1994 Diesel Suburban Build

[aardvarcus]

Hey CT Maybury,
My understanding was that the 5th gear nut issue only applied to the dodge version of the transmission, I think the GM version is different in how it retains the nut. The mechanical injector pump is the DB2 used on GM diesels up until 1993, so I am simply changing my 1994 to be like it would have been in 1993. (They didn’t put diesels into the GMT400 Suburbans until 1994 or I would have just found a 1993 to start with.) The injector pump is the military version that came with my 2010 optimizer engine when I got it surplus.

I have made some progress on the wiring, I got all the wires for the glow plugs, starter, electric fans, injector pump, ect that I need to start it loomed up and ran from the new electrical center to the engine. I also have the new electrical center about halfway completed. The project has obviously been “stuck” at this step for a bit, mainly due to a lack of time to work on it. I spent all day Friday cleaning up my garage so that I have room to breathe as I work on it.

[aardvarcus]

So I have made some progress on the wiring, may not look like much but there are a lot of hours in this so far. I am getting closer to having the minimum wiring done to start the vehicle. Anyway some pictures.

[ctmaybury@yahoo.com]

Looking good. Lot of wires. I thought the ip you went with had no wires and was all mechanical. I put a bosch p7100 on my 99 dodge to get rid of the computer and all the complications and reliability issues. The vp 44 it replaced has a reputation. The crank position sensor failed about 4 times over as many years and would leave me on the side of the road. When the ip failed, it seemed like a good time to ppump it. I don't know much about the gm pumps, but assumed the older version was computerless. Can you custom tune it for fe with timing and duration? The vp was very tunable, the p7 is tunable with a screw driver and wrench, not software.

[aardvarcus]

CT Maybury,

Yes my injection pump is all mechanical (no more computer) the only wire for it is the “on” solenoid. (Also the cold start advance, but I don’t know if I will use that or not.)

The lots of wiring you are seeing is for the relays and fuses that control the glow plugs, electric fans, fuel pump, starter, IP solenoid, etcetera. I prefer relays over high power switches. Figure there are four wires per relay and it adds up fast even for a simple setup. I am also going to end up replicating all the functionality of the entire electrical system of the vehicle on this board, so things like turn signals, brake lights, etcetera will all be relay controlled from this location.

Yes, you can tune the mechanical DB2 pump with a screwdriver as well. From my research I would be inclined to swap the timing chain for timing gears, as I have heard reports of significant slop in the timing chain, before trying to push the timing too far out of the box on this engine. There are aftermarket gear sets available for the 6.5 and DB2.

[ctmaybury@yahoo.com]

Very cool. I got rid of some wiring by getting rid of the electic lift pump in favor of a mechanical gear type pump (stocker is underdesigned on my generation dodge). Got rid of more wiring by putting a pull cable instead of the fuel shutoff solinoid. I didn't care for that circuit. It pulled 30 amps on startup and pulled 10 amps the whole time the truck is running. When the solinoid went south on me, I went with a cable. It's like my backhoe shutting off the motor. I'm shooting for tractor like simplicity (old tractor not new). Cold start advance sounds like a nice feature (though it probably retards it for startup.) I set my fixed injection timing at 18 degrees btdc for better mileage and performance, but it is a bit cold blooded in the winter (12 deg F outside now). Plugging the truck in for an hour before I start it takes care of that. I am considering one of those heaters that burns fuel from the tank (don't need 110v source). I think my block heater puts out 600 watts, where the webasto puts out 2400 or more depending on model. Heats the coolant, so the heater in the truck is warm right away and window defrost is immediate.

I'm enjoying your build. Am considering another burb myself.

[aardvarcus]

CT Maybury,
That is neat, I had looked into a manual shutoff for my DB2 but I had a hard time locating anything. It will be a learning experience for me with the diesel in cold weather, don’t really know what to expect yet. Below 20 would be unusually cold for Tennessee, so I am hoping to not need much. I know some of the newer diesels have intake grid heaters, wouldn’t have the warm engine benefits of the block heater, but might help get it started in a bitter cold situation.

[aardvarcus]

Got a bit more wiring done, the removable fuse panel is completed (enough to start) and I got all the wires routed (enough to start). Now I just have to finish making up all the end connections, hook everything up to switches, mount the battery, run the battery cables, and fill with fluids. So close yet so far. My goal is to start it by Christmas. (Merry Christmas to me!)

[elhigh]

Looks super sharp.

[ctmaybury@yahoo.com]

For my fuel shutoff, I used a choke cable from napa and fabricated the brackets and added a spring. Works great. My trucks both have a grid heater, but the 99 (decomputerised) is the cold blooded one. Word of caution about starting fluid, if you have glow plugs or a grid heater, only use starter fluid if you disable the heaters. From what I've heard, you can have a nice little explosion.

Nice looking wiring.

[aardvarcus]

Thanks all.

I have gotten a few more things done, repurposed the underhood battery tray for my battery relocation into the console. Got that welded to the transmission tunnel. Started getting the big battery cables routed, got the 4/0 negative routed to the frame. Waiting for my 1/0 and 2 gauge terminals to show up so I can do the run to the starter and electrical center, respectively.

While I wait, I also got the air cleaner mounted and routed, just need to get four 4+” hose clamps to tighten it all down. Also last night I started mounted my engine fans, making aluminum brackets to hold the plastic fan casing together. I am pretty serious about trying to start this thing soon.