• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

99 TAHOE 2X4 gasser

THEFERMANATOR

THEFERMANATOR

FRANKENBURBAN
Staff member
Moderator
Messages
10,569
Reaction score
5,769
Location
ZEPHYRHILLS FL
And so it begins. Haven't even tagged it yet, but the mods have started. 1st up is the 0411 PCM swap so I can tune it for mod #3. Working on repinning the plugs today(courtesy of lextech's spreadsheet) and adding the nsbu wires. Next mod will most likely be my ESCALADE cluster(120 mph speedo, white needles, and it lights up in blue). Then comes the marine intake. This one has the notorious pos spider injectors that are dribbling and giving piss poor startups, so why spend almpst $400 for the mpfi upgrade when I have a NEW marine intake that was given to me by a friend for helping him out through the years(karma does come around every now and then).

I don't have alot of plans for the gen 1 small block as I have plabs of an LQ4/4L80E down the road AFTER I do a 5 to 6 lug conversion so I can swap in gmt800 13" front brakes and 12" dual piston rear calipers. Anybody who has driven these later gmt400 half ton's knows how pathetic the brakes are(and thats putting it mildly). I want to help this one handle AND stop BEFORE I go dropping 400+HP under the hood of a 4K lb short coupled SUV.56370
56372
56373
 
Got it all buttoned up, fired up, and eventually got the case learn done. I cant believe how much better it runs now. I haven't driven it yet, but just idling it is alot smoother, and the throttle response is impressive to say the least. I had heard the 0411 swap really smoothed out even bone stock engines, but WOW at the difference. And almost all the fuel gauge fluttering is gone now, no more of the needle fluttering a 1/4 rapidly like a humingbird flapping its wings. Theres still a little jumping in it, but I think thats the actual sender as the fuel level on the scanner changed when it does it. Slowly I'm getting it ready to drive.

Had to reroute the harness some to get some slack on the wires, but my tray and such came out ok(except for those white tie straps).
56391
 
Blows my mind how a newer computer can be made to run these OBS trucks. Went and found LSTechs page and read through. Do you need any special mods for the cluster swap or is it plug & play?
 
The 99/00 escalade cluster is a drop in swap for a gasser, but requires work for a diesel. I recently found out I could have also used the even newer 03-07 PCM with some recently found operating system's used in Mexico where the 5.7l was used through 05(it stopped in 02 in the states). I wanted to hold off for a little bit, but I have to do the marine intake swap to it sooner than later. The spider injector assembly in this one is trashed. But I had a trans job fall in my lap I have to help with 1st.
 
DieselSlug said:
Blows my mind how a newer computer can be made to run these OBS trucks.
Click to expand...

Generally, it is more a matter of whether the computer is getting enough inputs to work properly.

Unless I am missing something, the sensors still use the same voltages / ranges, so all the computer needs is to put a 'check' in the box for everything it wants. If some sensor is missing (physically not present), it flags with an error (SES light) or might not allow the vehicle to start.

Bonus for using a newer computer is that when its processing speed is quicker, it more quickly respond to the inputs as there is less time from when it reads a sensor / sends a command to the time when it loops back to do it again. For simple analogy, it is like juggling balls where more hands means handling more balls more quickly and each ball is a specific task (throttle position, spark advance, speed input, etc . . .).

Naturally this only applies to pre-network (ex: pre CANBUS) systems, so there is a limit on how 'new' a computer will work with an early computerized vehicle.
 
Husker6.5 said:
I hope you didn't get hurt when that trans job fell in your lap, @THEFERMANATOR ! LOL!:hilarious:
Click to expand...
It turned into a nightmare. Took me almost 2 weeks with all the extra trips to fix stuff the last shop butchered. It's an 01 1500 4x4, but got an 03 2x4 trans swapped in converted to 4x4, 02 valve body, and a hodge pedge of internal parts. And after all that, I had to go in and retap the bellhousing bolt holes to fix the threads(the top one was ripped out, cross threaded, then abandoned). Got it back driving last night, but I still need to put a pressure gauge on it as I think the pressure control solenoid is sticking open.
 
Sounds like it hurt you more than you thought it would! When I had my construction business I always hated having to go and put right what somebody else (usually the homeowner who thought they could DIY something way over their skill level because they saw it done on a half hour TV show by professionals) totally screwed up. Usually involved ripping it all out and starting it over right.
 
n8in8or said:
What needs to be done to the Escalade cluster to make it work in a diesel? I picked one up at the junkyard a couple weeks ago for a good price.
Click to expand...
The biggest hurdle is the tach. Diesel's run off the alternator where gas runs off the coil. And the diesel tach receives about 9 times as many pulses per revolution as a V8 gas does. You can buy a tach adapter to run it for about $150. Then you have none of the diesel warning lights. I started to get a custom gauge face made to make a diesel/escalade cluster, but it was going to cost me about $135 per face plate as I found only 1 place that would do it.
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
The biggest hurdle is the tach. Diesel's run off the alternator where gas runs off the coil. And the diesel tach receives about 9 times as many pulses per revolution as a V8 gas does. You can buy a tach adapter to run it for about $150. Then you have none of the diesel warning lights. I started to get a custom gauge face made to make a diesel/escalade cluster, but it was going to cost me about $135 per face plate as I found only 1 place that would do it.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I noticed the Wait To Start indicator wasn’t there, but didn’t figure that was a big deal. The tach....I knew they hooked up differently, but didn’t consider the signal was different, yeah that will be an issue. Hmmm
 
Yeah, 150 for fixing the tach- ouch. Wait light could be done outside the existing stuff- I would think just rig up an led and pop one in wherever you want to.

But man that is an awesome dash layout...
 
You might be able to use a signal from your trans controller. Dakota digital doesn't give away there tach converter. I don't know if you could tee into your crank sensor or not. The crank sensor is only a 5 volt switching side, and the tach needs at least 8 or so to work, and a pull up resistor may cause issues with the crank sensor. Otherwise you can get a custom gauge face for ypur diesel cluster, and it's simple enough to recalibrate the speedo putput if you're setup with some soldering equipment for circuit boards.
 
Doesn't Leroy still sell that doohickey that senses the injector pulse and converts it to RPM's on a digital display?
 
Let me check under doohickies on his website. Just a minute. Nope, I don't see it anywhere on there. I know what you're talking about, it's a way to send an electrical pulse for rpm using a pressure pulse sensor that clamps to the outside of the #1 injector line. Old school from back in the days of straight mechanical two-stroke IDI diesels.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top