Tow Pig / Daily Driver Build

[mjonesjr]

I got tired of my engine cover paint peeling so I decided to do something about it today.

Before:

Paint Used:

First Coat of Paint:

Finish Coat:

Installed:

 

[JohnnyU]

That looks really nice Maurice, I need to repaint the breather cover on my truck, it's all one shade of black plastic now.

 

[metalmacguyver]

Damn man, I just found this thread. Looks fawking awesome. some of the little things your doing have given me some ideas. I especially like the look of the clear corners.

 

[mjonesjr]

That looks really nice Maurice, I need to repaint the breather cover on my truck, it's all one shade of black plastic now.

It is amazing how the little things help a lot. You wouldn't think that the painted cover would make a difference, but it does.

Damn man, I just found this thread. Looks fawking awesome. some of the little things your doing have given me some ideas. I especially like the look of the clear corners.

Thanks man. I really like what you did with the 4wd conversion on yours.



I got a fuel PSI gauge installed on my steering column so I can keep an eye on the fuel pressure. I used a Super Duty steering column pod to hold the gauge. It fit perfectly without any modification to my OBS column trim.

I also adjusted the fuel PSI to 65 PSI after talking to a guy who builds the injectors. He said that on a dyno, anything above and below 65 PSI the HP/TQ numbers dropped. The pictures below show 60 PSI. I had to get the air worked out of the system before I knew for sure. At the point when I took the picture, the gauge under the hood showed 65 PSI.

I used a billet aluminum Tee and a billet aluminum 1/8" x 1/8" nipple to put the sending unit and the gauge on the pressure regulator.

 

[chrwilkins30]

Nice job man. All your mods are topnotch.

 

[mjonesjr]

Thanks man.

 

[Will]

If / when you decide to upgrade your intercooler, let me know. I might buy it if I haven't go one yet.

I think I am going to wait on the chip.

The transmission shifts good. I will probably throw a larger external cooler on it just for shits and giggles.

Anyone know a good place to put the transmission temp sensor in the tranny?


The info is good fella's, keep it coming. I am learning with this truck big time. This is the first diesel I have ever owned.

How much good info has arrived? The stuff that I saw that was good was the advice to just drive it, and some transmission improvements. What are you towing? What do your EGTs look like now? Does that truck even have a wastegate? How much boost does it make? I doubt it would see any benefit from an intercooler. Without a wastegate, that extra volume will impact your throttle response.

And what's the point? All your mods and someone in a Chevy Cobalt will kick your ass. With 230hp you can pull anything you need to pull over any grade on an interstate highway. To be one of those 11 second trucks, you need a lot of money. My 18,000# bus has 185hp and I go 60mph anywhere I want.

You don't need the extra power for towing. You do need the extra tranny, probably. I love my GearVendors for it's packing in extra gears. If I could add anything to my truck to improve its towing, I would change the valve body so it wouldn't downshift so easily. I can't let the engine work as much as it is capable of because the tranny is retarded. It doesn't matter when it's empty, but whne there is a load on it I would love to be able to hold it in a gear while it slows going up a hill and the rpms back uphill toward the torque peak. The tranny is much more important than some little engine stuff. My dad drove over-the-road when I was a kid with a 275hp, 80,000# semi.

I've had my truck for 7 years, turbocharged within 2 months of buying it, and haven't broken it even though the 6.2 is supposed to come dead from the factory. I do quite a bit of towing--it doesn't have any faggy accessories on it because I hate it and it's a tool, not a hobby. I just respect it for what it it--forgive it for what it isn't. That's a good attitude to have to keep your 100,000 mile truck from turning into a pile of shit. I don't even have a tachometer.

Those fuel filters under there--why? I threw away my factory filter and have a Racor R45 up high on the firewall. It's got a transparent bowl I can see into, and the fuel heater is built in. It would suck to hit one of those cans on something in the road. Going through the field, I get branches and shit jammed up in weird places. I'm not for that install.

I went to an electric boost pump, too, because my last truck (also a turbo 6.2) had it stock. Getting a boost pump from a '90 or later GM diesel might be cheaper than what you have, for anyone else thinking of it.

I love the truck, but I like the idea of accepting it as what it is and not trying to make it into what it is not--like a 350hp, 700ft# modern diesel pickup. It's a diesel engine and will do the job of towing your crap around efficiently and capably. You can throw all the money in the world at it and it will not compete with a new F350 or Duramax or Cummins.

 

[mjonesjr]

I don't think I ever said I wanted to compete with a new diesel truck. Most of the mods to the motor I have done are stuff that Ford did to later 7.3's. The electric fuel system, intercooler, etc. There is a reason Ford made these changes to this engine in '98.

No, my turbo doesn't have a waste gate. It wasn't designed for one.

I am making about 10-15 PSI boost under normal driving and up to 28 PSI during WOT.

An intercooler is going on for obvious reasons. A cooler, dense air intake WILL make the fuel burn more efficiently, and help lower EGT's.

I know anyone in a stock Chevy Cobalt will beat me in a race, but hook them bumper to bumper and I would guarantee you that I will pull that Cobalt backwards while it is doing a burnout in first gear. I am not building a "race" truck. I am building something that will be a GOOD daily driver and be able to pull almost anything I will ever put behind it. I will NEVER hook it to a sled, but if I want to hook 10,000# behind it I won't have a problem pulling it while still getting good fuel mileage.

The transmission in the truck now is still going strong. When it goes a local, very good, trans shop will rebuild it. I don't see spending the money on the transmission right now. The TS Chip has adjusted the shift points and enough to help it a lot.


I can gladly say that a combination of ALL my mods so far have netted me right at 2 mpg highway mileage increase and about .5 mpg city driving.

 

[chrwilkins30]

Why are you complaining about another mans truck. You don't need to be an ass when it's not your vehicle. keep up the good work jones.

 

[Downey]

have you done anything with this thing in a while?

 

[-Nathan-]

Dont take this the wrong way, but for being a mod, you sure do come across as an a$$. Constructive criticism is one thing, this is another.

edit: mjones, your truck is looking great, and keep up the good work.

How much good info has arrived? The stuff that I saw that was good was the advice to just drive it, and some transmission improvements. What are you towing? What do your EGTs look like now? Does that truck even have a wastegate? How much boost does it make? I doubt it would see any benefit from an intercooler. Without a wastegate, that extra volume will impact your throttle response.

And what's the point? All your mods and someone in a Chevy Cobalt will kick your ass. With 230hp you can pull anything you need to pull over any grade on an interstate highway. To be one of those 11 second trucks, you need a lot of money. My 18,000# bus has 185hp and I go 60mph anywhere I want.

You don't need the extra power for towing. You do need the extra tranny, probably. I love my GearVendors for it's packing in extra gears. If I could add anything to my truck to improve its towing, I would change the valve body so it wouldn't downshift so easily. I can't let the engine work as much as it is capable of because the tranny is retarded. It doesn't matter when it's empty, but whne there is a load on it I would love to be able to hold it in a gear while it slows going up a hill and the rpms back uphill toward the torque peak. The tranny is much more important than some little engine stuff. My dad drove over-the-road when I was a kid with a 275hp, 80,000# semi.

I've had my truck for 7 years, turbocharged within 2 months of buying it, and haven't broken it even though the 6.2 is supposed to come dead from the factory. I do quite a bit of towing--it doesn't have any faggy accessories on it because I hate it and it's a tool, not a hobby. I just respect it for what it it--forgive it for what it isn't. That's a good attitude to have to keep your 100,000 mile truck from turning into a pile of shit. I don't even have a tachometer.

Those fuel filters under there--why? I threw away my factory filter and have a Racor R45 up high on the firewall. It's got a transparent bowl I can see into, and the fuel heater is built in. It would suck to hit one of those cans on something in the road. Going through the field, I get branches and shit jammed up in weird places. I'm not for that install.

I went to an electric boost pump, too, because my last truck (also a turbo 6.2) had it stock. Getting a boost pump from a '90 or later GM diesel might be cheaper than what you have, for anyone else thinking of it.

I love the truck, but I like the idea of accepting it as what it is and not trying to make it into what it is not--like a 350hp, 700ft# modern diesel pickup. It's a diesel engine and will do the job of towing your crap around efficiently and capably. You can throw all the money in the world at it and it will not compete with a new F350 or Duramax or Cummins.

 

[Will]

I thought it was all constructive criticism. It was 7 years of experience towing up to 10,000# with a similar engine. It was not blowing snowflakes up Santa's ass.

 

[Ozwynn]

I take your criticism as constructive but a 7.3 powerstroke and an IDI are not even close to the same animal. Now I need to get motivated to do some stuff to my 96. Not on this scale but I am going to delete the fuel manager in favor of a spin on filter (this will also solve some problematic fuel leaks) and get a better t/c, pump, and gear vendors for the transmission and do the TC lock up switch. I already have the garret 1.0 housing.... I might intercool it or just use water/meth injection and CNG to control EGT.......... and maybe install fuel pressure gauges.




my truck doesn't need to out run a cobalt ...... I got my Lincoln for that.

 

[mjonesjr]

have you done anything with this thing in a while?

I haven't done anything lately but drive it.

I am going to pull the turbo next week so I can delete the EBPV and put a non-EBPV pedestal on. That will eliminate the last oil leak I have.

I am still waiting on/trying to figure out what I am going to do with the intercooler pipes. I have everything but the pipes to put on.


I take Will's post as constructive. You just have to know the feller.

 

[gjm4l]

Didn't read the whole thread but had to comment that I ADORE that bodystyle diesel. If I had an excuse to own a diesel that would be the style I'd have. Yours looks really clean