1994 Chev K1500 6.5 TD ECSB - Junkyard Rescue!

[gstubbz]

So another update, my white truck was towed today to wherever it's going to go for insurance (probably Reno or Carson City, NV pick n pull), but last night I did pull the front bumper with holes, turn signals, and the glass headlights that will be used on the 6.5

When I posted a picture of my truck on the tow truck to Facebook, a few friends asked if I pulled parts, etc in the comments and I said "going on my 94"... and my dad jumped on my mom's facebook account (sometimes I think it's to spy on me or see why I'm up to so that's why I never post/share anything), saw the comments, and got all pissed at me.

Unfortunately, my dad is not going to sign the title over to me for the Dodge until I sell the grey truck (even after he gets all the insurance money for my white truck since it was in his name, and a couple grand in cash from my savings account), so **** me, here I am in the same boat as I was last year. It's not on his property, insurance, title isn't in his name, why does he care.

 

[gstubbz]

Well, title to the Dodge is in my name and so is the one for the 6.5, so I'm in good shape. This is a post consisting of the past few weekends:

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Engine is finally out of the grey truck, and my oh my the oil was crazy. I took a picture of the oil filter adapter (35mm nut if you're curious) with all the sludge. I have to clean it like crazy before I put it on the new engine. When the engine came flying out it actually knocked the engine hoist over and hit the turbo heat shield on my new engine! I know - pretty redneck using a truck to pull an engine but if I was on a slate of cement that would be a different story. Below is an image for perspective of where the old engine landed (I didn't move it at all!):

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I did crack the transmission yanking the old engine out, luckily for me my dad tig welded it back together. I let a friend take the top stud out and all he took out was the nut on the stud, and when I yanked the engine out with my truck (impossible to move in sand with 3 people) the bellhousing cracked around the stud pretty good.

So this past weekend I finally removed the transmission and cleaned it up the best I could using a screwdriver, 4 cans of engine degreaser, purple power, and a pressure washer. The entire thing was coated in a 1/4" layer of dirt, mud, and oil! Looks so much nicer than it did, I never washed the truck when I had it in the past and the kid I sold it to never washed it either.

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Going out there tonight and my plan is to clean up the engine bay a bit since I won't borrow the engine hoist again until this weekend. Maybe I'll paint some stuff, no idea yet!

 

[drewcrew]

Well, title to the Dodge is in my name and so is the one for the 6.5, so I'm in good shape. This is a post consisting of the past few weekends:

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Engine is finally out of the grey truck, and my oh my the oil was crazy. I took a picture of the oil filter adapter (35mm nut if you're curious) with all the sludge. I have to clean it like crazy before I put it on the new engine. When the engine came flying out it actually knocked the engine hoist over and hit the turbo heat shield on my new engine! I know - pretty redneck using a truck to pull an engine but if I was on a slate of cement that would be a different story. Below is an image for perspective of where the old engine landed (I didn't move it at all!):

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I did crack the transmission yanking the old engine out, luckily for me my dad tig welded it back together. I let a friend take the top stud out and all he took out was the nut on the stud, and when I yanked the engine out with my truck (impossible to move in sand with 3 people) the bellhousing cracked around the stud pretty good.

So this past weekend I finally removed the transmission and cleaned it up the best I could using a screwdriver, 4 cans of engine degreaser, purple power, and a pressure washer. The entire thing was coated in a 1/4" layer of dirt, mud, and oil! Looks so much nicer than it did, I never washed the truck when I had it in the past and the kid I sold it to never washed it either.

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Going out there tonight and my plan is to clean up the engine bay a bit since I won't borrow the engine hoist again until this weekend. Maybe I'll paint some stuff, no idea yet!

That looks more like blacktop sealer than oil. It would be interesting to see what the inside of the engine looks like.

 

[gstubbz]

That looks more like blacktop sealer than oil. It would be interesting to see what the inside of the engine looks like.

It'll be interesting to see! I started to drain the oil out of it, and three hours later oil was still gooping into a bucket.

 

[BowtieBrody]

It'll be interesting to see! I started to drain the oil out of it, and three hours later oil was still gooping into a bucket.

I personally would take that engine and have someone look at it; I'm no expert on 6.5s; never really want anything to do with em from what I read/heard; but sludge like that is a big bad no-no.
Time for a 5.9L Cummins/Built 80E and a Dana 60 swap

 

[gstubbz]

I personally would take that engine and have someone look at it; I'm no expert on 6.5s; never really want anything to do with em from what I read/heard; but sludge like that is a big bad no-no.
Time for a 5.9L Cummins/Built 80E and a Dana 60 swap

We shall see. I'm really curious to see how the internals look. The engine had 306k, and as far as I know no major work was done on it. Didn't even have a PMD relocation kit when I bought it.

And when or if this 6.5 blows a 12 valve cummins would be bitchin! I'd love to find one of those ford dana 60s but I know a guy who has a 78 f250 with a set of Dana 44 front and rears for $400 which is tempting would still prefer a 60 but a 44 at that price is a start!

 

[gstubbz]

So another little update tonight. Took some pictures of the transmission and the welds, should hold up well (or at least until I manage to **** it up again).

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And also sprayed $35 worth of the gel engine degreaser into the engine bay. Everything was coated so it'll be refreshing to see the engine bay all nice and clean! All I did tonight was spray it and start scraping what I could off. If I go out tomorrow I'll grab a hose and wash off what I can. Ignore the laser dot in the last photo, a friend purchased a military quality laser and my god is that thing bright. In the pitch dark we could put a dot on the mountain above the trucks! I immediately went on ebay and bought one for $9.49

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[gstubbz]

Today was cleaning day. I got off work early since it was a training day (I fix computers for a living) and headed out to the truck after work. Managed to snag a power washer from a friend who works at NAPA, it's some old (can't remember the brand) power washer that hasn't worked in years, so at work he fixed it and I immediately took it from him when I got off work, had like 7 year old gas in it too! Burned through all the gas in a short period of time and something in the nozzle was clogged so I took the spray gun off and used the pressurized water hose to clean what I could. Still looks like there's oil everywhere but it is soooooo much nicer.

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Wish I took some before pictures as it was a mess. Oil everywhere, on everything, you name it and it was covered. Spent several hours today cleaning as much as I could off, I even cleaned the windshield and coolant tanks with the hope I could see fluid in them once again. Checked the brake fluid for the first time since buying it back, and god damn was it black. Looks like when the truck is running and back together I need to clean all this **** out!

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Next was the oil filter adapter. Came out nicely, cleaned it the best I could until I was burnt out. Main goal was to make sure the inside was clean and no more goopy oil inside to clog up my new engine/filter. Also below is a picture of the old oil filter.

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And... when I was tired of everything above I started to clean the interior a bit where I could. Figured I will probably keep the dash in it for a while so I'll make it nice until I have the drive to swap in a 97+ dash and the rest of the interior. Still needs to be cleaned up better, but still better than it was this morning. I have a friend who is into detailing and I've helped him set up a website and all that good stuff, we agreed that my payment was a full detail of the Dodge and this truck (once the door is the proper color )

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Main goal for the truck - nothing leaking. I hate leaks!!!!!

 

[gstubbz]

So today is the day my new engine was installed. Two friends, my coworker, and myself made it happen. Goal was to install the entire thing in one shot with the transmission and transfercase attached, and we did just that. Ratchet straps were my best friend today!

Also, about halfway through the day rain decided to fall from the sky quite harshly, with some lightning and thunder in the background. Covered my intake and continued on!

This engine swap was pretty redneck. Lifted up new engine into my coworkers ranger (my dodge bed was too tall for the engine hoist), moved the engine in front of the transmission, engine fell over and hit my old engine (a few weeks back the old engine fell and hit my new engine, so that's twice that they have collided!), pick engine back up, mate it with the transmission and transfer case, then within three hours that ***** was installed. Lifted the entire thing into the air and rolled the truck forward. And my friend who wasn't with us today (owns the property) said his neighbor texted him asking why people sounded super happy in the back forty, that was us the moment we dropped the engine in where it needed to go.

Next weekend my goal is to start reconnecting everything as well as new fluids, etc. For the rest of this post, it'll be pictures. I'm the skinny kid wearing red if you were wondering! Also - the old 6.5 block made an excellent beer stand, my coworker took the turbo off before we left so he can rebuild it and shove it on his ranger or something. The last picture is like the first time I've ever smiled in a picture, maybe because my Chevy will live within the next few weeks!!

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[gstubbz]

So some updates!

Went out today for a couple of hours. Didn't do anything major to the truck. Did connect some wires, put the intake and exhuast on, and reinstalled the transmission cross member.

What I did do that took forever was take apart the old 6.5 and it is interesting!

Pulled off the passenger side valve cover, my god the sludge.

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Pulled off the head, didn't look too bad actually! Head gasket was ruined.

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Pulled apart the other side and still didn't see anything that gave it away besides the sludge.

Pulled off the oil pan and the truth appeared. A connecting rod snapped. Tried knocking the piston out but didn't get too far. Look at the middle right side to see where the connecting rod cap is missing.

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So truth beware, I would NEVER run any sort of oil additive in any engine no matter how old or new. Do the oil changes and call it good. The kid who blew it up wants the block to rebuild and shove into his 6.2L K5 blazer since the block actually doesn't look to be in bad shape outside of the sludge everywhere. The cylinder walls were not scorched up! Not bad for an engine with 305k on it!

Might go back out tomorrow, and maybe my 6.5 will run!