M715 project underway 305 chevy with 200-4R auto

Looks like I am a day late on my Hydroboost plumbing advice. I am buying hoses for mine this week. O'Reilly's and Rockauto which were the only two places I looked both have new hoses that say "pump to booster" or "booster to gear". Pretty much buy new hoses and plug them in.

On your hard steering effort with the brakes on. I have a truck with hydroboost that needs a new master. The brakes go about 2/3 of the way down if you push easy. Hard stop and they go almost to the floor. The truck has never been driven more than 1/4 mile from my house and only off road. Anyway, that one looses steering assist the more you push the pedal.

Since the pressurized fluid goes from the pump to the booster first. The more the booster thinks you need help by pedal travel, the more it takes of the fluid leaving not much for the steering. My 3 other vehicles on the road with Hydroboost have no effect on steering as the brakes are applied. I have their rear drums adjusted so the pedal doesn't move very far either.

I think once you bleed your brakes and adjust all 4 sets of shoes, your steering with the brakes on will improve.

Did you bleed the power steering? Jack up the front end, turn lock to lock with the engine on. Pull the power steering fluid cap. Is it all foamy? They you have air in the system. Turn it lock to lock with no load 2,5,20 times until you get no more foaming and it should also be better.

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Originally Posted by Barrman

I think once you bleed your brakes and adjust all 4 sets of shoes, your steering with the brakes on will improve.

Did you bleed the power steering? Jack up the front end, turn lock to lock with the engine on. Pull the power steering fluid cap. Is it all foamy? They you have air in the system. Turn it lock to lock with no load 2,5,20 times until you get no more foaming and it should also be better.

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Thanks Tim. Spot on. I did what you suggested and the problem is gone. I adjusted all 4 brake cylinders, bled the brakes and the power steering.

My truck now stops as easy as my Duramax truck.

I took it for a test drive again today. I definitely need to finish the exhaust.

Glad to help. I will be hooking my hoses up tomorrow, I hope and doing all the same bleeding myself.

I picked up a muffler at the surplus store this week. I have spent a couple evenings fitting pipes together and started to get antsy to hear what it sounds like.

I don't have a tail pipe installed yet so the exhaust is still dumping under the bed of the truck. It is VERY smokey. I am really hoping to get the oil cooler lines in and tail pipe in this weekend so I can take it out and put some miles on it.

I only have the exhaust and oil cooler left to do. I cut up some of the stock stuff for pieces, but that's as far as I got. Could you put up some pics or give me an idea how you routed it? Are you just cutting pieces and welding or did you find something that fits reasonably? 2 mufflers or 1? I was thinking of punting and getting my buddy to do it for me, but I think it'd feel too much like cheating.

I'll try to get some pictures of my routing. Just don't laugh at my welding.

My original plan was to fit it all in and tack weld the pieces together. I was then going to pull it out in sections and weld the sections and re-assemble.

I was having too much trouble getting the sections out and back in so I decided to just weld everything in place.

It is more of a cobble job than I'd like but I'm going to run it for a while and see if I decide I can't live with it.

I'm using a 2 in 1 out muffler. I didn't get the one I was looking at the first trip there because it was already gone when I went back. The muffler I ended up using is maybe 20" long and oval. It actually sounds pretty good I think.

I got my soft top installed today to see how it fits. I like the soft top so far.

I am missing a few snaps though. I guess I need to do search to find out what others have done to replace missing snaps.


http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9060/jeep2c.jpg

Please excuse the poor quality pictures. I had to use my phone cause my camera is dead.

This view is looking towards the back of the truck by the gas tank where I welded some small pieces of angle iron to the bottom of the box. I have some muffler hangers bolted to the angle iron.

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/6...6211826943.jpg

This is the drivers side looking forward from the bottom of the truck.

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5...6211908124.jpg

This is the passenger side looking forward.

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/320...6211937180.jpg

Thanks for the pics. I was planning to do two mufflers, I'll have to get under there and see about doing a 2 to one. I was going to come down, figure out where to put the mufflers and dump out somewhere behind the cab. I just want to get it done and go for a ride around town already.

The 2-1 thing is what I am looking to do on mine as well.

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Originally Posted by Barrman

The 2-1 thing is what I am looking to do on mine as well.

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I know. I've been waiting for you to post up more about it. Ha ha. I have 0 experience with anything Chevy and figured if there were any pre-fabbed parts that would keep me from a total cobble job, you'd already know about them and post it. I know I'm capable of getting it done, but I'm having trouble getting the fire lit.

Prefab exhaust parts? 1985 6.2 K5 Blazer exhaust pipes will bolt right up to the manifolds and once you cut holes in both sides of the transmission cross member. You will have dual pipes going back to about the transfer case. Buy them for a 1985 K30 and you will have enough pipe to go all the way under the bed and into the fuel tank on the drivers side.

The only problem is the parts are made by Walker and neither NAPA nor O'reilly's can get them in stock. At least not around here. I went to a custom exhaust shop Friday with one of my 6.2 manifolds and had them make flares for the manifold ends, put collars on and a 90 bend in one with a 45 bend in the other. I will cut, weld, bend and make things work as best I can once back in school next week.

My original plan was to bring it in and have an exhaust made for it.

Then I had a few opportunities to buy some other goodies for the truck like tires and soft top. That pretty much depleted my project fund at the moment.

I thought about cutting the transmission brace and routing through it but decided I'd try and route around it first. It is a very tight fit but I managed to squeeze the pipes around the brace without hitting anything. I don't know if I will be able to install a joint to the PTO now or not. The exhaust on the drivers side is looking like a PTO winch may be a no go.

Thanks Tim, Rockauto had the pipes for a K5. They only have 3 of the left side remaining. Total for the pipes and 2 rings was $127 including shipping.

Glad you found them. I spent $68 cash at a small town 1 man shop. But, will spend about the same as you once I get both sides under the passenger side of the bed. I haven't priced mufflers or tail pipes yet. I am out of money in my truck fund for the month.

Well I've been running on one battery since I put the 6.2 in.

On Sunday we took a ride in the evening. We needed the head lights on because it was dark. When we got home we parked it in the driveway to check for leaks and such. When I tried to re-start it to move it into the garage the battery was too dead to start the engine.

Turns out my alternator has failed. I was running on battery the whole drive.

Now I could just rebuild the alternator I have. I have the tools and know how to do it, but I'm thinking it is a good time to do an upgrade.

I used to have a separate on-board alternator/welder on my CJ. I modified a 100 a Delco and removed the internal voltage regulator. I wired the field input to a toggle switch in the dash. I could control the output of the alternator by the throttle speed.

I think I am going to add the welding capability to my M715.

My truck has the serpentine belt system on it. It also has a CS-130 alternator. The alternator is probably capable of welding with the proper modifications but I want more juice. I am looking for a CS-144 which is 140 amps. The case is slightly larger but it should be a bolt in upgrade.

So now I have to locate the correct alternator. My question is does anyone know what vehicles came with the high output CS-144? My mounting holes need to be 6 o'clock-10 o'clock drivers side mounted. Or Maybe it's called 6 o'clock-2 o'clock.

I'm also experimenting with modifying an old Motorcraft 1G. It looks like it will be able to be mounted and line up quite easily with a custom bracket to the top mounting hole. I've already modified the alternator to accept the pulley from my Delco. I've also modified the bottom (6 o'clock) hole to mount in my existing bracket.

The thing about the Motorcraft alternator is it's actually a slight downgrade in power output. At this point it's becoming more of a "I want to try it just because I can" thing.

1990's caddys Chevy Caprices, would have that alt, not sure on the bolt positions though. You are better off buying an alternator from one of the alternator shops selling on ebay that rebuild and rewind the alts with heavier wiring for greater amperage. I bought a 3G Ford alternator that puts out 200 amps for 97.00 a few years ago for my 351 Cleveland in my M715. I also have a CS-144 that was rewound to put out 190 amps that I converted to a welder for the M715 as well. It is always good to keep these separate and not use one alternator to do both as it may leave you stranded somewhere.

A great source of high output alts in the junkyard are old police cars and ambulances, since they use a lot of power.

Thanks for the info.

I think this is the one I need.

The Caddy and Caprice both use a 6 o'clock 12 o'clock mounting.

I think the Chevy truck CS-144 is only rated at 124 amp. But I can buy the 200 or 250 amp stator and convert it so I think that will be okay.

I did end up with a 124 amp alternator yesterday. I scored a used one for $30. I installed it as is but haven't checked to see if it is actually putting any voltage out yet. It was almost a bolt in replacement. I had to make a new bracket for the top mount hole and I also had to remove the bracket that held the rear of the old CS130.

I am planning on putting this in when this my alternator fails.

I'm also going to put a slightly smaller "overdrive" 1 7/8" pulley.

I have been driving my truck every chance I get recently.

I have a couple observations and a question.

The first observation is that no one around here will tolerate me driving less than 55 on the back country roads where I live. People tailgate closely until they have an opportunity to pass.

The other observation in most people that smile and wave at me while I drive my M715 around here are driving 4x4's.

I've put a few miles on it now and have also noticed my temperature gauge is creeping higher and higher.

Yesterday I picked up my son from school and we went on some errands. Later we met my wife for dinner. On the way home we took the long way and found some places to test out the 4 wheel drive. I watched the gauge hover around 220+ or so most of the time.

When I first started driving this combo it was staying right around 200-205.

Last night before I got home it was closer to 230. The thing is when I feel the cross over pipe that returns the water to the radiator it doesn't seem that hot.

Today I took it for a short run and it shot up to about 230 and stayed there.

While I was out yesterday I bought a new thermostat and idler/tensioner pulley.

I put them on today and took it for another spin. It went up to about 225 pretty quick and stayed there.

With a new 195 degree thermostat I'd expect the gauge to show about 200 like it did before. The anti-freeze looks good and is not low. The fan is spinning while the engine is running and I can feel the draft when I put me hand in front of the radiator.

What could I be missing?

As for the temperature, could the gauge be inaccurate or the sender? How does the engine "smell"? Do you think that it is getting hotter or does it smell OK?

As for those who want to pass you when you are going 55 MPH, it is most likely that they only think that you are going slow because of what you are driving. Let them "have carnal knowledge of themselves"! Enjoy your truck. I only wish I were driving mine right now.

I'm not really sure what a hot diesel would smell like. I don't smell anything unusual.

I'm wondering at this point if I may need a new water pump? When I open the cap I don't see any movement of fluid. I would think I should see the fluid movement?

I also have a new problem. Since I replaced the tensioner I am throwing my belt. The old tensioner had a lip on each side of the pulley. The new tensioner pulley is flat. When I rev the engine now the belt will slip off the tensioner pulley.

You need a new tool! Yep, an infrared thermometer gun. Get the kind with a single dot. Use it to check temps all across your radiator, both sides of the thermostat, exhaust runners, hoses and about a million other things.

Where is your sender for the gauge? You have drivers head front outside, drivers head rear inside, passenger head rear outside, about 5 places on the cross over pipe and on the pump itself. Use your new gun to verify the temp really is what your gauge says.

You do have a reverse flow water pump in there with the serpentine belt, right? Along with a reverse flow fan? They are backwards from the fan and pump of a V belt engine.

Look for hot or cold spots in the radiator with the gun. It should be generally hotter on top and going to cooler on the bottom. If not, something isn't right.

To justify the new tool. It will help you look for dead cylinders, check bearings, brakes, tire temps, alternator bearings, how hot the cab floor is in the summer and you can play with the dog and cat using the dot.

I had actually considered getting a thermal thermometer today but thought I'd better save my money in case I need some more parts. I'm getting low on fun money at the moment.

My temp sensor is in the cross over on the passenger side.

I'm pretty sure I have the serpentine water pump on the engine as well as the fan. I took the whole works from the serpentine equipped engine I wrecked last spring.

I guess a trip to Harbor Freight may be in order tomorrow.

With the cap removed should I be able to see the anti freeze moving in the radiator when the engine is at idle? I could when I had the 305 in there.

With the thermostat closed, coolant should not be flowing freely. Only when the thermostat is open. Which way is it flowing? It should be upper hose to radiator and bottom hose to engine.

Do you have a dual thermostat cross over by chance?

Thanks Tim.

I only have one thermostat and it is in the crossover.

I am assuming the thermostat is open when I'm looking at the fluid. I guess it may not be. Yet another reason to get the infrared thermometer.

Okay so I bought a harbor freight infrared thermometer. I didn't really trust the thing at first. I was pointing it at my hand and getting a reading of 86 pretty consistently. Then I opened my mouth and pointed it down my throat. It came back at 96. That's close enough to the 98 I was getting on my fever thermometer.

So I went for a little drive after work today. (I had a short day of only 9 hours).

The crossover started at 29 degrees. (My thermometer in my garage says about 32).
When I got back from my mile or two jaunt my temp gauge had me at ~230. My infrared thermometer measured the aluminum crossover at 185. That is right where my sending unit is installed.

I'm guessing that means the fluid in the crossover is probably actually 190? (I put a new 190 degree thermostat in it this past weekend). The radiator was measuring about 125 degrees. It was warm but not hot when I touched it with my bare hand.

So I'm guessing I need a new temperature gauge and\or sending unit.

So I had an extra identical temperature gauge on the shelf. I got two each when I bought my gauges last spring. I put the extra gauge in this evening and tried it out. I'm getting the same results with it.

I guess I'm looking for a new sending unit next.

I must be losing my mind...

I just went through my old emails looking for the sending unit I bought for my gauge.

I bought it from Amazon so I was able to find it quite easily.

Anyway when I looked it up I could see the picture of the sending unit at Amazon looks just like the sending unit still in the block of my 305. I must have pulled the wrong sending unit out of my old engine.

I will be trying the other sending unit later this week.

That would be great if it was that simple. Once you get the temp gauge right, start playing with it on the brakes. You will be amazed how much out of balance they could be and how just a few turns of a star wrench will make them all the same.

Work slowed down abruptly this week. I ended up working only six hours today. I hope I get a full week in at this point. I've been working ten hour days for so long I wasn't expecting a slow down.

I will be watching what I spend for a while now.

That's a bummer too because I will be wanting a new temperature gauge and sender soon. I figured out today that I should be seeing 80 ohms resistance on my sending unit for my Teleflex gauge to read 200 degrees.

I have two sending units installed in my crossover right now. One reads 60 ohms at 200 degrees and one reads about 120 ohms at 200 degrees. So the 60 ohm unit reads hot and the 120 ohm unit reads cool on the gauge. I'm pretty sure one of the sending units used to make the gauge read correctly.

So I decided to start on some other tasks that I already had some parts for.

I wired the lights for the gauges into the three lever switch. I can now see my gauges at night without using a flashlight.

I am also converting my A/C compressor into an air compressor. I was planning on using a pancake compressor tank under the bed but can't seem to fit in where I had planned. I am now going to have to come up with plan B for a tank at this point. I will still wire a three position switch in the dash for it so I can run it tank-less for now. I have an oil separator for the output and will be figuring out a way to pipe that oil back into the intake side. (I hope).

I am also converting my alternator into a welder. I purchased an external voltage regulator last spring and am waiting on the non avalanche bridge rectifier I bought last weekend. I plan to take pictures as I go if anyone is interested.

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Originally Posted by jeeper

I plan to take pictures as I go if anyone is interested.

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We are always interested in pictures Paul

I haven't done much on the truck for a while. I've just been driving it whenever I can.

I am still making observations to get all the kinks out.

What I've been struggling with at this point is the temperature gauge/sending unit but also I'm noticing that I am leaking anti-freeze out near the lower radiator hose. I can't tell where it's coming from but seems it may be coming from the water pump or the hose connection of the bottom hose to the pump.

The weird thing is it only leaks out for a little while not constantly. And it only seems to leak out until or maybe just after the truck gets up to temperature.

I wanted to put a new lower hose on but couldn't find one to fit so I re-used a somewhat soft hose I had from somewhere. I haven't found a part number for a hose that goes from the inch and a half radiator connector to the two and a quarter pump connector about ninety degrees away.

Anyone have a part number or vehicle info for a lower radiator hose that fits?

Or does anyone have any suggestions as to where I may be leaking fluid for a short time while the truck is warming up?

While not as useful as the infrared thermometer. A cooling system pressure tester is a tool that would help with this problem. Air molecules are smaller than liquid ones. So, with a cold system, pressurizing it to 15 psi will reveal any leaks by air flowing out.

Most auto stores will rent or loan you one.

I used a 6.2 lower hose, cut it to length and then just clamped it down on the smaller radiator outlet. My next plan was to use an exhaust adaptor between the smaller radiator hose and the bigger engine hose.

Another issue I had almost forgot about is an electrical gremlin.

Since I pulled the gasser and installed the diesel my turn signals don't work and my fuel gauge doesn't work.

Last night I went for a short drive after I installed a mechanical temperature gauge. I needed to see if it worked right?

While I was out, about a mile from home my truck died. It was dark outside and I had been driving with my headlights on, so when my truck died it went completely dark.

I knew instantly I had blown the only fuse I had installed. I did have a spare so I installed it and drove home without my lights on.

I had kinda figured I was living on borrowed time because my entire mostly stock electrical system was being protected by a 30 amp fuse. And my glow plugs went through that fuse too. I had already blown and replaced that fuse while I was manually activating the glow plugs once.

This evening I started to separate some of the wiring. I ran a 4 gauge wire from the battery to the glow plug relay. I have my glow plug relay mounted on top of the bracket I made for my hydroboost. My battery is near the radiator on the right where the flat spot is on the inner fender.

I originally had a 10 gauge from the battery to the glow plug relay. I was lazy when I originally wired it and tapped on to the relay post for the ignition wire and something else I don't remember. When I had the gas engine in I had both wires fused independently I just don't remember what the second wire is. It may be the alternator output.

Tonight when I started re-connecting wires I heard the solenoid on the IP click on. It shouldn't have clicked on when it did. Hopefully this is an easy one to find.

Okay. Round two of the electrical gremlin. Turns out only part of the problem is really a gremlin.

Yesterday when I woke up it dawned on me why the IP was clicking when it shouldn't have been. I tested my theory with a meter and confirmed I was connecting the wrong wires to the battery. I remembered when I woke up that I originally wired my foot switch to the 305 starter relay after the ignition switch. When I put the diesel in I moved the foot switch to activate the glow plug relay and added a push button on the dash to activate the starter relay. I figured that would be easier to manipulate if I get off road and stall in an awkward position. So essentially I was hooking up the switched side of the ignition directly to the battery. Doh. At least that was an easy fix.

One thing that does make me a little uneasy though is I now have my battery output connected directly to the battery. The same way the electrical drawing shows for a stock setup. But when I connect the wire I get a small spark. The only reason I would get a spark is if there is a load on the wire. Why is the alternator putting a load on the battery? I'll be adding a relay to the alternator output when I set up my alternator as a welder so I'm not too worried for now.

So I'm down to my parking lights not working and my turn signals not working.

I have the newer style electronic flasher unit. It has three wires to it. One wire is ground and one wire becomes hot when the turn signal switch is turned in any direction. The other wire must be the return from the flasher to the signal lever right?

I turned the left turn signal on at the switch and put a jumper between the power wire and the return and all the signal lights came on at once. And also a blackout light on the front left. I'm thinking maybe I have a wire crossed on my front left parking light. My son was helping me put the lights in and he actually connected all the wires. I didn't have a chance yesterday to take it apart and check. Hopefully today or tomorrow I will have some time to dig into it more.

When we took it for a test drive last night my turn signals started working...at least for a little while.

I topped the tank off and figured out my mileage. I went 130 miles according to the odometer. I put in 12.8 gallons of fuel to top it off. Yikes, I was hoping for at least 15. I was not expecting 10. I guess I need to get the GPS out and verify my speedometer.

I did a calculation which may not be accurate but I measured my old tire and my new tire. I divided the old tire 34" by the new tire 36" and came up with a difference of .944. Does that mean my new tire is ~6% taller? Would it then mean my odometer is off by ~6%? That still leaves me with terrible mileage.

One gremlin gone. One more remaining.

My turn signals are working again. I took the switch apart and used some fine sand paper and cleaned the contacts. When I put it back together I had right turn lights as bright as they should be. When I used the left turn signal both front park lights would turn on very dimly as well as the blackout light. Turns out I had a bad ground to the left bucket.

I still have no parking lights though. I am guessing that may be a positive wire disconnected somewhere because I have no parking lights front or rear.

Maybe I spoke too soon. My turn signals are not working again. We went for a short jaunt tonight and the turn signals were working fine when we started but were not working by the time we got home.

Not that this is the same as your problem, but when I put all the light stuff back together my blinkers didn't work. It ended up being the flasher unit. The write up to test it is on here, but I stuck a wire in the plug to jumper the input and output just to check the wiring, selector, and bulbs before doing that. Just jumper it and try both sides. Hope you get it figured out.

I still have blinker non-function to look forward to :( . Mine do not work and I have the newer or second generation style. In addition to that, I am converting back to the earlier style with the Sparton style of turn signal lever and the big distribution box. It is the style that my trucks had whilst I was in the army so I want to change back.

Thanks Pineyguy.

I found the write up by Barrman. I just tested and determined my solid state flasher unit is bad. When I put a wire jumper on my lights do come on.

I'm thinking I may look into alternatives at this point. My first thought is to see if I can make an old school relay flasher work. It doesn't seem like it would be that complicated.

I'm also thinking I may cut the epoxy out of the failed solid state unit I have and see what's inside. If nothing else it may be a good place to mount an old school relay.