misc ramblings and notes on a factory 6.5 into a 73-87 pickup

[towcat]

guess i'll start a thread on my adventures on doing a 6.5td conversion into a AC equipped pickup. here's a few starter pics on the beginning of the project.
If you are a non-AC chassis, it is a drop-in. With the later body styles, the AC evap unit is moved inside the cab unlike the earlier body stlye. After much consultation, I chose the route of modifying a S10 evap box and grafting it onto the pickup. Anyway, here's a couple of starter pics. More later.

 

[chevydiesel]

I'm jealous, I'm wishing I had a forklift in the shop!!!


look closely and you'll see that I am using a ventilated 6.2 block as additional counterweight.

 

[towcat]

here's some pics with the stock evap assy and the interference with the stocker 6.5 turbo setup plus the TEO6H turbo fitted on.

 

[dieseldummy]

Thanks for the pics. I've always wondered if a body lift would eleminate the need for the A/C revamp?

 

[towcat]

Thanks for the pics. I've always wondered if a body lift would eleminate the need for the A/C revamp?

nope.
the only thing a body lift would make easier is the downpipe after the turbo.

 

[towcat]

here's a few more with the motor assy removed and the rubberized sound deadner removed. note the top down shots with the evap suitcase in reference to the frame.

 

[towcat]

here's some pics of the S10 housing being initially fitted onto the firewall. once again note the top down shot and you can see how much room is opened up.
I'll put down text later if you have any questions

 

[chevydiesel]

Very good, what year model S-10 evap box are you using?

Looks like it'll fit, do any of the mounting holes line up with the firewall?

 

[towcat]

I believe the box I am using is a 83-91 box. I looked at many at the local pick-n-pull and couldn't find much of a difference if any, so I'll lump them all into the same generation truck. Do the holes line up? No way. There is much drilling and fitting involved. Inside the cab I stayed with the stock HVAC setup and the heater core plumbing is not S-10 installer friendly. You can see in the pics where one of the outlets is ok but one of the hoses goes right through the airduct in the box. I used a silicon hose for that one so I can avoid having to deal with it later. Ok guys, here's the installed pics without the motor unfortunately, but you get the idea as far as how much room you now get.

 

[towcat]

whelp...
$3500 later, I have a good motor once again. rebuilt bottom end, mahle pistons, reground cam, new lifters and a pair of "blueprinted" new heads. Waiting on a rebuilt 4911 IP and new turbo injectors. Nothing fancy. Got the projects lined up already for the winter
stay tuned folks

 

[cranknrods]

wow you and i have somethin in common--the wife used to get so mad at me because i sometimes would go on these rants. i would get the great idea that my truck needed something, so i would tear it apart and start fab'in stuff up-never occuring to myself that even doing your own fab'in cost alot of money. i'm on meds now to help with that
but sometimes i find myself fabin stuff when it would have been cheaper to just buy the part from someone else.
i quess what im trying to say is, i like what your doing and now that you have given me this idea, im going to have to go buy me an 80ish truck and do a engine swap--or i could just up my dose
what about a 6.5td in a 3rd gen f-body-anythings possible if you know how to weld;p

 

[towcat]

here's a few more update pics. Motor is now installed into the chassis once again, this time the S10 evap box is fully assembled and installed. Need to finish out the electrical and the front end of the motor.

 

[towcat]

more pics...

Well....
got most of the underside stuff finished up and the turbo hard mounted to the motor. Everything went pretty good overall there's still the turbo to intake offset issue to deal with, I cheated in the meantime by buying a "hump" type silicon hose so the offset can be fudged. So here's the area where to AC box and turbo resides. Everything looks pretty good as far a exhaust clearance goes.

 

[robert wyrick]

How are you doing the wiring for the electronic injector pump. Or did you use an older mechanical injection pump

 

[towcat]

How are you doing the wiring for the electronic injector pump. Or did you use an older mechanical injection pump

no "borg" type IPs here on my stuff I have a DB2 #4911 pump on the truck with rebuilt turbo injectors. Nothing too fancy. I'm currently waiting on a set of pushrods so I can get her running again.