Chevy & GMC Vans

Did too many people move on to other vehicles? Only check facebook instead of forums?

Ive been searching for common issues to my van. Found a bunch but far too often people don't report back. So I read thru pages of posted problems, solutions offered and then........ nothing. Am left to assume they fixed their problem and never looked back.

I bought this Astro to last my lifetime. Now that modern medicine fixed me enough to not have a 10 year estimated life span, I gotta keep this old van going.

My plan for my Astro this year, was to hook up the camper and head south for the winter. But did a lot of damage to said camper on a dirt road last fall and need new holding tank and plumping lines and valves. Then is December the van started running rough and starting hard and I still have other projects to do since last June on it.

So, if anyone still visits here, go check out a post I will soon make on engine, running poorly, starting hard.
Thanks, Joe

Heeey Joe, Where you goin with that, gun in your hands !


Oh, Sorry. Distracted there...
Seems that is one really good reason we see a drop in traffic is as you suggested, people come looking for a quick answer to something or even a tuff answer.
And then, More often than not, they get the problem solved but never ever report back what it was etc !! Grrr

Wish I could help ya with your 98 there Joe, bit I'm a Gen 1 guy and those Gen IIs are like mad science to me, lol...
Cheers.
Thanks for dropping by....

I stopped going to almost every forum for a bit. Can't remember the last time I was on a Jeep Liberty site.

Somewhat searching for my next Astro, that I hope to set up primarily for extended traveling.

I go to a few sites on a daily routine & as a rule, they all seem to have slowed a bit. I attribute that to the economy partly, people just don't have the money to do things beyond what must be done. Yes, I do think FB & others are part of the equation.

Well I am off, got important things to do, got 6 gallons of home brew to bottle, later!

Jimmy was my idol for EVER! And I love that song but used divorce instead of a gun...... big mistake shoulda listened to Jimmy.

IF my first Astro was a second Gen, I never would have bought another. Only thing I like on Gen II is the vortec engine that tows better than a G10 or G20 with 350 4 barrel!

Somebody mentioned gallons of beer?!?!

Economy (and snow) has me fishing camping dirtbiking ONLINE instead of in real life.

Good to see a few still here. I really should post my problems , get it fixed and disappear.........

I am still here...once in a while. I sold my last van to skippy a while ago and have slowly been disappearing for a while at a time. Last summer, we were camping so much I didn't log in for almost 2 months. Whats hard is that GM stopped making these vans on May 13, 2005 so there are no new versions to modify. The guys that still seek out the vans are just keeping them on the road and doing the same 'ole mods that have been done a hundred times.

As to riding off into the sunset...you need to sell that low hanging camper of yours and get a higher off-road version! I can still remember the rear drag bars tearing up my yard/driveway when you backed in! That camper is long and low.

LiftedAWDAstro wrote:
As to riding off into the sunset...you need to sell that low hanging camper of yours and get a higher off-road version! I can still remember the rear drag bars tearing up my yard/driveway when you backed in! That camper is long and low.

Yeah I guess buying new wheels and tires at a smaller than stock size did bring a few clearance problems on the camper. I suppose on good thing about ripping up the bottom of the camper..... I need to make new skid bars after the originals got ripped off.

I guess there really are no new issues are there? Just same ole GM stupidity and bunches of codes that really don't tell you what really is wrong. I am now repairing my non-fouler 02 senser repair..... seems after a few years the non foulers rust out.

My bad Joe, after a 2 year vacation it was time to get a real job. It is no problem though, I will pick up my frequency of posts which contain incorrect information, don't worry.

Now onto the important things, about that dirt road, where did you take the camper....where are you planning on taking it? Are we talking "South" like Florida , "South" like Mexico , or "South" like Tierra del fuego ???? The people need answers.

Wiley wrote:Now onto the important things, about that dirt road, where did you take the camper....where are you planning on taking it? Are we talking "South" like Florida , "South" like Mexico , or "South" like Tierra del fuego ???? The people need answers.

The dirt road is in a Wildlife Management Unit in NY in the Tug Hill, Salmon River area. They allow campers for up to a week during deer hunting season , which is also Salmon/Steelhead fishing season. After an annual weekend of fishing I go there to camp for free and continue fishing. SO, the day I am leaving I drive to a lake to kayak in and when turning around at a "T" intersection, I had to go thru a mud puddle the width of the road and too many feet deep. The skid bars sunk into the dirt road allowing the holding tank and plumbing to contact the road. Dumped a full black water tank into said puddle! Oops.

Going south.... my destination is the National park campgrounds in the mountains of western NC. Plan to work/camp there for a few months, half a year. BUT, it is way too cold to be there for cold winter so my trip south would have taken me to Fla to stay warm. Plan to stay on a farm there. Except for visiting a few people there, I have no desire to be in Fla.

BTW, campgrounds in NC National parks are located on streams or rivers that the state stocks with lots of trout! And then there are the wild trout streams in the mountains..... lots of gravel roads, some trails , that will allow for lots of seat time on my street legal dirt bikes!!!!! Camping, fishing, dirt bike riding...... what am I missing? anything?

Honestly, I haven't had any issues with my new van. Freeze plugs, tires, and egr valve aside, it's been solid. The 00 is still chugging along (again hasn't needed a lot of work.) I will be starting a build thread on my 94 when my dad gets the 00 back from the shop (another round of rust repair/ accident damage). 94 is getting all the woodwork refinished (halfway there), some minor rust repair, and a full sound quality competition style stereo system.
My caddy still isn't done (should be driveable this summer.....just replaced the steering box).
I've also got a toronado going into paint in the next couple weeks, and my Riviera needs paint badly (apparently going fast makes it peel)

Yup there's still a couple of us left! Still trying to bring to fruition the dream of lifted, AWD with low range (np236) power to all four corners ( limited slip front and rear). So you can count on me being here til i either finish or lose my mind. So ya welcome to the party pal- it's just not as noisy as it used to be!