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- #441
weekly update
I found out this weekend that I suck at body work. I tried 3 layers with sanding inbetween and I gave up. So it looks like I'll need to get some texture on the quarters to hide the imperfections and mask some of the wavyness. At least now I have a better appreciation for those who can do it well. I just threw on some primer to keep rust from starting. Here are my results
Testing continues:
My first test drive with the 38s was pulling a trailer going to get a load of wood. On the way back it's probably the heaviest load I've had on the trailer and towed with the diesel so far. I really like the 38s. Smooth, not very loud, and more comfortable than those worn out 35s. It even tracked better. I did notice an increase on my pyro but the 4bt pulled great. I did get the tranny pretty hot, 240F on the gauge, and had to pull over and let it cool off (stop and go, warmer day, in hilly terrain pulling a heavy load). I am reconsidering about using that heat exchanger and thinking about ditching it for just a cooler. Before I do that I'm going to get a fan for that radiator and redesign the lower coolant hose since it's got a kink in it now from readjusting the motor mounts. I'll probably build an inlet port for the engine side that's the same size as the radiator outlet so I can use one size of hose. Should be much easier to deal with leaks although suprisingly my frankenstein hose isn't leaking a drop. I'll plan on using a tranny cooler with the exchanger and see what happens.
The next day we hooked the trailer back up and picked up a swing set for my daughter's Bday. As we pulled onto the street it was really sluggish and felt like a dog. I wasn't registering any boost on the gauge but could hear the turbo spinning, just not as much as it should. I kept thinking about what it could be as we drove there and back with our load and when I got home to start investigating I noticed the tubing for my boost gauge had come off of the t-fitting for a boost signal. I hooked it back up and we went to pick up some plants. It was boosting like normal and then as I had my foot in it the boost dropped and it became sluggish again. I pulled over and saw the tubing had popped off again so later that evening I fastened it with a hose clamp and used some glue to bond the tubing to the rubber fitting that goes on the T.
So if you notice an immediate drop in boost, it's not registering on your gauge, and your engine feels like a dog then there could be a pressure leak somewhere, mine was easy to find. This was good to find because I'll be increasing the boost pretty soon by playing with my wastegate. The tranny was running hot again so I hope to finally hit the junkyard this weekend and will add a fan to my list. I'll also do a fluid flush before a big trip to California at the end of May.
The front tires are rubbing on hard turns and I'm getting some slicing so I'll be cutting some chunks out of the fender very soon.
So the testing continues and hopefully one of these weekends I'll get some springs to reconfigure the fronts and flex it!
I found out this weekend that I suck at body work. I tried 3 layers with sanding inbetween and I gave up. So it looks like I'll need to get some texture on the quarters to hide the imperfections and mask some of the wavyness. At least now I have a better appreciation for those who can do it well. I just threw on some primer to keep rust from starting. Here are my results
Testing continues:
My first test drive with the 38s was pulling a trailer going to get a load of wood. On the way back it's probably the heaviest load I've had on the trailer and towed with the diesel so far. I really like the 38s. Smooth, not very loud, and more comfortable than those worn out 35s. It even tracked better. I did notice an increase on my pyro but the 4bt pulled great. I did get the tranny pretty hot, 240F on the gauge, and had to pull over and let it cool off (stop and go, warmer day, in hilly terrain pulling a heavy load). I am reconsidering about using that heat exchanger and thinking about ditching it for just a cooler. Before I do that I'm going to get a fan for that radiator and redesign the lower coolant hose since it's got a kink in it now from readjusting the motor mounts. I'll probably build an inlet port for the engine side that's the same size as the radiator outlet so I can use one size of hose. Should be much easier to deal with leaks although suprisingly my frankenstein hose isn't leaking a drop. I'll plan on using a tranny cooler with the exchanger and see what happens.
The next day we hooked the trailer back up and picked up a swing set for my daughter's Bday. As we pulled onto the street it was really sluggish and felt like a dog. I wasn't registering any boost on the gauge but could hear the turbo spinning, just not as much as it should. I kept thinking about what it could be as we drove there and back with our load and when I got home to start investigating I noticed the tubing for my boost gauge had come off of the t-fitting for a boost signal. I hooked it back up and we went to pick up some plants. It was boosting like normal and then as I had my foot in it the boost dropped and it became sluggish again. I pulled over and saw the tubing had popped off again so later that evening I fastened it with a hose clamp and used some glue to bond the tubing to the rubber fitting that goes on the T.
So if you notice an immediate drop in boost, it's not registering on your gauge, and your engine feels like a dog then there could be a pressure leak somewhere, mine was easy to find. This was good to find because I'll be increasing the boost pretty soon by playing with my wastegate. The tranny was running hot again so I hope to finally hit the junkyard this weekend and will add a fan to my list. I'll also do a fluid flush before a big trip to California at the end of May.
The front tires are rubbing on hard turns and I'm getting some slicing so I'll be cutting some chunks out of the fender very soon.
So the testing continues and hopefully one of these weekends I'll get some springs to reconfigure the fronts and flex it!
Last edited:
WOW AS ALWAYS WELL DONE
(from 35s to 38s) When I drilled a hole and connected it back up the gauge read empty. However, it's one of those areas where it's degrees of emptiness but apparently I was close to the last degree. I put 2 gallons in to make it to a diesel station so I wouldn't have to do this again. So I'm not absolutely sure the lift pump was shot. The air bubbles were compelling enough for me and now I've got a spare I can carry around. So it turned into an exercise to get to know my engine better and what to do if I ever run out of diesel again. Moral is, don't run out of diesel!
