bone collector

Nice looking bucks!!! i didnt get a chance to go out hunting this year, but it looks like you did very well. Congrats on the hunts and good luck with the truck. oh and thanks for the review on the timberlines.

bone collector

btw... what size lift do you have on your truck?

BowhunterBen

Thanks, I really enjoyed my deer season. That's too bad you didn't make it out hunting.
I don't think the Timberlines are available anymore though. I was looking for them when I was going to get rubber for my GMC and couldn't find them. I ended up going with the BFGoodrich KM2 and so far I'm really happy with them as well.
I think my truck has a 4" lift. I'm not sure though, because it came on it when I got it. I measured the rear blocks and they are 3.5". Maybe a 3" lift? I have the 4" sas kit so whenever I get to that it will probably sit just a bit taller. I'm still looking for a front third member though.

BowhunterBen

A bit more progress...


I sandblasted my exhaust manifolds, which worked wonders on them.



I painted the manifolds black but didn't get a picture yet.

dakotawho

iTrader: (1)

Keep up the great work! It ll come slowly but surely. Loving that shiny new motor

BowhunterBen

Well, after 3 hours of searching and reading threads I still don't know if I should mess with the crossover or not. Some say the "exhaust crossover elimination mod" is good and some say it didn't run and they had to switch it back to stock. What should I do?

BowhunterBen

I haven't got to do much work on my truck in awhile due to family issues. This is where it sits now. As soon as I get a free weekend, I will drop it into the truck.

kornhuskerwizard

be careful messing with that easy out. probalbly wont cause that big of a problem to begin with. ive broken off extractors and they are a bi%$h to get out!! Nice build! Welcome to yotatech!!

bone collector

Motor looks good!!! I plan on doin the exhaust crossover mod soon just to keep extra heat away from the #6 cylinder. but thats just me. good luck on the build. cant wait to hear it run!

Gizler00

iTrader: (1)

Very nice build. I love the look of that ARB bumper on your truck. The last 3.0 I worked on and swapped in, we left the crossover pipe in the back of the block. And seems to be working fine. I think the heat issue was a bigger deal with the factory HG that were pre recall HG. I could be wrong, thats just what I remember.

BowhunterBen

Thanks all! I think I am going to do the "crossover elimination mod". Hopefully I don't regret it later. Hopefully it's as easy as it sounded like. I recently noticed I am into my 13 month since I pulled the motor! Note to self, everything takes 3 times longer than I figure it will. It's partly because I don't have my own garage/shop, or at least that's what I'm blaming it on.

bone collector

somebody on here did the crossover elimination but used flanges on both ends so they could unbolt the pipe if they need to do tranny work etc,, thats how I planned on doin it. just an fyi.

BowhunterBen

Well, now I'm commited to the exhaust crossover elim. mod

kornhuskerwizard

looks good!

Gizler00

iTrader: (1)

Coming along nice man! I think the crossover elimination will go good for you. Keep the pics coming!

Soobarubin

Good looking truck!
I'm over in Rathdrum, don't know what part of North Idaho you are in, but we've probably seen each other around town before!

-Jaren

Green93

Looks like its coming along nicely. I'm just browsing the build threads trying to get myself inspired for my own.

One problem I noticed. In your pics you have the knock sensor plug sticking out at the back of the engine. There is a square shaped knock out on the drivers side head that this should have gone through(between the head and intake manifold). I'm sure it will still work the way you have it but I don't think the factory wiring will be long enough. Will the knock sensor work correctly if you made up a wiring extension?

Just a heads up, it's those little things at the end that get frustrating.

BowhunterBen

Thanks for the encouragement.
Soobarubin- I'm really close to Rathdrum actually. My father in laws shop where I work on my truck is in Rathdrum.
Green93 - you probably just saved my whole project. My old engine had the sensor wire coming out the back but someone had extended it by a foot or more. I was kind of worried it would not reach now. I will look into where you say it should be. Thanks!

BowhunterBen

Curses on the previous owner! I did some searches and found where the knock sensor wire SHOULD have been. Now I have to pull the intake off and try to not mess up my timing. Thanks for catching it for me before I got any further.

Green93

That was where it was plugged in before? Has the wiring harness been modified to reach? If it has you could just leave it. I just wanted to make sure you were aware.