Project: LS1ick68

[68GMCCustom]

All your efforts are truly rewarded in the above pics Matt....super clean install with almost no wiring or hose distractions. well done!

[68Stepbed]

Thanks again for all the compliments. It really means alot.

I had to pull the trans back out. It was having some issues. I finally got everything running and took it for a test drive. The trans wouldn't shift out of first gear. I called the guy that built it. He came down and checked a few things last Thurs. night. He ended up removing the valve body, took it home with him to fix it, and brought it back on Saturday to reinstall it. It had a couple stuck plungers in it. He put it back in, we tested it with the truck on jackstands. Everything went as planned, so we set it back down to take another test drive. We started out of the driveway, it started pulling, then shuutered a little bit, then just quit pulling altogether. I coasted to the next driveway and tried to put it in reverse.......nothing, back in Drive....nothing. We pushed it back to the house. The builder said the converter is probably shot. It's new, so getting it warrantied shouldn't be a problem.

The company wants this one first so they can make sure it's a faulty converter before sending a new one. The builder also wants the whole trans as well, so he can make sure there isn't another problem. So, Monday night I tried to drop it out, but after a couple hours of wrestling with it, I discovered it wasn't coming out, because the x-pipe in the exhaust was in the way. so I wrestled it back in place and stuck a couple bolts back in to hold until I got the sawzall from my brother.

Last night I made the second attempt, and it worked so much better with the exhaust out. I cut the exhaust about 8-10" in front of the mufflers, then unbolted the collectors and the whole section just dropped right out. I'm going to pick up some header collectors to have the exhaust removable instead of welding it back solid.

I'm meeting the trans builder on Saturday morning to drop off the trans and converter. It shoould only take a couple days to get everything back, then I can stab it back in. Of course, I still have to take it to the muffler shop again to have the collectors installed and make sure everything lines up. If I hadn't already spent so much over my budget, this would be the time to install a new trailing arm crossmember, and have the exhaust re-routed up in the frame rails. That's not happening right now, though. At least with the front section removeable now, that wouldn't be too hard or expensive to go back and re-do later.

[funkytechmonkey]

Man this sounds all too familiar.... My truck has been ready to hit the road for a few months now and every time I THINK I have it does something like this happens. My last issue was the flywheel bolts not tighten down, while I had the tranny out I had to replace the rear main seal and the transmission rear seal. Both were leaking on a brand new tranny and brand new motor. Now I just need to figure out why my EFI is not getting fuel and fix the leak on my rack. hopefully that will be it. But its one thing...then another. I know what you are going thru.

[5150]

and fix the leak on my rack

Just too easy.
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[funkytechmonkey]

My rack is lactating... I can post pics of it dribbling on the floor if you like.

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by 5150

Just too easy.
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Originally Posted by funkytechmonkey

My rack is lactating... I can post pics of it dribbling on the floor if you like.

Yeah, hopefully, this should be the last of the big bugs to sort out.

[68GMCCustom]

Ouch.....I've had similar issues with that 200-4r and they are no fun. The more stories I hear about transmission issues on brand new "rebuilds"...the more I'm glad I bought a "brand new" transmission from GMPP this 2nd time around. My last trans....a "fresh" rebuilt 200-4r had a convertor issue which the builder corrected...and the trans just refused to seal up for me no matter how many times I tried.



New 4L85e from GMPP went in w/o issue, performs well, and hasn't leaked a drop.

[kvn1011]

awesome build! just read through the entire thing!! your truck is a thing of beauty!!

[68Stepbed]

Thanks, kvn1011!

I finally got the trans and new converter back last night. Hopefully, I'll be able to put it back in this evening, and be up and running again. I'll have to take it back to the exhaust shop and have the mid section of exhaust reinstalled with the collectors. The cool part will be driving it with just the mid section of the exhaust. It will be intersting to see how it sounds without the mufflers attached. If I like it, I may see about adding some cutouts in the future.

[68Stepbed]

Update: The night of the post above, I put the trans back in, hooked everything back up, filled it with fluids, jumped in to take a test drive, put in gear..................nothing. It was late and I didn't want to bother the neighbors, so I just pushed it back in the garage and went to bed. I tried it again the next morning and still nothing. I talked with the trans builder and he said it didn't make any since, but maybe it was low on fluid. I added another quart. This time it barely went into gear, but wouldn't pull. After the fluid warmed up, it wouldn't do anything again. I left it alone over the weekend.

Monday morning, I fired it up and put it in gear. It seemed to want to work, then it ran out of gas. I went on to work, took a gas can and got some gas on my lunch break. After work, put 5Gal of gas in it, fired it up and went for a test drive. It took gear and seemed to pull ok in the driveway, but when I pulled into the street and gave it gas it slipped real bad. So, I turned around and took it back home. I called the builder again, and told him I would just bring the whole truck and let him figure out what was going on. I took it him last Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, he said it was losing line pressure when the fluid warmed up, so he was going to have to drop it again.

He finally got it pulled out on Thursday evening and determined the filter was clogged When we first dropped the pan when he had to remove the valve body, there was some moisture in the fluid and some black sludge in the pan. It wasn't enough to cause alarm, but enough to take note of. Apparently, enough of that got into the filter to clog it. It also caused a few clutches to slip, so he had to put a clutch pack in it.

He's not been able to get it back in, so he's going to let me come up this afternoon and we will reinstall it together. At least this way, he can make sure everything is working right and get my TV cable adjusted correctly. Hopefully, I'll have a good report in the morning.

[Bennett68C10]

Wow Matt you have had some bad luck getting the tranny to work. Goodluck with the reinstall and hopefully everything works as planned this time. You need to get that sweet stepper out on the road so you can enjoy it again.
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[68Stepbed]

Well things went pretty well!! The use of a lift makes things SO MUCH EASIER. Two weeks ago, I was laying on my back installing the trans by my self with hand tools and it took about 4 hours. Last night, with the two of us, and air tools, we had everything in, hooked up and filling it with fluid in about 30 min!

On the first test drive, we started off in a large parking lot to see if we had the TV cable adjusted right. After a couple adjustments, we took it on the road. It was shifting good, but after getting it up to highway speeds then coming to a stop, it didn't want to drop back into 1st gear and was starting in 2nd. We went back and checked the governer which seemed to be fine. We tried it again and it was hit and miss. The engine was idling high also, so we went back and adjusted the idle speed and had to do some manipulation to the throttle linkage because of some interference. After we got that sorted out and made sure the pedal was allowing full throttle engagement, we took off again. Everything seemed to be working great this time.

The only issue now is the trans doesn't want to downshift. The builder said the shift kit he installed has something in it that keeps it from too much premature downshifting which may be causing this. He's going to read up on it some more to make sure. It's really not too big of a deal because once I get the 4.11 gears installed, I may not need too much downgearing.

I've gotta say, though, it was great to be able to really drive it again!! This LS1 has so much more power than the old 350, too. Even with the 3.07 gears, it will break the tires loose about 25-30 mph at only about half throttle. Needless to say, it's gonna be quite a bit more fun with the 4.11s!!! I can't wait!!

As for gears, I currently have a 3-series gear on a 2-series carrier, which requires a spacer ring. To put a 4-series gear onto a 3-series carrier requires a spacer also, which basically means to put a 4-series gear onto a 2-series carrier requires a thicker spacer ring. As far as I know, nobody makes one, so it looks like I'll have to have one custom made. Hopefully it won't cost too much. Depending on cost, it may be easier to find a 4-series carrier.

Something else I learned is that my alternator isn't charging. I only have the main one wire hooked up. I have the pigtail to wire it correctly, but I don't remember which terminal to use, so I'm going to run by the alternator shop today and see if I can get "hooked up". (Man, that was cheesy)

[gringoloco]

Glad to see you've turned the corner! Now time to enjoy the fruits of your labor

[68Stepbed]

OK, the alternator has an "excitor" wire that has to be hooked up. I have the corrrect weatherpack pigtail and figured out which wire to use. The alternator shop gave me a one-way diode to install inline and connect to any ignition hot wire. Easy enough. I just need some solder and heat shrink tubing, now.

I'm gona try to go this evening to my buddies shop and use his metal shear and brake to make a mount for the MSD box and get it mounted, then try to bend up and flare some metal vacuum lines.

[68GMCCustom]

interesting it wouldn't charge "some". When my LSx was carb'd I didn't have anything connected to the pigtail and was running it one wire....according to my gauge and meter it was charging at 12.8v to about 13.1V.

[BigDan3131]

I had to add the diode because my crane box would keep the engine running with the key turned off

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by 68GMCCustom

interesting it wouldn't charge "some". When my LSx was carb'd I didn't have anything connected to the pigtail and was running it one wire....according to my gauge and meter it was charging at 12.8v to about 13.1V.

Not really. It took a while to drain the battery but once it did, it wouldnt stay charged. The guy at the alternator shop took the wire from the pigtail and touched it to the post where the main wire hooks while the engine was running and I could instantly hear the alternator start drawing by the sound of the engine.

He just rigged it up to work until I got home with it, but I could tell a difference in the way it ran and all the guages worked better, too. I'll get the wires routed and put into loom tonight, hopefully.

[sunk99]

Very nice work, I checked your truck out this past weekend at RTTH and was really impressed with how neat and clean it was.I just purchased a 5.3 yesterday for my 69
suburban and hope to install it before next spring. I live in Knoxville so not too far from you.
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[BustedTruck]

I seen you driving the strip this past weekend. Gorgeous truck. Wish I could have seen it run. How did you do compared to the other trucks?
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[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by sunk99

Very nice work, I checked your truck out this past weekend at RTTH and was really impressed with how neat and clean it was.I just purchased a 5.3 yesterday for my 69
suburban and hope to install it before next spring. I live in Knoxville so not too far from you.
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Thanks! Did we talk any? I talked to a couple members there. I'm in Knoxville alot. PM me your contact info and we can meet up sometime.

Originally Posted by BustedTruck

I seen you driving the strip this past weekend. Gorgeous truck. Wish I could have seen it run. How did you do compared to the other trucks?
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Thanks to you, as well. It was an absolute blast autocrossing! I didn't fare very well compared to the other trucks. But they all had better suspension setups and better brakes. I know what I need to upgrade next. Also, since I've not been able to get the rearend done yet, the tall 3.07 gears and modified Gov-lock weren't helping me any.

Basically, I need the right rear gears, bigger brakes, a few suspension mods, a better restraint system, and most of all, the driver mod. This is only the second time ever autocrossing and the first time on a long, fast course, so my experience is VERY limited. Next year, I hope to get in on the school on Friday. Those that were able to get in on the school said it helped alot.

[sunk99]

My wife and 2 kids and I spoke to you and your family briefly. I drove my 69 suburban with air ride over there and didn't have stay very long because the kids were getting restless. My name is Scott Story # is 406-9665
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[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by sunk99

My wife and 2 kids and I spoke to you and your family briefly. I drove my 69 suburban with air ride over there and didn't have stay very long because the kids were getting restless. My name is Scott Story # is 406-9665
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OK, did you have the light blue Burb with white steelies?

[sunk99]

Yes,that was us.
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[68Stepbed]

OK, that was a cool Burb!

[bkkpool]

Hey Matt, this is Brian from AL. I was the bugging you about your truck at RTTH. I enjoyed picking your brain on your build and your truck turned out very nice. PMs to follow because I have already forgotten most of what you told me.