Getting a 98 gmc 1500 diesel ready for a long trip

[mrmati]

Hello
I am finally graduating, and planing to go on a two month road trip (hopefully leave around may) with my girlfriend The plan is to go around Canada and the US about 25k km. (currently it will be 99% asphalt rd.)

Anyway I'm getting a the truck from my dad for this trip, its been used, but not abused it has about 210k km on the clock. It seams to be running fine, (with obvious lack of maintenance and interest to it from my father other then oil changes). I know its old, but we really prefer to do this, rather then go resort of some sort and celebrate our graduation.

So what do I have?:
- I am not mechanically challenged and I have access to essentially all tools, and really inspired to travel
- the truck is in cosmetically good shape, no rust

What do I need:
- take this thing there and back without major problems

Hence I am trying to come up with a list of preventive-maintenance types of repairs and fixes, to guarantee a safe and pleasurable voyage.

so here is what I came up with:
inside and out:
- tires
- shocks
- update lights. any suggestions?
- diff seals and oil
- brakes
- tie rods / get alignment and overall inspection done after all repairs
- the muffler and exhaust is brand new
- the windshield has no cracks or chips, the wiper motor/ circuitry has been replaced last year

engine
- oil leaks - i was thinking of pulling the engine to re-seal it/same goes to tranny and transfer case.
- water pump, alternator, cables (starter and batteries are from this year)
- the pmd (from ss-diesel) module has been replaced recently and relocated to the bumper. new glow plugs where installed
- I will check the rimming when I will be doing the water pump
- i was thinking of replacing the rad and hoses
- obviously new serpentine belt

the bad ( or horrible)
- there is no AC ?! If I pull "the works" from a the u-pull, replace the seals, have someone charge it, cross my fingers, will it work?, Or would I have to replace half of the car to get it working?


Thanks in advance
Matthew

 

[Climber Rob]

That's a solid list.

My biggest issue with the 3 GMC/Chevy trucks I've owned have been with the steering/front-end components, so that's always where I focus most of my attention. Go through that front end with a fine-tooth comb and replace any suspect parts (or at least make sure you have a spare in the truck with you). Get it up on jacks/lift, and have someone crank the wheels around while you are under the truck, checking things out.

Don't forget the t-stat when you do the water pump.

Have the AC system charged with the stuff that shows under a black-light (I don't recall the name). This makes it easy to find the problem area(s).

If the truck doesn't have an overheating problem now, just give the radiator a good flush and replace hoses.

I never had a problem with the headlight brightness on any of my trucks, but take it for a long-ish drive on the highway at night. I would think that adding a few Hella lights down low would be the most beneficial, as they help a lot when it's foggy; but if you are all-highway, you may never use them.

My .02

Cheers,
Rob

 

[Shawn686]

Besides the PMD there are really only two really big things to look out for on the 6.5. The lift pump and oil cooler lines. For the lift pump just keep an extra, it is right on the driver side frame rail and can be changed with two wrenches on the side of the road in 10 min. For the oil cooler line I would suggest getting an after market kit to replace the stock rubber line with pressed on fittings. They leak no matter what and if you blow one you will be having a very bad day.

I got the one from lubrication specialist with the steel braided lines 4 years ago and have not leaked a drop of oil since. Defiantly worth the money on this one.

With what you are planning I don't think you will have any issues.

Shawn

 

[Rot Box]

Welcome! :bike_rider:

I agree with Shawn on the cooler lines, and that may be the reason you have so many oil leaks. The stock lines leak oil everywhere :Wow1: Along with the lift pump I would keep an extra oil pressure switch and a (big) socket that fits it handy as well.

If you are looking at this PMD kit--run far far away!!! http://www.ssdieselsupply.com/fsd_h...ml?PHPSESSID=3c33ffb3b0100b79bda586cf1da1cff1 I had one of those before I knew any better and my PMD ran MUCH hotter (via lazer temp gun) than it did in the stock location. The only way to keep a PMD cool is to re-locate it completely out of the engine bay. I like Heath Diesels isolator kit personally.

As for the truck the typical idler/pitman arm replacement would be a good idea, and also the front wheel bearings if the history on them is unknown. I personally wouldn't spend too much time fixing what isn't broken. That is one of the most common trucks out there and you should have no problem finding odds and ends while on the road if you have trouble. So long as the foundation is good I'd tune it up and hit the road.

Best of luck,

Andrew

 

[mrmati]

Thanks for all the information

As for the PMD, I just got the module form them, not the kit, and installed it on the bumper with a massive aluminum heat-sink

Which oil line kit should I get any recommendations?

and I'm not sure what the pitman arm replacement is, could you elaborate?

thanks Again

 

[1leglance]

Don't blow all your budget fixing things that aren't broken.
You will be better off getting a topper/shell for the back and basic camping gear so you can spend your time & money traveling.
If the truck runs well know then just save money and fix something when it does break. Get AAA for any towing/service you might need in the US (not sure what the Canadian version is).

I often see people (like me) spend too much time and money on the vehicle and not enough on the travel.
Make sure to do some weekend and 3 day trips to practice traveling as a couple. Get the camping gear and use it.
Even if you are asphalt and using hotels I still say a fridge is one of the best things to buy as you can grocery shop & picnic lunch it sooo much cheaper than eating out all the time.

And I am not sure where you plan to travel but in the summer in the US you will more than likely need A/C so that would be money well spent on keeping the girl happy.

 

[locrwln]

Don't blow all your budget fixing things that aren't broken.
You will be better off getting a topper/shell for the back and basic camping gear so you can spend your time & money traveling.
If the truck runs well know then just save money and fix something when it does break. Get AAA for any towing/service you might need in the US (not sure what the Canadian version is).

I often see people (like me) spend too much time and money on the vehicle and not enough on the travel.
Make sure to do some weekend and 3 day trips to practice traveling as a couple. Get the camping gear and use it.
Even if you are asphalt and using hotels I still say a fridge is one of the best things to buy as you can grocery shop & picnic lunch it sooo much cheaper than eating out all the time.

And I am not sure where you plan to travel but in the summer in the US you will more than likely need A/C so that would be money well spent on keeping the girl happy.

^^^What he said^^^

Jack

 

[rxm6]

Do you mean that the truck didn't come with A/C from the factory or that it doesn't work?

Also, I didn't see the fuel filter or air filter mentioned.

I would also suggest checking your harmonic balancer if it has never been replaced to make sure it is not cracking.

Finally, when I went to fix my radiator, I choose to have my radiator rebuilt instead of buying a replacement only because the original radiator appeared to have larger rods and a more stalwart construction than the replacement. Just food for thought.

 

[mrmati]

hmmm I wonder if I can get AAA as a Canadian.

I've added the harmonic balancer to my list

As for the ac, there is none. The truck came stock without AC. I actually gave this much thought. I can get the whole setup from the junkyard for about 100$ if I pull it out myself, which is affordable and doable. Assuming the "kit" will only need new seals and a refill / check for leaks ... .


As for the Rad, Ill take a look at its shape when I go home for Christmas. (including closer comb trough ... so I know what expect come april)

Im still very interest in the oil lines, can theses be cut-by-the-foot at a hydraulic shop or do you have to go oem, or is there an affordable after-market solution?

I think I just replaced the lift pump, but I will stock up and get a spare.

Again thanks for all the help

 

[rxm6]

As for the ac, there is none. The truck came stock without AC. I actually gave this much thought. I can get the whole setup from the junkyard for about 100$ if I pull it out myself, which is affordable and doable. Assuming the "kit" will only need new seals and a refill / check for leaks ... .

Go for it.

 

[lstzephyr]

I've never had working a/c in my truck and have done a few road trips in the desert to boot. I wouldn't worry too much about the a/c on a long trip. If you are hot, go north. Cold: go south. If you want to see something then drive faster and roll down the windows.

Then again, I've been called crazy more than once, and 100 bucks for a/c stuff isn't too much. That 100 bucks will buy you a ticket to all the national parks in the USA though, so plan carefully.

I'll echo the sentiment of not getting carried away fixing things that aren't broken. If you are concerned about it breaking you will be better served grabbing some tools and stashing them in the truck somewhere. Puling the engine to reseal it sounds like a bad idea to me. I would try to fix any big leaks but just carry oil and keep an eye on it.

What is your sleeping plans? I'd recommend a cap, some insulation, and a mattress in the bed. It really is better than sleeping in a hotel because it is easier to find places to sleep that are closer to the areas you want to be. Plus it will save money.

That is my rather biased .005$.

 

[DiHrdBowTi]

I would agree with the above. If it is isn't broken leave it alone. I bought my Yukon with 75k miles on it. Flew to Michigan and drove it back to Reno Nv. Only issue I had at the time was the transfer case going out an hour after picking it up. Since then I have had to replace some things. Some proactively or because I wanted to upgrade and some because I had to.

Like any vehicle there are replacement parts and then there are upgrades. Oil cooler lines? definitely upgrade. Cooling? depends. Do you tow? If so it may make sense to get a clutch fan that comes in earlier as well as changing to a Duramax fan blade. If you don't tow then the stock clutch fan should be fine. (I did the heavy duty clutch fan and Duramax blade and since have never seen my engine temps go over 210). PMD relocation? Well I currently am relocated however I still have the stock PMD on the injection pump so if I have any issues I can unplug the extension cable and plug back in to the stock one.

Preventative
Regular maintenance. Replacing fluids and filters at scheduled times are key and may also let you know that something may be going wrong.

The radiator. One of the things to check would be how clean the fins are. You wouldn't believe how clogged these can get.

Grounds. Your diesel has a number of grounds can cause intermittent issues. Clean connections can make a difference. I had an intermittent problem with my cruise control kicking off. Times varied and I couldn't nail down anything specific. It ended up being a bad connection on the frame to engine block ground that was causing the problem.

Gauges
If you decide to do any performance modifications you should add gauges. Boost (to ensure your turbo is working properly), Automatic transmission temp, and EGT or Exhaust Gas Temp are typically the top 3.

Leaks
I had an old full size GMC Jimmy a while back and there was a leak around the input shaft of the transmission. I was going to have to drop the tranny and take it all apart to replace the seal. A guy at a tranny shop defined leaks this way; Can you keep up with the leak? As in do you go through a quart of fluid every 5, 50, 500, or 5000 miles? if it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg and you can keep the fluid level at an acceptable level is it really a bad leak? Speaking for myself my diesel leaks. Have I been proactive about stopping the leaks? Not really. Then again I haven't had much extra time lately. I do carry at least a quart of oil in it and several more in the garage. On a long trip I have a gallon just to be sure.

The above are just a few things to think about. As you go you will learn more about your rig and it's idiosyncrasies. Ultimately take care of it, drive it and have fun while you are doing it.

 

[Climber Rob]

I'll chime in again and repeat myself: go through the front end/steering with a fine-tooth comb. As someone said earlier, pay special attention to the Pitman arm. Crawl under the truck and follow the tie rods to the center-link. You will see two connection points off of the center-link. The one on the driver's side is the Pitman arm and the one on the passenger's side is the Idler arm. Crank all of these joints around and make sure everything feels tight and the joints are good and greased.

These are easy parts to find and pretty easy to replace with minimal tools. If there is excessive play in any of these joints (or the bearings, as someone else said), replace them.

 

[Bullseye240]

Start here in the 6.5 section:

http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/forum.php

The guys and gals there are the best bunch to deal with on the 6.5, they will bend over backwards to help you fix the problem rather than just replace this or this and see if that fixes it for you. The 6.5 has a bad rap but once you sort out the little things GM forgot to get to it works fine for what it is, a low power light duty diesel engine.
There are also some 6.5 vendors over there that can help you out with oil lines and lift pumps. Speaking of lift pumps I replaced mine with a Walbro FRB-5 on a relay not hooked up to the OPS and have no problems with it at all. Way better than the stock pump.

Once I got the little bugs worked out my road trip prep consist of:
Check oil, full and enough miles left to get the trip done before change?
Check fuel
Check trans fluid
Check tires, pressure/tread
load clothes, snacks, wife and go.
Wouldn't be afraid to circumnavigate the US in my 6.5 Blazer at the drop of a hat.