Got a beautiful day, time on my hands and Wicked Wheel to install. I was wondering if any of you could provide me a list of tools that I will need to do this. Once I get in the middle of this, I don't want to have to take a cab to the parts house...

 

This should help you out:

http://www.blackclouddiesel.com/Tech...on%20Guide.pdf

 

This looks pretty intimidating to a bumbling shade tree mechanic like myself. It seems like I always break more than I fix. If I get a DP tuner, and a BTS VB, is this going to be absolutely necessary, and how soon would it have to be done?

 

It really isn't that bad with good instructions and all these guys for help. If your worried just see if you are close to any FTE members.

 

Did you go ahead with this? How did it go?

If you're intimidated by pulling the turbo, look into a ported shroud compressor housing. You can change that part without pulling the turbo. It costs more than a wicked wheel, but the labor is much less for the swap. Ported Shroud Compressor Housing

 

I did mine on Friday per the blackcloud instructions and it was simple and clear. A buddy of mine and myself did it in about 2.5 hrs while the turbo was still on truck.

 

Well I ran into some complications... My wife wanted a new flowerbed, so I didn't getstarted until about 7pm. The only problem I am having is the clamp on the downpipe won't budge... at all... not one bit. It has almost a whole can of oil on it and has been sitting for about 20 minutes. so I guess I'll go try some more.

 

If thats the first time its been off it will take some work. I sprayed mine with PB Blaster once a day 2 days prior to installing my exhaust and it still took a few knocks to break it loose.

 

Try using a fifty fifty mix of ATF and Acetone.

 

Well I got it done but it wasn't pretty.

I finally got the downpipe loose about 10:30, and, seeing that I needed my truck I decided to go ahead and finish. I got the unit out by 11pm and took a dinner break got back at it by 12am.

Those 8mm bolts take some work to get out. I actually bent the snot out of my wrench. That'll make you feel pretty manly until you look at it closely and see the "made in China stamp". (I'll post pictures later).

Got those off installed the new wheel by 2am. Had the unit back in the truck by 2:30 with the pedestal bolts started. Oh... What was that the destructions said about the big o-ring and what is that over there on the floor?

Had the o-ring reinstalled and the unit back in the truck by 3:45 with the pedestal bolts started. The up-pipe (?) in the very back was the biggest problem of all. I had gone ahead and taken the clamp completely apart and for the life of me I could not get the thing close enough to get the bolt restarted. After working at it for about an hour I decided to go ahead and start getting everything else tight as soon as I got the pedestal bolts snug, I heard a small "pop" and it seemed that everything was moving easier. I don't know where it was bound up, but I wasn't going to go back and see.

By now I was pretty tired (or stoned out of my gourd from breathing pure PB blaster fumes for the past four hours) but I was in the home stretch. It was 5:15 and the only thing left was to re-clamp all of the y-pipe "stuff".
5:30 Everything is clamped together can't find anything loose. Now... where are my keys.
5:50 My wife un-locks the door and lets me in to get the keys. All of you guys out there... a flower bed is not an even trade when it comes to staying up all night "playing in the garage".

6am got the truck started, now it's time for a nap.

9:45 Started the truck, on my way to work. The very first time I decide to get on it... "POP"! One of the rubber couplings came off of the y-pipe.

Back to the drawing board...

Advice for people doing this...

1.) Stay organized. Have a clean area that you can lay your parts and tools out in. If I had done this I wouldn't have had nearly as hard of a time.

2.) When they say to pad the top of the engine... do it. I'm not nearly as manly as I was when I started this project. The hood latch is the worst.

3.) Use lots of penetrating oil. The bolts on that part of the engine are subjected to HUGE amounts of heat. I only had two bolts on the turbo itself that were pretty easy to remove. The rest of them took a "cheater" and a few gentle persuasive whacks with a hammer to break free.

4.) Have help. If I had known what this entailed. I would have had someone other than the neighbors dog to help me. Even if it is just... "hey could you hand me that 8mm socket"... It saves you from having to climb back down out of the engine. The dog was nice enough but I don't think he read very well.

5.) Don't try to force the clamps to the "up" and "down" pipes... you will only end up having to start over. Start by getting everything lined up, then start to tighten things down. You might not go in the same order as when everything came off.

6.) Check and re-check all of your y-pipe connections. The rubber couplings are saturated with oil and the clamps have to be tight or they will pop right off.

7.) Buy your wife a bigger flowerbed...

I'll post more when I get the coupling installed this evening.

 

I am sorry it didnt go so well for you, but you did make me smile with the story!!

 

Ouch. Thats why I left mine on the truck! Glad you got it done though!

 

Good story
What did you think after you drove it ? Any difference ?

Would you do it again ? (no I don't mean go back to stock wheel)

 

Well I need to get that one coupliing bolted back up before I can really say anything. I have zero boost with that not hooked up.

Pat, I actually enjoyed doing the work. I'm not real happy with the aftermath... My chest and belly look like the those sides of beef in the first Rocky movie, and the only part of my hands that don't hurt is the webbing between my pinky finger and ring finger on my left hand.

Tristan, 120zd... Yes I would do it again, but I too would leave it on the truck. Like I said, I'll know better this evening.

 

I feel ya with the 2nd person thing. If I didnt have a buddy that was agile like a damn monkey I wouldnt have been able to do this at all. I got everything off and he got up in there and fought with the stock wheel and then installed the WW and I did the rest again. Lot easier with someone to get ya tools and such! Clean that boot really well and use a lil hairspray on it to help it stick better. Then get down on it...Im still grinnin on the sound it makes!