Chevy & GMC Vans

My Ole Yellar 1985 Astro van has been one of the best buys I have ever made.It have proven time and again it is tough as nails.But it does have some recent issues.Today I think the smog pump temporarily seized.All along I thought the alt was going out because of a dimly lite alt light on the dash that I have been putting off.Very odd because it started and run like that for sometime now.So today I was going to pull into the Lowes parking lot and the alt,smog,ware pump belt started to squeal like mad and burn.It was having a hard time idling and had a miss to it.So I managed to get it parked and went into work.Later I went out during lunch and found the Alt would turn easily.The belt was still squealing and it still would idle.It would stall out.It struck me then that smog pumps do lock up.Is that because of a carbon build-up in them??.Well I left work early and it was dark outside so I could see the smog pump.I drove home(about 5 miles) and by the time I got home all was back to the way it was before,idled ok,alt light still on etc.

So here is what the problem I have.I really do want to continue to drive Ole Yellar because my 1994 LT van is in need of some repairs.(yeah that is a whole another thread later)
But I really don't want to spend a lot on this set-up that is on Ole Yellar because as a example the smog pump that is on the 4.3 will not be re-used on my V8 conversion. ](*,) ](*,) The alt I could get rebuilt for the 4.3 for about $45 to $65 dollars,but it is a V-belt and the one I have to the V8 is a serpentine belt drive.I am not sure if a Alt for a V8 would interchange given changing the pulleys or not.It is from a 1995 chevy truck.

So here is the questions:

Can I take off the smog pump and clean it someway??.Is it the bearings that go on them normally or is a build up of carbon??.

Will the alt's interchange 4.3 to 1995 V8 alt if I swap the pulleys??.

I know that I will have to buy a v belt for it either way.It is pretty fried.

Thanks guys,

Gary

If the electrical connector will plug in, it should work fine.

Ok I was wrong.I looked at it today and there are separate drive belts for the alt and the A.I.R.(smog)pump.The A.I.R. pump is seized tight and the belt for it melted in haft.The belts are right next to each other and in the dark last night seemed it was the alt belt was burning.

Does anyone know the effect of driving the van without the smog pump running??.What seizes up on them??.

The 4.3 has suffered with a rear main leak that I have just kept add oil to it.

I am temped to just hang up the keys to Ole Yellar for now and pull the plates,insurance, to do what I bought the van for which is the restoration/V8 swap.I would have to spend some money on the 1994 LT to make it legal again to drive that.Sure seems like a better plan............... :-k

Anyone got any input???.

1Gary wrote:Ok I was wrong.I looked at it today and there are separate drive belts for the alt and the A.I.R.(smog)pump.The A.I.R. pump is seized tight and the belt for it melted in haft.The belts are right next to each other and in the dark last night seemed it was the alt belt was burning.

Does anyone know the effect of driving the van without the smog pump running??.What seizes up on them??.

The 4.3 has suffered with a rear main leak that I have just kept add oil to it.

I am temped to just hang up the keys to Ole Yellar for now and pull the plates,insurance, to do what I bought the van for which is the restoration/V8 swap.I would have to spend some money on the 1994 LT to make it legal again to drive that.Sure seems like a better plan............... :-k

Anyone got any input???.

Good plan. Let the swapping begin. I'll race you with my 4x4 v8 swap, loser sends the winner a case of beer of his choice. You've already got the advantage, my stuff is stuck ankle deep in mud/snow right now.
On another note, if you're gonna run without the a.i.r. pump, you could plug the cat so yank it and you should be OK, IMHO. Others may think differently, that's OK.

Well that is what it is looking like the plan is going to shape up to be.Hang up Ole Yellar's keys until the swap is done and use the LT for a daily driver.Man this has been a long,long,time coming.

It used to be very common to take the belt off the air pump as it takes 10hp to turn it. I don't think you should have any problems without the belt. If you do start to clog the cat just take the pipe apart after the cat and smash a peice of pipe though the middle of it then fire up the van and run open pipe for a minute to blow all the crap out and bolt it back up. There is no sense in putting money into a bunch of part you will be chucking out when you finally throw the V8 in.

I would keep driving the old alt untill it dies I would be worried about possibly damaging the bearings when you are trying to push the new pulley back on if you swap them. Worst case go buy a rebuilt alt from the wreckers for $40 to get you through till you do the swap then put it up on Ebay or craigslist and get some of your money back.

Hey Gary,
"If I could park my Stro", I would have the motor and tranny out of it so fast... Parking it, has always been the biggest stumbling block for me.
Parking something you get so much good use out of, is a tough decision to make.
Good luck with the swap.
Peter

Kabey's Van wrote:Hey Gary,
"If I could park my Stro", I would have the motor and tranny out of it so fast... Parking it, has always been the biggest stumbling block for me.
Parking something you get so much good use out of, is a tough decision to make.
Good luck with the swap.
Peter

Peter,
Parking it is just scarily because that means I am down to one daily driver.But that is the thinking that I am going to do.Spend money on the 94 LT so I feel more comfortable with this decision.As I said in a PM recently,these past two yrs haven't been very kind to me.Getting older my physical mobility isn't getting any better.Seems it's now if ever and I am not going to back down on my intent for Ole Yellar.Humm-two yrs.........where did the time go?? :-k .I am very sure once I start the work on Ole Yellar,it's going to be one of the happiest times I have had in a long,long,time .Just got to finish the interior of the vendor trailer first.But to stop driving Ole Yellar before that.Yepper-it's time to hang up the keys on it and take off the plates.End of week I am looking to get the LT road worthy again.

You've got the head start, let's get'em done and motor!!

I hope you're as excited as I am!

rlsllc wrote:

You've got the head start, let's get'em done and motor!!

I hope you're as excited as I am!

Roy I am.First to get back to drive the 94 LT which I consider my comfort ride.The features of the LT set in part the gold standard of what I want the Ole Yellar's cab to have with cruise control,working A/C,quiet,good stereo,you know the solid sound when you close the doors,comfortable seats.