The 396-6.2 swap project

[jeeper]

There is just something about the 360° view, nice exhaust note and refreshing air swirling around that makes the time and effort involved in the truck worth it.

I like the exhaust note myself but I can only hear it when I am not inside the truck.

Can you hear your exhaust while you are driving?

I can only hear diesel clatter and tire noise while I drive down the road. I'm wondering if I need to rebuild the heads because it is pretty loud clatter now.

[Barrman]

With the hard top off, I can basically hear wind, tires and then exhaust in that order at warp speed (54mph).

With the bikini top I can hear wind, exhaust and tires in that order with engine/transmission next.

With the hard top I can hear engine/transmission, wind, tires and exhaust in that order.

My 396 with the side pipes was exhaust first at all times followed by wind and then engine/transmission at warp speed. The tires were only heard with no top of any kind.

[Barrman]

My fuel gauge hasn't worked right since the engine swap. We pulled the tank to clean out the gasoline, put on new hoses and I am convinced it is one of the power leads that is the problem. The tank has to be pulled to get to the wires. I also had to bring in all the parts for the GP truck I got from Warthog over the weekend.

I drove the M715 to my class this morning. We put it on the lift, got it up in the air, unbolted the straps and then loosened the filler neck. Diesel came pouring out around the filler rubber. I have 250 miles on this tank so fuel coming out was the last thing I expected. I put a catch can there and it kept coming and coming and coming out.

We finally tightened the clamp back up and put the straps back on the tank without lowering it. I figured I just need to drive it more and am getting excellent mileage just around town at low rpm.

About 10 minutes ago it hit me. The fuel is in the neck because I am using the fuel tank vent line as the diesel return line. Fuel is always going to be in the neck and I just need to let it drain more next time.

We are too late in the day to drop the tank today. I will bring it back next week and try again.

[jeeper]

I have the fuel return going to the neck as well and when I pulled my neck from the tank I didn't lose that much diesel.

I had a problem with my gauge right after I converted to diesel also. My problem was probably a coincidence but it ended up being the connection on the inside (or backside) of the sending unit where the post was riveted to the wire that runs down the unit to the swipe. I am running a NAPA unit that was likely made in China.

I wish I was getting better mileage. I haven't actually calculated it yet but think I am closer to 10-12 with the 6.2 and stock everything else.

[Barrman]

My sender is a stock top plate with a GM resistor and float welded to it. It has worked for years with my Autometer gauge. I am pretty sure it is the power lead in either not tight or dirty. The student put it together and put the tank back up without me checking it. He has gone home now and I will get another one to do it right.

I left the truck at work since I don't need it the next few days and might get to it this week.

Thanks for the info on your return fuel. I figure with the truck sitting at least 24 hours if not more before we work on it again. Any fuel from the return will be gone.

[Barrman]

There was some fuel that dripped when we undid the filler next this morning, but it quickly stopped. It was just the return fuel puddled up.

We got the tank down and the sender off. It took us about 20 minutes of playing with an Ohm meter to figure out the problem. There are 3 brass bushings that hold the top cover to the top plate of the sender. Dirt had gotten in betweent he bushings and the metal. The ground was not coming through. We cleaned and cleaned and cleaned with no result. I finally beat one of the bushings off on the insided, cleaned where it is supposed to be and bent it back. Working fuel sender.

Everything is back together and I have a fuel gauge that works again.

[Warthog]

Ahhhh....the simple things.

Now, did you install the steering parts on GP? Makes it easier to roll around.

[Barrman]

Yes we did install the box and pitman arm. The front tires are pointing the same direction now. Thanks again.

I am going to start another thread about that truck one of these days.

[Don Cavey]

There was some fuel ...

Working fuel sender.

Everything is back together and I have a fuel gauge that works again.

Sweet! Glad to hear that...

[Barrman]

Time for some more follow up.

The fuel gauge worked when I drove the truck home last week. Going slow it bounced between E and 1/2 tank, so I know the 1/4 tank shown with steady driving means there is more fuel left. I like having the gauge working, but got kind of nervous yesterday.

The wood shop teacher has a 1983 C10 short bed that was his dads. His dad died 3 years ago and he wants my class to make the truck mechanically sound so he can drive it around. The truck hasn't been started since his dad died.

I used the M715 to go get it 15 miles away yesterday after work. I have never driven the M715 more than 210 miles on a tank of fuel. Ever. I thought we were going to his brothers land 5 miles away. I was indicating 250 miles when we left to get the truck. Once we passed the turn of for his brother, I knew we were going all the way out to has mom's place. My gauge was steady a bit above 1/4, so I just kept on driving.

We pulled the C10 on up and I headed home. It was 95° out yesterday. With my fuel maybe being low, I didn't want to lay into the throttle too much. I kept it 45-50 in 5th gear. The temp gauge worked up to 205°. I have never had it that high before on the 6.2. I dropped down to 4th which would have been around 2200-2400 rpm. Same speed and the temperature went right back down to 197° where it likes to live. I can see where the super high flow water pump and dual thermostat cross over pipes the 6.5 engines have would be a help.

Jennifer had picked up Colton from practice and somehow, he didn't know what I was doing. I had just parked at the house when they pulled in. He gets out, looks at the short and wide C10 and ask if we are starting a "Home" for square body Chevy trucks? I told him it wasn't mine and I didn't want a 2wd 1/2 ton. "Yeah right, just like the Whistler wasn't going to be yours, just like the gulf port truck wasn't going to be yours and just like the bomber wasn't going to be yours?" He had a point, but this one really isn't going to be mine. A son is fixing it up so he can drive his dads old truck.

I pulled it into my class this morning with no issues. I now have the fuel gauge just a bit below 1/4 and 297 miles on the tank. True, that is just a bit over 10 mpg's if I run out of fuel here in my class. However, that is 50 miles of pulling an empty trailer, 25 miles of pulling either RED or the C10 around plus when I brought it home last week I started smelling diesel about half way. The #8 injector return line cap had popped off and I was venting diesel. Actually, pouring out diesel would describe it better.

All in all, I am still glad a 6.2 is living under the hood.