What did you do to/with your van today?

[ihatemybike]

You can lift photos off any site. Use the print screen button on your keyboard, then paste into your favorite photo editing software, edit out the extra crap, then save.

[d3athm3talh3ad]

Gwendolyn,,the Bowtie idea is great,,,got any pics of that mod ?

larry--unfortunately no...we had done it back in '96-'97 time frame...the pics i did take of it didn't turn out real well, since his truck was a dark forest metallic green (think it was a corvette color) and he'd used flat black over the primer, so it didn't contrast well on the non-digital camera i took pictures with...done a poor man's french taillights between the tailgate and bumper...used the exhaust tips to trace the bowties, cut holes, then put some taillights behind the holes so that the lenses sat flush against the holes...looked real nice, the red of the taillights barely showed in the shadow of the tailgate, but they sure lit up when the lights/brakes were on...

in keeping with the topic, my front shocks came in...still waiting on bolts for the flip...2 came in wed, the other 2 are now slated for monday so my van still looks like a 3 legged dog...

[WVKayaker]

Hauled some firewood for the wood stove today

[peter]

ZZ's been sitting in the garage for the last 2 months. I have to replace the exhaust system (the salted roads here ate up the $1800 system I had installed in '05) and the fuel lines (again from the salt).
I'm tempted to put her and the Tramper up for sale at times, then change my mind. Mostly due to guilt, I've put so much work into them both. But with the economy as it is, I highly doubt I'd be able to get much for either ZZ or the Tramper anyways.
Things at work are tense to say the least, I may have to come up with funds soon to buy out my partner.

Hey, you asked!

[ihatemybike]

ZZ's been sitting in the garage for the last 2 months. I have to replace the exhaust system (the salted roads here ate up the $1800 system I had installed in '05) and the fuel lines (again from the salt).

Did you use stainless?

You know you'll never be able to sell either and live with yourself.

[dunedog]

Plowed more snow!!! Although I'm glad it's snowing,cause that means it's not minus degrees
It never seems to snow when it's 10 or 15 below,......to dry usually.

[potskie]

Installed a new heater core. After disassembling half of the whole vent / dash system I discovered there is an access panel on the bottom for the heater core. OY! Oh well.

[Kabey's Van]

If you ever want to sell ZZ let me know. I'll come and pick it up.
Peter

[97CargoCrawler]

Yesterday I was able to get the van started once it warmed up a bit outside. The fuel pump was definitely struggling, but I was able to get the van off the street and in front of my garage.

Today I wanted to make damn sure the pump is bad and not something else. So I pulled the pump relay and tested it, making sure the coil works (listen for the click) and that the switch inside was making good contact using an ohmeter to check resistance. Relay is good. So I then I put my voltmeter probes into the relay socket of the fuse box and checked for 12v for 2 seconds after igition ON. That was working. So I then pulled the fuel pump/sender unit connector from the harness under the van and clipped my voltmeter to ground and the big gray wire and checked for 12v after ingition ON, that was working. So I then cut two long lengths of wire and connected straight to the battery and jammed the other ends into the ground and gray wire female pin in the connector and tried to power the pump directly. I got nothing! The pump didn't make any noise. I should have checked the current draw, but at that point I was convinced, OK I forgot. Though I will be pissed if I tear everything apart and find it was a loose connector on top of the tank or a severed wire leading to it. In fact, I better go check the current draw or ohm it out.

Anyway, since I won't have funds for the pump for at least another week I figured I'd use that time to cut an access panel in the floor. I just don't need further injury to my back by spending several hours wrenching under the van and I'm just plain lazy. Unless someone else has a better idea, I figured I'd make some rough measurements under the van to get an idea where I can begin to drill a 1/4" peep hole. Once I can see the pump through a peep hole then I can VERY carefully cut a panel out with a rotary tool.

Anyone got a better idea?

[LiftedAWDAstro]

You can't access the pump from an inside hole without dropping the tank first. There is a 1/8" plate sitting on top of the tank covering the pump and hoses. That is unless it was removed from a previous pump replacement. So you may still have to drop the tank to remove the plate.

[97CargoCrawler]

Ahhhhhhh CRAP! Figures, what a PITA! I wouldn't be surprised if it had already been lost, whoever worked on this van before I got it wasn't too good at putting all the bolts back in during assembly. Hmmmm, how big would you say that plate is? I'd be willing to cut a 12"x12" square in the floor. Anyone got a photo of the top of the tank with this plate on it?

Thanks for the heads up. You saved me a lot of holes and at least a day of migraine headaches.

[GEJ]

Here is a pic of the top of the tank of my 1994 LT.Not sure if the later model tanks are different.


I think Dean was talking about a plate that is attached to the body that the tank fits into.





Make sure you pump out as much of the fuel as you can to lighten up the wt of the tank.Consider looking at the brake line that runs threw there for the rear brakes.Might be a good time to replace that section of line if you see any leaks.

[97CargoCrawler]

Luckily it is pretty much empty. In fact at first I thought maybe it was just out of gas. So is that plate bolted to the tank, or welded to the underbody? Oh well, so much for the easy way out. Guess I'll be dropping the tank. I'll take plenty of photos.

Thanks for the reference pic.

[ihatemybike]

Grumpy: Past three days, try to wrestle the front diff and related components out so I'd have something to drive that goes above 35 mph. Still not done, damn stuck bolts and crap. Looks like I'll be running the back roads in Green to work tomorrow.

[GEJ]

Luckily it is pretty much empty. In fact at first I thought maybe it was just out of gas. So is that plate bolted to the tank, or welded to the underbody? Oh well, so much for the easy way out. Guess I'll be dropping the tank. I'll take plenty of photos.

Thanks for the reference pic.

The underbody on my van.If your going to have to splice in rubber hose due rotted out gas lines,make sure you buy fuel injector rubber hose line which is different than the normal fuel line hose to handle the pressure.The four lines are the output line,return line,vent line,and the evaporator line.I ran the fuel injector high pressure rubber hose splice on the output side only where it is really needed and used regular gas hose lines on the rest double clamping it on each line.NAPA turned me onto a hose clamp that tightens all around the hose evenly that works great and not the expandable clamps that tightens only on one side. Make sure you buy Delco only or you will surely be changing it out again shortly.I am learning that the hard way by installing a Airco pump and am thinking I will have to drop the tank again in the snow soon.

In terms of cutting a opening in the floor.I would think you might want to use dzus fastners and some sort of seal.I would guess GM used that plate in case of a tank fire to deflect the flames from coming into the inside of the van.So if you cut that plate,I suggest you flange it's backing to overlap the top of what is still attached to the body plate.I have read about plenty of guys wanting to do this mod,but I don't remember anyone really doing it.If you decide to cut the floor,I am pretty sure it would be a very popular thread and plse do the pics.I do remember someone saying they took a serious look at it and found one of the body supports in the way.(you know the channel type that runs side to side.)

Good luck on your repair.