1994 Diesel Suburban Build

[aardvarcus]

Grabowski,
Thank you for your continued input. Your YouTube video was very helpful. The motor came from a military surplus supplier in NC (not one of the typical 6.5L shops).

After more research, I believe I do have an issue with my motor, most likely the same issue Grabowski had. The noise seems to come and go, be louder and quieter. I believe I may have damaged the hydraulic lifters when I started my motor without first priming the lifters, as it had been sitting at least a year and a half. Hence the lifter may not be pumping up properly.

Now I am looking at replacing one or potentially all of the hydraulic lifters. If I do one, I would do it with the heads on. If I do all 16, I would plan to pull the heads off and inspect the valves and other parts while I am in there.

[aardvarcus]

So after several months delay....

I believe I have my motor all sorted out and have it back together. I am getting the accessories and connections all reinstalled in my free time. By the end of this weekend I plan to have it running/driving again. Then it will be on to the final wiring and reinstalling the interior.

I am frustrated with this project right now, but hopefully without any more setbacks will have this thing road legal soon so I can develop a baseline and move on to the other aspects of this project.

[ctmaybury@yahoo.com]

Frustration is a big part of the game. I've done 2 rounds each on 2 different injection pumps professionally (ha ha) built with issues each time. I am getting sick of pulling the pump. 2nd truck needs to come off the road for a complete overhaul, but can't until the 1st truck is dialed.

[grabowski]

Originally Posted by ctmaybury@yahoo.com

I've done 2 rounds each on 2 different injection pumps professionally (ha ha) built with issues each time.

Kris Stratton of Midland Diesel in Minot ND is THE GURU with these 6.5 injection pumps and injectors.

[ctmaybury@yahoo.com]

My trucks are dodges. My pumps are bosch p7100. The guy that was supposed to build them is a guru too, but I suspect a flunkey in the shop did the work.

[aardvarcus]

Was able to work on the project part of Friday, got the rest of everything hooked back up. Ended up redoing some things that didn’t turn out quite how I wanted, including replacing some fuel hose with bent aluminum fuel lines. Rolled it out of the garage, and started it up. All is good, other than a small oil drip off the oil filter adapter, looks like I need new O rings.

I pulled out the factory wiring harness and began going through it as I am planning on reusing about half the stock wiring. I will eliminate what is not needed, add other factory circuits from the 1991 parts vehicle (e.g. electro-mechanical cruise control), and will wire new anything else that is needed. I was originally going to 100% rewire the vehicle but have backed off on that idea. Everything that is 100% necessary to operate the vehicle is all new and already functioning, the other nice to haves like gauges and sensors I will reuse what wiring I can to save work, but it all will be fed from new fuses and relays as appropriate.

[mannydantyla]

I don't know much about diesel, but I know that the early 90's and very late 80's chevy/gmc c/k trucks where getting throttle body injection. Is that true for your engine too?

I also know that the nv4500 is a very good transmission, very strong like the old cast iron "dump truck" trannies but way smoother shifting and with overdrive. What year did you get? I think the gear ratios changed around '96 maybe

Do you still have your Tacoma? I'm in the market for one. I might go test drive a 2wd reg cab one today - it's the 2.7L i4 5-speed manual, which is why I like it. But I think I've decided that I don't really want one unless it's 4x4.

[aardvarcus]

mannydantyla,

The 6.5l diesel uses indirect injection, but not through a throttle body rather directly into the pre-combustion chambers. With diesel the injection pulse is the timing as there is no spark. I had a 1991 K2500 with the 5.7L that was throttle body, got it up to 18MPG without mods (other than the transmission swap), it is now a parts vehicle for this thing. My NV4500 is the early Chevy version with the 6.3:1 first gear, I think a 93 or 94. It came out of a one ton 4x4 and I put it in my 1991 and now the Suburban.

Yes I am still driving the Tacoma until I can get the Suburban finished, it is a good truck but the backseat isn’t large enough for my family anymore. Forward facing car seats don’t fit back there well. I really like my wife third generation 4Runner, if the Suburban doesn't work out that is my backup plan. Yeah, my property requires 4x4 to get around.

[mannydantyla]

Originally Posted by aardvarcus

I had a 1991 K2500 with the 5.7L that was throttle body, got it up to 18MPG without mods (other than the transmission swap), it is now a parts vehicle for this thing. My NV4500 is the early Chevy version with the 6.3:1 first gear, I think a 93 or 94. It came out of a one ton 4x4 and I put it in my 1991 and now the Suburban.

That's not bad for a 3/4 ton

I just sold my 1/2 ton '83 K10. I was getting up to 17 or 18 mpg on the highway. Never measured what it got in the city though, I didn't want to know how bad it was. That was my daily driver for about 2 years.

Originally Posted by aardvarcus

My NV4500 is the early Chevy version with the 6.3:1 first gear, I think a 93 or 94. It came out of a one ton 4x4 and I put it in my 1991 and now the Suburban.

Yeah that's basically a granny gear. Do you get it moving in 2nd gear then?

[aardvarcus]

In my old 1991 you could do it either way, but from a dead stop I usually just launched in that low gear. If I was rolling at all I would use second. That was more habit more than anything, but launching in the low gear from a stop light I would be shifting before I made it through the intersection.

The advantage of having such a low first gear means I can swap in the tallest rear end gears I can without worrying about being able to take off from a stop, even on a hill or with a trailer. In the Suburban, I plan to do a gear swap to 3.42, which is the tallest (lowest number) gears that will fit the factory differentials. I just need to finish it so I can start driving it to learn my preference.