Chev. truck diesel conversion

#31

You are right with the rear coils and that is what it had, but i believe there may have been an option that put two leaf helpers that ran from the rear frame and faced downwards to two contact points at the diff where, when the rear was loaded to a certain level then these would help with any additional load. They did "clunk" on occasion but seemed to work really well in adding to what you might be able to load into the back. They basically looked like an inverted leaf spring with the "arc" at the top. They were singles and about 4 feet long as I recall. Dont know if the ambulance/hearse company put them on or not. I hear ya with the manual sttering too. No "finger" through the wheel spoke, or "palming" the wheel for parking huh?

Paul

#32

plenzen wrote:They basically looked like an inverted leaf spring with the "arc" at the top. They were singles and about 4 feet long as I recall. Dont know if the ambulance/hearse company put them on or not.

I think I've seen that as an add-on somewhere. I get the picture.

I hear ya with the manual sttering too. No "finger" through the wheel spoke, or "palming" the wheel for parking huh?

God, no! More like brace my shoulder against the door, grab with both hands and pull like hell! I like long-radius turns again! 90° turns out of parking lots takes two lanes, or a helluva workout.

#33

plenty of great info on the 6.2/6.5 on the forums of http://www.thedieselpage.com.

if that is a red block it may very well be a 1982 block which is a higher nickel content block than later years -sought after by enthusiasts for strong engine builds.

1987 is the year for the 700r4 -it got some stronger bits but is still not computer controlled.

i'm having a bear of a time with my 6.2 right now trying to get it back operational thought it would just be a set of batteries but it went from there to fresh cables, new starter(cracked nose from someone leaving off the tail support bracket) rewire from ignition switch...not to mention a very difficult fuel line to the lift pump

which was all fairly easy but thought i'd investigate a slow coolant leak from behind starter and found corroded freeze plugs which are not cooperating. just not enough clearance with the frame rail at same level and all the 4x4 bits to swing hammers and such. hasn't given to prying with channel locks

any tips for tight spot freeze plug removal would be much appreciated.

#34

ocd wrote: which was all fairly easy but thought i'd investigate a slow coolant leak from behind starter and found corroded freeze plugs which are not cooperating. just not enough clearance with the frame rail at same level and all the 4x4 bits to swing hammers and such. hasn't given to prying with channel locks

any tips for tight spot freeze plug removal would be much appreciated.

Do you have a welder? You could carefully weld pieces of scrap steel onto them to yank it out. Its hard though, especially if its dirty.

If you can fit a dremel in there you could dremel them up a little and break it away. But it may lead to metal shavings in the cooling system.

Lastly you could put a sheet metal screw into the plug next to the outer circumference and use a slide hammer to extract. I think its probably the "proper" method of removal too. But you probably don't have this much room (of course)

I also heard of people knocking them into the block and leaving them there

. That sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, I would much rather epoxy the thing shut before doing that

#35

http://www.dieselplace.com or http://www.dieseltowingresource.com may offer more model-specific help.

#36

i do have access to welders but i've already opened up the hole and bent some of the metal out to grab with some channel locks -but it didn't budge.

i like the dremel idea. i've got the expanding rubber plugs ready to go back in so hopefully any mistakes scratching the block will get sealed up.

i thought of the screw and slide hammer method but you're probably right about the clearance. plus i can borrow a dremel from my neighbor -i'd have to buy or make a slide hammer(though it could be fun to have one around:).

i had also heard about pounding the plug into the block and leaving it there -what a crap shoot -leaving a corroded steal piece in -especially with an engine that isn't known for its fantastic coooling ability- no thanks

its is snowing here for the 4th time this season and the truck is parked in the street -really not my favorite place -loosing shop privelages was the last straw for ending my previous employment delivering diesel. but i'm having shop withdrawl now.

#37

> freeze plug...

Might try sharpening a large nail cut to the perfect length. Grinding one side only would probably be best. Then place the point against the block at the edge of the plug and tap it between the outer rim of the plug and the block and lever on that section; relocate as needed. If you don't have a small hammer, sometimes a small heavy bar or nail pull will do - the solid kind, not a flat bar. Or a piece of 1/2" bar stock... The handle of a heavy kitchen knife would be the last resort. <g> You probably don't need to see anything to do this and it's fairly benign. If you got the middle ripped up anyway, this should just collapse the rim and you can pull it out.

You sure rubber plugs will hold?

Cheers, Rufus

#38

Dremel will work great for the freeze plugs--just use one of the tiny cutoff discs (the slightly flexible ones with fiberglass in them last the longest as they won't break as often as the standard ones) to cut from the center out through one edge (being careful not to cut into the block), and then drive the plug into the block on one side of the hole--then use some pliers or needle-nose vise-grips to turn it sideways and pull it out.

I had to do this on the back side of my 1988 Buick's 3800 motor (transverse), between the engine and the transmission. With the right front wheel and the splash guard removed, I could just get one arm in there to do the work. It was a real pain, but much easier than removing the engine to get to those plugs!

#39

rlaggren wrote: You sure rubber plugs will hold?

I dont believe the rubber plugs will hold in the long term (<2 years). Dorman sells copper and brass ones that have a screw nut on top. Never tried them, but I would prefer that over a rubber expansion plug

#40

I used those expanding-metal ones (brass or copper-plated) on my Buick engine. One sealed perfectly and has held for 8 years, and one has had a small, weeping leak for the same duration. I think that I didn't get the leaking one in completely straight--you only get one shot at it--if it's in crooked and you tighten it, that's it.

#41

finally got the 2 freeze plugs out -the dremel worked on one but not the other which i went and bought an air hammer

"get a bigger hammer"

had a friend help put it all back together and he got it started but only for a bout 30 seconds at a time and then it would cut out by itself?

i tried it the next day and after the second try i went to shut it off after the 5-10 second crank and it didn't stop cranking!

i'm sure you can imagine me jumping and running around trying to find the tools to disconnect a battery cable -by the time i got one disconnected the cranking speed was almost down to nothing and a bit of smoke rose from the driver's side of the motor around one of the grounds to the motor -opposite side of the starter and alternator

i took the batteries back to the parts store that i just bought them from -they checked out fine but needed a charge

why would that new starter keep cranking like that?

i guess i should pull the starter and have it checked out

probably need to replace the rest of the battery cables -at least the grounds

is there something wrong with the ignition switch? when it didn't stop cranking i fiddled with the key and the shifter so i don't know

even after i figure out what is wrong the starting system i still don't know why its not starting or continuing to run once it does start

any ideas are much appreciated

#42

Sounds like a sticking starter solenoid to me, sticking in the on position after the starter is cycled. Was the motor running while the starter was engaged?

#43

no the engine was not running

i can't decide if that would have been better or worse

#44

They sound like turbo's when the motors running

#45

pulled the starter and it was fried and stuck engaged

-parts store covered it under warranty

pulled the ground cable where the smoke was coming from and it was crispy so i made a new one with some fat cable soldered into copper ring terminals and heat shrink tubing

the wire loom around the hot cable to the starter was melted!

anyone know how to check cables for resistance? -whether they are good or bad?

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