All Things Chev

[PMC]

The first thing you might want to do is get the Auxiliary Battery mounted somewhere other than under the vehicle right beside the exhaust. It won't fit in the engine bay with the side mounted turbo, but on my last little highway run and off road camping trip, the exhaust is heating my battery up to 48 and 49 degrees. I now have a piece of that air-cell silver insulation in there as well, but nothing I make or put in there to shield it from the heat seems to be working. I am now considering pulling it out altogether but don't know where I can put it as I have a set of draws in the cargo area.

I think I need to talk to some exhaust specialists, or I will be shortening one of the drawers somehow and mounting the battery in behind.

G'day Ben,

Is it possible for you to take a series of photo's of your engine bay? That way i can some idea of what you are up against. I am starting to disassemble my TD42 Turbo diesel, one item i will be fitting to my Chev, will be the Cross Country intercooler. Thats why i am curious to see what space you have in your engine bay.

Regards,

Paul

[FNQGU]

G'day Ben,

Is it possible for you to take a series of photo's of your engine bay? That way i can some idea of what you are up against. I am starting to disassemble my TD42 Turbo diesel, one item i will be fitting to my Chev, will be the Cross Country intercooler. Thats why i am curious to see what space you have in your engine bay.


Regards,

Paul

Yeah, no worries. Will get a couple of pics up today for you.

[FNQGU]

Here you go, let me know if there is anything specific you want to see.

[threedogs]

Cant fit a smaller style DC battery like they do in the Tojos
IMO I'd be fitting a false floor and house a few batteries there
small price to pay for the conversion, use two Optima as you
can lay them down. Go to a battery place they have heaps of different shaped batteries

[FNQGU]

Where do you fit this false floor mate?

[PMC]

Ten grand for install of a 4L85E at Gryphon Engineering here in Cairns, I just double checked. Gryphon work with/for Brunswick, so I'd guess it would be same price over that side of Aus.

I don't know whether it would be worth getting the 4L85 over the 4L80 or not, nor what the price difference is.

I do however have access to a mate with a hoist and mechanical ability, so if a reco gearbox was not a big job, then that is what I will consider doing. I have been very close to wanting to install a low range reduction gear at the moment as well. However I could save on that and put it towards an Auto.

G'day Ben,

Ten thousand dollars is a lot of money mate. After conducting my research into auto gearboxes from the US, i can purchase either a 5 or 6 speed fully rebuilt Allison gearbox from the states for $2,500 It would only cost about a $1,000 to ship out to Australia. Marks adapters supply the adaptor for the Nissan Transfer-box to fit the Allison which is $1150.00. The Allison is a very strong gearbox.

Regards,

RLI

[FNQGU]

Thanks that is good to know.

I've heard the Allison box is a good one, and a six speed would be great and would make Highlander jealous…

I don't know a lot about the workings of the Allison auto, but will start having a look and will maybe chat to you about this option shortly. At the moment I am playing with the idea of chopping the wagon and adding a custom pod to better manage storage of camping gear. I don't want to extend the chassis or anything though, just want a well thought out storage area, where I can also store my house batteries. The Auto box might be able to slide in there sometime around the same time if I work things right.

[Gecko17]

Thanks that is good to know.

I've heard the Allison box is a good one, and a six speed would be great and would make Highlander jealous…

I don't know a lot about the workings of the Allison auto, but will start having a look and will maybe chat to you about this option shortly. At the moment I am playing with the idea of chopping the wagon and adding a custom pod to better manage storage of camping gear. I don't want to extend the chassis or anything though, just want a well thought out storage area, where I can also store my house batteries. The Auto box might be able to slide in there sometime around the same time if I work things right.

When I was tossing up whether to get an auto trans, I asked about the Allison gearboxes and was told that the 5 speeds were brilliant but that the 6 speed had some issues. I'm back up at site but will try and make a few more inquires re the 6 speed and see if it is just Chinese Whispers.

@RLI, I ended up getting the 4L80E from Brunswick for 11k. Great box but am still trying to get to grips with the electronic program that drives it! If you have researched the Allison 6 speed box, then I dear say that you are way ahead of me already.

[PMC]

When I was tossing up whether to get an auto trans, I asked about the Allison gearboxes and was told that the 5 speeds were brilliant but that the 6 speed had some issues. I'm back up at site but will try and make a few more inquires re the 6 speed and see if it is just Chinese Whispers.

@RLI, I ended up getting the 4L80E from Brunswick for 11k. Great box but am still trying to get to grips with the electronic program that drives it! If you have researched the Allison 6 speed box, then I dear say that you are way ahead of me already.

G'evening Highlander,

I have done a lot of research from the US and your are right regarding the 6 speed Allison gearbox. However, there are simple remedies to help stop possible problems. The following article might be of help to folks contemplating installing an Allison gearbox.

[I]"The 1000/M74 is a very heavy duty automatic overdrive transmission built by Allison Transmission. It is primarily used behind the powerful Duramax diesel engine found in many later model GMC and Chevy trucks. It can also be found on GM chassis under custom motor homes, buses and other heavy duty vehicles. While this is a very heavy duty transmission, it is not without faults and problems. Let’s take a look at the 1000/M74 transmission.

Common Problems:

Electrical: The 1000/M74 transmission is loaded with electrical components. It incorporates multiple electrical solenoids and sensors, not to mention a fairly complex wire harness. All electrical transmissions suffer from similar problems. Solenoids often fail. They either develop an internal short, or end up with a break in the internal wiring that makes up the electrical magnet in the solenoid. Sensors can go bad for a number of reasons. Excessive heat or vibration can destroy them. Improper grounding can also cause them to malfunction. Excessive heat, driving conditions and age can destroy the wire harnesses.

Overheating: By far the biggest problem with this transmission is overheating. This is not the manufacturers fault. Overheating is usually caused by the vehicle owner. They tow loads way heavier than the maximum recommended limit. They also load their vehicle with more payload than is recommended. Doing either will put tremendous strain and stress on the transmission. Clutches and bands will sometime slip in server instances, creating excessive heat. Keep in mind that these transmissions are designed to run at a maximum temperature of 200 degrees. Every 20 degree about this temperature will cut the life span of the transmission by a factor of two.

Lack of maintenance: All vehicles come with recommended maintenance intervals. The problem is that most owners pay no attention to them. Filters get clogged over time and restrict the flow of transmission fluid. Transmission fluid breaks down over time and the result is a fluid that loses its hydraulic properties and ability to lubricate the transmission correctly.

Want to make your transmission last longer? Who doesn’t? Here are a few recommended upgrades:

Fluid upgrade: Your transmission comes from the factory with an organically derived transmission fluid. It is specifically designed to meet strict requirements. Over time it will break down from the many heating and cooling cycles it endures on a daily basis. Therefore, I recommend you upgrade to a synthetic fluid. Synthetic fluids are designed not to break down like organic fluids. Just be sure to replace your organic fluid with a synthetic fluid that has the same properties as the original OEM fluid.

Deep pan: Install a deep pan. The extra fluid will help keep the fluid a little cooler. The fluid will also last a little longer before it needs to be replaced.

Oil Cooler: Buy an aftermarket transmission cooler. A good rule is the bigger the better. Excessive heat is by far the number one killer of all automatic transmissions, and this transmission is no exception. Additionally, you can buy an aftermarket cooler that comes equipped with its own electrical fan. This will provide addition protect from overheating the transmission.

The 1000/M74 transmission is a great transmission. You should get years of trouble free service and reliability from it as long as you adhere to the information we provide. - See more at: http://etereman.com/blog/general-motors-automatic/common-issues-with-the-1000m74-transmission/#sthash.mKQQ5UMf.dpuf"

Kind regards,

RLI

[PMC]

G'evening lads,

A good source of info on the Chev V8 diesels are the following books;

1. Corky Bell's book Maximum Boost (designing,testing and installing turbocharger systems!) This is a must read for those of you contemplating a turbo upgrade, building a torque pulling touring vehicle or those that are after competition horse power! Highly recommended!

2. Joe Pettitt book High-Performance Diesel Builders Guide.

3. Ben Watson book titled Diesel Performance Handbook for Pickups and SUVs.

Regards,

RLI