Posted by Caleb in Kansas [173.245.50.60] on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 23:57:33 :
Well, we had been talking about replacing my '01 2500 CTD "quad" cab with a more family friendly hauler for quite awhile. I was looking at 96-05 Suburbans with the 454 or 8.1 and found a great '05 but we really decided we didn't want another vehicle loan so I ended up finding a '95 out in Colorado for cheap. Interior is above average for the year and mileage and it had the 3rd row seating with a 454TBI (ill get to that later). Long story short, I left Thursday pulling a trailer and was on my way home by 10:30 pm with the sub things went well and I stopped for a short nap just inside KS. I was doing well on fuel, but decided to stop in Wakeeney to top off and grab a bite to eat around 5am. I thought to myself that I hadn't checked the oil so I did.....barely a drop on the stick....this prompted me to peek underneath so see motor oil dripping from every surface of the '01.....OH F(*&^%&(&^. Dumped in about a gallon and read good on the stick, then proceeded to pull around and start the swap. Ended up pulling my '01 back home behind the Sub. I have been spoiled by a turbo diesel for so long that it was really painful. The 7.4 did ok, but was really a slug. The worst part was the fuel mileage at around 7.4. I had averaged about 12 pulling the trailer with the Cummins in a pretty strong headwind out there and as usual was surprised by an increase coming home (we drop about 3000' in elevation from Co. Springs) so 7.2 was enough to give me heart palpitations.
The bad news is that the Cummins is currently being considered dead. In my sleep deprived state, I don't know if I ran it without oil, surely the ding and check gauges would have been noticed? Though it was slow to build oil pressure, it does jump right up and where I expect it to be, and the motor sounds fine, no knocking etc. I am still not sure what failed as I have been in a scramble to get a vehicle roadworthy, had my FF1 testing on Saturday on top of that. I am thinking it blew out an oil cooler line, or something in the vicinity of the vac pump as oil seems to be coming from that area.
The good news: I am now starting to plan to fix the Cummins and do a swap in the Suburban. I was going to scrap the body on the '01 and use it for the Carryall, but I am sure the fuel mileage alone on the Sub will destroy my budget for building it. For now, I will plan on transplanting the Cummins, 47RE, and DHD 241 into the Suburban once I pull apart the motor and check out all of the bearings. I know I will have some issues getting gauges and such to work, but having the entire donor makes things seem almost affordable. It will push back the Carryall again, but I will be in high cotton having a 5.9 powered family "bus".
Now, do I use the 454 for the carryall? Or sell it and find me a good 6BT? I will still be using the '01 frame and axles, and I have a rebuildable 47RH and DHD transfer case from a low mile '94 Ram 2500.
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