Project Family Chummins

[Dieselwrencher]

Sounds like some good work going on. Do you plan on taking it to the Nats in September?

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Sounds like some good work going on. Do you plan on taking it to the Nats in September?

I don't know. I'm planning on taking my 68, but I could bring both. It's only about an hour drive. I might have to show my wife how to drive it (she can drive stick, but its not quite a just hop in and go type of ride

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

I don't know. I'm planning on taking my 68, but I could bring both. It's only about an hour drive. I might have to show my wife how to drive it (she can drive stick, but its not quite a just hop in and go type of ride

Cool deal. I look forward to seeing you there.

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Cool deal. I look forward to seeing you there.

Me too

I got a few things accomplished. Not everything I wanted, but a good chunk.

First I got the truck lowered. Its only an inch an a half, but I think it makes the truck look better since it sits level now.

Before:


After:


To lower the truck, I just had to unbolt the spring hangers and move the buckets up. That part was pretty easy with all the steering links out of the way. Then I had to make room for the panhard bar. I used a piece of 3 inch sch 40 pipe and C-channeled the crossmember....kinda of lowrider style



With this done I have about 3" of compression until things start hitting so I made some brackets for my bumpstops I've had for awhile and set them at 2-1/2" so they'll hit first. If I need to, I can lower them down a little also. I tried to flex the suspension to see how things would be at extremes, but the front springs are so stiff compared to the rear, I could only get ~1/16" of compression with my jack nearly maxed out (no wonder it feels fine without a front swaybar)



Then I moved on to "installing" my steering stabilizer. This required making a bracket under the panhard bar mount and using a tube clamp and making a bracket off of it.



Finally I moved on to installing my near gear box. Straight forward install:



Somewhere in there I also adjusted the right lower control arm to push the axle forward since it wasn't quite square and it will give me a little more tire clearance. I'm also going to adjust the lower control arm mount at the axle and push the axle forward. This will help again with the tire clearance as well as caster.

Oh, I also got a little bit of wiring covered up, but not nearly all of it. Good two days off

[Dieselwrencher]

Looking good. Didn't you take the truck to have it aligned before you started driving it? I can't believe they didn't square the front axle up first before doing anything else.

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Looking good. Didn't you take the truck to have it aligned before you started driving it? I can't believe they didn't square the front axle up first before doing anything else.

yep, and yep

Just got back from my test drive. Everything went well.

[Ackattack]

Filled up yesterday, and set a new high, 18.8 mpg. I'm not sure if this is due to how/where I drove or if lowering it helped that much. Maybe a combo of both.

I also ordered some seat covers for it, since the drivers side is tore up pretty good.

[jbclassix]

I definitely need an NV4500

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by jbclassix

I definitely need an NV4500

a 6 speed would be nicer.

with 3.54s and 35s, the 3 - 4 shift kinda sucks

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

a 6 speed would be nicer.

with 3.54s and 35s, the 3 - 4 shift kinda sucks

6 speeds are freaking expensive when they break. You just need more power.

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

6 speeds are freaking expensive when they break. You just need more power.

Good point

My list of things to do is getting short. Pretty much cleaning up the wiring, installing my exhaust tip, and then its onto the "final" stages of more power and getting this thing painted.

Powerwise, I'm not going crazy. Just a few simple/cheap upgrades for now.

[Dieselwrencher]

Honestly a few DIY adjustments, gov springs, and a good air filter go a long way on them.

[6lcummins]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

a 6 speed would be nicer.

with 3.54s and 35s, the 3 - 4 shift kinda sucks

This is where a 4K GSK comes into play, a little more rpm in 3rd gear cures the 3-4 shift and you can rebuild an NV4500 2 times to the once of a NV5600. The $100 GSK kit, in my opinion, trumps the $1400 upgrade from reman NV4500 to reman NV5600.

[Ackattack]

Added at least 5 HP tonight





Then I moved on to changing out the fan switch. I got one that comes on at 210. The other one was coming on earlier. I also re-wired it so it will only come on with the key in the on position, rather than anytime.

However, while I was rewiring that switch I pulled out a resistor and wiring that I had for the tach. I had forgotten that it was there as I had read for the instructions for using the factory dodge tach pickup. Well now I'm using a wire off the alternator instead. So now my tach isn't working correctly. I probably just need to play around with my dakota digital box again to get it working right. Kind of a pain, but oh well.

After that I continued looming up more wiring. I think I'm going to have to take off the left fender to get it all cleaned up and looking presentable.

Oh yeah, I also sold my suburban tonight. So that was my back up in case the crew cab had issues, but I haven't had anything come up. I do still have a jeep wrangler I can drive too.

[6lcummins]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

Added at least 5 HP tonight





Then I moved on to changing out the fan switch. I got one that comes on at 210. The other one was coming on earlier. I also re-wired it so it will only come on with the key in the on position, rather than anytime.

Why? The thermostat is 180* and these engines don't like north of 210* and I know my A/C builds too much pressure at 195* and shuts off.

[Ackattack]

The old temp switch would turn on at ~180

The truck hasn't gotten over 190 yet
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[Ackattack]

My wiring has been a mess, so over the long weekend I took the time to clean it up. To start I removed the drivers side fender. I started grouping all of the wires, I had to cut, lengthen, and solder several wires to get them to be routed where they need to go. I also took apart the bulkhead connection and removed about a dozen unneeded wires (mostly for the transmission). I still need to go back and put wire loom over it, but its much better.



While I was working on the wiring I noticed the upper radiator hose was touching the #1 injection pump fitting. The vibration/heat started working at the hose and it was obviously weaker than the rest of the hose. Luckily I caught it before I got left on the side of the road. The replacement hose happen to be just the right shape that it is not hitting the injection pump.



My blower isn't working on anything but high, so after a little reading I changed out the blower resistor. Well that didn't work. So I guess I'm going to get a new control panel from the salvage yard.

Then I finally took the time to put on the front air dam.



Pulled the truck out of the garage and turned the wheel, and the tire hit the air dam. A quick trim to make a little more room and I'm good to go.

I finished up the weekend with an oil change.

[Ackattack]

An annoying little story:

To get my blower working correctly I figure I need a new climate control panel. I do a little checking on line and find some new ones on ebay for ~$100, rock auto has it for about the same, oriely's for about $200. So on the way home from work I swing by the salvage yard, figuring they'd have one and I'd save some money. So I ask the guy at the counter about it, he looks it up and sure enough he has one with a broken tab, but it works: $115....just then the phone rings, he picks it ups and spends about 5 min talking to someone else (this is a pet peeve of mine......the caller essentially just cut right in front of me....tell the person on the phone to wait) so he gets off the phone, I explain to him I can get a new one for less than that, he says he can do $100, I tell him I can do $50. He says "no way". I turn around and walk out. What I don't understand is that the likely hood of someone coming in and buying that 1 pound piece of plastic before they crush that vehicle is slim to none and there I was willing to pay $50.

Oh well, their loss. I just placed my order for it on rock auto and it will be here in a few days.

I just think its ridiculous that a salvage yard thinks they can charge just as much for used parts as new. (I also stopped by and had essentially the same thing happen for a tail light out of the dodge pickup I got my drive train out of....that's why I did my research before hand)

[jbclassix]

You pull and pay. Only yard i will use. Sucks that there isn't one in this state. Their prices are online and the most reasonable you will find. Do they have them where you are?
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[mcbassin]

Very good progress on this project. Too bad about the salvage. I guess you have the same jerks running them up there as we do here. It's almost like they would rather not sell parts at all to me. Rude on the phone, won't return your call about parts inquiry. I have started using Rock auto more and more just to avoid the hassle.

[Palf70Step]

I agree, some of the yards here are crazy on what they want for parts that I yank ( or even them) Luckily here they are the exception, rather than the norm.

[Dieselwrencher]

Here we have a Wrench N"Go and they are about the same. One big pet peev of mine is not listing other charges before you get the part off. These yahoos have a core charge for dang near everything! drives me nuts. I also agree that a lot of places parts prices are too dang high. Just because it's on a car or truck in their yard, doesn't mean it still works. You're taking a gamble buying each part. Especially electrical stuff.......

[justcuz]

Originally Posted by jbclassix

You pull and pay. Only yard i will use. Sucks that there isn't one in this state. Their prices are online and the most reasonable you will find. Do they have them where you are?
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I stopped at the Pick a Part in Adelanto on my way through your neighborhood last week. Not bad compared to the ones down the hill that usually look like they have been hit by a hurricane.

You've seen the guy who has the 3 crew cabs in his yard off of 395 I presume. Looks like a mid 70's Ford and 2 Chevys. Hard to tell for sure at 70 mph!

[Ackattack]

New ventilation control panel and the blower works again on all speeds!

Also, apparently when I was working on the wiring, I got the brake relay plugged in backwards so my cruise control wasn't working. Apparently neither we're my brake lights! But I got both the brake light and cruise working. Just glad know one rear ended me while the lights weren't working.
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[Ackattack]

Houston we have a problem.

The last few days the truck has made a random "barking" noise while crising down the highway. It only happened once each day and sounds like its coming from the transmission.

The today it started making a popping sound if you let off the throttle quickly and shakes the whole truck. I'm hoping its the front driveshaft but I'm not sure at this point. Gonna do some investigating after dinner.
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