What did you do with your GMT400 today...or yesterday....

[Big T]

I used a die grinder with a scotchbright type pad to clean these two up. Will only use one on the reassembly and save the other for who knows what later.

I’ve lost the turbo nuts before. Might consider using locking nuts, not the nylock type. Also blue loctite.

 

[dbrannon79]

when going back together with the turbo, use a tiny smear of red RTV on both sides of the inner lip of that metal gasket. the inner lip should have a bump like a bead roll that gets smashed when it's bolted down. not much of a seal when the surfaces aren't perfectly flat to each other. the RTV will seal that up well and last, also not be squished out, that bump will capture it and use it like a rubber seal except for the red RTV will handle the heat.

 

[Paveltolz]

I apricate the pointers. Never experienced the turbo nut loss before. Friend of mine did when he owned this motor 12 years ago but, since I've owned the truck, which is going on 20 years, not once. Not with the original and not with this one... until now.

I'm using these serated nuts this time and will keep a closer eye on things.


Passenger side Injectors all in and no leaks at the injection lines, return lines or the cap on #8 after a five minute test run. It started with only a slight hesitation and chug then idled smooth as per the norm.


Cleaned up heat shield. Need to source another one, if possible, as this one is rusting through.


Put the Turbo Brace back on after a little OCD repainting. Good thing the brace was on all along as it probably kept the turbo locked down despite the missing nuts. There was no exhaust leakage around the seams or between the gaskets.


Intake spacer positioned.


Upper intake 'hat' w/ Cummins Elbow set up positioned for bolting up.


In the spirit of 'three steps forward, one back' I have to go back an hit a couple of holes in the lower intake with helicoil as the threads let go before I even torqued things down. I use studs to clamp the upper and lower along with the spacer I use between them. Guess it was one too many iterations of 'lets try this set up' change outs. Oh well, not the first one to let go. Had it happen on my old 'S' intake.

Air Cleaner and the driver's side injectors will get done tomorrow, maybe. I've got a carpenter gig / appointment with my grand daughter who wants to build her own ladder to get into her loft bedroom. She's an independent 12 year old and not afraid of getting her hands dirty.

 

[dbrannon79]

I vote you have the best looking 6.5 under the hood there! I jeally LOL all that shiny stuff!

Those nuts should hold and lock in place well, I was also thinking nord locks too but looks like you mastered that with those nuts.

 

[Will L.]

@Paveltolz
Sorry my friend- the “while you’re in there” flags have popped up. Rather than fixing that old intake, I think you might need that SUPER COOL intake that Chris sells with the built in water to air intercooler.
Ya know ya want it… (peer pressure, peer pressure!). Haha.