gmctd
08-05-2004, 08:10
Recently I switched to Shell Rotella, and installed a Max-E-Torq chip.
The oil stayed clear longer, and the truck had more power. Cool.
15psi Boost at 30mph in 3rd o\d, wastegate on the PCM, no springs.
Give it a couple hard shots from 30mph - feel that pull, oh yeah!
Decelerate to make the corner - boy, that guy's lawnmower sure makes a loud rapping noise.
Decelerate for the next corner, there's the rapping noise again, but that lawnmower is way behind me, now.
Can't be my truck - but it is. Rap like a really bad lifter on decelerate, quiet on accel.
Pull into the drive way, Neutral, rev it up - no noise, back off - rap, rap, rap.
Reverse - same. Drive, 2, 1 - same. Half crank-speed noise - gotta be a lifter.
Curses! A pox on the engineers at Shell Rotella. But why only on decel?
Oh, well - been wanting to pull the pan, inspect the crank and mains for hidden doom.
Drop the pan - no pending doom, but no sign of noisemaking. Main webs clear, crank clear.
Pull the intake and valve covers - no sign. Rocker assemblies to the naptha bath - no sign. Push rods, lifters - no sign.
Hmm - at 63 my eyes are gray, my ears are dim, my hair is old and weak, but I still should see something.
Front cover off, chain is not as tite as new, three years ago, but no rubbing signs. Inj pump gears\lash ok.
Install gearset to be sure - never liked the way the chainset sounded like a chainsaw over an iron waterpipe when the filler cap was removed.
Might's well put a new 5521 inj pump on, while I'm at it - that Green Tag Blue Label 5288 has a date of Sept '95. May be gettin' mighty long in the tooth, like me.
Yep - FSD\PMD gets put back on the pump, just like god and Stanadyne ordained it.
Also time to try the Pen hi-flow waterpump, I think.
Torque convertor? Maybe - been wanting to pull the T400 for a rebuild, anyway. Now's a good time.
Unbolt the tc, rotate a few times - makes a few not-expected noises, maybe that's it.
Assisted in the engineering and had that tc custom built, using Cummins\Dodge internals - very low stall, good hookup, but runs very hot when stopped in gear.
Requires shifting to Neutral at each long stop, or temps zip up over 200deg very rapidly.
Drop trans, check the flex plate - one of the lightening holes has a small chip missing, and a small stain there , but otherwise looks ok. Ha!!!
So - rebuild T400, install with the original GM D4 tc, one that comes on the 454, and 6.2\6.5 motors.
Crank it up - voila!! - no noise. Take it for a spin - no noise.
My apologies, Shell engineers - about that pox, try some penicillin salve.
To work next day - got a leak at the front, increasing slowly.
Drop the trans again, front pump o'ring has flat spot on the bottom, leaks.
New o-ring, and back up in there.
Head out to Taylor Texas next a.m. - good 300mile round trip, try out the works, no problem.
Don't like the mushy GM D4, but all's ok.
Until Brenham, on the home trip.
Start hearing a rattling noise on the up hills, nothing on the down. Increasing slowly but surely, starts sounding like a grinding noise about Hempstead.
Jump out, check brackets, harmonic balancer assy, waterpump, fan clutch, alt and a-c comp bearings, everything - nothing.
Hempstead to Waller, becomes a constant grinding noise - up hills, down hills. Constant.
Jump out, check everything - nothing.
Trans shifts well, engine idles and runs well - just constant grinding.
Drop speed, now 35 to 45 mph, limp it home.
Jump out on tollway service road stoplite, sound is rear of engine - timing gears ok, inj pump ok.
Breathe sigh of relief - may be failed torque conv, original equip, came in '89 truck from new. Been sitting on shelf 3 years.
Engine running well, trans shifts well - how can it be tc?
Oh, well, just please make it home - I'll be a better person from now on, I promise.
Pull into driveway, jump out and verify - yep, noise is from torque conv area.
Breathe huge sigh of relief.
1530hrs, hot, hot, hot, hot.
Go in house, fret and relax til 2030hrs, can't stand the suspense.
Number two son and I fall out into the heat, drop trans for scrutiny.
He pops under the truck while I'm manipulating the T400 out from under.
"It's broken, Dad - all around!"
Dive under for a look-see - sure enough, flex-plate completely broken around crank hub bolt circle.
Wow! Over 50 miles home with full-circle break! Good thing I had that mushy factory D4 tc on it.
Well, long story short(?) - new flex-plate, back in with the custom Cummins tc, and all is well again.
Guess I'll pull the pan again, next oil change, scrutinize the three center mains webbing.
And, back in with Shell Rotella and STP.
Oh, yeah - how did ropinfool get involved?
The whole 50mi home, I kept seeing the post of his tc failure, and hoping for similar bad luck.
Edited for Major Faux Pas (not an old military man)!
[ 08-05-2004, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: gmctd ]
The oil stayed clear longer, and the truck had more power. Cool.
15psi Boost at 30mph in 3rd o\d, wastegate on the PCM, no springs.
Give it a couple hard shots from 30mph - feel that pull, oh yeah!
Decelerate to make the corner - boy, that guy's lawnmower sure makes a loud rapping noise.
Decelerate for the next corner, there's the rapping noise again, but that lawnmower is way behind me, now.
Can't be my truck - but it is. Rap like a really bad lifter on decelerate, quiet on accel.
Pull into the drive way, Neutral, rev it up - no noise, back off - rap, rap, rap.
Reverse - same. Drive, 2, 1 - same. Half crank-speed noise - gotta be a lifter.
Curses! A pox on the engineers at Shell Rotella. But why only on decel?
Oh, well - been wanting to pull the pan, inspect the crank and mains for hidden doom.
Drop the pan - no pending doom, but no sign of noisemaking. Main webs clear, crank clear.
Pull the intake and valve covers - no sign. Rocker assemblies to the naptha bath - no sign. Push rods, lifters - no sign.
Hmm - at 63 my eyes are gray, my ears are dim, my hair is old and weak, but I still should see something.
Front cover off, chain is not as tite as new, three years ago, but no rubbing signs. Inj pump gears\lash ok.
Install gearset to be sure - never liked the way the chainset sounded like a chainsaw over an iron waterpipe when the filler cap was removed.
Might's well put a new 5521 inj pump on, while I'm at it - that Green Tag Blue Label 5288 has a date of Sept '95. May be gettin' mighty long in the tooth, like me.
Yep - FSD\PMD gets put back on the pump, just like god and Stanadyne ordained it.
Also time to try the Pen hi-flow waterpump, I think.
Torque convertor? Maybe - been wanting to pull the T400 for a rebuild, anyway. Now's a good time.
Unbolt the tc, rotate a few times - makes a few not-expected noises, maybe that's it.
Assisted in the engineering and had that tc custom built, using Cummins\Dodge internals - very low stall, good hookup, but runs very hot when stopped in gear.
Requires shifting to Neutral at each long stop, or temps zip up over 200deg very rapidly.
Drop trans, check the flex plate - one of the lightening holes has a small chip missing, and a small stain there , but otherwise looks ok. Ha!!!
So - rebuild T400, install with the original GM D4 tc, one that comes on the 454, and 6.2\6.5 motors.
Crank it up - voila!! - no noise. Take it for a spin - no noise.
My apologies, Shell engineers - about that pox, try some penicillin salve.
To work next day - got a leak at the front, increasing slowly.
Drop the trans again, front pump o'ring has flat spot on the bottom, leaks.
New o-ring, and back up in there.
Head out to Taylor Texas next a.m. - good 300mile round trip, try out the works, no problem.
Don't like the mushy GM D4, but all's ok.
Until Brenham, on the home trip.
Start hearing a rattling noise on the up hills, nothing on the down. Increasing slowly but surely, starts sounding like a grinding noise about Hempstead.
Jump out, check brackets, harmonic balancer assy, waterpump, fan clutch, alt and a-c comp bearings, everything - nothing.
Hempstead to Waller, becomes a constant grinding noise - up hills, down hills. Constant.
Jump out, check everything - nothing.
Trans shifts well, engine idles and runs well - just constant grinding.
Drop speed, now 35 to 45 mph, limp it home.
Jump out on tollway service road stoplite, sound is rear of engine - timing gears ok, inj pump ok.
Breathe sigh of relief - may be failed torque conv, original equip, came in '89 truck from new. Been sitting on shelf 3 years.
Engine running well, trans shifts well - how can it be tc?
Oh, well, just please make it home - I'll be a better person from now on, I promise.
Pull into driveway, jump out and verify - yep, noise is from torque conv area.
Breathe huge sigh of relief.
1530hrs, hot, hot, hot, hot.
Go in house, fret and relax til 2030hrs, can't stand the suspense.
Number two son and I fall out into the heat, drop trans for scrutiny.
He pops under the truck while I'm manipulating the T400 out from under.
"It's broken, Dad - all around!"
Dive under for a look-see - sure enough, flex-plate completely broken around crank hub bolt circle.
Wow! Over 50 miles home with full-circle break! Good thing I had that mushy factory D4 tc on it.
Well, long story short(?) - new flex-plate, back in with the custom Cummins tc, and all is well again.
Guess I'll pull the pan again, next oil change, scrutinize the three center mains webbing.
And, back in with Shell Rotella and STP.
Oh, yeah - how did ropinfool get involved?
The whole 50mi home, I kept seeing the post of his tc failure, and hoping for similar bad luck.
Edited for Major Faux Pas (not an old military man)!
[ 08-05-2004, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: gmctd ]