Chevy & GMC Vans

Rotated tires. Found out why the front right corner vibrates while driving ... the wheel is totally loose! CV joint probably disintegrated.

Front brakes are about half a millimeter from the squeelers.

Forecast calls for solid crappy weather, and I'm tired of hunting for parts, so I'm taking the van to a reliable mechanic I know to look at the front end. Gonna have him do everything while he's under there: CV joint, drag link, idlers are on their way out, and the speed sensor is causing my van to want to run into things. Who knows maybe hub bearings too. It'll probably need an alignment after it all. Good thing I've been saving up some money.

Checked on the rear diff I did last weekend, and it's still dripping pretty bad. Retorqued housing bolts down to 30 ft-lbs.

Tomorrow I meet the guy from Craigslist selling wheels.

drove it (the 87) 458 miles from OK to Houston

I replaced the fuel filter!

Changed oil (found trace amounts of coolant in it) wanted to do fuel filter but didn't pan out, lubed chassis
oh yeah passed 333000km on test drive

Spent the past several days wrenching on both vans.

Green
Received speed bleeders in the front and a coolant flush.

Grumpy
Received a coolant flush that took forever to run clear. After the coolant came the front axle shaft seals. Taking the front apart resulted in the breaking of both sway bar links. Discovered that I don't need to remove the CVs from the wheel hubs to swap the seals.

Since the sway bar was loose and I was already getting new links, might as well replace the sway bar bushing that are falling apart. Have to drop the idler arms to get the bushings out, that broke one of my 3/8" ratchet wrenches.

With the brakes apart, decided to go over them too. Had the rotors turned, bought new pads, and speed bleeders. That should all be installed today.

Also, since the tie rods were disconnected and the van needs an alignment I grabbed the tie rod ends that I had bought to put on my 2000, but never had a chance before the van was totaled.

Popping the passenger side upper ball joint tore the boot, so I cleaned it up with brake cleaner and put a thick coat of RTV and leaving it to dry last night. Hopefully that will hold the grease well enough till I feel like replacing the ball joints with the new ones I bought for my 2000.

After work the plan is to finish putting the suspension and brakes together, and hopefully tackle the replacement of the 3-4 shift solenoid and install a trans drain plug.

Tomorrow should be alignment and possibly running to my bro's to grab some more off the parts van.

Oops, forgot to add that I replaced Grumpy's leaky heater core.

ihatemybike wrote:Green
Received speed bleeders in the front and a coolant flush.

Aaron, what are these speed bleeders you speak of

Speed bleeders are brake bleeders with a check ball valve built in allowing the one way movement of air and fluid.

ihatemybike wrote:Speed bleeders are brake bleeders with a check ball valve built in allowing the one way movement of air and fluid.

Thanks for the explanation

Grumpy
Front end is back together, aside from the diff fluid. Discovered that if the body bolts for the idler arms are removed that one should go ahead and disconnect the other side too. The body bolts are nigh impossible to reinstall without doing so, yet super easy when done.

Trans is drained, pan to be pulled and 3-4 solenoid to be replaced today.

Hopefully get everything done in time to run over to Firestone for the lifetime alignment.

new fuel pump in the 87, need to replace the filter as well but the parts house sold me the wrong one.

Moved my maglight flashlight from the 4runner to the van. You would think there are places all over to mount it...but alas the padding is quite thick so I mounted it right on the dog house. After I figured out that two of the heater ducts run through the floor.

pics or it didn`t happen

I will. Once I get the fire extinguisher in, I will post both.

Do I have to take the picture of the hole in the heater pipe?

Meterpig wrote:Do I have to take the picture of the hole in the heater pipe?

duhh
:P