Silverado gas tank strap failure!!

[njsteve]

I replaced all the brake lines, calipers, and rubber hoses in the 1995 Suburban over the weekend. It took 12 hours at my buddy's shop. When we finished late Saturday night, I noticed that we must have bumped the fuel lines because several of them were wet and dripping diesel fuel. Turns out we then had to replace all of the diesel fuel lines as they had the exact same rust condition as the brake lines. On Sunday we spent four hours remaking them by hand from 5/16" and 3/8" tubing.

We had to drop the fuel tank to get to the ends where they were crimped to rubber lines for the final foot or two to the tank pickup. Those crimped ends were so fragile that if you bent them more than a couple degrees off angle, they snapped like they were made of glass. Very scary! The worst sections were where you could not see the rust on the lines.

Here is the moral of the story: if your brake lines are rusty, then your fuel lines are just as rusty if not more.

[Tommy]

Not many people buy a 6.5 Turbo Diesel new and still own and drive it 18 yrs later... Your either one of the lucky ones or you have become a good GM diesel mechanic in the last 2 decades.


Tommy [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/[/img]

[njsteve]

Yes, the first part by sheer luck and the second part by sheer desperation.
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

It's been a great truck. 120,000 miles on it in 18 years. Been through several injection pumps early, while under warranty, when they wouldn't just admit they had a heat sinc problem and just replace the PMD module. It has the PMD relocated behind the front bumper, leaky oil cooler lines replaced three times (by me) and just well maintained. At 100,000 miles I replaced the injectors and glow plugs. It didn't appear to have needed it, though.

A year ago I installed the Heath Diesel computer chip (OBD-1 system) and boost controller. That really picked the power up and also reprograms the 48LE trans and lockup converter. It went from barely 180 hp to around 225 (I estimate it but it really is a noticeable improvement without putting too much boost into the engine). It pulls much better now and can actually make it up the big hills in PA without having to run down the one hill at 90 to get up the next hill at 50.

Mileage has always been around 13 (empty) and 10 mpg towing a loaded 24 foot trailer.

Oh, and over the weekend I also replaced the original brake proportioning valve that GM refused to recall on all of its pickups and Suburbans 1992-99. If you complained about the fact that 95% of your braking was being done by the front wheels and that it pulled to one side under hard braking, they pulled your prop valve and replaced it with one that more evenly distributed the braking pressure.

Owners (like me) who only found out about the problem years later when they wondered why, at 120,000 miles, they still have the original rear shoes with 3/8&quot; of material left on them, got left out in the cold.

The rear drums have never been off and are now rust-welded to the axle flanges. I just bought new drums, shoes, springs and wheel cylinders in the event we can find a sledge hammer big enough to get those 75 lb. drums off the truck.

Here's a link to the article describing the problem:
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/63-gm-d...5-24-001-a.html

[britgrnz]

Steve, where did you get the prop. valve,and did it seem to work? I've been dealing with these GM trucks regularly.I know how it ts with rusty brake drum removal problems.Around here i call it Wisconsin lock tight.Thanks.

[njsteve]

I bought the new Delco prop valve on amazon.com and paid around $165 for it. The braking has improved now that the rear brakes are actually being used. Stops straighter, too

[njsteve]

I rechecked and actually I paid $130.

Just search for &quot;ACDelco 12548265 Brake Valve&quot; (for the 1995-99 unit)on Amazon and you'll get a bunch of results.

[Big Block Bill]

GM came out with a bulletin back in 1999: #99-05-24-001A that has you install a Brake Combination Valve off of a 1/2 ton part # (92-94) 15650150 or part # (95 &amp; newer) 12548265. We had great success with this on any GM 2500 Pickup, Van, or Suburban with a GVW 8600 lbs. &amp; over. The rear brake shoes have to be replaced and both drums machined or replaced at the same time due to glazed linings or the repair will not work any better than the old Brake Combination Valve.

Bill

[njsteve]

It already works better. We just have to figure out a gentle way to remove the old drums that are rusted to the flanges. I have all the new rear brake parts ready to go.

[budnate]

Steve, set up your sprinkler head aimed at the axle flange and the rust remover sauce and let it go for a couple days might work?.

[njsteve]

It already has the built-in, leaking axle seal, gear lube, rust preventative, sprayer that has been working for the past 18 years. The portions of the lines where the gear lube didn't hit, were the spots that ended up rusting!