TTD's 1985 6.9 build thread

[towtruckdave]

Haha Fellas! Thanks for the encouragement. Between work and playing music, I have not had half a chance to work on my rig.....until today.

I am heading up to the shop to yank the broken 7.3 out of my truck. I need to swap the motor mounts, oil cooler, senders, fuel filter, etc.

I plan to install my fresh 6.9 in the truck and run it naturally aspirated for a short time, while I piece together all the parts I will need for the turbo. This will give me time to dial everything else in also. That being said, I am really itching to get that turbo on there!

 

[plywood]

I need to swap the motor mounts, oil cooler, senders, fuel filter, etc.

Hey Dave, do you mean that the 6.9l and 7.3l motor mounts are different. I was thinking about replacing mine and since I have an 85 truck with a 7.3l I'm curious. I can ony find listings for the 7.3l mounts online, but not for the 6.9l.

Also if they are different, do you know if the follow the motor or the truck.

Much appreciated if anyone knows.

 

[towtruckdave]

The 6.9 and 7.3 mounts are the same. I am swapping because my 6.9 mounts are rusty and dry-rotted.

 

[towtruckdave]

It lives



Well I know it is about freaking time but I got her runnin' fellas.

R&R of the engine was not too bad. I had it on my buddy's lift, and he also made a good helper. I was paranoid about messing up my input shaft/clutch parts so I used a threaded rod and nuts to slowly draw the engine and trans together. The worst part by far was the defunking of the engine prior to taking it apart. Waiting for paint to dry definitely added alot of time to the build. A major bonus if you like to hide from the wife as much as possible.

Check out the videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlgRGWN16HI&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEAPxjNcDZI&feature=channel

 

[Diesel JD]

Dave your videos are very entertaining and you did a really excellent job on that build. Only thing I don't like is that thing should start with the first hit of the key this time of year, especially a rebuilt motor. It looks like you did a great job on the rebuild so I suspect that your glow plugs aren't right or the timing is off. Are those motorcraft/beru plugs or something else? The solid state controller likes the berus, nothing else seems to work quite as well. Autolites and champions do not play nice with this system. Truck sounds kinda quiet, the timing may be a few degrees retarded, or it may be a bit advanced. It would be great to see you get it on a timing meter and see. Are you sure those old injectors are good? Were they tested?

 

[towtruckdave]

Thanks JD!

Actually, the timing is just set a little past the marks toward the passenger side. I would really like to set it to around 8.5 but I need to find someone with a meter. I did not test them but I am thinking I could use new injectors. I do not have the cash right now. I will eventually get some fresh BB codes and then time it right. The glow plugs are new AC Delco 10.5 volt. I may need a manual glow plug switch with these glow plugs.

Thanks for your input and advice.

 

[Diesel JD]

The AC's are good especially with a manual switch, or at least they don't fail catastrophically and damage your motor. I like the idea of a manul switch with those almost 12V plugs and only you driving it. That should cost little or nothing. Your timing should be close unless during the course of the build the IP gear jumped timing. If you had the gear cover off that is something to think about. He's an infrequent poster here these days but sle215 lives in Columbus and has the tools. I doubt he'd loan them out(I never do) but I'd be surprised if he wouldn't set it where you wanted it. He's good people. The best injectors are a matched set from Mel or Russ, but the cheapest ones are a set of rebuilds from Pensacola, and I would do that if I were strapped for cash, but I'd test them to make sure they were right before installing.

 

[david85]

Love your dead pan delivery on those videos!

I also like your plans for the RDT. If nothing else the location you have it at right now is just asking for a ticket.

For glow plugs I suspect you aren't getting a long enough glow time. 1987 and up uses a resistor on the controller to cut voltage down to 5V, so glow times are longer than 1986 and older trucks that typically see 10.5V at the glow plugs. My guess is the electronic controller isn't perfectly compatible with the ACD plugs and the closed loop resistance feedback circuit is shutting power off too early.

.......and I'm really wishing I replaced my drier too.

CONGRATS!!!!

 

[Brimmstone]

I'll be back in Youngstown sometime in September and will have my meter with me if you haven't had it timed by then. As to the studs you're opening yourself up to problems. The paper you got with them may not say it but you MUST DO THE SEQUENCE SEVEN TIMES. This is directly from the techs at ARP. I build diesel for guys down here who drag race them. Torquing ARP studs once is going to bite you hard if you hit it too hard. I've had to redo at the current time 9 different engines for guys who did all their own work the first time and only did the one torque sequence. It especially sucks when it's on a 6.0 in a 2006 F-350. I'd pull the valve covers and check your torque every few months till they stretch completely out if you don't want to end up blowing head gaskets.

 

[towtruckdave]

I am definitely going to check/retorque the head studs and I will keep checking them. It is not very difficult to get to the nuts. One of the things I like about the truck is that it is not a cluster to service.

Thanks for the heads up.

I need to buy some injectors first but I can start thinking about installing my dt530 turbo. All I have so far is the turbo itself but the shop where I do most of my wrenching at is owned by my buddy Criss, who has been doing custom exhaust for decades. He has a really slick tubing bender. We should be able to madmax that thing on there, no problem. I am actually really looking forward to this part. Installing a custom turbo is going to be alot of fun. I am not trying to set a land speed record or anything, and I am going for only about 10 psi. I will however be doing anything I can think of to help my engine run good, such as keeping the intake cool and adding some free flowing exhaust. I am thinking dual black stacks.

I also have a whole mint front clip, minus the rad support, from a 1996 F150, that I want to install. I still have not figured out if my 1990 rad support can be made to work with the 1996 fenders and headlights.

 

[Brimmstone]

Ask your buddy if he knows Big Kris with the suburban. I was kinda infamous around there north east Ohio. Had way too many vehicles to count and ran all through the northern part of Ohio. Also had some in with the Acuchie family that owned alot of the Midases back in the day. I also know good and well about Summit being close. I'm one of the few people who could pickup what they needed 24-7. I had 6 different guys I bought from and if it was a hurry they would pull my order themselves and bring it to the door when I got there.

 

[seawalkersee]

Im going to have to get to my pics here pretty quick. Long block should be together by t-night.

Yours is lookin pretty good

SWS

 

[towtruckdave]

Thanks guys.

Next I think I will be putting the '96 clip on with some new tires. I have 4 new 33" Extreme MT radials but I need to buy some 15" 8 lug rims from summit to use them. But it will only be 200 bucks for the rims that let me run $1000 set of tires.