Found a gmc topkick with a 3116 for cheap. Motor is a little dirty and has some miles on it but that's ok it's getting rebuilt before it gos in the truck. Will update more with pics when the motor gets and install starts

 

The 3116 will be the easiest since it's a mechanical engine.

I'm not sure you'll have a lot of room for a 7 speed… you'll probably have to do a body lift in any case and that may give you enough room to use that trans but I may try to look at using a T-19 with an Advance Adapter two speed aux box.

 

Pulled the 3116 from the topkick on Saturday. Now it's sitting waiting to be rebuilt pics from the pulling of the motor can be found in my photos

 

Pulled the 12v from the dodge the other night. Now for preping of the truck for the motor

 

Found a truck the other day with a bigger frame to use instead of the dodge. The motor bay is bigger to which is a plus

 

I wish you were much closer to me as I would love to spend some time crawling around, over, and through that truck. I have a 94 Chev K2500 4X4 with the 6.5 diesel in it, and I would really like to do some comparisons between the two rigs. This may be a long story, but we both may come out with some good info.

The GMT 400 chassis (90ish to 2000ish body style), in the diesel pickups, was well known to have cooling issues. Supposedly, the body design restricted the cooling stack, making enough air flow through the rad a problem. Everything in this post is going to center around this aspect.

Looking at your pic of the truck, there is a subtle, yet major difference between your truck and the pickup chassis. Focus on the grill. Just below the headlight and turn/running light the grill changes color. Around the lights the grill is charcoal gray, below that the gray becomes lighter. The darker part of the grill is a separate piece from the lower lighter part of the grill.

The upper part is the same as the pickup, and will interchange with the pickups. The lower piece is used only with the true 3500 HD chassis. Could you measure the height of this piece, down to the very bottom edge? You will probably find it easier to measure where it curves back into the wheel well. I'm guessing it to be somewhere in the 5-6 inch range.

The frame for your truck is different than the pickup frame, even the 1 ton pickup frame, and I'm guessing that it is much heavier duty. In front of the suspension the frame swoops down lower so that the extended height of the extra grill piece will fit, and still have the bumper at a reasonable height to the road. I'm guessing that this could allow for a taller radiator also. If so, this is a big plus for you, keeping in mind that the 6.5 diesel GMT 400 chassis had a built in cooling problem, even with a wider rad than the same pickup with a gas motor and rad.

All of this means that your rad could potentially be taller than the one in the pickup. I'm equating a taller rad with increased cooling capacity available. The stock rad for my pickup has a core size of 34" wide X 19 7/16" tall (according to Rockauto, and what I've measured on my rad). I have not been able to find anything on a truck like yours. But, a Duramax rad for 2006 to 2010 has a 34" X 24 3/8" core which is basically 5" taller. And all the hose connections and built in tranny/oil coolers are similar.

To my way of thinking, if your rad core is the same as what my pickup has then you have the potential to be able to use the DMax rad because the spacer in the grill, and the downward swoop of the frame, should leave enough room.

I have also been researching this wondering if I could modify my rad core support, lift the cab, and use the grill spacer, like your truck has, to be able to use the DMax rad for better cooling. I have never had cooling problems during normal DD type driving. But, as soon as I tow anything bigger like a travel trailer I have to be very careful.

Would you be willing to take pics of the rad, rad mounts, and fan shroud? Measurements also? From looking at your pic the motor is still in place, so this might make it hard to get pics. If so, I understand.

Thanks, Don

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=M_Op8Npe1_c The red truck is a 91 6.2l the green one is a 97 6.5l

 

Thanks for the video. It's very obvious that the cab & chassis truck has a much heavier frame than the pickups. Also, from this video I now want to see if I can find the grill spacer that is used on the 3500 HD cab & chassis. The only draw back I can see so far is that the pickup cab would have to be lifted, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 6". I have never been a big fan of body lifts, but gaining cooling capacity for towing might be a good reason.

Don