Chevy & GMC Vans

Green: Swapped in a Jet Performance thermostat, broke the ground wire that mounts to the thermostat bolt, repaired the oil cooler lines (don't think the radiator side hard lines are supposed to be able to rotate in the crimping), and pulled the radiator to clean the drain.

ihatemybike wrote:... broke the ground wire that mounts to the thermostat bolt...

I've done this. I soldered a new hD lug on mine, but it still worried me.

Oh, Death, you're moving right along on your projects, I'm jelous. I'm skimming drywall and running furnace ducts in my house. Gotta get it done by Christmas.

To stay on topic, I've drove my van, hauled donation stuff, and took trash to the dump. Mundane, but enjoyable.

Installed the winter tires - cleaned the K&N air filter, and ran to the Home Depot to get a washer to fix my air compressor intake filter. Exciting....

Green: Installed the radiator, installed a block heater, jumped it off Grumpy, idling rough, turn off, discover disconnected vacuum hose, jump off Grumpy, checked for leaks, idle till operating temp, turn off, install fan and fan shroud, jump off Grumpy again, let idle for an hour hoping the battery charges.

Tomorrow after work I'm taking it for a cruise.

Green: Blew a freshly installed water pump gasket.

ihatemybike wrote:Green: Swapped in a Jet Performance thermostat, broke the ground wire that mounts to the thermostat bolt, repaired the oil cooler lines (don't think the radiator side hard lines are supposed to be able to rotate in the crimping), and pulled the radiator to clean the drain.

ihatemybike, Could the Jet performance thermostat have had anything to do with it? The blown waterpump gasket that is. Jim

astroturf wrote:

ihatemybike wrote:Green: Swapped in a Jet Performance thermostat, broke the ground wire that mounts to the thermostat bolt, repaired the oil cooler lines (don't think the radiator side hard lines are supposed to be able to rotate in the crimping), and pulled the radiator to clean the drain.

ihatemybike, Could the Jet performance thermostat have had anything to do with it? The blown waterpump gasket that is. Jim

I highly doubt it. This is the first water pump I replaced. My guess is that I did something wrong. Looks like I get to do it again.

finalllllly, turned my 99 back into a passenger van from the cargo it's been concealed as for the last year.. ok ok.. two years

uninstalled the two 2nd row seats cleaned the floor, installed the under pad/carpet, cleaned the carpet, installed the 2nd and 3rd row seats

used one tube of rubber seam sealer to run all the way across the rear of the van (under the plastic trim) to stop the leaking (yes, I took pics)


noticed bad outer edge feathering on the front snow tires I just put on the 93 3 weeks ago

ihatemybike wrote:

astroturf wrote: ihatemybike, Could the Jet performance thermostat have had anything to do with it? The blown waterpump gasket that is. Jim

I highly doubt it. This is the first water pump I replaced. My guess is that I did something wrong. Looks like I get to do it again.

Belt went on with a problem? The tensenor should do everything else for you. As far as I know you cannot install it in reverse pull ... did you buy the right pump? I went with AC Delco but fitted the lightweight pump I forgot who on this board recommended swap to me :p

Took two dogs to the park last night ... now I need to vaccum and clean today ... dogs love the rain, we hate the smell hah ha.

phr1$k37 wrote:Belt went on with a problem? The tensenor should do everything else for you. As far as I know you cannot install it in reverse pull ... did you buy the right pump? I went with AC Delco but fitted the lightweight pump I forgot who on this board recommended swap to me

Wasn't a pump replacement. It developed a gasket leak on the drivers side, so I pulled the pump to replace the gaskets. Thought I did a good job, till I took it for the test drive. Wonder if the high RPMs from trying to get the tranny to jump from the nonexistent 3rd into 4th have anything to do with it. What's the redline on these engines anyway?

oil change, differential gear oil change, new IAC valve, cleaned up the intake some...and oh yeah oil change on three other vehicles.

bought a new fan shroud today, replaced a few vacuum lines, removed the others so i can get new ones tomorrow...re-bent the fuel lines to clear the knock sensor connector, since it's in a different location on '91 s-10 engines...reconnected the coil, dist, map, tp, and temp sensors...

almost got lucky finding a set of no-window rear doors, but when i called the person, he'd crushed the 3 astros he had about a month ago, and one did have those doors...

I changed out the bad unit bearing on the 94 with another used one. The replacement nearly fell out of the donor when I took the bolts out, so I'm thinking it is newer (from a 91 with over 200K). Put the bad one in the donor so it is still mobile.

Death, I've got a 1994 no window cargo that I'm thinking about selling. It's rough, but I think the doors could be salvaged. If you're interested, let me know.

Green yesterday: Installed another set of water pump to black gaskets. Used a torque wrench this time, felt like I was going tighter than what I did last time. Going to put coolant in it after work today.