What did you do to/with your van today?

General Discussion
( Please do not post help questions here )

Rebel
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2009
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:24 am
Location: Evergreen, Al. 96 mile marker, where life is slow and there are no rules.

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

Post by Rebel »

Installed my 3rd battery in 3 years yesterday,,dead cell AGAIN. What the H is going on ? Sure glad they were in warrenty and no charge. I keep thinking I have other electrical issues and seems to always come back to the battery. Of course each time I say surely not,,can't be the battery again.
89 Astro, 350 V-8, Shaved doors, Filled Slider, Corvette IRS, 94 Mustang GT Rack & Pinion(Thanks to Skip), Cad Tail lights from SoCalliV8 ( RIP) Miss you my friend.

VIDEO

Image





If you drive illegally, they take your driver's license. If you're here illegally, they want to give you one :)












Image





If guns kill people, do pencils misspell words

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

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

Post by ihatemybike »

Green: Pulled the engine cover to look for what was setting P0171 & P0174 codes. I assumed that it would be a vacuum leak due to me messing with the crankcase ventilation when I was trying to Seafoam a little while back. Turns out that the PCV Valve had slipped out of the valve cover.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

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

Post by ihatemybike »

Grumpy: Loaded it up with tools and belated Christmas presents and went to visit my brother and family.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86

phr1$k37
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 1035
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:40 pm

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

Post by phr1$k37 »

reaper wrote:I spent 3 hours diggin out steph's van.
We were stuck 3 houses down from where my family lives.
We never made it there,so I dug it out & we went home.
The big secret to how we got the "all season" tire astro out is
cowpie shavings.Luckily there was a horse/cow field next to us,so I snuck some
poop/shavings & layed it down & the greasy goo got us out.

Was this stuck right before the left-hand bend turn? Trying to picture where Steph was stuck ... hah hah ... poop/shavings to the rescue!!
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"

phr1$k37
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 1035
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:40 pm

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

Post by phr1$k37 »

Rebel wrote:Installed my 3rd battery in 3 years yesterday,,dead cell AGAIN. What the H is going on ? Sure glad they were in warrenty and no charge. I keep thinking I have other electrical issues and seems to always come back to the battery. Of course each time I say surely not,,can't be the battery again.

Wow that is rough! I am using Canadian Tire Eliminator .. the largest one they have .. and though it does die every so often they have a long warranty. And to give credit where due I have drained the battery many times ^__^ Twice this winter where I had to leave booster cables on for about a good 5-10 minutes before I could have a half-decent crank hah ha.
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"

phr1$k37
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 1035
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:40 pm

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

Post by phr1$k37 »


Well I do not have anything special today to write about as it is a work day ... but how about I write about the weekend and include some photos and videos because TTIWWP!!!

We had quite the bit of snow here this past holiday. Enough to make me jump with joy and be happy playing around in the snow.
Image
GF's place where snow had been plowed but fresh snow dropped again.

But I am also quite sore from pushing and pulling people out - I have a soft spot for helping people out. HOWEVER mid way through the snow fall I made myself be bias and not help any "non-thinkers" (you can substitute a less tamer term for people who drive "sports cars" lowered and with performance tires. They deserve to be left STUCK. But helpful vehicles like the following no way:
Image
All those people where trying to push the Handy-Dart out but could not ... I jumped in to drive the vehicle by rocking it but couldnt get her out so Princess did the job and we towed him out :)

Everyday when we had the snow I would help 5+ vehicles ... rough? One time at my GF's place they have a gated entrance ... 3 vehicles stuck at once and then the vehicle on the road trying to back away to just park somewhere got stuck and held up main-street traffic. A few goodmen came to help me dig and push them all free (sorry no pictures here I was busy helping).

That same night we catch this accident :p
Image

Later that night I went to surprise my GF with an outdoor movie ^__^ but along the way I got stuck twice ... but Princess pulled through getting us out no problem (all the while my GF was blind-folded haha):
Image
That is the smaller crate I dug with the wheels ... I dont know where the bigger crate photo went.

Parking at church was fine after it was shoveled (See youtube link) ... I did enter later and it was VERY slow moving and having no other 4x4 around to pull me out I did not venture far.

Though this is not directly related to our trucks, the beer did have to be picked up and in Princess we went to get about 6 boxes of 8-12s:
Image
Image

Got home from that party and found this vehicle parked in my plowed spot STILL at 3:30AM ... so I boxed them in and watched them wait in the vehicle ... till I woke up mid-morning :p
Image

Drove out to Langley to TWU from Richmond to drop off GF's brother for school and while we were at it tried to fly a kite in the snow storm hahaha:
Image
Sorry video of kite did not turn out well (it didnt record) so the photo will have to due.

Princess likes going through snow and puddles ... check her out on my youtube ...

Good Day All!


97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

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

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

Looks like you had some fun Frisket! Doesn't your city have any snowplows? Around here the roads never get that deep. Parking lots are a different story though. How much snow did you end up getting?
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
User avatar

potskie
I sleep in my van
I sleep in my van
Posts: 769
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:13 am
Location: Waterloo, ON

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

Post by potskie »

his city probably plows like the one I live in. The keep the main roads and bus route shallow everything else can wait till the storm is over. At which point it can take upto 2 days before they get em all plowed.
Image 98 Safari RWD. Stock.
Do you smell what Barack is cookin ?!?!
User avatar

9dawgs
I sleep in my van
I sleep in my van
Posts: 278
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:27 pm
Location: Tampa, FL on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico
Contact:

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

Post by 9dawgs »

Drove to work and back... :yikes:

Pulled a utility trailer loaded with yard waste to the dump \:D/

Hauled my youngest daughter's old bicycle to give to a friend for his daughter. :)
Jim<><

'99 Astro 4X2, (RIP) 4" Overland Lift, 31X10.50/15 BF Goodrich AT T/A KO,
Rancho RS5000 shocks, Rockford Fosgate RFX9000, Red Top Optima, K&N Filter
Image

'98 Astro 4X2 (SOLD)

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

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

Post by ihatemybike »

Green: Laid done in the fresh snow, slid under it and tried to disconnect the wiring harness from the trans. Couldn't get them to budge. Pulled it into the garage in hopes that being slightly warmer will help later.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
User avatar

mdmead
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:45 pm
Location: Selah, WA
Contact:

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

Post by mdmead »

ihatemybike wrote:Green: Laid done in the fresh snow, slid under it and tried to disconnect the wiring harness from the trans. Couldn't get them to budge. Pulled it into the garage in hopes that being slightly warmer will help later.
If this is the harness on the TCM, it is glued or something. Petey knows as he clued me (after I broke mine getting it apart!)
Matt
Selah, WA
-96 GMC Safari AWD Hi-Top Conversion -->Stalled 5.3L swap & 5" lift
-74 Ford Bronco -->Far from perfect but mine!
-99 V-10 Ford Super Duty Super Cab 4x4 -->Stock with 285 Cooper ATs
-00 Ford Focus Wagon -->The Red Turd
-95 Ford 24' Class C Motorhome -->My big block sleeper
-07 Can-Am Outlander XT -->My yellow 4x4 quad for work & play
-04 Ski Doo REV Summit -->Still several chassis behind!


No new projects until the current ones are done!

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

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

Post by ihatemybike »

mdmead wrote:If this is the harness on the TCM, it is glued or something. Petey knows as he clued me (after I broke mine getting it apart!)
Whatever the two connections on the drivers side of the van are. Why the hell would they glue it?
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86

1996astro
I get chills without my van.
I get chills without my van.
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:12 pm

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

Post by 1996astro »

yes they are what you could call glued in! What a Pain. GM used some type of sealant and over time it glues together the connectors from the heat of the trans. Best way to remove them I have found is to use a mini torch or torch lighter to carefully heat up the connectors and use a small screw driver to work them off. I beleive there is a TSB about replacing those connectors when they are found that way. I have disconnected a few of them now and the heat method does work nicely. Also heat them up when you put them back in and move quickly to get the connector seated before it sticks.
Brandon
Bay City, MI

1997 Astro LT 4x4 48,000 Miles,
Custom Lift: 3" body spacers, torsion keys,
4" leaf spring relocation mounts (by ME),
added a leaf spring from a 94 S10 blazer.
All this gives me 5-6 inches of lift.
General Grabber AT2 31X10.50R15
Custom fit Brush guard
Western 7' 6" plow pictures coming soon...
Image
1997 Buick Century 198,000 miles

phr1$k37
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 1035
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:40 pm

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

Post by phr1$k37 »


Use a heatgun ... that is what I did when I thought I had issues in that location a few summers ago. Enough heat to get it off but not enough to fry :D
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

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

Post by ihatemybike »

Anyone think a hair dryer will work? Don't have any of the others.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
Post Reply