What did you do to/with your van today?

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

crash
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1289
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:18 am
Location: Woodstock, Ontario

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

Post by crash »

preparing the 99 for the road trip today. heading about 4hrs north and east, going to a wedding sat, making a wknd out of it at the best western

pulling the gray leather buckets out of the back and putting them in the basement. checking all fluid levels and air pressures, gassing up and loading up the luggage and family... oh, and hooking up my sirius in the 99 for the trip.

also think i'm going to swap the brand new interstate MTP78DT battery from the 93 into the 99 for the trip (just in case) and my tool box (just in case) and grabbing a spare belt & tensioner from work mine has squeaked a couple of times on cool damp mornings (just in case) .. LOL.. i really like to be prepared 8-[
Rob Image

current rides:
04 Mazda 6 V6 5spd

vans owned: Image
97 Astro AWD (selling by summer .. i think) SOLD
99 Astro LS Sept 08 ASV VOM
94 Astro LT
93 Astro LT
96 Astro LT AWD * parts van*

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

I drove 343 miles round trip and got 20.8 mpg. Jim

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

Changed antifreeze, Dex out, Prestone in. No petcock on the radiator )>) . But I got it done.
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 »

drove it
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)

lockdoc
I sleep in my van
Posts: 704
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:50 am
Location: Plymouth Township, PA

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

Post by lockdoc »

Me too!
Current:
01 AWD - Stock
98 AWD - Stock
Past:
93 4WD - 305 V8 - 5" lift - 31" tires
98 4WD DHC - 10" lift - 33" tires - Onboard air and Hydraulics - Snowplow
92 RWD - 350 V8 - lowered - 97 front clip
92 RWD - 350 V8 - converted to AWD - V6
91 AWD - 350 V8 - conversion van
94 RWD - 350 V8 - sons van
92 RWD - stock - sons van
93 RWD Shorty - project
89 RWD Shorty - parts van
User avatar

crash
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1289
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:18 am
Location: Woodstock, Ontario

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

Post by crash »

made it home safe and sound. didn't track mileage, hmm.. maybe i should have? i think i saved my gas receipt and i haven't filled it back up yet.
edit: ended up around 19mpg (not sure if that's good or bad lol)

drove very well except for the fact that it seemed to struggle at times, even with the AC off, I'd have to accelerate slowly and smoothly, any harder and it seemed to really struggle with power. even way worst when i turned on the AC. with the AC on when i stopped at traffic lights it felt like the rpms dropped so much that it was going to die, it'd shudder once and the rpm's would smooth out. one thing i will say; with any amount of weight in the back (luggage & two 18 yr olds) the ass end really squats down. pretty bad considering it's got the steel leafs.

gave it a well deserved wash last night to get all the bug guts off.
Last edited by crash on Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
Rob Image

current rides:
04 Mazda 6 V6 5spd

vans owned: Image
97 Astro AWD (selling by summer .. i think) SOLD
99 Astro LS Sept 08 ASV VOM
94 Astro LT
93 Astro LT
96 Astro LT AWD * parts van*

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

Yesterday...
After doing a tuneup last weekend, she seemed a little rough. So I pulled plugs and checked the gap. Had to regap them, all over .060, thanks GM. I also washed her down for a long winters nap, won't do that again until next spring. She is looking good. Took her for a test drive of about 90 miles and got 20.6 mpg, wish I could get more. Life is Good. Jim

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

Changed my assy belt. Jim

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

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

Post by ihatemybike »

Ordered some Raybestos Pro Grade rotors from www.RockAuto.com, $26 each.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
User avatar

Rileysowner
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 1290
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 7:14 pm
Location: Exeter ON
Contact:

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

Post by Rileysowner »

Drilled hole in firewall and re-ran the brake controller wires through it. Fixed a leak in the vacuum line so I now have the blower blowing where I want it to blow. Pretty much a whole new line on this one as the little piece that was left was just going to brake again.
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat

http://rileysowner.blogspot.com/

Moreforles
I sleep in my van
Posts: 354
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:35 am
Location: Cleveland, Ohio

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

Post by Moreforles »

ihatemybike wrote:Just a place for quick little posts.

Green
Had fun, yes fun, driving for several hours in Chciagoland's snow..
snow...... better you than me, not looking forward to it this year.... hopefully last winter in Cleveland....
2000 Astro, passenger van. Converted into a cargo van, used for Carpet cleaning (10 lbs of crap, in a 5 lb bag)

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

2 cans of seafoam, 1 in the tank, 2nd in the intake at AutoZone. Shoulda seen the smoke, ha ha. I also applied aquapel to my windshield, and replaced my wiper blades. Doing headlight bulbs under a separate topic (with pics) stay tuned. Jim
User avatar

Rileysowner
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 1290
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 7:14 pm
Location: Exeter ON
Contact:

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

Post by Rileysowner »

Finished doing the rewiring for the brake controller.
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat

http://rileysowner.blogspot.com/

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

Replaced my left headlight bulb this morning. Tried some pix last night, Boy does my camera suck. Couldn't get by the shop to have them aimed today, was running late. Guess that will be tomorrows post. Jim
User avatar

Rileysowner
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 1290
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 7:14 pm
Location: Exeter ON
Contact:

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

Post by Rileysowner »

Nothing, but I thought of putting in an aux trans cooler. Then I thought, "What am I thinking, I am sick why would I work on the van?!?"
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat

http://rileysowner.blogspot.com/
Post Reply