72 GMC Longbed Duramax Swap

[ERASER5]

Did I miss the reason for taking out the 31 gal. tank you just put in?

[BigRed76]

Can you tell yet if the Allison is going to fit under a high hump trans. tunnel?

[NathenMyers]

Hey guys! forgive me for not getting back to you earlier!

Erasers: I never put a 31 gallon tank in, i think that you saw the build pictures that burninoil posted about HIS tank. I went with an 18 gallon Camaro tank, that way i wouldnt have to to as much fabricating to hide the filler neck.

Bigred76: i still don't know anything about a high hump, it looks like we are probably just going to build a new floor to go over it out of some spare sheet metal dad has around here.

also!
I have a question!
I found on craigslist, near me, a Banks Six gun system for 300, and also a banks six gun system with the PDA for 500. which is about half price for either of them. .

does anyone have any experience with these?
is the PDA worth an extra 200 bucks? Or should i just pick up the selector switch without the PDA?

Originally i wasn't going to worry about any power adders until i got the truck on the road, however, with these being available at half price, it makes me a little more interested.

any input would be awesome! Many thanks!

Nate

[chrapladm]

Have you contacted Banks?

I would ask them first. They will be able to answer all your questions. I am sure they will sell you on the more expensive model but I would buy the PDA version myself. Although with this day and age I would probably ask about just the software for the Banks setup and use my tablet to work with it. Not all people want a tablet in their care but I do. Make a LOT of things easier to view and work with. Air ride, audio, GPS ect ect.

SO its a matter of what exactly are you wanting to do. Either sound likes a good deal for the money but it is your money.

[70blackfish]

Kool

[NathenMyers]

Alrighty Chirren!

so, i did not end up getting either of those banks stuff from craigslist. I know i would need EFILive either way, and if i'm going to get EFILive i might as well have some tunes done too!

i don't have any cool pictures to post :/

So, where i'm at now!

Fuel and brakes are run.

now we're starting to run the wiring, and hide all of the extra wiring.

Questions!
what did any of you guys do about Gauges?
i was WANTING to stick to stock looking gauges. but, it seems that if i were to buy some aftermarket gauges that would use a wire input, i could just hook those right into the Dmax harness. Thoughts?

will my 72 Speedometer hook to anything on the Allison so that i can just use the stock cable? I mean, i can't find anything at first glance, but... i'm also pretty dumb...

and lastly, i'm on the look out for a 69 to 72 non tilt, auto steering column. I haven't found any on craigslist. Anyone around louisville, ky have one they're trying to get rid of?!
or maybe willing to ship?!

As usual, thanks in advance!

you guys are all awesome!

[Dieselwrencher]

I'm pretty sure you'd have to get a speedometer drive module to run your factory speedo with the 1000 series. But im not positive. Have you looked into the Dakota digital vhx for your cluster? Or classic instruments? I have a non tilt auto column I'd let go of cheap if you can't find one locally.

[NathenMyers]

So, this weekend after 9 months of Saturdays, thanks largely to Arlie McIntosh "Charlie Daniels of the Torque Wrench" we have gotten the Duramax into Ol' Blue, and started, there is still a LOT of work left, but, this is certainly a milestone.

That's most of what we did this weekend. we started it using the Duramax Steering Column, but since we're not going to use that, i still have to get VATS taken off of my ECU. I've been looking for someplace local and coming up Snakeyes. Suggestions? I'm not planning on upgrading anything for a while. At least until i get it on the road and all of the kinks worked out!

We also laid the stock 72 hood on there, and it's only lacking around 2 inches from clearing the intake. So, I have two options, 1: (preferred) I'm looking for an intake (maybe K and N?) that sits lower over the EGR (or maybe EGR delete so that it can sit EVEN lower.) OR, as much as i DIDN'T want to do a body lift, seeing it that close, we're probably going to make us about an 2 inch body lift and see what it looks like. because using that stock hood would be awfully cool. Then when i eventually get it repainted (5 year plan...) I'll take the body lift out and put a cowl hood on it.

Next weekend i have drill, so it'll be into the middle of November before i can hit on it again!

Dieselwrencher, PM sent about that column.

also, Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc9vsRNds0w

[Luther Grimace]

Man this is an awesome project! Hopefully I can get some pointers from you. You are braver than me! I sent my Duramax harness off. I tried doing it myself but I am too electrically challenged. The engine sounds great!

[Luther Grimace]

Also I wanted to mention that a lot of people shave 2 inches off the bottom front of the oil pan and plate it with aluminum. This would allow the engine and trans to drop down 2 inches maybe enough to make the factory hood clear. I know that would involve a lot of work though now that you have it mostly reassembled.

[NathenMyers]

Ok! Update!!

I had a lot of great suggestions about what to do about my ECM. While watching a video of Brett Deutsch's Triple Turbo Monster, I noticed a banner on his back glass. I asked google where Danville Performance is; Turns out! it's only about an hour and a half from me! So i drove up there and had them put a mild tow tune on it, which also got rid of my VATS system. Those guys are awesome, and fun to talk to.

To test fit some stuff, we fashioned a 1.5 inch body lift out of some wood blocks. Mostly we wanted to see how much that would change the look of the truck. It didn't end up changing it much, so, it looks like i'm going to be going with about a 1.5 inch, or 2 inch body lift. That way we can use the stock hood.

This weekend, Arlie mated a hydroboost system out of an 08 duramax into my 72. (i'll get pictures of that next week.) while he was doing that, i was cutting a hole in my bumper to get to the filler neck of my fuel tank.

right now i have a spare set of wheels that dad is letting me borrow so that we can roll it out of his way whenever he needs it.

next on the list! Tranny cooler, stock 8 lug wheels for the 72, move the battery.

[COS399]

It's almost there. keep it up.

[NathenMyers]

Hey guys!
slow slow goin' recently. I picked up a day job in addition to my night job so that we can pay off some dumb, ol' DEBT. So my spare time has been squished some! Our goal is sometime late May!

Now, since we last visited our hero, I bought a Lift pump (kennedy twin pumps, suggested by some guys at Duramax Diesels.com's forum) and an EGR Delete kit.

I've installed the Steering column that i traded with "feller" for. then moved the Battery box to under the bed, Mounted my new intercooler, and Arlie is modifying the stock Dmax intercooler pipes to fit my truck. That dude is awesome. I hope to have these abilities one day....

[feller]

Coming along, great work and if you need anything give me a shout

[NathenMyers]

UPDAAAATTTEEE!

still slow goin! Stupid work, stupid LYFE!

Last weekend was spent mostly helping my dad and arlie. They are putting a 4BT in an 83 CJ7, i forgot to take pictures! However, it should be done in about one more weekend.

I put my new (to me) Power steering box, and pump in, mounted the lift pump, and dropped my radiator off at the shop to get a heater hose nipple put into it!

also, i bought another car! 1957 Buick Roadmaster, My wife says that i'm no longer allowed to buy anything else until i get rid of something.... so it sounds like i'm at capacity!

My short term plans: Re do the interior (it smells like mice REAL bad) and put a Small Block Chevy that i have on the shelf, into it. Then take a couple years restoring it slowly.

LONG term plans (5 year plan?): Cummins swap it and make it my daily driver! I IMAGINE that a Cummins swap, with highway rearend gears it could SURELY get high 20's to low 30's mpg. which is as good as my current daily driver. Then i could ride in style year round!

[Dieselwrencher]

That looks like a very nice car to start out with for sure!

[chrapladm]

Hopefully because your busy at work that just means you have more money to play with.

Glad to see there is still a plan to move forward.

[NathenMyers]

Hey guys!

i need some advice/info.
I've spent about an hour and a half trying to figure it out!
So, I'm ALMOST DONE! i'm trying to have it done by the weekend before the 4th of july!
Wheels: My front wheels are the stock 5 lug 72 GMC wheels. My rearend is out of a 2005 Duramax 2500 HD 4x4. If i could find 1972 8 lug wheels, will the Center Hub Hole of the 72 wheels fit over the Hub of the 2005 4x4 rearend?

i've found a couple resources on google, but they don't show the hub hole measurements!

is this something that any of you might know off the top of your head?!?

thanks guys!

Nate

[Dieselwrencher]

Here's a bump for you. I don't honestly know because I've never swapped any newer chevy rear ends in these trucks. If the hubs are the same as a dodge AAM, I don't think the old chevy wheel will fit. I could be wrong though.

[NathenMyers]

thank you for the reply!

a couple of dudes form another forum seem to think that they will work. i'm going to try to pick up a set of 72 8 lug wheels from a junk yard and try them out. worst case scenario, i'm out 50 bucks.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by NathenMyers

thank you for the reply!

a couple of dudes form another forum seem to think that they will work. i'm going to try to pick up a set of 72 8 lug wheels from a junk yard and try them out. worst case scenario, i'm out 50 bucks.

Make sure you get 16" so you can use your tires from your newer truck.

Wait, on edit... What size wheel is on your rear axle out of the duramax donor?

[gerfunken]

So Dodge and Chevy both run a 8x6.5 bolt pattern. At some point, Ford switched from the 8x6.5 to a metric size. When I got my donor dodge, the wheels went from that, to my '72, to my brother's '07 GMC without any issues.

[NathenMyers]

Thanks guys!!!!

[Dieselwrencher]

99 is when ford went metric. Dodge still is 8 on 6.5 but in 94 they went to metric lugs. The chevy's are 8 on 6.5 as well. I think they went to metric lugs in 99 too but don't hold me to that. My concern would be the brakes. If the donor axle had 17" wheels, chances are not good for a 16" wheel to clear those calipers and brackets. I've never tried it though. Hopefully they fit for you.

[NathenMyers]

hey guys!
save me!!

ok so now i'm finally working on the ignition wiring. I'm planning on hooking it up to my stock 72 ignition switch, but i can't figure out what wire does what! i've found a couple wiring diagrams, but none of them show 7 wires like i've got. can anyone give me some insight?

the two Red wires are always hot. but beyond that i havent been able to figure them out!

Thanks!!!

Nate