73-87 Chevy Trucks's topics - tribe.net

Speedometer Question

2008-03-09T01:56:18Z

Okay, I know that technically I'm cheating a little here, as my Sub is a 1990, but I'm hoping that some of you may have enough overlap to help me out on this...

I have an "electronic" speedo, which uses a tone ring instead of a gear in the tranny tailhousing. Lately, the needle has been wandering at times, over a 30 - 40 mph range. After a while it settles back down, but in the meantime I'm SOL if I want to make sure I'm under the limit in residential neighborhoods, etc. Has anyone had any experience with these? Any suggestions where to start looking for the problem?

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

parting out astro van

2008-03-01T17:48:33Z

1989 astro, good 4.3 litre v6, good tranny TH700R4 good rear end, front end wrecked.

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

looking for 78 interior

2008-01-10T22:55:26Z

cheap dash pad door panels and links to get custom dash peices

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

6.2 a ggod motor?

2007-05-04T23:51:49Z

It seems I hear conflicting things about the 6.2 Diesel. Is it a good, reliable motor or not? Is it prone to crank breakage? If I'm looking at an older truck w/ a 6.2, what kind of mileage is "high" for one of these motors? Thanks.

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 4 replies

Whoa...

2007-04-29T02:47:29Z

so let me get this straight... Chevy front straight axle trucks have NO provisions for adjustment of caster or camber ???

Is this true of all non-IFS light trucks? Or is it just a Chevy thing? Or... ??

Doesn't this violate some law of physics or religion or something?

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 1 reply

Veggie Oil Chevy 6.2L Diesel Dead! - The Story Continues...

2007-04-24T19:26:32Z

Hey Friends!

(This might get a little technical for some, but I thought I’d share with you all where my head’s been at with my veggie oil truck since it died a couple months ago.)

Well, I think I figured out what is wrong with my truck. Here’s the story:

It died on the freeway a couple months ago and I had it towed to my studio. I had gotten a lot of water in my veggie oil from a collection at a restaurant where the lid was off the barrel in the rain, so my first thought was just a fuel problem. But switching to biodiesel, and changing all the filters didn’t solve the problem, plus now the engine wasn’t cranking at normal speed, it was really slow.

I replaced the starter and checked the batteries, cables and connections, but it was still turning over too slowly, plus there was no fuel reaching the engine. The mechanical fuel pump was working, (I had fuel coming out at the filter) but nothing was coming out of the injector lines when I cracked them open.

So my first guess was the injection pump, so I had to remove the intake manifold and all the fuel lines to pull the pump, which I thought would be really hard but I’ve been taking it in stages. Last week I took off the intake manifold, (see picture) to get to the pump, ?and yesterday I pulled the 8 fuel lines and the pump.

But the pump seems to be ok, at least it spins freely, doesn’t appear to be jammed or damaged. Which means that it might be something more serious in the cylinder-head, or piston related. Or it could be a stuck valve. I also wanted to do a compression test on the cylinders, but in order to do that you have to pull the injectors, all eight of them, and some of them were blocked by the valve covers. So I pulled the valve covers, and all the valves are closing and there is no broken pushrods or anything funny looking going on (see picture).?

.
So next I pulled all the injectors (see picture) They looked kinda blocked up, and I bet cleaning them would make a big difference with fuel consumption – IF I can ever repair this thing! ? With the injectors out there would be no compression resistance in the cylinders (similar to pulling the spark plugs on a gasoline engine) and that would help me to narrow in on the problem.

I put the injection pump back in and reconnected the batteries so that I could spin the engine with the starter motor, and it spun really easily! Which was really good news, but also confusing; If the injection pump is not slowing down the engine, and the valves are all opening and closing, then why would the truck be spinning at slow rpms? (A good mechanic would have figured it out by now but there was one more thing for me to try...) Probably the no fuel at the injectors is a result of the low rpms too, because I learned the the injection pump needs a certain amount of pressure from the speed of the engine to properly function. So, it’s not fuel, not pump, and not a broken timing chain or pushrods or camshaft... Process of elimination.

Next was to do a compression test on each cylinder, which involves sticking a little device (similar to the thing that tells you your air pressure on your tires) into the hole where the injectors lived, and then cranking the engine to get a pressure reading. Well cylinders 1 & 2 weren’t reading much pressure at all, like 50 or 60 lbs, when it should be between 300 & 400lbs! But maybe the device wasn’t working properly. However, when I tried the third cylinder, so much pressure built up by the third crank that I couldn’t hold the device in the hole! It maxed at 160lbs – not an accurate reading, but I didn’t need the device to tell me that there was no compression in the first two cylinders! I continued checking the rest of the cylinders and turns out that 1,2 and 6 were bad. Something was wrong inside those cylinder heads... obviously affecting the compression.... But it could be a mechanical failure, so I drained the oil to make sure there wasn’t any bits of metal swimming around down there and it looked good.

Ok now I’ve gone as far as I can without removing the head. I was considering removing the oil pan to check the mechanics from beneath the engine, but then my friend Phil did some research online and deducted what the problem most likely is; A blown Head Gasket! The 6.2L Chevy diesel engine is prone to head gasket failures because of a small gap between the cylinder and the coolant channel near some of the cylinders. We looked in the radiator and discovered low levels of fluid and gunked up water, which means that oil is getting blown out into the coolant, another sure sign.

So the good news is I can do the repairs myself – I’m already half-way there with so much pulled off the engine. The bad news is that I HAVE to do it myself cause I can’t afford to pay a mechanic... And the next month and 1/2 are crazy busy... The other concern I have is that I won’t remember how it all goes back together! Or that I won’t put it back according to specs.... Or I might forget tighten a bolt enough or too much.

Anyhow that’s the saga, the mystery, the story and the possible solution! I’ve been learning a lot and I’ll probably never get this dirt out from ‘neath my nails.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the loaner truck in the meantime, it is saving my but.

Love you all! Send some magic!

Thomas

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tom Sepe

APSARA
www.apsaralivingart.org
thomas@ apsaralivingart.org
510-499-0946

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 4 replies

CHEVY DIESEL GETTOGETHER

2006-08-26T01:56:07Z

Chevy/GMC DURAMAX.6.5 , 6.2 DIESEL OWNERS / ENTHUSIASTS. COOKOUT / GETTOGETHER
www.dieselgettogether.com Sept 22-24 in Northwest Connecticut.

I own 85 GMC Shortbed with 6.2 , 88 ext cab with 6.2 and 02 Chevy Duramax

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

Bought '81 chevy malibu classic diesel.

2006-06-28T19:52:15Z

I bought a chevy malibu classic diesel so I can run biodiesel and yellow grease. It cost me $1500. It seemed to run great when I bought it but on the way home I ran out of fuel (the guy didn't tell me it had no diesel fuel and had a faulty fuel -gage). So I called him to tell me how to get it going again (since the diesel have a harder time after running out of gas, and he said to put "a little fuel" in the air manifold to get the engine to turn over. I put in about a half a cup of diesel fuel. It started after two tries and I drove home. Since then however, it died and now the starter went out due to cranking the engine so much. I had a guy look at it and he said only a few drops should be put in if anything to get the engine running (through the air manifold). So, I have a new starter to put in and new fuel filter (to help). Since putting the diesel in the air manifold I was able to drive it about 5 miles without any problems. Does this mean I have a chance with my engine still being okay? - I heard putting to much diesel fuel in the air manifold can kill the pistons in the engine and therefore not be worth fixing. I was also told that if I was able to drive 5 miles after putting the fuel in the manifold, than I lucked out and it had cleared through by now. It obviously did something I assume due to the fact that it died on my second trip using the car. After it died, I was able to restart it for short periods but any time I took it out of gear or stepped on the gas it would die again.

My story. If anyone can help with words of advice, I am all ears. I just bought it 3 weeks ago and looked into the "lemon law" as well as other things. As well, my old car got stolen so I am carless! crazy experience (haven't been this way since I was 16) - but I'm definitely learning things (public transportation, etc.). Please help if ya can! I really want to do the biodiesel!

Justin Ancheta
530.305.9819
San Bruno, CA

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 1 reply

What years did the Vandura come in diesel?

2006-04-02T01:16:15Z

+Is it possible to use a later safety involved (1994?-?) model and just put a diesel engine? Same chassy and drive train, right?

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

DRUM BRAKES

2006-01-02T08:21:14Z

I JUST GOT A 78 CHEVY/GMC HALF TON WITH BAD REAR DRUM BRAKES. I AM IGNORANT ABOUT MECHANICS BUT I WANT TO LEARN EVERYTHING I CAN (ILL NEED TO WITH THIS BEAST I BOUGHT)

MY QUESTION, HOW DO I DETERMINE PRECISELY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES, THEN HOW DO I GO ABOUT FIXING IT? SHOULD I SET OUT TO DO IT ON MY OWN FINDING SOMEONE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE TO HELP ME OR JUST TAKE IT IN AND GET IT FIXED?

THANK YOU

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

Shiny fender trim.

2005-12-26T02:19:41Z

I used to work for a company that made stainless fender trim for cars, and I got a set of four for my 78 pickup, then promptly wrecked it. They sell for around $60 a set, but I'll throw these someone's way for $30 or some kind of trade. I live in Chico but will be coming down to the bay in the next couple weeks.

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

help!!!!

2005-11-07T20:04:12Z

Ok so I am not a mechanic, but I am willing to learn what I can. I have a 79 chevy 4x4 scottsdale 3/4 ton with a gm 400 tranny. The vacuum line that connects to the side of the tranny case has disconnected, and I can't find where the other end goes to, in fact I can't find the line period. I have dealt with the vacuum before, so I know that it is supposed to be their. Perhaps a stick yanked it out the last time I was 4 bying. Its shifting harder than normal and would like to fix it without taking it to a mechanic. What kind of problems could I incure by not getting this taken care of right away? Where does the flippin line come from anyway? Thanks.....JJH

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 1 reply

Free Porn!!!!!!

2005-10-30T16:32:35Z

does this get anyone's attention?

Come on people

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 2 replies

Welcome!!!!

2005-10-30T16:30:14Z

Check the place out. Post what you got, want, like or dislike about Chevy Trucks. I'm also a fan of more than just Chevy trucks so feel free to post about any GM products!

One more thing, pictures are a must!

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 4 replies

73-87 Cabs

2005-01-26T17:50:57Z

I have a few cabs, a few differen't years, my neighbor also has a few cabs lying around.

If someone is looking to get a cab for a wheeler or a beater prodject lemmy know

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies

SM465 t-case interchangeabillity

2005-01-26T17:47:43Z

I'm trading an auto TH350 for a SM465 but the 465 has no transfer case, I need any info on t-case swaps and chageabillity

posted in 73-87 Chevy Trucks - 0 replies