Well,
I am not sure as of yet if this was a definitve fix. I reassmbled everything and tried to fire it up. It was an S.O.B. to get started. I will attribute this sitting for a while. Also the "genuine GM accessory parts" alarm was short cycling the glow plugs. So, I am going to pull that piece of junk out. That alarm just looks like one of those "little black boxes of aggrivation". Anyways, on to the test drive...
After it started a little hard, it kind of lugged for two or three seconds to keep running. Atleast it didn't just die as usual. Again I'll blame this on the fact that it has not been run in a few days. So, I let it idle for five minutes or so. Then I take off down the road. The truck ran great. Really smooth, good power, basically like it should. It sounded better too. I go about 7 miles and coast down to 35 mph from 60 mph. Again the truck dies. I was paying very close attention to the instrument cluster this time, and as soon as it died S.E.S. and check engine light illuminate. I turn the ignition to start and the truck fires right up. Not like before where I had to crank it couple of times. I get it running again and it stays running. As soon as it was safe it pulled over and open my fuel cap. No presence of vaccum or pressure. Drive home, runs great. Go work out and come back 3 hours later, start it up and go for a five mile drive... performs flawlessly. I am wondering at this point what would have shut it down on my 7 mile trip? Going for another one shortly the ignition switch seems to have helped. Atleast I know that any problems from here forward are not in the switch. Any have any thoughts?

Spare FSD is the onl way to rule that out.

QM,
I am ordering my FSD tonight. $179 shipped to my door. I am getting a little frustrated, but I have to remember it is just a machine. I have had to deal with much harder problems. Atleast this time I have two other vehicles to fall back on. I am making two more FSD cooler on Friday. Would you like yours unfinished or machined? If you need it machined I will have to wait until I receive my new FSD. But you don't seem to be in a hurry. I will most likely just mail it via USPS. That way I don't need anything for shipping. A small token of my gratitude. I'll keep you posted on the problem though.

Well,
I ordered the PMD. Let's hope that does it. If it doesn't I am thinking a used injection pump. Not too worried though. The problem seems way too intermittent to be the pump. I can't wait to drive this thing again. My 2000 silverado seems gutless with the 5.3. I am excited already...

Machined or unfinished doesn't matter, USPS is the cheap way to go.

Tahoe2dr,





Where did you get a new PMD for $179 including shipping?

I found it on ebay. if you used buy it now shipping was free. it comes with the harness and pad.

Urgh...
Ok, I am sitting here patiently awaiting my new PMD and watching fuel prices go through the roof. I wanted to dump some cash on an exhaust and some gauges... but now I am thinking more along the lines of a WVO conversion. Right now I would settle for this thing just to run. What was I thinking when I assumed that I could be patient enough to wait for a part to be delivered? Well, at $179.00 I hope it is worth the wait. Seems to have given me time to concoct other ideas.... i.e. I now have a new decal (see post titled "Eye Candy"), and I am in the process of spawning a fool proof WVO system for my buddy's PowerStroke. I miss the diesel sound and feel already... enough to consider working on a PS... ughhhhh....

be patient. think about something else, fishing and football always work for me

Wow, that's great... now I have to pee as well as being anxious... Thanks for the laugh Pfloyd...

how much vaccum should there be on the fuel tank? i ususally let off a little pressure when i take my cap off?

There should be no vaccum, or pressure. It is a vented system. However, given the fact that the cap must meet saftey guidelines, it can only vent in one direction. Couple that with the fact that as you drive your fuel tank is getting warmer and warmer. A basic pressure/temperature relationships shows that as we increase temperature, pressure subsequently rises. Does that answer your question? What I find to be interesting however is that with a non-vented cap you can draw a sufficient amount of air out to cause a vaccum. Still waiting for my PMD... I'll post some results when I get it installed.

Got my FSD today... Will machine the "Kenwood Heatsink" tomorrow... Install on Saturday morning... And post results that afternoon.

Got my FSD today... Will machine the "Kenwood Heatsink" tomorrow... Install on Saturday morning... And post results that afternoon.


I'm jealous, as I'd like to get that done too. Made a little torx tool last night and tightened all the PMD screws. Also got a new lift pump installed. Seems to be running strong with no hickups. Hoping now that my existing PMD will get me by till I get a heat sink, PMD, and an extended wiring harness made.


Good luck. Post how it went for you.

Will do... I'll take some pictures at various points...

Here are some pics of my "rushed" work. I used 8-32 x 1" stainless cap screws. The loose ring terminal is the one I will solder on in place of the original. Any Questions?

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_165951_1.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170008_2.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170129_3.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170140_4.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170150_5.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170209_6.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170250_7.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170236_8.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170315_9.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170328_10.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-10-22_170342_11.jpg

Nice! Once again, I'm jealous. My truck is driveable again since tightening the pmd screws, but the pmd still is on its way out and needs to be replaced.


Where are you mounting that new PMD/cooler? Any luck with those heat sink molds yet?


This just makes me so excited to get a new pmd in mine!


BTW: I spent the entire afternoon installing a Flowmaster 3" downpipe. Now my straight pipe exhaust rattles against one of the frame cross members it goes over. I'll have to fight that fight tomorrow.

I was looking around for the most obvious place to mount this thing... I am going with the airbox. It will be placed on the unfiltered side. I got the proper material to do a "permanent" wiring job. The problem is going to be attaching the fuel solenoid terminals. I have to pull the lower intake. While I have everything else off I going to port the upper plenum. There is a ton of soot build up in the lower manifold, so that needs a good cleaning. I will post pictures as I complete tasks.

The molds are still awaiting pouring. It is hard to convince the university to fire up the induction furnace for one pour. This thing probably costs, including necessary personnel, $500 per pour. I have on mold ready... and two more waiting. I will pour them all at once and let you know as soon as they are done. I will also be able to machine them if you would like. It seems my boss doesn't mind... as long as I keep my machines running.

A question for the experts... I pulled my upper manifold and "found" the EGR gasket to be missing. What effect, if any, would this have had on performance? Also, can I cut upper gaskets out of standard gasket material? I am wondering because no parts stores around here can get my upper gasket set until wednesday. Major dilemna.

Will post pics tomorrow.

Sorry about the delay, had to fix the famous GM heater hose disconnect. In order to get a wire harness that I felt was satisfactory, I wound up spending a lot of time splicing and test fitting. So, I haven't gotten around to pictures yet either. After a 30 minute drive everything is fine. The cooler was warm to the touch, I don't have actual temps yet, but I will get some. What I really like is the fact that to change FSD's I onle have two phillips and four cap screws to remove and replace this thing. I am starting work on the WVO conversion next weekend. We'll see where it goes from there.

Sorry for the extreme delay. Here is how it all turned out. Any questions?

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-11-01_103156_1.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-11-01_103205_2.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-11-01_103218_3.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-11-01_103228_4.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/tahoe2dr/2004-11-01_103236_5.jpg

good lookin install. get rid of the plastic cover over the intake, that only insulates the motor all the more, you dont need any more heat in a 6.5 than there already is. consider mounting a CPU fan on the back side of the aluminum heat sink/cooler

Ditto on the CPU fan lookk for my points to ponder post how hot does it get, airflow critical for the heat sink to be effective.

Why not removed it from underhood completely, like in front of Rad and oil cooler?

Why not removed it from underhood completely, like in front of Rad and oil cooler?


That's where mine's going tonight.


PMD on the IP died for good yesterday. I was at the inlaws' farm working in the shop cutting a temp heat sink out of 3/8" aluminum yesterday afternoon. When I started the truck up to go home (7 miles), it'd only run 30 seconds or so before dying. At least it died in the shop instead of on the side of the road.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley36.gif


I made my 6' pmd harness this weekend. Tonight I'll wire it up to the IP and run it up in front of the radiator. Then I'll pull the pmd off the pump, tweak the transistor nuts, and bolt it to my home-made (temporary) heat sink, fasten that to the oil cooler bracket, and plug in the harness.


Then I'll start praying I make it home. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley12.gif

I wanted to put it in front of the radiator, but two things happened. First thing, My cooler would require more machining in order to clear the grille. Second thing I finished the project kind of "H&HA" (hurried and half assed) because I needed the vehicle. However, I cut no corners in the quality of the harness and left ample room to extend it without having to tear everything appart again.
The problem with my first PMD did not seem to be heat. One the nuts on one of the transistors was loose. Somewhere here there is some information on retorquing those damn things, but I can't find it. I am still waiting on my castings, so whenever they come out I will mount it up front.
On a side note... I have been checking the temp of the cooler with calibrated surface on the back of my hand... I would estimate about 100*F. Which, given the coeeficient of thermal conductivity of AL, should put the PMD contact area at about 125*F maximum. I'm not sure how it stays cool, but it does. I may have a chance in the near future for some actual readings, I'll post them if I get a chance.

IIRC... "tighten the transistor nuts finger tight, and then a 1/4 turn more."


I think Turbine Doc said that in one of his posts, but I could be mistaken on who said it.