Build My build thread

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GTSSportCoupe said:
I avoid letting it go over 1000F post turbine. Before tuning/intercooling it would easily hit 1100-1200 post turbine on mild hills in the city even. Now it's very very hard to even get to 1000F towing 3500lb up an 8% grade in 90F weather.

If you find it's getting over a 1000F easily on yours, it's time for some tuning. What you need is a better air/fuel ratio (leaner is cooler). You'll need to increase air (boost) without an increase in fuel. Get a manual boost controller and an adjustable air bleed valve. Tune for 12-14psi from the turbo, but use the air bleed valve to trick the computer into thinking there is less boost. This way it won't add as much fuel. You'll run cooler EGT's, get more power and better fuel economy. Here is a thread on this: Reducing 2lte egt's
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Any tips on the waterless coolant? I believe I seen at one point you mentioned making sure to get all the old coolant out. Anything I need to do out of the ordinary before I literally dump $150 into engine lol
 
Sd1975 said:
Any tips on the waterless coolant? I believe I seen at one point you mentioned making sure to get all the old coolant out. Anything I need to do out of the ordinary before I literally dump $150 into engine lol
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Here is a blurb I wrote after doing the switch a few years ago. One thing you have to realized about switching to this stuff is your engine will actually run a bit hotter. The waterless coolant is not quite as efficient as a water based coolant at transfering heat. That said, you can run much hotter safely, and the stuff will keep your cylinder head at more even temperatures thus helping to prevent cylinder head cracking. It's worked well for me over the years. Be sure to run at least 15w40 oil if you do find your engine getting hot. I highly recommend the Shell Rotella. In Oz they run up to 20w50 even in extreme high temperatures.

GTSSportCoupe said:
The trick is to get ALL of the old coolant/water out. I came up with a pretty good procedure for doing this. First I drained the rad, then I drained the block. I disconnected the rad hoses from the top and bottom of the rad. I then removed the thermostat so I had a large open hole leading into the head. I took my high power shop vac and removed the filter inside and set it up to blow instead of suck. The hose fit perfect into the thermostat location. Switch the vacuum on and it blew high volume low pressure air through the system. Although super messy, this worked well to push all the remaining coolant from the motor and heater core. I left it running until coolant stopped coming out. I also blew the rad out the same way with the vacuum, again; worked really well.

I put everything back together and filled the system with the Evan's prep fluid. This stuff is supposed to absorb any remaining water in the system. I ran the motor for a while to fully circulate this stuff. I then repeated the above steps to remove as much prep fluid as I could.

I put the system back together a second time and filled it with the Evans coolant. Took the full 3 US gallons I bought to fill the system and the expansion tank to the line. The stuff I bought was the High Performance product, although they have now released a new product called NPG +C which is the replacement I think. The stuff is a clear yellow piss color.

I also bought a special optical refractometer for testing remaining water content in the system. I used it to test my system, and it seems like I successfully removed all the water.

Initially I ran a modified rad cap and zero system pressure. This seemed to work just fine. Although I decided fairly quickly to go back to a pressurized rad cap. In retrospect I think running a pressurized system helps the Evan's perform better to spec.

For all normal driving there is no apparent difference with the Evans, except that it expands much less than a water mix coolant.

I've towed a few times with the Evans now in super hot adverse conditions. I have to say, the stuff operates completely as advertised. I do have full confidence in it now. When towing, my engine coolant temps are higher for sure, as the coolant does not have the same heat transfer ability as a water based coolant. That said, it barely expands no matter how hot it gets. I actually hit 240F (into the red on factory gauge) at one point and there were no issues what so ever. My understanding is that although the coolant is hotter, the engine temperature is more even and lower as the transfer of heat is more efficient at extreme internal temps because there is no insulating vapor forming from localized boiling of water. This is what the 2LTE needs to prevent the hot spots in the head that lead to cracking.

In my opinion, every IDI diesel engine with a turbo strapped on it that is put under load for long periods of time should use this stuff. This includes 3B turbo, 2H turbo, 1HZ turbo, 1PZ turbo, 1KZ turbo etc. That said, most of these motors are not put under really heavy loads as I do with mine. I do know that Gerg (coastal cruisers) uses Evans on his compound turbo 3B. He tows an 18' trailer which puts his larger displacement 3B under exactly the same (proportional) load as I put my 2LTE under. He has run up to 270F towing up the Coquihalla. He has not cracked his head doing this. Without the Evans, he would have killed his motor for sure. That said, it did damage his stock head gasket. I think if a person is running these temps, they should be using a multi layer steel head gasket (which I am).

So, I'm going to continue beating on my motor and overheating it occasionally (by water based coolant standards) for years to come, and I'll prove by experience if this product is the answer to the 2LTE head problem. I would have blown my motor up this summer already with a water mix coolant running the temps I was running. I think I've put my 2LTE under more stress and load than anyone else out there. Truck and camper weight are about 9000lb together. I run this in 35C up steep long grades revving the motor to 4000rpm. We'll see how it goes...haha.
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GTSSportCoupe said:
Here is a blurb I wrote after doing the switch a few years ago. One thing you have to realized about switching to this stuff is your engine will actually run a bit hotter. The waterless coolant is not quite as efficient as a water based coolant at transfering heat. That said, you can run much hotter safely, and the stuff will keep your cylinder head at more even temperatures thus helping to prevent cylinder head cracking. It's worked well for me over the years. Be sure to run at least 15w40 oil if you do find your engine getting hot. I highly recommend the Shell Rotella. In Oz they run up to 20w50 even in extreme high temperatures.
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Thanks man! I love this group. I can typically be in the middle of something, ask a question and it gets answered so I can keep moving forward. I have a lot to learn but if someone had asked me 2 months ago ANYTHING about these vehicles I wouldn't have an answer for anything other than I've wanted one my whole life. When I show friends what I've done so far, their like "how did you know how to do that"? IH8MUD!
 
I'm changing out shocks right now. Both rears are lying here on the ground, fully compressed and they dont rebound on their own....haha, yeah they are shot. Pretty confident the are original, 29 years old
 
Sd1975 said:
I'm changing out shocks right now. Both rears are lying here on the ground, fully compressed and they dont rebound on their own....haha, yeah they are shot. Pretty confident the are original, 29 years old
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If they're the type with the electric connector, then yes they're likely original.
 
bigkid said:
Hey Sd1975! You mentioned you were upgrading your suspension? Do you happen to have OME part #'s at all? Many thanks!
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Look into Dobinson too; especially for the front springs. I paid for brand new full OME early on. I was happy with the shocks and rear springs, but the front springs honestly sucked bad (very little lift and too stiff). So I swapped them out for Dobinson.
 
I’ve also heard that the Dobinson lift is the only one that will cure the driver’s side sag that is common on LJ78’s.
 
I actually wound up going a different route for now. I've put so much $ into it already I had to slow down lol. I wound up getting pro comp's. They were a lot less money and although not as good I'm sure as OME or Dobinson's, they are a million times better than the 28 yo factory ones that were still on it. It already had aftermarket longer springs, that by their appearance, seem fairly new. Much more pleasurable to drive now. I felt like Ace Ventura going down the road before
 
That, being said I'll probably go full OME or Dobinson next year. Replace everything. Anybody know one part number for stabilizer shock though?
 
Sd1975 said:
That, being said I'll probably go full OME or Dobinson next year. Replace everything. Anybody know one part number for stabilizer shock though?
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If it already had a lift and you've replaced the shocks, might be good to go for a long time now. No point in replacing perfectly functional stuff. Save your money for engine upgrades...LOL.

I'm running the OME steering dampner which has stood up well: Steering Damper - OMESD24
 
GTSSportCoupe said:
If it already had a lift and you've replaced the shocks, might be good to go for a long time now. No point in replacing perfectly functional stuff. Save your money for engine upgrades...LOL.

I'm running the OME steering dampner which has stood up well: Steering Damper - OMESD24
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Sweet thank you! I'm sure it OE too and trashed
 
Hey guys, so I have a little cash on hand and am ready to do get back to work. Have ARB rear locker on it's way, new motor mounts, fuel filter and a few other odds and ends.
My question:
I, like everyone else it seems, have a factory oil pressure gauge that doesn't work. Just curious what I need to get. To say I'm not too savvy when it comes to electrical stuff as it pertains to vehicles is an understatement. Did my EGT probe and gauge just fine but didn't know if aftermarket oil pressure gauges came with new sending units or utilize existing ones. Any help is appreciated. Part numbers or brands are extremely appreciated. Thanks guys.
 
After market gauges need a matching sending unit. They will not work with your factory sending unit.
My preferred gauges/senders are VDO personally. Have used more than I can count and can't think of any real issues or failures with them.
I am running the Madman gauge from S.A. in mine currently. It uses VDO senders for everything. But, that was mostly because I wanted the comprehensive gauge with multiple functions and programmable alarms.

2018-02-01 17.01.47.webp
 
GTSSportCoupe said:
Here is a blurb I wrote after doing the switch a few years ago. One thing you have to realized about switching to this stuff is your engine will actually run a bit hotter. The waterless coolant is not quite as efficient as a water based coolant at transfering heat. That said, you can run much hotter safely, and the stuff will keep your cylinder head at more even temperatures thus helping to prevent cylinder head cracking. It's worked well for me over the years. Be sure to run at least 15w40 oil if you do find your engine getting hot. I highly recommend the Shell Rotella. In Oz they run up to 20w50 even in extreme high temperatures.
Click to expand...
Hey man, doing this today. Pouring in prep fluid now. Put about 2.5 gallons in and it's full (I know its not). Dis you start yours and let it pull it in and circulate so you could put all three gallons in?
 
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