Need help confirming something 2000 Chevy TD

Dylanviey

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Hi I bought a 2000 Chevy C3500 with a 6.5L turbo diesel a few weeks ago.

Last week on the way to work a Whining noise started and all of a sudden I noticed the truck couldn't get out of it's own way.

The issue is intermittent because when I drove home it didn't do it. And today when I went to advance auto to get a part it did it again but on the way home it was perfectly fine.

I have 3 things that I feel it possibly could be.

My first though is the vacuum pump went bad causing the waste gate to not be held closed. My air vent switch seems to have stopped working and air comes equally out of every port. Not sure if that's related because it's possible I broke it when I ripped apart the dashboard and put it back together. And the switch doesn't feel right. it feels like a mixer switch instead of a selector switch. Not sure if it should feel that way because I'm used to ford selector switches that index at each vent mode and if the fords I'm used to has a vacuum problem the vents become stuck on defrost and air doesn't equally come out of every vent.

2nd possibility is maybe fuel pump. (in theory the pump could make a noise and truck have no power due to lean fuel) But engine seems to start fine and usually starts before it makes a full revaluation. I would expect to it crack for a long time if it was having a hard time getting fuel.

3rd is probably worst case and really hoping it's not the issue. But maybe transmission related? When I first bought the truck the trans was 3.5 quarts low on fluid and now that I got it topped up it smells burnt. Planning on servicing the trans and hoping it will last me at lease a year before needing a rebuild. But manually shifted through the gears still feels like I have every gear it just feels like there's no power to get where I'm trying to go and doesn't really want to go above 45mph when the whining is happening.

The first time it happened I noticed if I stomp on the gas white smoke would come out of the tailpipe. But today when it happened again I stomped on the gas and the pipe remained clear.

What can I check to confirm what needs replacing. After the past year I don't have money to just shotgun parts at this truck. I only have money to fix what needs fixing.


Thanks!
 

u2slow

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Any codes?

You should be able to temporarily defeat the w/g actuator to stay closed all the time. The change should be immediately apparent with a test drive if its a vaccuum problem like you say.

If I had any doubts on the trans at all (probably just good PM anyway) I would do a fluid change, temp gauge, maybe an oil additive and/or filter. I was on this route with my '97 E350 (E4OD) as I figured anything would buy some time on the 370k it had.
 

Dylanviey

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Any codes?

You should be able to temporarily defeat the w/g actuator to stay closed all the time. The change should be immediately apparent with a test drive if its a vaccuum problem like you say.

If I had any doubts on the trans at all (probably just good PM anyway) I would do a fluid change, temp gauge, maybe an oil additive and/or filter. I was on this route with my '97 E350 (E4OD) as I figured anything would buy some time on the 370k it had.


Planning on doing all the filter and fluids. Have the trans filter coming in the mail. That will probably be next weeks project.

I did the same thing with my E450 also an E4od but it just kept burning up the oil and even filling the cab with smoke. Ended up taking it to AAMCO who f***ed the trans up even more by dropping it and breaking my parking brake off of the transmission. (then tried to pretend it didn't happen and zip tie it back on which fell off only a mile out of their shop) Among other things they broke.

Also no codes on the dashboard. Although I want to go get my reader from my bronco at work just to make sure there are none and the bulb isn't blown or something stupid.
 

Dylanviey

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Ok here’s an update

so the whine started the other day so I stopped and just looked around. Turns out there’s a leak on the low pressure side of the power steering and I was basically out of fluid. So the whine noise ended up being unrelated to the lack of power. I will be fixing the leak this week.

Also with yesterday’s cold spell I noticed I have no heat. Not sure what would be wrong or if no vacuum would cause that. But at least I found that out going into spring/summer not going into fall/Winter so I have time to fix that before I have to worry about becoming an ice cube driving into work.

Also I was noticing black smoke the other day while driving up a hill. So I’m leaning Towards that the vacuum pump is bad. I haven’t tried making the waste gate pined closed yet. Going to have my mechanic smoke test to make sure there’s not a leaking vacuum line somewhere I can’t see.

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Dylanviey

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Ok

I started actually digging into my truck to start checking vacuum pressures.

first thing I figure out is that I’m good on vacuum but the Vacuum solenoid thing (forget actual name) isn’t even attached to the waste gate.

the piston pulls in but doesn’t pull the lever for the waste gate.

Need to figure out how it attaches and re attach it. But it looks like I’m missing a part but not sure. Having a hard time finding a photo of how it should be.
 

Dylanviey

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I dug deep last night and was up until 3am working on my truck.

took apart my air filter box to get a better look. Looks like there was a E clip that fell off.

I didn’t like the look of the vacuum canister and I wanted to make sure this fixed it so I just tacked a washer onto the end just to hold it together. I should be able to just break the washer off due to how I welded it, if I need to change the canister.

out of a hunch yesterday day I stopped in at work and grabbed my scanner. The truck had 2 codes and apparently the check engine light isn’t working. (Have a feeling the previous owner just pulled the bulb to pass inspection because it has a good inspection until October)

the one code was vacuum related which I think is related to the turbo waste gate not being connected but the 2nd one was timing related and when I cleared the codes the timing one instantly came back. One of my friends suggested that I look at the injection timing stepper motor and wiggle it around because sometimes they stick and I found it laying in the valley of the engine in 3 pieces.

only thing is now I need to figure out how this stepper motor is installed since it wasn’t installed or hooked up when I found it.

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Dylanviey

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the new Injection Timing stepper motor showed up the other day and I was able to install it yesterday.

I will say it made a huge improvement. I thought the engine was running smooth before but now it's supper smooth and quiet. Truck feels like it has a lot more power now as well. Also weirdly I noticed my oil pressure runs a bit higher then before (idles around 40psi now instead of 20psi) and haven't noticed any stuttering in reverse any more. (I pray that fixed it because if it didn't then I need to think about a transmission rebuild soon.)

There is a change though that's not good. It idles rough on cold starts now. until I stomp on the gas once then it idles nice a smooth. Probably a bad glow plug or 2. Doesn't do it on hot starts.
 

Daddyoh

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the new Injection Timing stepper motor showed up the other day and I was able to install it yesterday.

I will say it made a huge improvement. I thought the engine was running smooth before but now it's supper smooth and quiet. Truck feels like it has a lot more power now as well. Also weirdly I noticed my oil pressure runs a bit higher then before (idles around 40psi now instead of 20psi) and haven't noticed any stuttering in reverse any more. (I pray that fixed it because if it didn't then I need to think about a transmission rebuild soon.)

There is a change though that's not good. It idles rough on cold starts now. until I stomp on the gas once then it idles nice a smooth. Probably a bad glow plug or 2. Doesn't do it on hot starts.

Hopefully the the stepper mtr fixed you problem. Awesome.
use a vacuum gauge ant check the vacuum on the vacuum pump. If lower than 22hg then replace it.
Change your fluid and filter in your tranny before your tranny self destructs. I'm sure you know burnt smell is bad.
 

Dylanviey

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Hopefully the the stepper mtr fixed you problem. Awesome.
use a vacuum gauge ant check the vacuum on the vacuum pump. If lower than 22hg then replace it.
Change your fluid and filter in your tranny before your tranny self destructs. I'm sure you know burnt smell is bad.

The MTR fixed some of my problems.

So did the fluid and filter changes. Shifts better after the fluid change and strangely it started shifting 100% after the MTR was replace especially when driving in reverse. It used to bog down in reverse then blow some black smoke then lurch every once in a while. with the MTR it stopped that completely.

After screwing with the waste gate for a while I found out why it was disconnected apparently the turbo is seized. I decided to just pin it and the only difference in the trucks performance was I blew more black smoke. So now I have to wait until I have the $850 for a new turbo. I have completely ran out of money to work on this truck. Luckily I got it to a point where I can drive and use it for work. maybe next month I'll have some money again and can start on getting the turbo 100%. I bought a turbo master and a boost gauge along with a trans temp gauge and a air pressure gauge for in the cab.

Also my instrument panel is starting to give me issues. The other day my fuel gauge decided to have a fight with my oil pressure gauge and now my oil pressure gauge reads 0 all the time. :frustrate

I have a feeling I'm going to need to start checking grounds because I also notice when I have my turn signals on the volt meter drops as well. (have mostly LED turn signals) I know I need to go through and change out all the burnt bulbs in it. Found out the check engine bulb is blown. (probably how it's been passing inspection. haha)
 

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