve never tested this, but thinking through it, the IP by itself might draw enough fuel to keep the engine running - at least at idle. Without the normal head flow and pressure, I doubt there would be enough fuel supply to put a load on the engine.

Interested to hear your results, though if the truck does run without the lift pump, I wouldn’t let it go too long for fear of additional strain on the IP.

David

 

[AJMBLAZER]

CARC paint is IR absorbing/non reflective, protective, easy to maintain, and supposed to be easy to clean so NBC contaminants can be washed off. I am also hoping by now someone has told you it is carcinogenic as well. Watch that dust!

The fuel pump hanging down - build a skidplate around it. The JK Wrangler guys do that to protect their low hanging steering boxes and EVAP junk.

Back window - I’d get a truck tailgate now that you’re this far into it and find some kind of poly foam weather stripping to fill that gap.

 

[campfire]

I’ve never tested this, but thinking through it, the IP by itself might draw enough fuel to keep the engine running - at least at idle. Without the normal head flow and pressure, I doubt there would be enough fuel supply to put a load on the engine.

Interested to hear your results, though if the truck does run without the lift pump, I wouldn’t let it go too long for fear of additional strain on the IP.

David

 

[campfire]

CARC paint is IR absorbing/non reflective, protective, easy to maintain, and supposed to be easy to clean so NBC contaminants can be washed off. I am also hoping by now someone has told you it is carcinogenic as well. Watch that dust!

The CARC dust? Or the fiberglass dust?

 

[campfire]

The fuel pump hanging down - build a skidplate around it. The JK Wrangler guys do that to protect their low hanging steering boxes and EVAP junk.

Back window - I’d get a truck tailgate now that you’re this far into it and find some kind of poly foam weather stripping to fill that gap.

Both are good ideas, but I need to stop chasing good ideas for this rig. I have an engine rebuild calling my name...

 

[78K30]

The skidplate could be whipped up pretty easily I’d think. You could use a piece of foam on top of it to keep the wires in on the pump also if needed.

 

[ZooMad75]

I like the back window idea. The fit looks very good. The corners match the top almost perfectly. Looks pretty functional. Does the handle on the glass work to lock it? I'd be worried about allowing people to get in.

As far as the dust control, some thick camper foam tape on the gate or the glass should fill the gap.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

The CARC dust? Or the fiberglass dust?

CARC.

 

[campfire]

The skidplate could be whipped up pretty easily I’d think. You could use a piece of foam on top of it to keep the wires in on the pump also if needed.

You guys aren't helping.



The goal is to decrease the number of projects. As in, having a smaller number of them.

The pump hangs from the rubber grommets, it's a pretty loose installation, so I wouldn't want to depend on intereference from a skid plate. It would be bouncing off it each time I hit a pothole.

I will remind you guys that the AC Delco pump was installed in half the time, burning 1/3rd as much space, in a naturally protected spot. And it came with a weatherpack connector so the wires won't be falling off. I can't speak as to which part is higher quality, but the stock pump sure seems like a more natural fit.

 

[78K30]

I like the back window idea. The fit looks very good. The corners match the top almost perfectly. Looks pretty functional. Does the handle on the glass work to lock it? I'd be worried about allowing people to get in.

Since I’m online I’ll answer for Ethan, I asked him this same question already and the factory topper glass handle works! Good work and out of the box thinking

 

[campfire]

I like the back window idea. The fit looks very good. The corners match the top almost perfectly. Looks pretty functional. Does the handle on the glass work to lock it? I'd be worried about allowing people to get in.

As far as the dust control, some thick camper foam tape on the gate or the glass should fill the gap.

Yeah, the shape matched better than I expected. I was very happy when I realized that I could trace a flat plane around the double-sloped rear wall. That wasn't obvious when I first started sketching the 3 contours on the topper (it's the correct height, but slightly narrower than would be needed to follow the ridge). The handle works normally, though I don't have the key for the lock. I'm not generally worried about people breaking into this truck. If I was, I'd have to rekey the doors. CUCV keys are pretty easy to buy on Ebay. The tailgate crank had no lock, so I'm at least at the point where locking has become possible again, should the need arise. Topper locks are pretty easy to replace.


But the real answer is that trucks of this era are very easy to break into anyways, front or rear. One good yank and the topper window would tear out of its frame.


I already bought some 3/8"x1/2" foam tape for sealing the gap. Just haven't put it on yet. Decided to wait until the dust is washed off, should stick better then.

 

[campfire]

CARC.

Noted, though I'm not planning on further bodywork. I did cut through a little bit of the topper paint, but that's history now.

Do you know offhand whether the M1009s originally had the standard lock cylinder for the rear window crank? Mine was mangled before I got it, so I'm left guessing.