optimizer long block - hummer 24V or cucv 24v

[richingalveston]

after watching the video, I am pretty sure the starter gear is throwing to far and may be the cause of the grinding.

anyone know if you can shim the nose cone on the 24 volt direct drive starter?

Thanks
rich

 

[richingalveston]

I pulled the motor and got it on the stand where I can turn it over and see what is going on. My new flex plate is out of round. it wobbles up and down by 1/8 inch and also wobbles in and out by 1/8 inch. never going to get the starter to shim correctly with that much movement.

getting another new flex plate tomorrow. hopefully it will fix the problem.
I am going to have one of my starters rebuilt also. I need to find a good shop in Houston for this if anyone knows one.

Rich

 

[Sharecropper]

Dang you've had rough luck with your project. Hope you get things sorted out so you can get that bad boy back on the road.

 

[richingalveston]

yes it has been a case of everything going wrong. I picked up my new flex plate from Oriley's today and had it back to the store in about an hour. The bolt holes were not drilled right. I could only get 4 of the 6 bolts in at the crank. Two of them did not line up.

It was missing by just a little bit. I could have worked on the holes a little to make it work but the thing is brand new. I am not going to alter it. If the next one is like that tomorrow when I get it. I will have to find another brand. The only available option at this store is the Pioneer brand.

I did not check it but now I know to make sure it bolts to the torque converter before I install it. With all that has gone wrong with my luck the flex plat would work great at the crank and I put the motor back in truck to find out the bolt holes were off at the torque converter. I would be really pissed off even more so tomorrow I test it on the torque converter before bolting it to the crank.

I don't want to learn anything else new the hard way.

I did drop off my starter at a rebuild shop. I get it back tomorrow all brand new for $225 rebuild fee. I am crossing my fingers the shop I found does good work. could not find any shops with good reviews in Houston so I choose the shop closest to me with no reviews. It has been there a long time so they must do somethings right. Drop off one day and pick up the next for a starter rebuild is the fastest I have seen hopefully the work is good.

Rich

 

[Chaski]

Sorry to hear your rig dealt you a square kick to the groin. Mine also does that sometimes, had me seriously thinking about a 4 door Jeep JK when I broke my transmission case a couple weeks ago. Then I think... I don’t own a flat bill hat, nor am I hip enough to own a Jeep. So I fix my ride, and enjoy rolling around in a 30+ year old underpowered wheeling machine.

 

[Sharecropper]

Rich;

Several months ago I found a NOS flex plate on Ebay and bought that sucker. I'd be willing to bet there's another one on there right now. The GM number is 14077158. It should have 6 - M10 bolts, 139 teeth.

Hope this helps.

 

[85CUCVtom]

I read through the thread and saw the issues you had- sorry you had to deal with that. In retrospect, would you do it again? Would you go P400 instead?

I’m asking because I’m seriously considering doing this in the near future.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[richingalveston]

I am looking at one on a site but not sure about the spending that much for unknown condition. got to look into the return policies.
I tried to post a video but it is to large. I have another new flex plate that still has some up and down and in and out movement but a lot less than the others. trying to decide if it will work. Starter still making loud noises. should have new starter back tomorrow, it was ready today but could not pick it up.

I would not do a p400 unless you can buy one drop in ready. The p400 is not any different with the exception of the lower end. Same heads, I believe they have the angled intake bolts so getting j-code intake installed takes some work.

The p400 has a lower end that you can't break but so does the optimizer/GEP if built to reasonable horse power.
you can really build a p400 up and if that is your intention then go for it. I just wanted reliability with a little more power. once I installed the 4l80e, the 6.2 just does not have the needed power for the overdrive.

The p400 built just like my motor will produce same horsepower and cost (engine cost plus parts I cannot rob from my 6.2. then add the $600 oil pan you need for the p400) $3000+more to build and my 6.2 parts would not bolt to it so that is what turned me away from the p400.

to do it over again I would probably find a Navistar 6.5 and rebuild it my self. I did not find any drop in engine sellers that would warranty the motor so once you receive it at your loading dock, it is yours no matter how bad of a job they did.

the time I have spent on this motor I could have built it from a decent take out and probably be done by now.

I am going to try the newest flex plate with my new starter tomorrow. if the gears are still making to much noise I may just have to buy the used oem or try another brand from another auto parts store but I bet the are all made at the same place in china.

Rich

 

[richingalveston]

I ordered a new flex plate from ssdiesel. I will post a review once received.
3 tries with pioneer and nothing ran true.

new rebuilt starter turns it fast.

 

[richingalveston]

well it appears the ssdiesel flex plate is a good unit.
no wobbles.
starter is louder than i remember but once in the truck maybe it is the same as before. With this flex plate and stock starter there are no shims needed.

I hope to be able to get the motor back in the truck this weekend. I did get the fuel system primed while working the starter. I have a good mist of fuel coming from each glow plug hole.
i did not put the plugs in and try to get it to run. it has oil and the oil is circulating good. no water.

I think I am going to put it back in the truck before seeing if it will run (for a few seconds). I really don't trust running it on the engine stand.

Once the engine is back in the truck, I just have the exhaust to finish before it will be back on the road.

 

[Drock]

well it appears the ssdiesel flex plate is a good unit.
no wobbles.
starter is louder than i remember but once in the truck maybe it is the same as before. With this flex plate and stock starter there are no shims needed.

I hope to be able to get the motor back in the truck this weekend. I did get the fuel system primed while working the starter. I have a good mist of fuel coming from each glow plug hole.
i did not put the plugs in and try to get it to run. it has oil and the oil is circulating good. no water.

I think I am going to put it back in the truck before seeing if it will run (for a few seconds). I really don't trust running it on the engine stand.

Once the engine is back in the truck, I just have the exhaust to finish before it will be back on the road.

Yeah when you turn over the motor with no glow plugs installed, the starter is MUCH louder for some reason! Also in the truck, with the bell housing will quite it down as well.

 

[richingalveston]

motor is back in truck. it does sound better with glow plugs installed.

I am waiting on new exhaust manifold bolts and my turbo oil return kit.

I have the injection system primed and get a nice fog out of the exhaust when I crank it over. have not added any heat to glow plugs and fired it over yet.
I need to get the cross over done now that it is back in the truck. looking for the parts now so I can weld it myself.

I hope to have it on the road by the end of January or sooner.

 

[Sharecropper]

Good work. Please keep us posted.

 

[richingalveston]

have the motor installed and ready to take to the exhaust shop. mounted the winch so I can get it on the trailer.
going to try and take it to a local place tomorrow or Thursday

 

[richingalveston]

6.5 turbo cross over

I got the cross over completed by a local shop. it is back in the barn to get it put back together. I have not fired it up yet but will this week.


it is a little close at the oil pan and at the harmonic balancer. I may have it reworked when I take it back for the rest of the exhaust work. The cross over needs to be two pieces also. I am going to have them cut it and weld in a v-band connection. you cannot get the flanges through the motor mounts.


I am using the ORD cross member and motor mounts. stock this would not work. Banks passenger manifold and standard cucv manifold on drivers side.

 

[richingalveston]

I finally got to 'the see if it will start stage' and it fired right up. I have not let it run long, it was late tonight when I got to turn it over.

It is a lot quieter than I thought it would be without the exhaust. I have a an elbow out of the turbo facing up, that is all the exhaust I have.

did not have the throttle cable connected so all It did was idle. Idles real smooth

got to leave town tomorrow so it will be a few days before I can run it some more to work out all of the fluid levels.

getting closer to being back on the road.

Rich

 

[Barrman]

Excellent!

 

[richingalveston]

got a chance to run it some more tonight and all is good so far. Idles good, revs good. all fluids good. no leaks.

now it is time to finish up the plumbing. I have everything worked out but the oil cooler connections. Running a search does not get me any answers. seams no one has connected lines directly to the Spectra cu850 radiator using AN fittings. I see where some have attached to the end of the metal lines but not removed them and connected directly to the radiator.

My new radiator came with some inserts that turn the oil cooler connection into an inverted flare. only problem is that they do not fit. My old oil cooler metal lines do not fit either. there is a smaller hole inside that does not allow the stem to stick in far enough for the o ring to seat. I will have to cut the adaptors down so that there is just enough stem to hold the o ring on. (was wondering if anyone else had this problem with oil cooler lines - cutting stem down so that the o ring will seat)

cutting down the factory lines would be simple but cutting these little brass pieces will not be easy. may just have to grind them down.

NOW I am trying to find out what size the inverted flare fitting is once I cut down this insert. not sure what the existing size and thread count is of the old connector, if anyone knows then speak up I am going to take it to the hardware store tomorrow to see what I can match it up with. I do not want to damage the old lines just in case I end up needing them.

I have the tranny cooler lines and adaptors all worked out, just need to complete the oil coolers I have the large Leroy diesel lines that run to A T. I just need to make it from the T to the radiator oil cooler and back with AN fittings.

Thanks
Rich

 

[Drock]

got a chance to run it some more tonight and all is good so far. Idles good, revs good. all fluids good. no leaks.

now it is time to finish up the plumbing. I have everything worked out but the oil cooler connections. Running a search does not get me any answers. seams no one has connected lines directly to the Spectra cu850 radiator using AN fittings. I see where some have attached to the end of the metal lines but not removed them and connected directly to the radiator.

My new radiator came with some inserts that turn the oil cooler connection into an inverted flare. only problem is that they do not fit. My old oil cooler metal lines do not fit either. there is a smaller hole inside that does not allow the stem to stick in far enough for the o ring to seat. I will have to cut the adaptors down so that there is just enough stem to hold the o ring on. (was wondering if anyone else had this problem with oil cooler lines - cutting stem down so that the o ring will seat)

cutting down the factory lines would be simple but cutting these little brass pieces will not be easy. may just have to grind them down.

NOW I am trying to find out what size the inverted flare fitting is once I cut down this insert. not sure what the existing size and thread count is of the old connector, if anyone knows then speak up I am going to take it to the hardware store tomorrow to see what I can match it up with. I do not want to damage the old lines just in case I end up needing them.

I have the tranny cooler lines and adaptors all worked out, just need to complete the oil coolers I have the large Leroy diesel lines that run to A T. I just need to make it from the T to the radiator oil cooler and back with AN fittings.

Thanks
Rich

Well did some digging, in the comments section on Summit's site this seems to be a common problem. They were either returned or "made to fit". Also the heater core lines size were mentioned as an issue. Is it possible for you to return it?

 

[richingalveston]

I would rather keep the radiator. can't get the all copper ones any more. not that the new aluminum ones are bad. I like the copper ones.

I will make it fit. just have to grind the stems down. only needs to be long enough to hold the o ring in place.

hopefully this afternoon I will find an inverted flare fitting that fits so I can change it to an AN fitting.

I have yet to find a thread anywhere that changed the connections to AN fittings. I cannot find the adaptors that I have anywhere. I received them with the radiator.

thanks for the info

Rich