I finally got winALDL working on the Suburban. Andrew at AKM Cables was a great help. All the ALDL data looks great when the truck is running. When it dies, MAP, TPS, and all the usual stuff looks fine. But, I can't get any RPM values when cranking. I pulled a spark plug wire and put a plug on it. I...

Since my last update, I broke-out the volt meter and did some pokin' around. When I turn the key on, the trigger wire to the fuel pump relay runs for a few seconds... and the fuel pump runs, so I know the ECM is trying to turn on the pump. I pulled the ECM from under the dash and probed the connecto...

I did some more testing this afternoon. I put together a fist full of parts to get a fuel pressure gauge on the system. When the engine is cold, the fuel pressure was about 11 psi. As soon as I shut off the engine, the pressure dropped to zero, but I think that's the way TBI is setup. I did some tes...

Since the truck will start with a squirt of starting fluid, I don't think it's an ignition problem

I know this isn't Astro related, but it is TBI-related. Anyone have any ideas? from http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums/general-discussion/technical-maintenance/389066-1990-suburban-acting-up-wont-start-times.html Some good friends of ours have a 1990 1500 Suburban 2WD. Odometer reads 266k miles. Tr...

I was depressed last night so I called Lifeline.

Got a call center in Pakistan.

I told them I was suicidal.

They got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck.

I found a 98 Astro with a bad motor for $750, and a '96 engine for $450

If I put them together, could I make a few bucks?

Should I take Nancy Reagan's advice and "just say no"?

Syclone engine has 8.35:1 hyperutectic pistons on stock TBI rods with TBI crank, camshaft, etc. The pistons and the rods are the weak points. There are SAE papers that show that 4-bolt mains aren't required, but they do extend the life of the block. The Turbo Buick engine doesn't have nearly as many...

A local top-notch tranny guy told me that it's the tail of the tranny. I had taken a 96 Astro tranny in for a bench rebuild. When I went to pick it up, I noticed that the tail was packed with grease. I asked why. He asked me if I'd ever stopped and a few seconds later it felt like someone bumped int...

for us US owners press the dome override 3 or 4 times and wait for the ding...then bam no more drl I think that is a 2000 and newer thing, on my '99 no worky. I can confirm this. I have a '97 and a '99. Neither will turn off with the dome override switch. Our friends have a '00. It will turn off wi...

... take an import for a drive... you never know you may be impressed... ... impressed with the amazing prices those silly things are bringing. You can buy two Grand Caravan/Town & Country or Venture/Montana/Silhouette vans for the price of one Honduh or Toyota van. You can go on and on about h...

Get a full-size van with a diesel engine and then make your own fuel. I was going to do that, but my wife had her heart set on a minivan. We now have a 2002 Olds Silhouette. We have a '98 VW Beetle TDI for my wife's around-town tasks with fewer than 5 people. I drive a 2000 VW Jetta TDI 55 miles a d...

Wife got tired of fuel economy of 99 AWD Astro. Found an '02 Olds Silhouette with 82k miles for $6000 including tax, title, and fees. We owned two '97 Venture vans before we got her Astro. We liked 'em quite a bit. I've heard a lot about bad lower intake manifold gaskets, part of the deal was they n...

My wife's 99 AWD and her friend's 96 had a soggy-carpet problems in the past. The problem with the '96 was the rear AC drain hose. It was stopped-up. When I opened it up, it drained and hasn't had any troubles since then. The strange thing is that the wet spot appeared to be in front of the 2nd row....