1985 W350 Crew 4x4 Shortbed Conversion

Alright, update time!

1) I finished up rebuilding the VE injection pump. Krud Kutter on the rusty bits and bobs, some replacement screws, and some elbow grease, along with a new seal kit and installing the upgrades, and the pump looks great. Ready for action.

2) I completely disassembled the NP205 transfer case, cleaned all the parts and inspected for wear, took a grinder to the shift rails as part of the twin-stick mod, used Rustoleum Rust Reformer as a base coat and Rustoleum Hammered Black as a top coat, then reassembled everything with all new seals. It looks really nice!

3) I did finally finish busting out all the rivets from the front crossmember on the crew cab frame, and disassembled the frame completely. I attempted sandblasting myself, but after one crossmember with my 60 gallon compressor, I gave up and called the professional. Frame goes to be blasted as early as this weekend. I had previously ordered a body mount and bushing kit from Energy Suspension which replaces the rubber mounts and bushings with Prothane polyurethane. Only when looking over the front shackle hangers and then the rear hangers did I realize that a) all of the hangers have bushings which were not part of the kit, and b) nothing in the kit will fit the rear springs or shackles to begin with. So now I'm on the lookout for rear leaf spring and shackle polyurethane bushings.

4) I finished the tear-down of my 12v and took it, along with the pistons, crank, flex plate, rockers and head, new bearings, new rings, new cam bushing, and new valve springs, all to the local shop so that the engine can be hot tanked, crank balanced, head and valve seats checked, rockers milled for headstuds, and 60lb over valve springs put on. It's been there over a month and I haven't heard anything back yet, but I'm not rushing the guy because it isn't holding me up.

5) I have completely torn down the transmission and inspected everything. The rear band was worn to the point that flakes of clutch material were coming off. However, the frictions and steels and the front band actually looked decently new. I noticed several upgraded parts already in place, including two steel 5-pinion planetary and the high capacity direct drum (it has the two parallel lines on the outside indicating high capacity). I completely cleaned up the valve body and installed the Transgo shift kit, as the valve body appeared stock, along with new OD/Lockup solenoids. I plan to replace the accumulator, servo cover, apply lever, strut and anchor, and rear 4-pinion aluminum planetary, with the quad-seal Sonnax accumulator, Sonnax o-ringed servo cover, billet 4.2 ratio apply lever, billet strut and billet band anchor, and 6-pinion steel planetary. I'm also planning on upgrading all four clutch packs with Alto Red Eagles and kolene steels, and doing a complete re-gasket and reseal of the transmission. The case has already been cleaned and painted with self-etching primer and a coat of Rustoleum Hammered Black to match the NP205 transfer case. It also looks great, and I can't wait to get in the rest of the parts so I can begin reassembly. (Also in store for the transmission is a Goerend triple-disc torque converter and deep transmission pan. I really like their design. In the event I ever plan to eclipse 450hp, I'll install a billet input shaft. For now, however, that's an expense I can forego.

Pictures!




(This doesn't even look like the same pump anymore)


(Dropped the pan)


(Stamped the bottom of each rod to keep them in order)








(Transfer case teardown)




(twin-stick modification)

(new gaskets!)


(NP205 looking good again)


(Transmission gutted)




(Rear band damage)








(Weep port not designed for use with NP205, where no rear output seal can be used due to the adapter. I filled this with JB Weld as a result)


(Clean all the things)

(Further teardown of internal transmission components)


(Case waiting for reassembly)


(Overdrive housing ready to go)


(Clean valve body. I put the Transgo SK TFOD-Diesel shift kit in it)

Update time again!

1) Rebuilt the transmission, checking all parts for wear and replacing what needed replaced. All upgrades include: Transgo SK TFOD-Diesel in the valve body, Alto Red Eagle frictions & Kolene steels for all four clutch packs, new Hi-cap direct drum to fit maximum frictions/steels combo (what I thought was a hi-cap drum was not, in fact, a hi-cap drum), Alto high energy front and rear bands, new 6-pinion steel rear planetary with new teflon coated washer, quad-seal Sonnax accumulator, Sonnax o-ringed servo cover, billet 4.2 ratio apply lever, billet strut and billet band anchor, new OD/Lockup solenoids, new neutral safety switch, all new gaskets, seals and o-rings. I also lightly painted the front of the oil pump with a little rust reformer to make it look good, even though nobody will ever see it once it's installed. Again, I plan to put on a Goerend deep transmission pan and a Goerend triple-disc torque converter, and this will be done.

2) Got my frame parts back from the sandblaster. First I used a 1/2" reamer on all the rivet holes to make sure that my flange bolts and serrated flange nuts would work with no issues, and then I put everything back together except the transmission crossmember. I welded those holes shut because the transmission crossmember will need to be relocated anyway (this frame originally had a crossmember for a 4-speed manual, but I'm going to a 47RH 4x4. In order to square everything up, I then reamed the frame holes to 9/16" to give enough play, and that worked out great. We were able to get the frame squared to within 1/64" before I tore it all back down and painted every part with gloss black Chassis Saver. I also tore down the fairly new Skyjacker Softride 4" overall lift springs that came with the crew cab truck, took a wire wheel to everything, and painted the individual leafs with Chassis Saver. Once everything had dried and cured, I put the frame back together and squared it again, and this time it came out perfect. All the frame bolts have been torqued down. I put the springs back together, installed new rubber bushings from Michigan Truck Spring in the rear springs and shackles, installed new polyurethane bushings from Energy Suspension in the front springs and shackles, and installed the springs before dropping the entire frame down onto the D60 front and D70 rear to get it rolling. I still plan to remove the axles at a later time to go through them, do a disc brake conversion on the rear D70, and paint them.

3) Got my engine back from the machine shop The head was checked, valve seats redone, and has new 60lb over valve springs installed. The block was hot-tanked, checked, and had the rotating assembly balanced. I need to build a heavy-duty rotating engine stand, and then I'll start on the engine rebuild. Note, finding replacement freeze plugs for the engine block wasn't as easy as one might think. You have to do your own homework, because what the parts store says will work won't actually work even if they insist that a 5.9L engine is a 5.9L engine. There's a big difference between a Dodge 360 (5.9L) gasser and a Cummins 12v (5.9L) diesel when it comes to freeze plugs. Right now, the engine and head are sitting on a pallet in my garage.

Pics!






(While the original frictions/steels didn't necessarily look all that old or worn, I don't think they were cleaned or soaked properly when installed)

(Frame parts back from the sandblaster)

(Chassis Saver frame paint going on)







(bolted back together, squared, torqued)






(springs put back together, installed, dropped onto axles)

More updates:

Things have been a bit more slow, perhaps, but I have a feeling it's about to get moving at a quicker pace. Here's what's been done...

1) Removed the rear drums and started mocking up a disc brake conversion. I decided to make my own disc brake brackets. If I had to do it over, I might just buy them. Getting the correct dimensions was a pain, as that information is virtually nonexistent on the internet - or at least anyone that knows was pretty tight-lipped. But I wanted my brackets to be a two-piece design that bolted directly to the old drum backing plate and would allow me to get the spacing just right for the calipers. To make the brackets I used a Torchmate cnc plasma cutter after drawing the design. For the brakes I went with a set of the larger 1978 El Dorado calipers with 7.065" mounting pin spacing and a solid-faced piston, which I happened to find for pretty cheap on Rock Auto at just the right time. They didn't come with the e-brake brackets, though, so I ordered those from Lugnut4x4.com. I got a set of front rotors for a 1977 Chevy K20 pickup, and drilled out the wheel stud holes with a 45/64" drill bit (~0.703 in or 18mm). This was precautionary, because I didn't want the cast rotors to crack, and I went with the 77 Chevy K20 rotors because the main hole for the wheel hub was large enough and did not need machining. In hindsight, the full kit from Lugnut4x4.com might have been an overall quicker solution. But I believe I still saved a few bucks by going DIY on some of this and, heck, I'm learning along the way.

2) I ordered new springless crossover/high-steer arms from Offroad Designs, with a 7/8" heim steering kit and new studs from RuffStuff Specialties. Acquired some 1" i.d. 0.25" wall DOM tubing for the new drag link and tie rod. When I ge the rear axle done this is going to be a part of the front axle finishing (yes, I've already redone the wheel hubs when I got the donor truck, but the axle still needs painted and the ring & pinion bearings replaced and resealed anyway)

3) I removed the rear axle and gutted the thing. New races, bearings and seals are in order so that I know I'm starting fresh. Had to go with a combo of Timken and National due to availability. I'm at the point of replacing the rear pinion bearing but haven't gotten it done yet because I'm also in the middle of the disc brake conversion still. I see some people using pinion depth tools to check their pinion depth to the thousandth of an inch, but I can't find where to rent or borrow one and I don't want to spend $500 on a good one that I might use once or twice. So, my plan is to reuse all the shims that came out, and check the position and backlash with some gear marking compound. I also removed the antilock brake sensor and tapped the hole for a 7/8" bolt IIRC, which I'm inserting to the same depth with some red thread locker and then cutting off flush. I chased all the diff cover holes with a tap and replaced all the old, rusty bolts. I also took a wire wheel to the entire axle and painted the thing with Chassis Saver frame paint, followed by a top coat of Rustoleum gloss black. I still need to top coat the frame too.

4) Acquired some heavy-walled square tubing and a worm gear winch from Harbor Freight, drew up some plans, and my friend built a heavy duty engine stand with it (he needed to use it first, lol). After some slight height revisions it's ready to roll. And I'm that much closer to painting and building my engine.

5) Spending spree time. In anticipation of getting to work on the engine and getting this thing moving, I'm buying some parts. First, my friend swapped me his stock he351cw from his '06 since he's going to get a new turbo. It's in good shape but needs cleaned up. I was able to remove it from his manifold without snapping a stud or anything else. My plan is to re-clock the thing and replace the actuator with a spring wastegate, check the bore on the wastegate to make sure it's at 1", and then maybe even upgrade the wheel. Still need to research that one. I was lamenting the cost of everything and hesitating to order parts for this project. My wife overheard me and said "that truck isn't going to move unless you have the parts you need, so I don't see why you're not ordering them." So, other things ordered: DPS 3-piece exhaust manifold; Manton 7/16" wall series 310 pushrods; Beans Machine billet tappet cover; Tracktech head studs; Goerend billet flex plate, Goerend transmission pan, Goerend DA triple disc torque converter and Goerend economy billet input shaft; Victor Reinz head gasket of stock thickness since I have a new head (Victor Reinz has a plant local to me and makes gaskets for Mahle, which makes gaskets for Cummins); Gates upper and lower rad hoses, belt tensioner, water pump and heater hose elbows; Marmon Ride Control transmission mount; Anchor motor mounts; and other miscellaneous things. I hope to be able to work with all of that very soon...

Pics!






(this is not the final version, the final version is bolt-on)








(wire wheel helped find the BOM #)

So in the last 27 days I was able to finish up the disc brake conversion for the D70 rear. I had to revise my bracketry a few times to get it right. See the pictures for my cutoff wheel and polishing pad revisions. In the end, I'm still happy with the way it turned out and it was a learning experience for sure.

I put in new bearings and races for the carrier and the pinion, all the way around. I spoke with a mechanic friend of mine who said he's never had trouble with depth and contact when reusing the factory shims, so that's what I did. In the end the pinion preload torque was in spec, and the backlash was as well.

A little paint here and there, I used a 7/8" coarse-thread bolt into the hole for the ABS sensor, which I had tapped, along with some red permanent threadlocker. Cut off the bolt and polished it down, then hit it again with the Chassis Saver paint. Not pictured yet, but I refitted the axle shafts after a bit of cleaning, painting the ends. I replaced all of the tapered cone lock washers. Do not think that you have to pay over $6 per washer like I did at first, for part #QU40577. Instead, Dorman Part # 685-053 are listed as "engine cylinder head nut washers" and they are exactly the same according to my calipers, for much cheaper. I did use the nyloc spindle nuts with new locks for my hubs. I could have switched over to a D60 style locking nut/tabbed washer system, but prices are crazy on those right now.

Pics! (Note, I have started taking some short videos of my process, which I'm converting to animated gifs for here)


(mock-up of disc brake caliper brackets - this will need revising)


(at first I thought this might do... but it wasn't enough modifying)


(the e-brake bracket was still hitting my DIY backing plate bracket)






(this shape worked, really well)


(final mock-up)




(paint time! self-etching primer, then black engine paint and red Rustoleum caliper paint)


(when doing disassembly and reassembly of these 7.0625" Eldorado calipers, the piston dust covers will get damaged)

(backlash perfectly within spec)

(overview of nearly-complete rear axle)



(ABS delete - like it was never there)

I'm definitely not interested in doing it myself, as I can barely find the time to keep my own project going, lol! Also, I honestly don't know who does this kind of thing on a for-hire basis. It is SO labor intensive to do every little thing the right way.

4 months and no updates, ugh. I've been getting ready to get the engine put back together. I've got the block on the stand, parts gathered up, paint and catalyst ready to go, and then my son's football season fired up, daughter's soccer and volleyball fired up, and my free time turned into driving to practices and games. I don't begrudge it, I love my kids. It's just part of life. As far as actual work done, I'm doing a DIY port/polish of the exhaust ports on my new head. More of a gasket match, clean-up. For my target horsepower level this wasn't completely necessary, but was something I wanted to do for the learning experience. And, at this stage, elbow grease is free. I did take some pics along the way of the porting, so I'll upload those when I get a chance to post another longer update.

Overall to-do list:
1. Paint and build the engine with all my new parts, polishing valve covers
2. Go through more thoroughly the front axle, install new bearings and races, clean and paint
3. Install high-steer and crossover steering on front axle (already have parts/materials)
4. Build DIY traction bars (already have parts/materials)
5. Set engine on the frame, mount up transmission and then affix trans cross-member in the correct spot
6. Top coat paint the frame with oil-based enamel over the Chassis Saver
7. Set the engine, trans and transfer case; Get drive shafts in place

That's about as far ahead as I've thought. I know I'm going to need to do some work on my turbo (HE351cw) and get the exhaust (4" stainless) installed, and will also need to get some new custom injection lines made up due to my intention to use the VE pump with an intercooler. Eventually going to hydroboost brakes. But that's way ahead of where I'm at right now.

Ok, it feels like not much progress but I think it is.

I completed the DIY port/polish of my head, to my satisfaction, which is not anywhere near a factory CNC port/polish job but it's probably overkill for my 400-450hp application. I used red Dykum and a scribe, and the metal exhaust manifold gaskets to work on it. If you're going to try this out, don't go crazy with it. I got a set of carbide burrs off Amazon that turned out to be pretty good, a cheap Harbor Freight straight die grinder (as opposed to the 90-degree one), and a sanding barrel kit from Harbor Freight. That's all you need. I also got some of those sanding stones (pink, white, gray), but I hardly used them. The biggest help was using a flashlight to check down the exhaust port (see pictures) and using some clamps to affix my shop vac to the valve seat while doing the grinding and sanding. Where you don't want to skimp on quality tools is your safety. I went with a 3M full face shield with vent cartridges. Would very much recommend this.

I bought one of those sonic cleaners and used it to clean my pistons. It did a remarkable job! See pics for proof.

I got the engine and head all taped off and painted. I used IH Red Rustoleum Tractor & Implement paint, cut with acetone and added a bit of catalyst hardener. It's been extremely durable so far and I like it a lot. Close to Cummins red, just a little darker. Accents are going to be silver and black. I've used the VHT Plate Finish for the silver. It does not give a mirrored shine as advertised, but the brightness does wake up the look a bit. Valve covers will be polished of course. Flexplate adapter will be black to transition back into my black transmission.

With much of the cleaning and painting done, I've started rebuilding the engine. New main bearings, and torqued the main caps down to spec. I even did the plasti-gauge test for clearance and came up with 0.003", which is perfect. I'm using Permatex Ultra Slick assembly lube. I'm not sure when I'll get to fire this thing up, so I want it to be nice and lubed in there, and the Ultra Slick won't just run off. I used some black RTV to put in the camshaft retaining plug in the back, and I went ahead and installed the new block heater into my final core plug spot. It's coming along nicely. Slowly, but steady.

(This isn't polished, this is just getting the paint off. Long way to go yet)

Slight update, more pics of progress (because that's what people like myself really look at anyway, haha)

Engine building is coming along. Pistons in, protrusion tested even though it's the same pistons in the same block, and it's all good within spec. Things started getting bolted back in and on: engine oil pump packed with petroleum jelly for the initial lube, water pump, HVLP piston fuel pump, lower coolant inlet (did you know there's supposed to be a squared-off o-ring seal under that piece of iron? I do now. It's new), oil cooler and cover. I cleaned up my rear main seal cover, pressed in the new seal to the correct depth, and finished that job before bolting on the cleaned up and repainted transmission adapter. Then I installed my Goerend billet flex plate. I checked torque specs on everything and it's all good to go.

Getting the head ready, I pulled a 3/4" plug from the old head, added in a 1/8" NPT paintball macroline fitting as a modification to the line to the AFC housing on my VE pump (still need to drill/tap that housing for 1/8" NPT as well), to make that entire system easier to deal with. I didn't resurface the block, and instead of resurfacing the head I got the new one, so I picked up a standard-thickness Mahle head gasket rather than the extra-thick one I had on hand with my gasket sets. For headstuds I went back and forth on a couple brands less expensive than ARP, and ended up going with TrakTech. Everything looked great when installing the head, and I torqued the head stud nuts in 3 stages to the final spec.

With the head on, I installed the newer-style waterneck and thermostat, and the new vacuum pump. This gets rid of the old diaphragm model, and is per THIS THREAD over on Competition Diesel. (Credit where credit is due, of course). Instead of sourcing an oil drain line from a hydraulic shop or the $70 line from Cummins, I found a section of braided steel line with a quick-disconnect in my old paintball gear as well. And it fits rather perfectly. Now I just need to fab a support bracket for this pump and install the power steering reservoir to get this end of the power steering and hydroboost brake system ready.

Following setting the valves, which I still need to do before putting the covers on, the injection pump is next on the list to install. Once that's done I can finish up the front main seal and timing case cover. Then I need to clean up the lines, intake plenum and air intake horn, and figure out that tangled mess before turning to the exhaust side of things.

Pictures!






(Paintball macroline fitting is perfect for intake air pressure)

UPDATE!

[Note
I was just reading over a few other build threads (inspiration) and saw a post where a guy was saying that he's quit following any build threads because they all end the same way... the OP ghosts the forum and you never get to see a finished project. To that I say, "not this one." CumminsForum is the only place I'm documenting this one because I like the layout and format here best. So this is where all the updates will be, not on other forums or even on Facebook. AND, even though I'm admittedly slow with the build, it is a full ongoing project. I'm not a mechanic, not a body guy, not a low-voltage electric expert, and many of the things I've dove into with this project I have about zero experience. But I'm a guy who learns quickly, researches a lot, and will give it a try. That being said, I'm not fast because I need to teach myself how to do things before I actually do them. Almost every night I'm doing something with this truck, even for just a few hours. And sometimes that something is looking online for parts, trying to understand a concept, watching related videos, learning, researching, planning ahead etc., and sometimes it's actually picking up a socket and ratchet and getting something mocked up or bolted on for the last time. Also, sometimes I make mistakes or change my mind about things and have to backtrack a bit. One of those times is coming up real soon....

As far as an estimated timeframe for when I want this project finished, I can say that I'm hoping to be able to get it to the driving stage maybe by the end of the summer, even though that may even be wishful thinking. But if I do, then I can continue to work on interior, body work and all the details while still using it as a daily driver. But that's still a long way off as it sits now. My ultimate goal is to be able to back the 100% finished, painted truck up to the local High School football field and watch my son play a game. Right now he's in 7th grade. Trust me, I can hear that clock ticking.]


Actual work on the truck has been in a few areas surrounding the engine lately. I've been bouncing back and forth between each of these areas/issues, making progress where I can.

I did get the injection pump installed. The gear was keyed correctly and set to the correct "top dead center" timing on the cam gear, and the pump was then physically timed ~1/8" toward the head as it was previously. Of course, injection lines are another matter altogether. I was initially concerned since I'm converting to an intercooled setup that my lines would be in the way of the intake horn. Looking over things, I think they will actually just miss. However, they've been coated with about a hundred coats of crappy paint it seems. I tried using some citrus strip gel but I didn't like the results so I think I'll have to hand-sand these, which I'm not looking forward to doing. But, the alternative is to pay for custom lines. For the kind of money they want for those, I'll grab some $2 sandpaper. Once my lines are sanded and repainted to my liking, I'll go ahead and install the 5x16 injectors that I got from Ducky, and which are just waiting to be installed.







After installing the injection pump I went to put my power steering pump onto my vacuum pump. The Cardone power steering pump seemed to not want to connect very easily, even though I had the tip of the pump shaft lined up properly with the coupler inside the vacuum pump. The end result was that I cracked my vacuum pump housing. So that got me thinking. Even though I have a welder friend who is confident he can tig weld the crack so that it would end up being stronger than the rest of the cast aluminum housing, my mind was already going in the direction of "why do I really need that vacuum pump?" Since I'm planning on hydroboost brakes, the only thing I'd need vacuum for is my HVAC controls. I should be able to manage that with a cheap electric pump.



So what about using that accessory slot for an onboard engine-driven air compressor? My research led me to a helpful guy on Facebook who shared pictures of his own setup, which he said was working. He even gave me part numbers. So, I sourced an air compressor from a DCEC trading company, and what looked to be a power steering pump to match from eBay. When I finally got them both in (this took a long time), even though they bolt right up perfectly, the power steering pump shaft is too short to extend through the space created by the adapter that couples the two pumps together. More on this in a bit.


(NOT my picture, this came from the guy who was trying to help me with on-board engine-driven air)



Resulting in these being ordered:




I installed the DPS 3-piece exhaust manifold according to the instructions, using the copper based never-sieze on all the bolts. The manifold looks and functions great! I also flushed out the transmission heat exchanger that I got in a Facebook deal a couple years ago, cleaned the mounting bracket, and repainted both before installing on the passenger side of my engine. While I was there I cleaned up the barring hole in my transmission adapter with a dremel and wire wheel, and bought a new plug since my old plastic plug crumbled upon extraction. At this point I'm thinking about doing a DIY coolant bypass from the rear frost plug up to the waterneck, using an inline UTV thermostat. We'll see.

My buddy gave me his old he351cw turbo since he's getting his truck rebuilt and intends to put on something for more horsepower (his is a 3rd gen truck). So the plan is to clean the thing up, take out the diaphragm wastegate actuator, build a spring-gate, and maybe check on some upgrades. Research was done, resulting in a plan to first upgrade the exhaust housing and turbine shaft per TurboLabs of America's website suggestion and also one Verlin Martin who graciously took his time to discuss these issues with me via Facebook messenger. Verlin's got a shop in North Carolina I believe and, even though he's covered up, the dude knows his stuff so you should check it out if you're halfway local. Anyway, it's a good thing I decided to do the exhaust housing and turbine shaft upgrade because the exhaust turbine in this he351cw stock turbo was "somewhat affected" by the melted piston that caused the need for a rebuild. Getting the compressor housing separated from the bearing housing was another chore, since the overgrown snap ring had basically welded itself in place with rust and corrosion. You can see what it looked like by the time we finally got it out of there. This was after soaking the thing down with Evaporust, penetrating oil, and MAP gas in various stages.













In the meantime, while waiting for all that Evaporust, penetrating oil and heat to do its job in various stages, I found that my fan clutch was leaking the viscous fluid. This thing was brand new from RockAuto even though it had been actually ordered about 8 months prior. It was just never installed. After a couple emails with RockAuto, I was able to get a new replacement. So now it's ready for installation once I can put on the front timing case cover and front main seal.



I also took it upon myself to rebuild my starter. I don't think I really had any issues with it functioning properly, but it was going to need cleaned and painted anyway so I got inside and looked over the contacts, which is when I decided to just do the $25 rebuild. It wasn't hard at all, and likely well worth the money.

After getting the compressor housing off the he351, I found that the compressor wheel wasn't in the best shape either. So I sourced a stock size billet replacement for only $35 on sale. Score! I also began the process of cleaning up the compressor housing and the bearing housing, and ordered a rebuild kit.