89 GMC Cummins conversion

[COS399]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work on mounting your trans cooler! When I did the 89 burn I did, I put it right there too.

Dieselwrencher, I mounted mine to the drop sway bar brackets with a 1/4" plate that had previously been bent for a different project. Of course the mount/box was a thinner sheet we bent into the box shape. Did you have any issues with it being between the frame rails behind the bumper? It isn't mounted to the radiator shroud so there shouldn't be an issue with the frame flexing.

[COS399]

Good News! It's alive!! She wouldn't start at first due to two bad batteries that had a date of November of 2006 and air in the fuel lines. I need to buy two new batteries and then I will hook up to the PCS transmission controller and then see if it moves. Here are a few pictures

To get it running today we built the new battery cables, new intake heater cables from the battery to the relay and then from the relay to the heater itself.

I was filling the transmission and realized that there was a crack in the funnel down by the bottom and since there wasn't another one available we found a new use for heat shrink tubing. I still got more to do but getting it started up today was important.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by COS399

Dieselwrencher, I mounted mine to the drop sway bar brackets with a 1/4" plate that had previously been bent for a different project. Of course the mount/box was a thinner sheet we bent into the box shape. Did you have any issues with it being between the frame rails behind the bumper? It isn't mounted to the radiator shroud so there shouldn't be an issue with the frame flexing.

The only issue was the cooler didn't have a fan on it at first. The owner has since added a fan and there have been no issues with it. The owner also added a pretty big aluminum skid plate with holes drilled in it and I'm guessing that was the air flow issue.

[COS399]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'm going through a learning curve with the PCS transmission controller and I think that whoever tapped into the IP tapped into the wrong wire and therefore my TPS isn't reading properly on the computer. I should have it figured out by this time tomorrow.

CarbonCrew - I should be going to Conrad in the next couple of days and I will try and find MRC.

[collect t/as]

Looks fantastic!

[carboncrew]

Dang...you don't mess around!

Very nice

[fluffyfreak]

Nice build, im all in! Im interested in seeing how the 4l80 holds up to the torque, shouldnt be a problem tho, drag racers put em behind big torque big blocks

[COS399]

I got my TPS wiring issue figured out and took it for a spin around the shop a few times. It was a great feeling to get it to go and stop. Of course it was short lived because the power steering is really firm and I need to determine how to fix it. I also wired the up the Intake Heater relays and got the "Glow Plug" indicator lamp on the dash to come on during the heat cycle. I am going to try and replace the "Glow Plug" insert with a "Wait to Start" or the heater looking symbol.

[y5mgisi]

Nice!

[v-man]

Nice truck! Gotta love those 89 Jimmy's. The dieselwrencher is right. My tranny was heating up with similar cooler placement and it was apparent my skid plate was restricting air flow so I added a fan on a toggle switch which helped. But when towing heavy my tranny temps where still on the hot side so I squeezed another cooler between the grill and the innercooler and hooked them together in a series loop. Now my tranny temps are awesome and I rarely use the fan. Keep up the nice work.

[brimc]

That's great. Got any video of the first start?

[COS399]

Originally Posted by brimc

That's great. Got any video of the first start?

Brian, Sorry but no video of the first start up.

[COS399]

Originally Posted by v-man

Nice truck! Gotta love those 89 Jimmy's. The dieselwrencher is right. My tranny was heating up with similar cooler placement and it was apparent my skid plate was restricting air flow so I added a fan on a toggle switch which helped. But when towing heavy my tranny temps where still on the hot side so I squeezed another cooler between the grill and the innercooler and hooked them together in a series loop. Now my tranny temps are awesome and I rarely use the fan. Keep up the nice work.

V-man, Thanks for the compliment and sharing the information on the trans cooler. I have mine on a thermostat and I will definitely keep an eye on the temperature gauge. I'm not sure if my 5th wheel toy hauler will fit on it anymore now that it is lifted. If it doesn't fit then I may just have to use my '88 CC DRW R30 12valve Getrag tow vehicle.

[COS399]

So here what has happened in the last week: installed new exterior mirrors, painted and installed the grill and headlight doors, mounted front bumper, installed and hooked up new fuel lines down the left frame rail, installed hood, and got lucky and found a red GMC tailgate that was in really good shape. I also attached a picture of the bump stop extension. Sorry about the dirty vehicle but I haven't cleaned it up yet.

[6BT 56]

Yep that is a great job you are doing. Im looking forward to hearing more abt the 4l80 and how the controller works . I have a 2002 burb that i was thinking abt a cummins swap . I would need the same trans controller I guess. Oil pan is a issue on these IFS trucks I hear as well. I have had my eyes open for a truck like yours for some time now to do just as you are doing . Keep up the good work .

[COS399]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Yep that is a great job you are doing. Im looking forward to hearing more abt the 4l80 and how the controller works . I have a 2002 burb that i was thinking abt a cummins swap . I would need the same trans controller I guess. Oil pan is a issue on these IFS trucks I hear as well. I have had my eyes open for a truck like yours for some time now to do just as you are doing . Keep up the good work .

Thanks. I have been wanting to do one of these for a few years. I bought the 2000 Dodge donor truck over 2 years ago. When I finally decided to look for the crew cab to put the motor in, I found a guy with a '78 GMC K35 that was willing to trade me for a Honda 300EX. We met in Great Falls to do the trade and afterwards I stopped at a store and some gentleman asked me about the truck on my trailer and informed me that he knew a guy selling a similar style truck. I took down the information and a few days later I was once again hooked up to the trailer to look at the truck for sale. Of course I told my kid that he could have the '78 and I decided to make the '89 my project truck.

Ken, at Autoworld conversions, has done a conversion similar to yours and it looked to me like it came from the factory with the 6BT.

[COS399]

Well, a call to Ken and Jeremy and I had the answers I needed to solve my firm steering issue. The steering pump had air in the lines and by jacking up the front differential and turning the wheel left and right without the engine running removed the air pockets. Afterwards, I fabricated a stainless steel bracket to mount the coolant reservoir to the fan shroud. I then took it out for its first shake down run. I will describe it as "Awesome." I know it wasn't pulling a trailer or anything but it ran great and as for the 4L80E, it shifted so smooth that I was worried it wasn't shifting but the engine wasn't revved up. It seemed like an ATV with a CVT transmission.

Here are some pictures of the coolant reservoir, hole for the transfer case shifter and the Lokar transmission dipstick that I needed due to its flexibility.

[ryanroo]

this is a sweet truck. well executed work!

Ryan

[6BT 56]

Glad to hear it is under its own power now . A sweet truck for sure . The 24 V engine uses a ecm to run the eng correct ? What was the harness like to adapt to the chevy ?

I remember when I put the 92 eng in my 56 . The hook up and pluming was almost too easy . The 2 Ryan's help a lot . Other wise it would have just been easy . They get credit for the "too." Lol.

[COS399]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

this is a sweet truck. well executed work!

Ryan

Ryan, Thanks. I have looked at your build as well and I am impressed with your handy work.

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Glad to hear it is under its own power now . A sweet truck for sure . The 24 V engine uses a ecm to run the eng correct ? What was the harness like to adapt to the chevy ?

I remember when I put the 92 eng in my 56 . The hook up and pluming was almost too easy . The 2 Ryan's help a lot . Other wise it would have just been easy . They get credit for the "too." Lol.

Yes, the 24 valve has it's own ECM. It is mounted to the left side of the block behind the fuel filter. As for the wiring it was pretty easy since you technically only have to hook up a fuse, relay and a switch to make this thing run. As for the transmission computer I had to tap into the TPS, connect two plugs into the transmission, tap into the brake pedal, hook into a 12 volt power and then a ground. Wiring the Intake heater relay was pretty easy and then I added the 6.2 water temperature and oil pressure switch to make the factory gauges work. Hooking up the "Glow Plug" indicator light was fairly simple as well. Of course some of these things you don't need and with the PCS transmission controller you can do some additional really cool things such as using factory switches/buttons to manually shift the transmission.

[Dieselwrencher]

Those Lokar dipsticks have sure went up. I'm going to wait to see how a manipulated stock one fits my truck before biting the bullet and buying one. I hate filling the trans in my Vette that has one. Such a small dang fill hole.

6bt56, yes sir. The 24v ISB's use an ECM to run the engine. Mainly to control the injection pump etc. You basically use 7 or 8 wires from the dodge harness plus some for the OBDII connector and you can get them to run. It is a lot of wires to get rid of for sure. You pick out which wires go to the OEM cluster and use the stock GM fittings and adapt thread sizes if needed to get the stock gauges to work. Definitely not as simple as a 12v.

[84chevyguyid]

[QUOTE=Dieselwrencher;6531233]Those Lokar dipsticks have sure went up. I'm going to wait to see how a manipulated stock one fits my truck before biting the bullet and buying one. I hate filling the trans in my Vette that has one. Such a small dang fill hole.

I had to use a lokar dipstick on my vette, tried every way to use the stocker and just couldnt get it to fit. The good thing is that once you get it full you dont have to do it very often. I didnt have a dipstick assy for the allison I am using on the crew cab but I had the stock replacement one that I bought for the 4l80e that wouldnt work in the vette. Its going to be tight to the firewall also and the bends just werent in the right spots, I tried heating it and adjusting it a little and that didnt work either. As an experiment I measured the overall length and cut both ends off and used a piece of silicone oil hose to connect them and I think that will work pretty slick. The dip stick goes in and out of it just fine and no tiny hole to try to fill it through. Nice project by the way COS!

[COS399]

[quote=84chevyguyid;6562313]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Those Lokar dipsticks have sure went up. I'm going to wait to see how a manipulated stock one fits my truck before biting the bullet and buying one. I hate filling the trans in my Vette that has one. Such a small dang fill hole.

I had to use a lokar dipstick on my vette, tried every way to use the stocker and just couldnt get it to fit. The good thing is that once you get it full you dont have to do it very often. I didnt have a dipstick assy for the allison I am using on the crew cab but I had the stock replacement one that I bought for the 4l80e that wouldnt work in the vette. Its going to be tight to the firewall also and the bends just werent in the right spots, I tried heating it and adjusting it a little and that didnt work either. As an experiment I measured the overall length and cut both ends off and used a piece of silicone oil hose to connect them and I think that will work pretty slick. The dip stick goes in and out of it just fine and no tiny hole to try to fill it through. Nice project by the way COS!

84ChevyguyID - Thanks. Filling up the trans was a PITA, but what I didn't care for is that on the factory dip stick you have your "cold" and "hot" range and on the Lokar it only registers when your in the "hot" range. That is if I had the correct OEM dipstick, not sure since I bought it used.

Your project us coming along nice as well. I think Mud Lake is off of I-15 on the turn off to Rexburg and St. Anthonys correct?

[84chevyguyid]

Yup, exit 143. Rexburg is east, Mud Lake is west. Where in MT do you live? Hey, found a pic of the dipstick. I think I will build some shielding around it to keep some exhaust manifold heat from cooking the handle. Its further away than it looks in the pic. I couldnt go any longer with the length of the dipstick.

[COS399]

Looks good and I'm sure it was a lot cheaper. I wrapped my exhaust down pipe up to the transfer case. Of course that wrap is kinda pricey as well. I am off of I-15 just north of Shelby. We ride out at St. Anthony a few times a year and most of the time we go down the Interstate and turn at the Mud Lake/Rexburg exit, but once we went the "scenic/tourist" route east of the interstate down to St. Anthony. It's a lot closer than Glamis and Glamis is too hot after February.