What did you do to/with your van today?

General Discussion
( Please do not post help questions here )
User avatar

HPbyStan
I sleep in my van
Posts: 601
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:15 am
Location: Janesville, Wis

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by HPbyStan »

What no one has mentioned on this thread is that when ABS brakes don't work, they default to NO brakes not back to std brakes. I like ABS when it's working but it's damn scarry when it doesn't. AND I love the part that AFTER they fail, a warning light comes on,,,,,,, maybe.
'04 White AWD Astro cargo
'00 Astro / El Camino
'61 BSA Super Rocket
'71 BSA B50 engine in a '67 C25 250 chassis
Impossible is just a degree of difficulty....
User avatar

Mr_Roboto
I sleep in my van
Posts: 537
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:12 pm
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by Mr_Roboto »

Got pulled over by the Statey. Aparrently open exhaust ain't cool. Need to get the muff back on I guess. At least my dead fuel pump turned out to be the gauge being screwy as usual. Damn my milage is terrible but I guess with so much time at WOT what do I expect.
User avatar

1Gary
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 2743
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:18 am

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by 1Gary »

Roboto-open headers??. #-o LOL.

You get your fuel curve set yet?? Idle 14.7 W.O.T. about 12.3??.
1979 Malibu drag race only car
1999 Sonoma 4.3 5 speed-Rufus
1989 Astro-Ole Yellar cancelled-still selling off parts
1985 Astro-shop van R.I.P. my friend
1994 Astro LT RWD W4.3 rod knock RIP
1982 Winnebago single rear wheel-Chevy 350 Scraped 1/28/13-broken dreams......


Rochester,NY
User avatar

Mr_Roboto
I sleep in my van
Posts: 537
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:12 pm
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by Mr_Roboto »

AFRs are about 13:1 for cruise atm, which is where I wanna be. Maybe a hair leaner but I need to have something to check and see what's happening (G-tech, etc) before I do that. 12:1 was way too fat on this engine made absolutely no power what so ever.
User avatar

MountainManJoe
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 3146
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:55 pm
Location: The Pacific North Wet
Has thanked: 48 times
Been thanked: 25 times

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by MountainManJoe »

HPbyStan wrote:... when ABS brakes don't work, they default to NO brakes.
What?
User avatar

justice
I sleep in my van
Posts: 875
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 4:00 pm
Location: Keeping a good eye on all you yahoos

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by justice »

had the wife take to get inspected. it passed. =D>
I have a ban hammer and I ain't fraid to use it!


Current - 2004 Astro Cargo


Former
95 Safari (money pit - sold)
93 Astro Cargo (totaled)
85 Astro - (Bought for parts and scrapped)
92 Astro Conversion (sold)
87 Safari Shorty (sold)
User avatar

SnoDrtRider
I get chills without my van.
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:14 am

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by SnoDrtRider »

Finally got a chance to take the van for a ride for the first time since I bought it and lifted it... I am very happy with the way it turned out. It runs good, rides smooth, quiet and tracks straight.
Stopped at my buddies shop who bought a 96 a month or so before me and his eyes lit up when he saw it. "Wow this van looks so much better than mine" he said :D
He even likes the older style interior/dash because it seems like there is more room :swords:
I took him for a ride and now he is really disappointed in his... His words were something to the effect of "I should have waited and let you find me a van... this one is so much better". I doubt he will will sleep well for the next few nights thinking about it. :toimonster:

safari kev
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by safari kev »

van is going into the body shop next week to fix damage from accident back in july. getting rf fender and bumper redone, new rf rim, and new running boards
as for the cadillac, I've been debating on whether to use the 200r4 thats in the car or wait and buy a $1200-$1500 beefed up trans. think I'm gonna wait and get a beefier trans since my chevy 350 will be right on the threshold for max torque for the 200r4, and I dont feel like blowing up the trans. the 350 is a goodwrench 350 with smog heads, edelbrock intake, and 1 5/8 headers (still have to order them) and 600 cfm quadrajet. should make approx 270 hp and 350 ft/lbs of torque w/o accessories.
00 safari high top explorer conversion. "shagfari" 235xxx miles on body. 242k on junkyard Jimmy motor.
94 safari hi-top explorer limited. 132k miles.
95 ASTRO choo choo conv. RIP @115K
97 safari slx "surfin' safari" 145k miles RIP
91 safari shorty Tiara conversion. RIP
86 cadillac fleetwood brougham. 67k. It thinks its a hot rod.
83 lesabre limited. 71k miles
66+68 toronados
66 Riviera

97CargoCrawler
I sleep in my van
Posts: 754
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:50 pm
Location: Near Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by 97CargoCrawler »

Fixed my engine :muhaha: , murdered my transmission #-o .
1997 SAFARI 2WD CARGO
Image
"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." Nikola Tesla

brokenwrench
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:35 pm

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by brokenwrench »

HPbyStan wrote:What no one has mentioned on this thread is that when ABS brakes don't work, they default to NO brakes not back to std brakes. I like ABS when it's working but it's damn scarry when it doesn't. AND I love the part that AFTER they fail, a warning light comes on,,,,,,, maybe.

mmmm, that brake to the floor and ratcheting sound is when all the wheels regulate to the adhesion of the loosest wheel, sadly, that is working.

the rear work together, the front, if one wheel is on ice, and the back only do 20% of the braking, it gets sketchy. an intersection immediately after it starts to rain can be frightening.
User avatar

HPbyStan
I sleep in my van
Posts: 601
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:15 am
Location: Janesville, Wis

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by HPbyStan »

when you step on the pedal and it feels like stepping on a rock and no brake fluid gets to any wheel, that's pretty exciting also.
'04 White AWD Astro cargo
'00 Astro / El Camino
'61 BSA Super Rocket
'71 BSA B50 engine in a '67 C25 250 chassis
Impossible is just a degree of difficulty....

brokenwrench
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:35 pm

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by brokenwrench »

HPbyStan wrote:when you step on the pedal and it feels like stepping on a rock and no brake fluid gets to any wheel, that's pretty exciting also.

then there is that noise, then i instinctly push harder which does not do a thing, and then it does not steer even though it is supposed to with ABS "lock"

brokenwrench
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:35 pm

Re: What did you do to/with your van today? /almost wrecked

Post by brokenwrench »

today my van took a rubber licking and tar beating, I was in New York State, I think, crossed the border and I-90 to Ithica to pick up some automotive tooling from a distress sale. cruised around a finger lake, tasted some wine, added air to my shocks and loaded up my van with tooling at scrap metal prices. driving home I pulled up beside a transport truck, I had seen his forward rear axle oscillating up and down and thought I should flag him down. pulling up even with his overheated flat tire, i like a dumb wit put my window down just at the tire delaminated and and blasted bits everywhere, the noise and stink was impressive, my truck took a left side tar whipping, he swerved right and i headed for the nicely mowed very wide grass pulloff and tested out my new tires and AWD. I thought, WTF!, I'm insured, put the pedal to the metal, tools bits flying all over the inside of my van, boxs of mill cutters dumping, valve grinding stones rolling around like donuts, I cut a huge big curved rut as the truck wanted to go right and i pointed it left, got her back on the highway at a higher speed than when i left it, tires shreaking, mud flying , straightened the whale out and passed the truck and signalled the guy and he pulled off. what a good Samaritan. next time i will not pass on the affected side. hopefully i did not crack any of my new grinding stones, cleanup in a.m.

what a beautiful part of your country (if you are American), hadn't been there since about '93. no evidence of the economic collapse that we have been hearing about in our media, most of which is your media. lots of building going on and overall looking prosperous.

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

Re: What did you do to/with your van today? /almost wrecked

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

brokenwrench wrote:what a beautiful part of your country (if you are American), hadn't been there since about '93. no evidence of the economic collapse that we have been hearing about in our media, most of which is your media. lots of building going on and overall looking prosperous.
Thanks! :muhaha: I am not too far from where you were on I90. I am about 40 minutes north of Syracuse. Even though there appears to be no sign of the economic collapse, there are lots of people feeling the effects. Taxes are up, food prices are way up and fuel (although cheaper than Canada, eh) are still high. Plus add in the lost wages from lost jobs, high energy prices and high home heating prices...we are hurting here. I am VERY lucky to have an awesome good paying job and my wife has a teaching job now. We are doing great but many are not. In the Finger Lakes area where you were, they are still doing very well since we all seem to love alcohol! :muhaha: :partyman:
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy

97CargoCrawler
I sleep in my van
Posts: 754
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:50 pm
Location: Near Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by 97CargoCrawler »

Spent another $300 on synth trans fluid and a massive oil cooler. Gearing up to start my trans swap.
1997 SAFARI 2WD CARGO
Image
"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." Nikola Tesla
Post Reply