Jeeperjoe's build thread

[Jeeperjoe]

Well I started last night cleaning and painting the heater core brackets and this morning I got motivated enough to pull the heater box (inside) remount the heater core and installed the new heater hoses... once all was said and done the truck was VERY hard to start took about 10-20 minutes of cycle the glow plugs crank wait try again finally she kicked off. Let it run for a while and wahbam hot air from the floor and defrost vents! Needless to say I am very pleased.

I feel like it was starved for fuel as to why it wouldn't start it would stumble and die or just stumble during cranking but once it started it seemed like it's running better than it has the entire time I've owned it... strange so that must mean something is seriously wrong Right?

See what else I can get going today update to follow

 

[Jeeperjoe]

Received my NOS Headlight harness today, got it installed in about 2 hours, fit perfectly (as it should and as expected) fixed a couple bad grounds and got dielectric on ALL of the connections, im not going to photograph the current installed harness cuz if you seen one youve seen them all, but i will get a couple of pictures of the lights tonight because who doesnt like lights....

 

[Jeeperjoe]

Okay so ran up to the parts store to get some new headlights as one of mine had broken the poly seal around the halogen plug making my sealed beam less than sealed... got them installed, adjusted and good to go. figured i owed the thread some photos as its dark outside

so my drivers parking light was super dim on the old harness as it was spliced and im sure shorted out on something so better to replace than fix since i can get the NOS part fairly inexpensive and its a direct plug and play forcing me to go through every plug on the headlight harness and grounds as well...

First 2 of parking lights

second 2 new silverstar headlights


i know not super exciting to any of you but they are to me... this is when a project really starts to come together for me

oh also forgot to mention busted out the orbital sander yesterday with some 80 grit pads and man that vynil striping must be made of some kind of unobtanium or somthing that stuff i swear is as hard as diamonds...

 

[Jeeperjoe]

Removing old vinyl

Had a little planning / setup with some local guys here on the forum I was feeling a little motivated and busted out the heat gun and decided to strip some striping!

The other day I attempted to use an orbital with 80 grit pads and that didn't work for **** I would just like to say can anyone build me a time machine so I can go to the FD that bought my truck and get them to pay just a touch more to get the striping pin striped instead of decals these things are STUCK!

 

[Gunner USN]

May I suggest some WD40 for the glue residue.

 

[Jeeperjoe]

May I suggest some WD40 for the glue residue.

Interesting I will try that I was going to use goof off / goo gone

 

[Gunner USN]

Interesting I will try that I was going to use goof off / goo gone

Also a good choice

 

[Jeeperjoe]

Also a good choice

Product comparison coming soon

 

[Jeeperjoe]

Ended up using a heat gun, scraper and trying turtlewax sticker and adhesive remover. 5 hours worth of work later

I think it looks WAY better but you can be the judge

Oh and as for comparison sorry, the turtle was just worked so **** well I doing even bust out the WD-40

 

[Another Ahab]

I was okay with the "racing stripe", but you definitely can NOT see where that stripe was; nice job!

 

[Jeeperjoe]

I was okay with the "racing stripe", but you definitely can NOT see where that stripe was; nice job!

Oh it's VERY visible in person lol my issue was it was white reflective on all 4 sides and faded to **** on pass side and cracked and peeling... besides needed to come off for body work and paint

 

[Isawfrizzy]

I was okay with the "racing stripe", but you definitely can NOT see where that stripe was; nice job!

Kinda went from a mohawk to a reverse mohawk.

 

[Isawfrizzy]

Oh it's VERY visible in person lol my issue was it was white reflective on all 4 sides and faded to **** on pass side and cracked and peeling... besides needed to come off for body work and paint

I was kinda digging the Brush Unit 3 and the fire truck look. It probably looked better in the pics though, i couldn't see the checking.

Whats the new plan for a paint scheme?

 

[Jeeperjoe]

I was kinda digging the Brush Unit 3 and the fire truck look. It probably looked better in the pics though, i couldn't see the checking.

Whats the new plan for a paint scheme?

Still working thst out, at this point im thinking of starting OD green then later go full 3 color....

But then again there is always the current issue desert... Or black. Of course there is also blue and purple or pink lol

 

[Another Ahab]

Still working thst out, at this point im thinking of starting OD green then later go full 3 color....

But then again there is always the current issue desert... Or black. Of course there is also blue and purple or pink lol

 

[Jeeperjoe]

View attachment 673822

Oh I like that, wouldn't even have to change the base color

 

[Jeeperjoe]

starting issues / surging / dying

Okay, so up till now the truck has been running really well, no issues starting in the cold (after cycling the GPs a few times) but lately and more often i am running into an issue with starting

heres my normal startup
1. cycle GP's 3 or 4 times
2. apply about 30-50% throttle
3. crank for no more than 15 seconds (if wont start repeat stps 1&2 after cooldown of 2 minutes)
4. walk away from running truck

today yesterday and about a week ago i had some issues getting it fired up, ambient temps have been in the 40s-70s each time
truck will start and then die, attempt restart and it will crank (sounds like it tries to fire) but wont start, go through this fora bout 10 - 15 minutes then she will start surge a little and then run fine after i hold about 20% throttle for a while

feels like i have a leak somewheres, i dont see any physical signs of fuel leaks no drips or wet areas ...

should i go through and replace the fuel pump (mech on engine) and the fuel filter?
should i replace the fuel filter with a spin on (even though im in the fridgid north)

any advice would be great help here thanks

 

[cucvrus]

If it were my truck. I would check the throttle shaft seals. Are they leaking? If they are it is a 2 hour process to change them and about $30. in parts 2 - O rings and an intake gasket set for a J code 6.2. Check under the cab at the rear cab cross member. They are known for rubbing a hole in the metal feed line up against the cab floor/cross member. If the leaks are not present check out the fuel filter and filter base. Everything should be dry and free of leaks. Check the filter base with a small mighty vac pump and make sure it is holding vacuum. Pressure test the system and all the fuel lines. It should be air/vacuum tight. Don't go crazy 10psi and minimum of vacuum should hold a few seconds anyway. If you do find you need an injection pump and opt to go that route. Smart money would be to replace the lift pump. At $50 it is wise to change it. I change them as a PM on each one I buy. I dissected a few and it is incredible the amount of crud in the diaphragm of one of the old AC lift pumps. I use Delphi lift pumps and have had no problems. Delphi is what the GM dealer supplied when I decided to go with an OEM pump. In a GM box and all. About $50. So check it out and if you need further advise ask. Good Luck and have a great day. Change the push rod lift pump gasket while in there.

 

[Jeeperjoe]

i appreciate it CUCVRUS, ill need to look into testing the filter base, could you be more specific? and i will check the other areas for leaks. there is what appears to be an overflow hose coming off the fuel filter that runs down near the pass spring that is wet, what am i looking at there? bad fuel filter housing? can they be serviced? im sorry i can not download and read any TM's on this computer as i am at work (on my lunch break if the boss asks) lol

[QUOTE=cucvrus;2000243] Change the push rod lift pump gasket while in there.[/QUOTE]
are you saying to replace the push rod, lift pump, and gasket or are you saying there is a "push rod lift pump gasket"

 

[Another Ahab]

i appreciate it CUCVRUS, ill need to look into testing the filter base, could you be more specific? and i will check the other areas for leaks. there is what appears to be an overflow hose coming off the fuel filter that runs down near the pass spring that is wet, what am i looking at there? bad fuel filter housing? can they be serviced? im sorry i can not download and read any TM's on this computer as i am at work (on my lunch break if the boss asks) lol

Mum's the word.