My best guess is that something in the valve body isn't allowing the clutches to apply full pressure.

Maybe try a TransGo shift kit?

RIP Gary

It stinks of gas. So I got gas. That doesn't mean squat. If the pump isn't pressurizing the fuel enough, the vehicle won't start. I've used pumps that wouldn't start the vehicle any longer to pump out the tank before putting in the new pump. Replace with ACDelco/Delphi pumps only, unless you really...

Plate style is better than tube style. I don't know brands as I usually just pull them at the junk yard and flush them out.

I've replaced a couple water pumps, never replaced the fan clutch.

Boneyards will be the best chance. You might find them on a van that lead an easy life. I pulled fuel lines this way. The other way would be to trim the lines back to good material, flare them, then clamp appropriate heat and pressure rated hose in place of the corroded line. I did this with the tra...

Also, please teach yourself braking via:
engine braking by downshifting
and
shifting into neutral/using the e-brake

No power steering or brakes? That indicates a problem in the power steering / brake hydroboost system. Usually low fluid or bad pump. I replaced all the brake lines on my 1999, bled with the engine running and they were decent. I then went and did some hard braking on gravel to get the ABS to kick i...

Can't say that I'm a fan of the bumper/brush guard design, but it does look like it will get the job done.

Note: It's common for the fuel OEM pumps to last around 100k. I'd swap in a fresh one and call it done for the next 100k miles. Be advised, cheap aftermarket pumps are just that. Cheap and have been know to need replacing in as little as 15k miles.

Words cannot describe how cool I think this is.

My wife and I dream of ditching the house and roaming. I'm gung-ho for a RTW trip, where she seems she'd just be happy tooling around North America.

Fuel in the return line means nothing.

1996 and later vans need 58-64 psi to start and will run in the mid to upper 50s.

I'd swap the filter and if it still has trouble check the fuel psi.

Looks like a nice find

What brand fuel pump did you buy?
Did you replace the fuel filter?
Have you hooked a fuel pressure gauge up to it?
Have you inspected the gear/bushing on the distributor?
What brand cap/rotor did you use?

doyoulikeithere wrote:I would way rather find another 1987, 4.3, 5 speed shorty in really good shape.

Found a Safari
http://missoula.craigslist.org/cto/5464388703.html