Chevy & GMC Vans

Last friday I pulled the fold-down bench seat out of a Cash-4-Clunkers 92 shorty.
Got it for $35 and and the gray is a close match for my interior.

Today I yanked out the fold-out bed I built and bolted it in. It's in roughly the same spot as the stock rear bench.
The interior panels on my 2K must be thicker than the older body style because it's a bit of a tight squeeze.
This seat has rails that bolt to the floor and the seat locks into the rails. Pull up 2 tabs and the seat pops loose.
I can still pull it out to haul stuff!
Next I'll build a small platform behind the seat and a new table to finish out the bed and I'll have a far more usable camper.

Been too lazy to post my van work lately, so let's get caught up.

Wed, Jan 13th
Green: Hooked up the trans electrics and cooler lines. Install the starter, broke the starter connector for the positive battery to starter wire off, removed that wiring harness. Discovered that the connector for the lower oil cooler line is fubar.

Thus, Jan 14th
Stopped by the stealer to see if they have the connector to install on the end of the wire, nope. They will sell me a replacement for $158 after tax. Eh, no. Resolved to go to the junkyard on Saturday.

Sat, Jan 16th
Get to the junkyard an hour before closing and was able to find the wiring and cooler lines I need. Thanks to all the snow and ice, I was unable to find the normal jack laying around to get under the vans to remove them.

Sun, Jan 17th
Return to the junkyard, just after opening this time and armed with Grumpy's jack. I love how easily this wiring harness can be removed on Astros, super pain in then butt on my wife's Jeep. Van that I pulled the wiring harness off of has a really clean starter and front shocks. Considered grabbing them, but passed. Almost had the oil cooler lines out of another van, but I slipped and bent the lower line. Wiring harness cost me all of $7.

Green: While installing the wiring harness, I manage to break the mounting bolt off the starter. Luckily I had the starter from 25% Off readily available, so it was swapped in. Temporarily remove oil cooler lines, installed the drive shaft, and filled the fluids. Starter's solenoid isn't working great, but it's enough to get Green started. First cruise is great. Trans is working in all gears again. The 1-2 shift hits hard like I was told it would. Break for supper. Second cruise brings a low voltage issue. Look like the oil leak hit the alternator more than I thought, yes it was that messy.

Mon, Jan 18th
Back to the junkyard, grabbed the previously seen clean starter and shocks, unable to find an alternator. Stopped by the auto parts store to pick up some CRC electronics cleaner, hoping that will save the alternator.

Rest of the day I was distracted by a lost Husky and trying to find its owner, ended up having animal control come to pick it up. Dog had a chip and the owner has a history of dogs escaping.

Green: Pulled the alternator, cleaned it, took it to be tested, dead. Grabbed one from the junkyard, took it to be tested, weak.

Grumpy: Installed the newsed front shocks. Ride is so much better now.

Drove my 98 for the first time in a long time. GF was saying the steering felt funny. Feels more than "funny" feels like bad alignment, probably an unbalanced wheel and a barely connected tie rod. Going to give it a good once over soon as I get it to my shop.

Remembered why I love that van as I had it sideways down my street. Mind you it's got nothing on the 5.4 Triton in the new 2010 F150 the company bought me last week tho. Still a friggen fun and bullet proof van. I took note of the bullet proofness as I added 3 litres of oil and 5 litres of transmission fluid

Also noted a leak in the cooler lines.

On a side note the new 09 and up fords have sealed unit transmissions..... I spent a half hour looking for the dip stick before reading about this in the manual.

Green: Obtained a good alternator and installed it, then swapped out the starter. Less than two hours and the van works great.

Green: Wandered the two lane blacktops of northern Illinois, just cause I could.

Green: Check the ScanGauge and wonder how long it's going to take for the computer to read ready.

Over the past thousand miles. I have averaged 20.167 mpg.

Saturday
Green: Found the GM driving cycle online, then went out and performed it. Now ready for emissions.

Sunday
Grumpy: No start. Humid day, maybe cap and rotor failure.

drove to work noticed it was missing under light throttle it rained all last night and was damp and foggy out this morning. last time this happened my ignition coil failed cap,rotor, plugs and wires were done march 09 going to clean MAF just because it's never been done

Drove to a buddy's to pick up some tractor parts.
Washed it & found a rear door seal leak,fixed it.

w00t w00t w00t, Just drove 185 miles round trip to Va Beach. A new personal best mpg of 22.5

Watched my van turn over 400,000 km original engine, 200,000km on rebuilt tranny

astrozam wrote:Watched my van turn over 400,000 km original engine, 200,000km on rebuilt tranny

That's alot of miles. Congrats.