Amphibious HEMTT

[Bebop]

Is there some kind of “facial recognition” for vehicles?

There is a feature recognition for everything.

 

[WaterH]

So I was driving home tonite and saw this cool shadow.

 

[WaterH]

So this was supposed to be ready for water at any time. I have yet to work out the floats completely. If the floats were on, there is no need for a skid plate. But since I’m driving it around without the floats, I feel I need some protection down there. In reality, it’s highly unlikly I will hit anything givin the extreme ground clearance. But my engine oil pan and the tranny pan are both wide open if I did.

This is what I came up with.

The hole on the left is to access the engine oil drain. The hole on the right is just to drain water, coolant or oil that might collect on top of this. You can see 4 nuts on the far left welded in place for mounting up front. The 2 small holes at the right are for mounting to the cross member at the T-Case.

Additional parts are the front angle mount and 2 bushings for the rear.

The front angle plate bolts to the front frame member.

The skid plate is heavy as a bitch, so this angle allows me to lift it up and set it on the angle in the front. That allows me to hold up the back with one hand and bolt it. Then I can come back and bolt the front easy.

Here you can kind of see the bushings where the plate bolts too the frame. The bushings allow me to tighten the bolts without bending the cross member.

The oil plug for the engine.

At the rear, the plate extends out about an inch to allow me to bolt a T-Case skid on. I don’t know if you can see the four pilot holes in that edge to be drilled out for that purpose. I havnt designed a skid for the T-Case yet, but at least I got something solid to bolt to.

It all turned out pretty good. You can’t really see it from the side and doesn’t effect ground clearance.

 

[gt1guy]

Looks good

 

[CDA 455 II]

Very nice skid plate set up.

 

[WaterH]

Thanks guys.

You know a little known benefit of air bag suspension? You don’t need ramps on your trailer. My tractor is 4 wheel drive, but with the belly mower on it, I need ramps to get it on the trailer. I hate the ramps and don’t want to carry them to off load. So I just jack up the back of the truck and it lowers the back of the trailer.

 

[tracyb]

Thanks guys.

You know a little known benefit of air bag suspension? You don’t need ramps on your trailer. My tractor is 4 wheel drive, but with the belly mower on it, I need ramps to get it on the trailer. I hate the ramps and don’t want to carry them to off load. So I just jack up the back of the truck and it lowers the back of the trailer.

i always use bags with more range than typical for all my trucks. none of my trailers are low enough to use it for loading... but i really like beaing able to use a back up cam and the bags to hitcha trialer without messing with the tongue jack.

 

[WaterH]

i always use bags with more range than typical for all my trucks. none of my trailers are low enough to use it for loading... but i really like beaing able to use a back up cam and the bags to hitcha trialer without messing with the tongue jack.

I thought about that, but I have a fixed jack. So I still have to crank it all the way retracted to tow. I need to get one that pivots.

Im still not real good with my back up camera. Can you completely get the ball on in one go? That would be fantastic.

 

[WaterH]

There is a feature recognition for everything.

I kind of have that for boobs. It even applies to touch. I tell my wife that I could find her in a room full of woman in the dark. (She’s not impressed)

 

[tracyb]

I thought about that, but I have a fixed jack. So I still have to crank it all the way retracted to tow. I need to get one that pivots.

Im still not real good with my back up camera. Can you completely get the ball on in one go? That would be fantastic.

yep back up, inflate. only have to get out of the truck once. i had one truck that the bags didn't have enough travel

 

[aczlan]

I thought about that, but I have a fixed jack. So I still have to crank it all the way retracted to tow. I need to get one that pivots.

Or a drop leg one.

Aaron Z

 

[WaterH]

OK, so today I took my wife to a fancy restaurant at a marina. There’s a big public parking lot next to the restaurant parking lot. They have a problem with people putting boats in at the public ramp and parking trucks/trailers in the public lot. The city put up a sign “no boat trailers permitted”.

We are going to our property after lunch and I have my tractor on a trailer. Since it’s not a boat trailer, I park in the lot. The only place to park with a trailer is at the back of the lot. There happens to be a entrance to the resteraunt lot there but right now they have a giant loader parked there while they repave. I parked there even though it has a “no parking between signs” , since no one can go through.

So after we eat, as we’re leaving, I look down from the second floor, I see a piece of paper under my windshield wiper. I’m thinking I got a ticket for parking with a trailer or parking between the signs. When I get down there it’s a note from some guy that has “soo many questions”. Left his ph number. Lol.

I did call him and he was alright. Of course, he asked the question. I told him I’ve turned down a 100 grand twice. He didn’t offer any more.

 

[WaterH]

Ok, so the pros say do this test on all new installs. I have to agree. I have almost 20 K miles on this truck and I’m pretty happy. I figure this test might find some minor leaks. (more on that later)

First weld up a aluminum cup. (My welding sucks)

Drill and tap some pipe tap holes. Install a shut off and gauge.

Pull the tube from the air cleaner and clamp the tester in its place.

Turn some air on and right off the bat, my cobra head was leaking like a sieve. Of course that would be in vacuum in operation, but still not good. I tightened it up and tried again. Dam if I didn’t find a leak in one of my welds on the stainless tubes. (Did I mention my welding sucks)

Welded it up and reinstalled it. While I had it off, I noticed the whole cold side of the turbo was loose. I don’t think it would loose boost there, but I think I was getting soot out of it. The band clamp that holds the turbo in the exhaust housing was loose. I tightened that and tried again. Now I can’t get the turbo to seal to the stainless tube.

Im talking about the this outlet here.

It should seal to this tube.

I can tighten the shirt out of it and it leaks terrible. Should I have a gasket there?

One thing I will mention is I would not have found this leak if I only tested the system from here to the intake. I’m sold on this test method.

Looking at this, I don’t see how an O-ring will work. There is no O-ring grove. Today I made a cork gasket for it. It seals good, but I’m not sure about how hot the cold side gets or what a cork gasket can take.

After installing the cork gasket, I found 2 more pin hole leaks in my welds. After fixing them, my biggest leak is where the cold side housing is held on to the turbo with a giant snap ring. I used a hammer and punch to tighten the snap ring, but I didn’t do much.

I bought this turbo used. Do you think I need a new turbo? I remember when I bought it had some play in the shaft. Not much, but now with the housing leaking, I feel like getting all new.

I took it for a test drive and can’t really say it’s much different. It might have lower EGTs, but hard to say because it’s kind of cool today.

 

[Clemson13]

Ok, so the pros say do this test on all new installs. I have to agree. I have almost 20 K miles on this truck and I’m pretty happy. I figure this test might find some minor leaks. (more on that later)

First weld up a aluminum cup. (My welding sucks)

Drill and tap some pipe tap holes. Install a shut off and gauge.

Pull the tube from the air cleaner and clamp the tester in its place.

Turn some air on and right off the bat, my cobra head was leaking like a sieve. Of course that would be in vacuum in operation, but still not good. I tightened it up and tried again. Dam if I didn’t find a leak in one of my welds on the stainless tubes. (Did I mention my welding sucks)

Welded it up and reinstalled it. While I had it off, I noticed the whole cold side of the turbo was loose. I don’t think it would loose boost there, but I think I was getting soot out of it. The band clamp that holds the turbo in the exhaust housing was loose. I tightened that and tried again. Now I can’t get the turbo to seal to the stainless tube.

Im talking about the this outlet here.

It should seal to this tube.

I can tighten the shirt out of it and it leaks terrible. Should I have a gasket there?

One thing I will mention is I would not have found this leak if I only tested the system from here to the intake. I’m sold on this test method.

Looking at this, I don’t see how an O-ring will work. There is no O-ring grove. Today I made a cork gasket for it. It seals good, but I’m not sure about how hot the cold side gets or what a cork gasket can take.

After installing the cork gasket, I found 2 more pin hole leaks in my welds. After fixing them, my biggest leak is where the cold side housing is held on to the turbo with a giant snap ring. I used a hammer and punch to tighten the snap ring, but I didn’t do much.

I bought this turbo used. Do you think I need a new turbo? I remember when I bought it had some play in the shaft. Not much, but now with the housing leaking, I feel like getting all new.

I took it for a test drive and can’t really say it’s much different. It might have lower EGTs, but hard to say because it’s kind of cool today.

Nothing helpful to say on any of this.

But I love the thread and that's an interesting problem.

 

[Bebop]

Welded it up and reinstalled it. While I had it off, I noticed the whole cold side of the turbo was loose. I don’t think it would loose boost there, but I think I was getting soot out of it. The band clamp that holds the turbo in the exhaust housing was loose. I tightened that and tried again. Now I can’t get the turbo to seal to the stainless tube.

Im talking about the this outlet here.

It should seal to this tube.

I can tighten the shirt out of it and it leaks terrible. Should I have a gasket there?

It's a V-Band
You probably warped it when you welded it.
Cut it off, weld a new one and leave it clamped on during the whole welding / cool-down process.

I bought this turbo used. Do you think I need a new turbo? I remember when I bought it had some play in the shaft. Not much, but now with the housing leaking, I feel like getting all new.

I took it for a test drive and can’t really say it’s much different. It might have lower EGTs, but hard to say because it’s kind of cool today.

None of this shit matters.
The leaks you found are minuscule to the volume of air that is getting moved.

Change it if you want but it's a placebo effect.

 

[WaterH]

None of this shit matters.
The leaks you found are minuscule to the volume of air that is getting moved.

That’s what I was wondering. It will make 25 psi easy. Maybe 27. I think the best anybody gets from these is about 32. I’m happy with the power, just I’m a bit worried about the EGTs. I was wondering if a couple more pounds of pressure would lower them.

 

[Bebop]

Fueling is what you need to be working on for your EGTs

Edit : WaterMeth works too. Or just upgrade your intercooler setup.

 

[WaterH]

Fueling is what you need to be working on for your EGTs

Edit : WaterMeth works too. Or just upgrade your intercooler setup.

Fueling?

I was thinking about the water injection. (And upgrading the intercooler)

 

[Bebop]

Fueling?

EGTs are combustion related.
Depending on how your mixture burns it'll be different temps.

I was thinking about the water injection. (And upgrading the intercooler)

Do those and report.

 

[MattS]

You can fix that v-band. Get a nice thick chunk of steel and slap a sticky back 320 grit sand paper sheet to it and get to fixing. You can mark the surface with blue if you have it or just black sharpie works too. That way you can see where and how bad. If it's not more than 1/16th out you will be fine. 1/8 maybe not, at some point you run out of V in the clamp to keep it tight.

 

[WaterH]

You can fix that v-band. Get a nice thick chunk of steel and slap a sticky back 320 grit sand paper sheet to it and get to fixing. You can mark the surface with blue if you have it or just black sharpie works too. That way you can see where and how bad. If it's not more than 1/16th out you will be fine. 1/8 maybe not, at some point you run out of V in the clamp to keep it tight.

Actually, I don’t believe it’s warped. The tube side of the v band is 2 3/4”, the turbo side is metric and is slightly smaller. I believe that is the problem. The cork gasket worked good today in a couple hours of driving. I will replace it with a silicone one later.

 

[MattS]

Actually, I don’t believe it’s warped. The tube side of the v band is 2 3/4”, the turbo side is metric and is slightly smaller. I believe that is the problem. The cork gasket worked good today in a couple hours of driving. I will replace it with a silicone one later.

Maybe try making one out of copper? I can't see either of those lasting long term IMO.

 

[Peter S]

you have some paste for exhaust leaks. it dry's out when hot. maybe thats goof for the small difference in size

 

[Bebop]

Actually, I don’t believe it’s warped. The tube side of the v band is 2 3/4”, the turbo side is metric and is slightly smaller. I believe that is the problem. The cork gasket worked good today in a couple hours of driving. I will replace it with a silicone one later.

You have metric and standard V bands.
I assumed that you got the right size in the first place.

 

[WaterH]

Up date,

So I decided to do some testing on my intercooler in effort to lower EGTs. First I drove down a local road to get a baseline EGT. I was going about 60 mph and the EGT went to around 1000 for a short time and then slowly backed off to about 900. I did this with a cold truck. The course was 1 mile of dirt road at 30 mph and 3 miles out and back on a two lane black top. When I turned around and excellerated, it went back up to a 1000 and then down again as I just cruised. It never went below 800 and the water temp was up to 210 at the end of the run.

I removed the cork gasket in my intake system. I feel that cork is not appropriate, but the gasket looked fine and I don’t believe it was leaking any boost.

I made a new gasket from that blue material you see.

Next I cleaned out a five gallon bucket and drilled a couple holes. That and some heater hose gave me my test kit.

I had installed some cut offs on the intercooler set up last time I worked on it. They made it easy to do this without draining the whole radiator.

Then it was a simple job to unhook the hose from the suction side and return side of the pump and plumb the five gallon bucket in and separating the whole system from the radiator. This picture shows the setup in the back of the truck.

Obviously, I spilled a ton of water getting the system primed and pumping. I also got a mouth ful of coolant. I can say I would rather drink gas than coolant. This was very difficult and I wonder if it was ever primed before. That pump loses its prime in a NY minute.

On to the test. Again, the truck was dead cold and the temp outside was pretty close to the same as the baseline. I put about 4-5 gallons in the bucket. I drove down the dirt road slow so I didn’t upset the unsecured bucket. At the end I stopped and checked that it was fine.

I headed out on the black top briskly to 60 mph. The EGT went to 1000 again at 17-18 inches of boost. I stumped the pedal for a brief period and got the EGT up to 1300. Let it slow back to 60 and the temp went back to 800-900 just as before. I turned around and repeated the return trip. When I got back to the dirt road I noted the water temp was 200-210.

Before driving back the mile to my house, I climbed in the bed and felt the bucket. To my surprise, it was hot as hell. I’m not saying you couldn’t touch it, but you weren’t going to lift the bucket with your wrists “Kung Fu” style. (for You young kids that don’t know what that means, it was hot) I crawled under the truck and felt the intercooler radiator. It was blowing warm air out. I drove back to the house and got the lazar temp gun out. The bucket was 120 degrees, but it felt like it cooled some from earlier. (Not any boost heat on the dirt road)

So now what to make of this?

 

[WaterH]

I guess I’m going to do a longer test. I will keep checking the temp on the bucket. I don’t want to melt it. It would appear I don’t have a big enough rad for the intercooler.

 

[Bebop]

How big is your intercooler ? What pump are you using ? Why can't you use an air to air intercooler ?

 

[WaterH]

How big is your intercooler ? What pump are you using ? Why can't you use an air to air intercooler ?

That question is difficult with a water/air system. The intercooler is about 12” x 6” x 4”. The rad for it is maybe 12“ x 6”. I’m using a Bosch pump. I don’t have a grill on the front of my truck. The rad is on the side like a real HEMTT. Plumbing a air to air system would be tough.

 

[Bebop]

FYI on a friend blower buggy we run a 22x18 heat exchanger in front of the rad and if you're really beating on it, it'll still overheat.

You rad seems way small to me.

 

[bdkw1]

I'd say your radiator for the intercooler is to small. But you have some other issue, that thing should not be pushing that much temp. You are up into rolling coal temps. A stupid duty 6.7 radiator is 39X20......