Workin' on the Dmax and Murphy's Law Strikes!

[SoCalDMAX]

Let

[getupingo]

Might try to get a magnet through the hole if you can find one that is the right size.

:cool:

[hoot]

Yikes.....

My probe has been working but the response hasn't been as fast as when new. Guess I better get a new one.

Thank you Steve for the heads up. If you can't get it out with a magnet you may need to do the deed.

Did you put anti-sieze on when you installed it? Not that that would have really made the difference. It sounds like the heat weakened the end.

Who did you buy the new probe from?

[ 09-04-2002: Message edited by: hoot ]</p>

[KenZ]

I'm not familiar with the size of the hole you are dealing with or the weight of the probe, but would a vacuum lift it out? Maybe you can get a small tube in there with some suction or just try some suction at the hole. Or maybe if you can get a clothes hanger in there, put something sticky on it--double sided tape, duct tape-- make sure its on the hanger good. But I would try the magnet first.

Good Luck!

[Dave_WB3FYV]

Yikes! Sounds like one of my weekends at home!!!

But, better think of something other than a magnet. Lots of thermocouple probes I have seen at work are stainless steel, and not 409 so the magnet won't stick to it - but certainly would stick to the cast iron exhaust manifold.

I'll have to look at it again, but can you disconnect the exhaust pipe flange from the back of the manifold and reach in that way? That would eliminate disturbing the exhaust manifold gasket and associated bolts/heat shields. Looking at some on-line pix from Mdrag of his EGT gauge installations, it looks like there is an expansion joint between the two and it MIGHT allow enough flex to get a set of fingers in there.
Which side is your probe in, the passenger side has the flex joint, hope yours has it and it moves far enough. Don't forget to use lots of WD-40 on the bolts, they tend to corrode fast in the heat.

Look here: http://forum.62-65-dieselpage.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=002061&p=

[Dave_WB3FYV]

On the brighter side, be glad the probe tip dropped off while you were trying to take it apart, rather than while pulling a load up a steep hill at 3000rpm!

Your turbo thanks you!

[D-n-Tyke]

Hey Steve,

If you don't want to buy some new tools give me a call. I have a full set of 12-point sockets both SAE and metric also have a small magnet that "might" help. Drop me a line and let me know if I can help.

[SoCalDMAX]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the responses! I tried to put a funny spin on it last night, but the same keen observational powers my better half possesses (what gauges?) also prevented her from noticing I was halfway in the wheel well muttering to myself when she demanded the shrimp get peeled. Ah, the joys of marriage.

Hoot: my probe failed much quicker than normal since I bent it into a "J" shape and had it all the way in the pipe. If you didn't bend yours, removal should be no problem. I got the replacement 1/4" probe from SPA, don't yet know how responsive it is. Support has been great from everyone there at SPA.

getupingo: Thanks, I don't think it's ferrous, but I'll check this pm.

Ken: Thanks, I think the probe is so thin, the vacuum won't really do much. Of course the exhaust would ram it right into the turbo, no problem. ;)

Dave: Thanks, yes, it's on the PS, same place as Hoot and everybody. (I don't want to call it the Hoot position, that would lead to too much...) I'm thinking the same thing you are, but don't know how rigid the flex pipe is. I've got a strong suspicion I'm gonna get a good look at the exhaust ports. You're right about the timing, but with my luck, I'm really surprised it didn't come off while "winding her up." That definitely wouldn't be under warranty!

Dan: Thanks, maybe I'll give you a call this PM.

If not for the loose nut behind the wheel, this thing would be pretty reliable. :rolleyes: :D

Regards, Steve

[AKDmax]

Just hope the wife doesn't come home and want to go pick up groceries in the D-max while you're at work. OUCH!

[Mic]

IIRC

isnt the drivers side exhaust piped thru the turbo then merges into the passenger's side pipe, that goes right into the exhaust down pipe. :confused:

If so could you not just let it blow out the exhaust system? ( a few good 0-60s should do it ) :cool:

[ 09-04-2002: Message edited by: Mic ]</p>

[hoot]

mic.......... Great idea.

[ChevysRus]

Everybody has to do what thays good et. If it was minen, i'd git the old plasma cutter out and cut a hole in the exhaust pipe (on the bottom is best) abouts where that old part be laying. then it might juz fall out in yur hand. Den ya jus lay that cut out part of the pipe back up there and weld it back up. Shouldn't take more'n 5 minutes to do the whole thang LOL

If yus a mind to, you could take the whole enchillada (you are in Sou. Calif right)to the Midas shop and say "somethings rattling in my pipes" About $388 later you be all fixed.

Actually, all kidding aside, this sounds like perfectly logical justification to get that Kennedy 4" exhaust system and just change the whole damn thing out. Go get that 4" exhaust system, then tell your wife about the fix (cheaper than the 240 SX repair) and you can do it while peeling shrimp to make her feel it is all her fault anyway. LOL

Good luck

[SoCalDMAX]

Mic & Hoot: Are you guys sure about the exhaust routing? I thought both sides fed the turbo, then it came back down. If you're right, then no problem.

Anybody else got a clue how the exhaust is actually routed? I never really looked that close at which pipe went where...

ChevysRus: Plasma cutter....hmmmm... lemme see... how much you wanna bet I'll somehow manage to turn it into a 3 piece driveshaft. LOL

Regards, Steve

[77TransAm]

Both banks feed the turbo, downpipe comes out of turbo. You're lucky, though... IIRC, the manifolds really aren't bad to pull on the Duramax.

[Maverick]

SoCal,
Take a look at my head gasket pics. IIRC the 3 bolts the hold the flange on the back of the manifold were stuck pretty good. It sat overnite with a good spash of sticky bolt loosener stuff (can't remember the word) and they came right out. The bolt closest to the engine on the back flange was the hardest to get out. The manifold came off very easy and the gasket was even reused. The second and last pic seem to show the best. Piece of cake.

[ThePend]

According to the manual, whatever you do, dont bend the manifold to turbo pipe. It states it right in there.

I guess theres enough room behind the turbo, exhaust manifold and the firewall to pull the manifold to turbo pipe. But it does look tight.

I dont envy you on this one.

[SoCalDMAX]

OK guys and gals, update time.

Stopped at Walmart and bought 12pt metric sockets. Tried to get it with thinner bilge grabber and longer hemostats, no joy.

Sprayed a little lube on the bolts and broke them all loose with a breaker bar, then used air ratchet to get them out. Inside bolt on 3 bolt flange was the worst, as predicted. Whole thing only took a little over 1 hr to remove. 1 hr to reinstall, then chase the threads, route the wire, blah blah...

The thicker EGT probe is much slower to respond, but is probably responding much more like the exhaust metals would, rather than reporting instantaneous gas temps. I feel safer now. ;)

Thanks again for everyone's help!

Regards, Steve

[hoot]

SoCal,

Glad everything worked out.

What, no pictures. Pics would be awesome. I guess you had to install a new exhuast manifold gasket? Do you recall how close the thermocouple hole is to the port on the head after having the manifold off?

[ 09-10-2002: Message edited by: hoot ]</p>

[SoCalDMAX]

Unfortunately, my camera is on a 5 week vacation to Australia and Fiji. I hope that little sucker is having a good time!

Fortunately, all of the exhaust gaskets are metal and can be/were reused. I think I drilled my hole a little closer to the stud than you did. Of course, since the new probe was bigger, the new comperssion fitting was even bigger and wouldn't have fit. I bought a 1/4" compression to 1/8" pipe fitting and drilled it out to take the 1/4" probe. This didn't leave much material on the 1/8" pipe end, but we'll see how it holds up.

I didn't look into the manifold, just shook out the piece and reinstalled it, I was trying to beat the fading daylight (some of us don't have fancy 6 bay garages with lifts ;) ). I would guess mine is installed dead center in front of and 1.5" from the edge of the port. I did notice that the exhaust gasket was a perfect match to the ports, no soot on either side of the gasket with 14,000mi (actually 15,000mi) on it. Another thing that impressed me was the fit and quality of the parts. I spent a lot of time wrenching on my Ford, everything needed to be forced off/on. Nothing ever lined up quite right. Although the Dmax exhaust is a cast iron piece, it is a very precise fit. Once all of the bolts were broken loose, they could have been spun off by hand. All were reinstalled by hand and then tightened up.

Hope this helped a little. Regards, Steve

[hoot]

Could you figure out what caused the break? Was it heat/corrosion?

How did the probe look?

You think I'll have a problem getting mine out?

Thanks Steve.

[SoCalDMAX]

The probe was covered in soot and had no corrosion. It had no signs of burning or excessive heat(no discoloration). I *think* it broke right at the point where the compression fitting grabbed it due to the thinness of the probe and the weight of the 2 yellow connectors. I had mine shoved all the way into the pipe, so the connector was right near the compression fitting.

As long as yours wasn't bent, you should have no problem. Just unscrew the fitting from the exhaust, don't try to loosen the probe from the fitting.

Regards, Steve