Slow Unfinished Hot Rod Build/LMM Extra-cab 3500 WT Cab and Chassis frame and engine/ZF-6 trans/Body??????

[Gentrysgarage]

I figured I would start a thread here as I have failed many times in the past documenting projects and this one has started to seem pretty interesting already.

What do I mean by unfinished hot rod, well it is somewhere in between a rat rod and finished and PAINTED hot rod…the painted part is what I have the most trouble with (I get too obsessed with making it perfectly smooth that by the time I finish the bodywork my ADHD kicks in and I want to build something else!).

This past December I bought A really nice non running two owner (kinda, truck was bought for the guy I bought it from's mother to haul steers in, and when it was replaced the son bought it). Hooked a battery to it to see the mileage (179K) as he hadn't driven it in over 2 years since he thinks it cracked a piston. I am concerned with the steady stream of trouble codes that were displayed whilst the battery was hooked up, and secondly he continued to start the truck every other month for an hour for a year...I am worried about the shape of the cylinder walls.








I have almost finished the gantry..cough.. cough, gateway for the wife



So we will pull the engine out and do a tear down and see if the block is salvageable or not. While we are still on the subject of the engine, the PO stated that the rancher had rebuilt the engine at 130K so I am really interested in seeing what went wrong. At this moment I am kinda looking for a runner motor cheap while keeping my eye out for possible builder blocks.

The steps to the "PLAN" is as follows (Disclaimer subject to change, LOL)
1) Remove engine
2) Tear down engine
3) If salvageable, buy cheap runner and build original motor, or buy core and build it.
4) Built motor to have internal balance, stage 1 cam and mods with the emphasis on longevity and robust towing
5) Get truck running and tuned
6) Gut a $900 cheap Ford 4x4 ZF6 trans and install the guts in the Duramax 2wd trans I have.
7) At this point it would be nice to install the ZF-6 in the truck, but wondering about the computer headache with no TCM or just wait till I have the new "old" body
8) Is the body change step.

That is the general idea/timeline. While all the above is going on I am searching different bodies and won't comment on it till it is puchased and the bodies run the gamut from a Full size car to a crew-cabbed vintage truck. I am leaning towards the truck only because I have to rescue the GMC M135 in my avatar that I had to leave when I escaped from Lost Angels CA last year and think that a car pulling an old deuce and a half across the deserts would result in a few stops by concerned officers.

Hows that for a first post? And glad to be here!

 

[2004LB7]

Welcome. I look forward to seeing what kind of conglomerate you come up with

 

[Gentrysgarage]

A pic update: Went on a 235 mile parts and tools run, note casters (wanted 6 got 8) more updates later but need to get outside while the weather is good!

 

[Gentrysgarage]

Quick pic dump of the other parts that came with the motor aaaannnnnd the ZF6 is HERE! As the weather is holding out for another day tomorrow supposed to rain so should add commentary. Also on the alternator, any way to find out its amperage with no stickers?

 

[Dozerboy]

I think the alternators where all 140A unless it was a dual alternator truck then they where 105A.

 

[TheBac]

Dr44g shows as 145amp.

 

[Bdsankey]

I think the alternators where all 140A unless it was a dual alternator truck then they where 105A.

My 2002 LB7 was factory equipped with 105A single alt, many other trucks in the area as well. Maybe someone put 105A units on them with the shorter belt, all I can 100% say is I've changed many 105A trucks over to 140A units.

 

[1FastBrick]

The 145 amps came standard on the LBZ. The gas trucks were the same way. On the 1500 series they had the 105 amp until around 05 when they added E fans and some other stuff that draw more amperage on the electrical system.

I am sure it was probably an option for like a plow package or maybe in the large class vehicles.

 

[Gentrysgarage]

Thanks everyone for the replies! 95% done on the gantry, started to remove the transmission adapter plate and couldn't it seems that those damn engineers played one of their jokes on use again! I had to search this forum to find they hid them in the oil pan! Oh well thought was going to go fast raising the engine up and putting it on the engine stand. After looking at the single mass flywheel I wonder how they would balance it for an internally balanced motor without it looking like Swiss cheese. I am going to ask in the engine building forum on how far an overbore you can go. I am thinking of building both engines at this point as I will run out of funds for the internally balanced one before I get it in the truck. So I am leading towards rebuilding the worse block with just the delipped LB7 pistons and a stage one AF cam and use the existing automatic trans. I would also like to start playing with the dual turbos on this engine as I like (for the most part) not having to worry about EGTs and the extra power is not so bad either. I will set the other block aside and start building the pile of parts (Big Daddy Roth philosophy of car building...make a pile, once it gets this big or so start building and once its gone rinse wash repeat (paraphrased)), plus I have to get the 4x4 Ford ZF to change the guts out of the 2wd GM.

 

[JoshH]

Why are you wanting to internally balance the motor?

 

[Gentrysgarage]

Hi JoshH,
For longeviety, I am a pre-Mercedes buyout Mopar guy. I was hard on my musclecars and started out with Chevrolet SS-396s and would blow them up one way or the other. So I researched as it was a sad thing while in HS that the resident gearhead would have to thumb a ride to school rather than drive one of the broken beasts in his driveway. I started researching all brands (including AMC) and found that Mopars took the most beating. Everything will break on a strip only car eventually, but the street thrashed cars never blew up for me and only personally new of one that did (except clutches but that's another story)....Except the Six-Pack cars...on the street thrashed cars they would window the block on a regular basis so much that unless a little old lady bought it most Six-Pack cars had replacement motors. I wondered why and it was because they went to externally balanced when they added the heavier rods, to save money on internally balancing. From then on I paid attention to other makes and and found a pattern.
Aside from longevity I could build 3 early Chrysler FirePower 392s for the price of a Duramax build. Its only a little more money for internally balanced in a wheelbarrow full of money, but it is money well spent. I want only one more tow vehicle to last me for the rest of my life so I can play with other cars and trucks
Admittedly the LMMs suffer more due to the Regen stuff, piston design and the firing order, but its rare (to be honest) to see them last as long as a 12V VE or P7100 Cummins and I attribute some to alot of it to being internally balanced. But as the same in buying houses you look at the bones of it and I see a stout powerplant, I just want to spend the money once. Plus once you uncover the valve covers its a pretty sexy thing!

 

[Gentrysgarage]

PS I would love to swing by your shop when making a picking run one day. as you are close ( in an everything is bigger in TX way).

 

[Gentrysgarage]

OK got a question how much does an extracab body weigh with front clip. The wife's gateway didn't even creak. Also any idea where the center of gravity is at? The parts engine has fought me the whole way and the rear main seal was SOLID to the crankshaft and was holding the flywheel adapter to it! Looks like a rebuilder sticker on the passenger side of the frame rail.

 

[Gentrysgarage]

Well I got at least one good block, and I Thank God that it look likes it was the oil ring land that broke. LIGHT scratches on the lower part of the cylinder walls The engine must have turned into an instant fog machine and pumped oil and he shut it down after a short while. I am worried abit about the crank in this engine as I saw alot of bearing remnants in the drained pain. Well off to buy an Impact at Harbor Freight to pick up the slack that my 1/2" Milwaukee electric just can't manage, so we can finish its disassembly.

Oh and the new Heavy Duty gear driven engine stand is up to the task of holding and rotating the Duramax. I hope to finish and edit the video critique of it by this weekend.

 

[Gentrysgarage]

Well the Braun electric impact didn't budge the Harmonic balancer bolt none, so it goes back. 1.5 amps more than my worn out Milwaukee and supposively 1000+ torque just didn't do it. Time to stop working on the DMax and hook up the air compressor. That being said what Harbor Freight air impact should break it loose (or the specs I should look for) do you guys suggest.

 

[Gentrysgarage]

And another thing, is it normal for DMax's to have rods and mains prenumbered/stamped? Or has it been to a rebuilder already? Thanks

 

[2004LB7]

This might give you an idea of what impact can remove it. Of course it's only Milwaukee but it can give you an idea of the real torque value

Source: https://youtu.be/9PU_V1btloA

 

[1FastBrick]

I have 2 Milwaukee 1/2 Impacts and my older unit didn't have an issue. It was a little slow at first to break her loose but she came right off. The newer one definitely wouldnt have an issue. I bought the newer unit because it has more power and is more compact than the previous generation.

 

[Gentrysgarage]

Found my answer to my question on the rods and mains stamped for anyone also searching/asking this question in this article by Snadra Juarez here

Hi Jason, thanks for the link, it had one scary line where he said he didn't care what the original torque spec was, it depends on location and time so the 100 ft lbs of torque can be 500+ to remove, so how much for 250 ft lbs, kinda makes sense that the Braun 1000+ electric impact didn't budge it. Also I personally are done with battery powered tools, as I have a small set of Milwaukee drill and impact and the battery charge doesn't last too long after 2 years and light usage. so I am done with them and will do corded or air from now on and deal with the tail (cord/hose) LOL!

1FastBrick, I think I mortally wounded my 1/2 Milwaukee removing bolts on my M135 last depot service 1959! I will look into it.

Didn't wire the compressor yet, my son helped with removing wiring (such bad shape for a 15 year old truck from TX) the start:
Lots of connectors not connected, with road grime on them so they have been disconnected for along time

I am 99.9% sure this is a pyro sensor (both sides disconnected and I think a PVC reroute install gone bad as one manifold has a crimped off tube and the other side has a cap) but what is the other one?

Lousy pic, but maybe the experts can guess what this one is 2 wires, low mid engine passenger side, connector itself is melted so it touched the exhaust manifold a couple of times.


These 2 on the passenger side under the doors what is the module and what was the other connector connected to?
There was one more but the camera didn't save it. No wonder so many trouble codes when the battery was hooked up?
Thanks

 

[Gentrysgarage]

And at the end of the day still hard to see the valve covers

Even after all this is removed!