What did you do to/with your van today?

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justice
I sleep in my van
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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 »

arrrg....wife comes in and says the 92 is doing the same thing the 87 did. So i check the battery with the volt meter, plenty of power. The battery post is kinda munged up and seems a little loose. Easy fix. Pull it apart, clean the terminals and put it back together. its worse then before. take it apart again check everything, put it back together, still nothing. try to tighten the terminal some more and sssssssss....pos terminal on battery is stripped. #-o

off to the parts house for a new battery, new battery post and a wire brush. get back home, put it all back together and.....






















it works of course....lol

just another $100 i didn't wanna spend right now.
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)

wkastro
I get chills without my van.
Posts: 69
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:12 pm
Location: Brighton. Michigan

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

Post by wkastro »

Installed new left front wheel speed sensor. Used Genuine GM part this time, not eBay crap, and did the field output check - easy to get 350 mV AC. ABS now works again. Dissected original sensor, broken conductor near connector end.
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kings-x59
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Location: Cypress, Tx

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

Post by kings-x59 »

justice wrote:tried to sell it (the 95)
it must look too good. Mine looks like a pos that is never driven. I've had two guys knock on my door wanting to buy it.
my response is..."no dude, I drive that every day"...the nerve of some people. :muhaha:
'89 Astro, 4.3L, TBI. Minor intake and exhaust mods. Rebuilt 700R4 trans (by me). Corvette servo, 0.5" boost valve, police grade 1-2 accumulator spring (shifts fast and solid). B&M stacked plate trans cooler. Bilstein shocks. Belltech sway bars front and back. New head unit, speakers and subwoofer. Needs paint and a new headliner.

name's Steve
I can't remember all I've forgotten about that....

Lumpy
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 149
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:52 pm

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

Post by Lumpy »

Installed a trans temp gauge... =D>

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 »

justice wrote:arrrg....wife comes in and says the 92 is doing the same thing the 87 did. So i check the battery with the volt meter, plenty of power. The battery post is kinda munged up and seems a little loose. Easy fix. Pull it apart, clean the terminals and put it back together. its worse then before. take it apart again check everything, put it back together, still nothing. try to tighten the terminal some more and sssssssss....pos terminal on battery is stripped. #-o

off to the parts house for a new battery, new battery post and a wire brush. get back home, put it all back together and.....

it works of course....lol

just another $100 i didn't wanna spend right now.
If it hadn't worked, I would have said replace the wire it self, sometimes they get corroded on the inside, had a full sized van do that to me once... new battery, new alternator, new terminals.... and then replaced the wire and everything worked fine.... all the other stuff was over kill (although the battery was about 6 years old.... so it was about time for a new one anyway)

but glad to hear you figured it out. :yikes: nothing worse than a vehicle that doesn't want to run right
2000 Astro, passenger van. Converted into a cargo van, used for Carpet cleaning (10 lbs of crap, in a 5 lb bag)

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 »

put the spring helpers I took off the 96 onto the 2000.
2000 Astro, passenger van. Converted into a cargo van, used for Carpet cleaning (10 lbs of crap, in a 5 lb bag)

Lumpy
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 149
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:52 pm

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

Post by Lumpy »

JB Welded my transmission dip stick back together. It broke at the
existing weld, which is right where the handle joins the main
part of the stick.

Nor sure if it's normally welded. Seems like that might have
been done by some prev owner.

We'll see how the mighty JB goo holds.


Lump
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reaper
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Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:51 pm
Location: VANcouver

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

Post by reaper »

Took out the USELESS GM Delco plugs
& put in NGK's.
Van is no longer a boat anchor.
90 Astro Cargo V-8
90 Artro RS - V-8 Now running!
& a bunch of tractors
"there's nothing like a V-8 Polluting the Environment"
Image
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crash
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by crash »

loaded up a bunch of tools, a floor jack along with a set of 4 steel rims and tires and headed the hour to my mothers place to try and repair her washing machine and check out a random hard start issue on her 90 new yorker (turns over 5 times instead of the standard 2)

I realized how badly i need to install front shocks and install air shocks in the rear

just look at this thing. one aluminum floor jack a few tools and one set of 4 14" wheels & tires, a battery and an alternator .... it just ain't right and shouldn't be sagging in the rear end like this, or is it just me? God forbid I actually consider making use of the hitch and attempt to tow something.. imagine it then? :yikes:

Image

good news: i fixed the washing machine :D
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*

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 »

crash wrote:loaded up a bunch of tools, a floor jack along with a set of 4 steel rims and tires and headed the hour to my mothers place to try and repair her washing machine and check out a random hard start issue on her 90 new yorker (turns over 5 times instead of the standard 2)

I realized how badly i need to install front shocks and install air shocks in the rear

just look at this thing. one aluminum floor jack a few tools and one set of 4 14" wheels & tires, a battery and an alternator .... it just ain't right and shouldn't be sagging in the rear end like this, or is it just me? God forbid I actually consider making use of the hitch and attempt to tow something.. imagine it then? :yikes:

Image

good news: i fixed the washing machine :D
Mine had a similar dip in the back, but that was with around 700+ lbs of carpet cleaning equipment, a set of sping helpers picked up the back. I added a helper spring to the rear of both leaf spring, and can add another set to the front if needed. I believe the set was around $70

Your other options are add another leaf or swap out rearend with that of blazer with a little stronger springs, or air shocks or air bags or combination of the the three
2000 Astro, passenger van. Converted into a cargo van, used for Carpet cleaning (10 lbs of crap, in a 5 lb bag)
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reaper
I sleep in my van
Posts: 381
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:51 pm
Location: VANcouver

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

Post by reaper »

Rob,
Kevin's 99 was an ass dragger too.
We cured it with a airbag kit with onboard air. :cheers:
90 Astro Cargo V-8
90 Artro RS - V-8 Now running!
& a bunch of tractors
"there's nothing like a V-8 Polluting the Environment"
Image

Lumpy
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 149
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:52 pm

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

Post by Lumpy »

Took a trip to the local pull-a-part. Found a trans dipstick
to replace my broken one (the JB weld wouldn't stay
on the broken dipstick).

Didn't find any Astro "wagon wheels". Still looking for just ONE
if anyone has one. Just a single, stock wheel, for use as a
full sized spare. Rubber doesn't matter, I'll replace that.


Lumpy
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kings-x59
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by kings-x59 »

Lumpy wrote:Took a trip to the local pull-a-part. Found a trans dipstick
to replace my broken one (the JB weld wouldn't stay
on the broken dipstick).

Didn't find any Astro "wagon wheels". Still looking for just ONE
if anyone has one. Just a single, stock wheel, for use as a
full sized spare. Rubber doesn't matter, I'll replace that.


Lumpy
I got a cheap $40 chrome steel mag at discount tire for a full size spare...looks pretty bad when I have to use it, but it gets the job done.
'89 Astro, 4.3L, TBI. Minor intake and exhaust mods. Rebuilt 700R4 trans (by me). Corvette servo, 0.5" boost valve, police grade 1-2 accumulator spring (shifts fast and solid). B&M stacked plate trans cooler. Bilstein shocks. Belltech sway bars front and back. New head unit, speakers and subwoofer. Needs paint and a new headliner.

name's Steve
I can't remember all I've forgotten about that....

Kidhauler
I sleep in my van
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Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:46 pm
Location: Vancouver B.C.

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

Post by Kidhauler »

I don't have enough good things to say about my airbag kit. AIRLIFT is the company that makes them you can find them on line. the bags bolt to the frame (drilling required) and then sit on a mount on the top of the leafspring. We mounted the onboard air compressor on the drivers side kind of above and behind the rear tire behind the body panel. The switch and gauge we mounted on the right side of the steering wheel down low.

They will take a 2000lbs load. Now keep in mind it is not supposed to add to your gvw just level the van out when your carrying a load.
1999 Safari Touring edition.
trailer tow pack with a 3:73 posi
Bucket bench seats, Rear heat, Rear Airconditioning.
teal green
300 000 kms
AirRide air bags in the rear to fix soft stock suspension.
Onboard aircompressor to make it all work nice.
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crash
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by crash »

thanks for the input guys. i'm at the $100 price point as opposed to the $500 price point 8-[

yesterday: emptied the back of the van and pulled up the carpet to let it dry .. again.. after our heavy rains the last week
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*
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