Engine Bay Pic 6.5 TD Factory RHD Holden (Chev)

[noelb]

GMCTD you asked for this nearly a year ago but here it is.

Just finished replacing Gaskets on the Coolant Crossover and all but the most accessible coolant hose.

Enjoy.

[HammerWerf]

Noel,

Very good looking engineering and installation. There is a least one solution for an idea that I am thinking about.

Well Done, Mate

HammerWerf

[gmctd]

Thanks, Noel - show'n'tell rules................

You keep a really clean engine bay - very commendable.

You guys get any turbo models down there, or does the RHD eliminate that option?

Or, is that the rear high-center turbo edition, as in the vans and hummer?

[noelb]

The Turbo is a Centre Mount. I dare say you know where it is. I had trouble finding it at first. I assume it is the same setup as in the vans and the hummer. The only problem is I haven't found anyone that makes a downpipe to suit. Mine looks fairly good from the bottomm looking up nothing like the sidemount down pipes. I have however found a nice crushed section of the intermediate pipe just under the Drivers Seat(RHD).

[gmctd]

Yes - thought I was seeing the rear high-stepped areas of the twin-log intake plenum, there - wonder, is the firewall relieved in the center there for the turbo and down-pipe, or is the down-pipe relieved for the firewall, as in severely minimal-oval shaped?

[noelb]

is the down-pipe relieved for the firewall, as in severely minimal-oval shaped?

Is that what they do to the vans in the U.S.A.?

I have not been able to ascertain but I do believe the firewall has been modified to accept the centremount turbo. (There are some twenty or thirty large round dents about the size of a sledgehammer... :D) There appears to be enough room for the pipe in it's circular form. I have looked from all angles and have never even entertained the idea that it could be anything other than round!:)
(Surely the manufacturer has more sense than to crush a pipe and restrict the exhaust system... :D)

I know they have crushed the intermediate pipe and even welded a plate to the top of the pipe above the crushed section. I would like to get another section welded in but the better choice would be to replace the exhaust (downpipe back - due to the lack of an available suitable downpipe for the centermount) with a free flowing 3.5 or 4 inch system. The price of the system would dictate which one. Over here A custom 3 inch would cost me big $$$$. Probably in excess of US$1200.:eek: Even to pay for and ship a system from the States would be half of that to my door.

[gmctd]

The vans don't have the firewall to contend with - the engine sits in a 'doghouse' in a large hole in the floorpan - hummers are.....well.....hummers - nothing to compare, there - Ford Powerstroke 7.3 has the center-mounted turbo, and that downpipe has been a precision-flattened oval from the outset - don't recall having seen the DMax pipe, with it's center-mount turbo, but that body sits higher on that chassis than all but the earlier 3500HD series

Sledge-hammer shaped body conformance panels, eh - wonder who was Holden it during the wielding........................

Would appear from your descriptions that a good market exists down-under for easily-available 6.5 power-enhancement products, beginning with upgraded exhaust systems to improve driveability - had any entrepenurial thoughts, lately?

[Robyn]

I have always wondered how the RH drive Burbs were built with the 6.5TD
I never gave a thought to the center mount turbo.

In looking at this pix of the engine bay, there is definately some areas that were compromised as far as ease of access as compared to to the LH models.

Nice clean truck Mate :D

Robyn