CK5 Forums - Blogs http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php en Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:09:57 GMT vBulletin 60 http://coloradok5.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg CK5 Forums - Blogs http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php Pics...Finally! http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=596 Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:50:55 GMT Finally climbed underneath to get some pics to post up: Tailpipe: Image: http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x39/lectric80/IMAG0002.jpg Muffler outlet: Image: http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x39/lectric80/IMAG0003.jpg Muffler: Image:... Finally climbed underneath to get some pics to post up:

Tailpipe:

Muffler outlet:

Muffler:

Inlet side:


Not the best pictures, but they should give some idea of how it is setup, and show that Magnaflow beauty.:D ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=596 The sound of silence http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=594 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:12:22 GMT Well, almost silent. Got the new exhaust system installed today, and I am simply amazed at how quiet it is at idle, and how nice it sounds when you get on it.:D

As I said before, I did go with a Magnaflow 3 chamber muffler with dual 2.5" inlet pipes and a single 3" outlet over the rear and out the driver's side. It definitely wasn't cheap, costing $574 out the door, but should last a very long time.

I will post up some pictures tomorrow, I haven't had time to get under it and take any. They ran it a bit different from the way I envisioned, in that they ran the passenger side back to the rear of the TC then across under the rear driveline. They chose to do this to keep the entire system above the frame rails and out of harms way. Very cool idea,:bow: and it still leaves me plenty of room to drop the trans/tc for rebuild.

They also pointed out that I only have 2 exhaust manifold bolts in the drivers side manifold, so I will be fixing that this week. I plan to replace all the bolts and install new gaskets. I will also be finally eliminating my last leak that is caused by the lack of an AIR system that I removed a couple years ago. I also need to re-route the speedo cable, since it worked well for the old crap, but not as well for the new stuff. Shouldn't take long and it should be done tomorrow at the latest.

Finally, let me tell you how much better it looks with an extra 4.5-6" of ground clearance under the rockers. Now I need to think about the floors so I can get Kert's rock sliders ordered and bolted up.:D

As I said, I will post pictures tomorrow to show off a bit. I am very impressed with the work, quality, and sound of the new system. I also have a new sticker to add, which should net out around 25 more HP.:haha: ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=594 <![CDATA[Update about why I haven't updated]]> http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=593 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:21:21 GMT My last update was about the tranny/tc that sorta kinda fell into my lap, but I haven't done anything since. The problem is I don't have the trans...yet!

My BIL has been trying to get with the guy to pick it up, and he has told me it is mine it is just a matter of time. Not a big deal, I can still drive Krusty, at least once I get her started. Seems she has been discharging the battery from sitting so much, so I will be working to get her running again today. Hopefully have the trans later next week, if not the week after.

My tax return will be in the mail today, at least according to the IRS website, so I should have it by the middle of next week. Plans are still up in the air, since we did buy us a new 46" Sharp Aquos 1080p LCD, but I don't know what else we are getting. I plan to put $1200 away for Yellowstone in July, which will leave us with around $2100. I have been thinking about getting me a new RC heli, since my wife's dogs chewed up my old one.:mad: But, since what I want is around $700, I may just wait a little longer and buy it slowly. I have also been thinking that either a winch (used) or a gun safe would be very good purchases.

The winch would be great, but I haven't found one in the price range I want to spend, well not one that I am willing to pay what they are asking for it. Right now I have seen a couple 9.5ti Warns for around $750, but for that money I should be able to find something bigger. I can buy the slower, shorter duty cycle Tabor for around a hundred more, and that would be a 12k winch. I am checking with some members here to see if they know of any that I might be able to pick up cheaper.

The gun safe would be an awesome investment, but I can't afford to get the Fort Knox right now. I am thinking I may get a Liberty or even a Sentry for around $500. This would be enough to hold my guns and have room to store most of my ammo, brass, powder, bullets, and some paperwork. This will probably be what I do, but I just have to see where I stand when we get the neccessities.

The certain to buy things are a new exhaust system on Krusty, that is getting done next week at a cost of between $450 and $500. My wife is using $150 of the money for herself.:D We are paying my Dad back for the 1/2 pig we got last week, plus some other money he lent us which totals out to about $300. We are also getting a Wii for the kids to play, with four Wiimotes and a couple games. The kids have asked us to plan for a weekly family game night, and I think that is a great idea. That will be another $300 for everything.

Other than that, the rest of the money is mine to do with as I please, at least that's what my wife tells me.:rolleyes: I love that she gets to tell me what to do with the money I paid into taxes, while she gets what little she paid in completely back to do with as she pleases. I get to buy the things we absolutely need, and I paid a lot more than we are getting back. Oh well, such is married life.:D

I will update after I get the new exhaust put in, and I will include some pictures of the new setup. I am planning to have dual 2.5" pipes running back to a Magnaflow 3 chamber, with a single 3" pipe over the rear end and out behind the drivers side rear wheel. Should give me a nice sound, and finally allow me to get Krusty inspected and registered for another year. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=593 Tranny update http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=592 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:20:24 GMT I was helping a buddy of mine the other day and had my BIL with me. We got to talking about the tranny for Krusty and he mentioned that he knew where a used t350 mated to a 205 was. I asked how much and he told me...:eek1:. Just kidding, I am picking it up for $75. I will either keep the 205 for a... I was helping a buddy of mine the other day and had my BIL with me. We got to talking about the tranny for Krusty and he mentioned that he knew where a used t350 mated to a 205 was. I asked how much and he told me...:eek1:. Just kidding, I am picking it up for $75. I will either keep the 205 for a spare, or sell it to recoup some of my cost.

If all goes to plan, and it never seems to but I am hoping, I will be swapping it out this weekend. My old tranny is going under the bench until I can get the parts together to rebuild it, then I will swap it back into Krusty.

I will update more as things warrant. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=592 Trying to move forward http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=591 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:55:10 GMT I haven't posted here lately, but there really hasn't been much progress on anything. I finally got permission from my landlord to build a bedroom downstairs, so I am working on that lately.

E-filed my taxes earlier today, second time I have done that, but this time should work. Last time I did it my wife hadn't changed her SS number to her married name, so the IRS rejected it. This time we shouldn't have that issue. We are getting a decent refund again this year, but we shouldn't have to wait most of the year like last year. That's a big plus to finally getting all the tax stuff straightened out.

So, now that I know what I am getting back, I can tell you what I have planned. First things first, as I mentioned before my Dad and most of my family are planning to go to West Yellowstone for a week at the end of July, I will be going with them. I am towing my little trailer up, so it is going to need some work done, more about that later. The first thing I will be doing is putting $1200 into my Dad's safe for the trip. This should cover the fuel (assuming $3.50 a gallon) as well as the campground fees for the 7 nights.

Once that is settled, I am paying my Dad a bit more money, and I will finally have most of the money he has helped us with paid back. After that I am going to Master Muffler in SLC to get a new exhaust system put on Krusty. I was told last year that they wouldn't pass her again unless I replaced the exhaust. It will be getting the dual 2.5" back to a Magnaflow muffler and a single 3" outlet. Total cost should be around $400 for that work, maybe a bit more, just depends on a good friend of my Dad's who runs the place.

Finally I will be getting at least 3 new tires, and I may even go with a complete set. I don't currently have a spare, so that is a must before this trip, but I also have tires that are worn badly. Probably my fault for driving on the bad drag link for so long, but I need to solve that issue before the trip. I am thinking I may go with the Cooper Discoverer STT, as Dad is running them on his Dodge and they seem to hold up really well as well as giving very good traction.

I will also be installing a trailer brake controller. This isn't really required, but with the trailer weighing in around 2500 lbs, the extra control will be a good thing.:D

After that, well there probably won't be a lot, but I did promise my wife I would buy a new big screen HDTV. Don't go thinking I am rich, I will be buying it from Aaron's Rent to Own. I could go pay cash, but I wouldn't be able to get the tires and they are higher priority.

I will be ordering my gauges, although I haven't settled on what set I am going with from Autometer. I really like the Ultralight II's, but the speedo is only available in a 160 MPH:eek1:, and I just can't see using something like that in Krusty. I know the SportComps are available in a 120 MPH version, so that is probably what I will use but with the LED lighting upgrade.

Transmission is going to be done soon, I hope. Money has been pretty tight for a while, but I am doing what I can to buy one and swap it in. I will then keep the old one to rebuild at a later date and swap it in.

Finally the trailer work:

1. Install LED lighting all the way around
2. Install new living hinge (I will explain this when I do it)
3. Repair cracks in roof
4. Repair cracks in side panels
5. Install new 7 prong connector and reconnect trailer brakes
6. Check hubs and grease
7. Ensure brakes work
8. Cut and install new Lexan windows
9. Fab and install battery mounts
10. Install batteries and wire them in
11. Make new curtains and hang them
12. Replace bed end caps that are missing
13. Create new mount for dual propane tanks and install dual regulator
14. Install new lighting inside (I am putting in dual element lighting instead of the single lights I have now)
15. Attempt to bypass the power converter or replace it with one that provides battery charge and auto switching.

I think that is it for now, although I am sure there are piles more things that will be happening. I will be posting up with pics and details as things begin to progress. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=591 Engine update http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=585 Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:57:30 GMT If you haven't seen the thread in the Lounge about posting Desktop Dyno type graphs, this will be a bit more info on my engine plans. If you have seen that thread, you have already seen the base specs for the plans. I may try to do AFR heads, but since they are a bit over twice the cost of the vortecs, I don't know if I can find the cash.

Attached are a couple of charts, the first is the chart of the power output of my design, with only a change for the cam to a Comp Cams Extreme Energy cam. This was done because he couldn't find the cam listed, but it is most likely going to be what I go with in the end.

As you can see by the first chart, peak torque is 483 lb. ft. That is a good number and well above the point I wanted of 400 lb. ft. Although at my altitude of 4900 ft it is going to have a drop that I can only partially compensate for with advanced timing.

The second chart is changing nothing else, but using the AFR heads. It nets out over 500 lb ft of torque, but the heads are $1450 approximately. The advantage is they don't need the Edelbrock intake I had planned on, the disadvantage is the increased cost is not offset by the reduced cost of not buying the intake. If I can find a way to do it, I may go ahead and get them, but it is going to depend on the financial situation.

One thing that will be done at the time of the engine install is a new gauge set. I have been planning to do it for a while, but with this new setup I need it. Especially a speedo.:D So, at the end of this month I will be ordering one gauge, then one in the middle of next month, and so on until I have them all here. I will be doing fuel, oil pressure, volts, water temp, tach, and speedo, and I may spend the extra to get the Ultralite II's. I like the white face by day and black face by night feature. Plus it will be really nice having all my gauges lit up.:rolleyes:

I am also going to jump on getting the exhaust done. I don't want to go to Yellowstone with those stupid side pipes, it just worries me driving across three states. We are staying in West Yellowstone for a week, should be a good trip.

I am planning to just go ahead and buy a rebuilt T350 next week and get it installed next weekend. This will save me some time right now, and I need that time to get some stuff done around the house.

More updates coming soon, I hope...
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version Name: 383 Dyno Chart.jpg Views: 176 Size: 156.7 KB ID: 210  

Click image for larger version Name: 383 Dyno Chart AFR heads.jpg Views: 52 Size: 161.1 KB ID: 211  

]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=585 1-10-10 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=584 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:40:05 GMT Project has taken a back burner so I can play with my new toy. Image: http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af186/PlayswithmuD/100_0973.jpg Project has taken a back burner so I can play with my new toy.

]]> Kjunky5 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=584 The plan for this year http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=583 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:34:03 GMT It is a new year, and I really feel like I let myself down last year. I know that I shouldn't feel that way, we have really improved our situation pretty well, but it still feels like many things fell by the wayside.

First there was the body from Pauly383, I still want it, and I will be working to get the cash together, but I just don't know how soon I can get there.

Then there was the plan to put a 700r4 and 383 in, which was lost when I had my pay cut.

This year, I vow, will be a little different. I am talking to Pauly, but I don't think it will be an issue if I wait a bit longer before I get down there.

My Dad has invited us to go to Yellowstone, on our dime of course, for a week in July, and I really want to go. I have never been there and all of my family has, so it would be nice to go. My wife would love it as well, so I guess I just need to plan for the money to make it happen. It really shouldn't be too bad, if I use Krusty and fuel doesn't get above $3 a gallon, I figure I can make the trip for around $400 in fuel. Then there is the cost of the campground for the week, but that shouldn't really be more than about $250, so I need to plan for around $800. That really isn't that much money, and I should be able to just take it out of our tax return and put it away. I may not buy my new safe this year, but I won't feel bad if that is the case. I will pick up at least a steel gun cabinet, so I have a bit more security at the house.:wink1:

I want to go to BB10, but it is going to depend on a lot of other things, and it is just too hard for me to say for certain that I will be there. My fear is that by the time I can actually make it down, it won't be happening anymore. I hope that is never the case, but this year is going to be all about making sure I have reliable vehicles and the ability to save money.

I have the trans rebuild coming up, and I am currently aiming to start it at the end of this month, or first part of Feb. Next payday I will be picking up the rebuild kit, parts washer, and possibly a trans jack. The payday after I will get the torque converter and reman trans pump. I should be able to do this in a weekend, although I will plan for Krusty to be offline for about a week or so.

Then there is the 383.:D Right now Krusty runs pretty good, but she is seriously lacking good power. I intend to remedy that this year, as well as getting rid of the two piece rear main. My BIL has a 88 or 89 TBI 350 that he has said I can have. I intend to take that engine, strip it down, then build it into a nice 383. I have spent the night talking with 4x4high about that parts to use, and I started with the heads I am planning on using. Then we got into the rotating assembly, allowing clearance below the heads, a cam, and a few other little things that will be needed. So, for my own personal perusal as I start buying these parts this year, here is the list of parts I plan to use: (:bow::bow::bow:Thank you Scott, for all the hard work you put into helping me plan this. I couldn't have done it without you!:bow::bow::bow:)

Rotating assembly:
SCAT 1-91110BE - Cast crank, forged aluminum pistons (.030 over), forged 4340 I-beam rods, 3/8" ARP 8740 cap screw bolts, harmonic balancer, rings, bearings, and flexplate. Pre-balanced!:bow:From Summit this costs $1265.95.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SCA-1-91110BE/
Heads:
Summit SUM-151124 Vortec heads - 67 cc combustion chamber, square exhaust port $619.00/pair.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-151124/
Intake:
Edelbrock 2116 spread bore $175.95 This is required because of the use of the Vortec heads.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2116/
Cam bearings:
Clevite SH290S $17.95
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLE-SH290S/
Cam:
GMPP 10185071 ZZ3 350HO hydraulic roller cam. I know that Scott gave me the price a little lower from GMpartsdirect, but I prefer Summit right now at $229.95 even if it costs a bit more, I love thier service.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10185071/
Lifters and such for hydraulic roller:
GMPP 12371042 roller lifters, spider tray, lifter bars, and spider tray bolts $235.88
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-12371042/
Cam thrust plate:
GMPP 10088128 or 10168501 cam thrust plate, depends on which one needed $14
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10088128/ or http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10168501/

Then I will still need to have the machining done, but I haven't talked to a machine shop yet for the cost. I also still would need rockers and pushrods, but those shouldn't be really expensive. These heads are the center bolt valve covers, and I will look at what is on the engine before deciding if I want to buy some new ones.

All told I should be able to build it for around $3000:crazy: including the machine work, so it ends up being about $1500-$2000 cheaper than buying a GMPP HT383E.:laugh: I am thinking I can use a large portion of the tax refund to get the big parts, like the rotating assembly and heads, while spending a bit of my check each time to buy the rest. Ideally I am hoping to get 400+lb ft of torque out of this thing, and I think these parts should easily surpass that mark. :D:D

Scott figures it should be between 9.088 and 9.549:1 compression ratio, which means I should be ok with pump gas, although I may need to run mid-grade. Not a big deal, especially if I can get this thing to get a bit better mileage with the increased power.:haha: I guess that will depend on my ability to stay out of the floor boards with the throttle.:wink1:

Just to let you know, with my first check of the year the company restored the 5% pay cut we took last year. They haven't compensated for the increased out of pocket insurance costs, but as things improve they will. At this point it only amounts to 3% less than I was making at this time last year, so it doesn't hurt nearly as bad.

As I said, I don't need this new engine, Krusty runs pretty good, I want the increased power.:wink1: If gas wasn't so expensive I would probably go with a BBC, but gas isn't likely to get to levels that would make me comfortable with a big block. This is the best of both worlds, less weight with more power. Should be a pretty decent setup. I will also be sending a spare q-jet to Jet to have it rebuilt and calibrated to run this new engine. That costs about $300, but is well worth it for the tuning they do. It should run right out of the box, and perform like or better than new. :D

I now have the workbench setup in the garage, and will be modifying it a bit. It came from my BIL, and isn't exactly what I wanted, but I can easily modify it for my desires. I just need to change the 2x4 legs for new 4x4 legs that are taller, and complete the shelf underneath. I am also adding a pegboard to the back, and including 3 outlets and a flourescent light overhead.

The garage is nearly cleaned out, and I will try to finish it up this weekend and get some shots of the prepared work area for the trans rebuild. I will try to update the blog more, especially as parts start rolling in.:D ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=583 Windstar Fans http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=582 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:55:13 GMT I'm sure there was a very logical reason for me to upgrade the cooling system in January, but it escapes me at the moment. :o

I picked up some Windstar fans a while back to replace the dinky electric fan that the PO installed.

Here is how I mounted them. First I cut off all the original mounting brackets.



Trimmed the corners a bit.



Cut some 2"x1"x1/8" aluminum channel to fit, drilled some holes, used a little 1"x1/8" aluminum strap, and viola!

Front:



Back:



A little more trimming and drilling and bolted it right in using the original fan shroud mounts.



OK it wasn't quite that easy. I had the darn thing in and out to trim and measure a dozen times. That would have been much easier with the top radiator hose out. In retrospect I also would not have used channel. I planned to use 2"x1"x1/8" angle, but they didn't have it at my metal place. It would have been much easier to work with - especially on the bottom. Due to the fact that it was such a pain to get the fans in and out, and so hard to line them up blind (due to the channel), I ended up on my back on the driveway in (literally) freezing weather after dark with a flashlight, a mirror, and a dremel trying to slot one of the mounting holes. Yes that is as futile as it sounds. :doah:

Here is what it looks like from below:



The channel is just behind and above the PS cooler.

Mounting is done. Wiring tomorrow. The wiring is going to be just your typical switch/relay deal. I'll keep the small (right) fan on almost all the time, and turn on the big (left) fan when things get hot. For now, I'll only run the big fan on full speed. I still have a bit of a gap to fill on the left side to prevent air flow bypassing the radiator. ]]> BGKYK5 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=582 Christmas update http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=581 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:13:50 GMT That holiday is finally over, and boy am I ever glad. Yes this was the smallest Christmas I can remember doing, but it still appears the kids are very happy, that's the part that matters.

Got my new safe mounted up and thought I would show some pictures for those curious. For reference, the stuff below the safe is from l to r: 7 L1A1 20 rd 308 mags, 2 boxes brass Wolf .308 ammo, box of .270, and 2 3 different boxes of 9mm. In the safe is my S&W Model 59 and a box of Hydroshock ammo.





Not sure if you will be able to tell, but there are multiple anchors into the shelf, and it is a very solid setup mounted this way. I am happy, although my wife seems to be having trouble remembering the code to open it.

Also got myself a new 5" bench vise, and I should be assembling my new workbench later this week.

I got a $200 Home Depot bonus from work this year, and I have bought a new tape measure, chalk line, and a new 12 amp 7 1/4" Ryobi circular saw. I have a few other things to get up there, and I have only just scratched the surface of the stuff I would like to get. :D Going to be fun for a few days, while I decide what I really want to spend the other $170 on.

Will update as things happen. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=581 Christmas http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=580 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:06:58 GMT Well, the holiday is nearly here, and I am just about ready. I still have a couple minor things to pick up this week, but that should be done by tomorrow morning. I know only one thing that I am getting, but that is because I bought it.:D I am getting: Image:... Well, the holiday is nearly here, and I am just about ready. I still have a couple minor things to pick up this week, but that should be done by tomorrow morning. I know only one thing that I am getting, but that is because I bought it.:D

I am getting:


I had originally planned to get a Gun Vault 1000 mini safe, but this cost a bit less and comes with mounting plate. The Gun Vault ones don't have a secure mounting option, they just have a security cable. That didn't seem like a good option, since it could be cut through fairly quickly, and I don't really have a secure place to attach the cable. This safe will be mounted to the bottom of one of the shelves in my closet, and will only be used to store my home defense pistol. This pistol is kept loaded and ready to fire at all times, so I wanted a way to ensure the kids couldn't get to it.

My kids know about guns, and they don't touch them without me there, but they do have friends that come over and that is a worry. I figured it was better to err on the side of caution in this case. Plus, at only $60 it was a good value. On top of that, Cal-Ranch had them for 20% off, so it ended up at $48 out the door. Not bad at all, and I have a plan for the other weapons that can't be stored in this little safe.

When I file my taxes early next year I will be going down to the Fort Knox factory in Orem and picking me up a new safe. I plan on getting a 14 gun 31" wide unit with electronic lock and door racks. Overall it should be right around $1200, and I may try to catch them with a scratch and dent unit, which will save some serious coin. My Dad's safe is a $3200 Fort Knox, that he got for $2400 because it had a tiny dent on one side. When I say tiny, I mean you can't even see it unless you know where to look. His is a 41" wide unit, 26 gun capacity, has the door racks, dehumidifier, electronic lock, and a $300 graphic that he has never put on. Having looked at several other brands, nothing compares to the security offered by the Fort Knox brand, at least in my opinion. Once I have this, my .308 and my .270 will be put in, as well as birth certificates, social security cards, photos, bullets, ammo, powder, brass, and a few other things. These safes are rated at 2000*F for 30 minutes, one of the highest ratings offered. That should provide plenty of protection for the most valuable documents and other things we have.

Krusty's trans is getting worse, but I have nearly made it through the last of the month and I can get the parts and rebuild it.

I will update more when things warrant it. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=580 <![CDATA[Yeah, I'm slow]]> http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=575 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:00:07 GMT I was actually able to keep my schedule pretty much intact, meaning by the end of the day Friday I had the van re-assembled. However, I chose to wait until Sat morning to give the silicone time to set, this gave it ~15 hours to cure, as well as allowed time for the gaskets to seat down. I had... I was actually able to keep my schedule pretty much intact, meaning by the end of the day Friday I had the van re-assembled. However, I chose to wait until Sat morning to give the silicone time to set, this gave it ~15 hours to cure, as well as allowed time for the gaskets to seat down. I had assembly done by 9:30 Friday night, and then took a shower and got some sleep...finally.

Saturday morning I got up, filled the engine with coolant then watched for any sign of leaking. When I was satisfied that it was holding, I started the engine and let it warm up a little while watching for any leaks. When that looked good I dropped it back to the ground, threw the upper fan shroud and air box back in, and buttoned up the interior again. I then pulled it outside and let it warm up fully, and kept an eye on it in case I didn't get all the air out of the system. It warmed up normally, and remained at it's normal operating temperature of about 180*. After that, I ran to my buddy's house and returned the tool I had borrowed to hold the water pump while removing the fan.

At this point everything looked good, so I took the family to Tooele and picked up a new Napa Gold oil filter, and 5 quarts of Mobil Clean 5000 5w-30. It was on this trip that I found out I had forgotten to snap the cruise control cable on:doah:, and I was pissed. I really love the cruise, and use it probably way more than I should. I also found that the rear heat system still had air in it, but that just took some time to clear out and it is now working normally. When I got home, I got a call from my Dad asking if I could give him a hand with setting up the light display at his house. I ran over and helped get the computer controlled displays setup, then went back home to start setting up the rest of my displays.

I had borrowed a couple of inflatables from my Mom, as well as a couple timers and an extension cord. I still had to run back to Wally World and pick up two more extension cords. With that done, I spent early Sunday morning getting the oil changed in the Safari(because of possible coolant contamination), fixed the cruise control cable, and then put up the inflatables, installed the snowflake LED lights along the driveway, and set all the timers up. My wife bought a couple of strings of blue LED's that she ran up the railing on the front porch, and they blend well with the snowflakes that are blue and white along both sides of the driveway. My display isn't as large as I would like, but I just don't have a ton of money to spend this year. I figure if I start small this year, I can continue to build on it over the next year, and next year's display will be even larger. As it is, I have 6 different strings of lights setup, 2 white 60 LED light strings on the gutters, 2 60 LED blue and white snowflake strings arranged along the driveway, and 2 60 LED blue strings on the railing for the front porch, plus the two 6' tall inflatables. Not the biggest, but I like it. I also put the tree up Sat night, then strung the lights on it Sun night. The outside lights are all white and blue, the lights on the tree are multi-color. This should make the tree stick out a bit through the front window. At least that's my hope.:D

The Safari has been used a bit all weekend long, and it is performing just like this never happened. I was going to give it a few degrees of initial advance, as my last van liked that a lot, but the dang thing is computer controlled and I can't advance it. I am going to talk to my buddy and see if his computer can do it. I know on my older 4.3 that giving it about 2-4* of initial advance really woke the engine up at the bottom end. It also helped a bit with fuel economy, when I actually managed to stay out of the throttle off the line.:o So I think I will give it a try on this one if I can reset the computer without having to have a custom chip made.

Krusty is going to be coming into the garage at the end of December, and she won't be coming out until the trans is rebuilt. It really should be possible to rebuild it in a weekend, but I have to have the parts ready to go.

Will update more when things are worthy, like maybe after I get some pics of the house. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=575 Safari update http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=572 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:46:36 GMT Got the intake off at this point, a bit behind the schedule I wanted. Unfortunately I can only push so far on limited sleep, and this morning I was done in. I slept for a few hours this morning, then started on the work. Once the intake was off, it was very apparent how the leak started, and... Got the intake off at this point, a bit behind the schedule I wanted. Unfortunately I can only push so far on limited sleep, and this morning I was done in. I slept for a few hours this morning, then started on the work.

Once the intake was off, it was very apparent how the leak started, and that it hadn't leaked into the engine at all. This engine looks almost brand new inside, no sludge or other buildup in the lifter valley.:D

I have cleaned the mating surfaces, and installed the new gaskets. I need to make some dinner right now, then I can lay the silicone beads and put the intake back on. If I can keep my pace up, I should be able to have it assembled tonight. Up and running early tomorrow morning at the latest.

So the problem was that the intake gasket around the front water port had been broken, and deformed the silicone o-ring that forms the seal. This could have easily occurred when the van was assembled, or it may have had a defect that eventually failed. Luckily I caught it early enough to save the engine and get it back on the road.

I will update again once I get the work done and she is either DOA:mad: or running again:bow:. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=572 This stuff sucks http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=571 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:35:52 GMT Tuesday on the way home from work I started smelling antifreeze. When I got home I did a bit of checking and could see that the engine was leaking a bit. It wasn't much, but I knew that it would just be the start if I didn't fix it.

I pulled the Safari onto ramps and started checking. I found that the leak was on the driver's side of the block, and at the front. It appeared that when the pump was replaced before I bought it, that someone had left a bolt or two loose. I pulled the upper shroud, then the fan, and finally the pump. I cleaned the pump surfaces off, and put new gaskets into place, then bolted it back up. While the high tack was curing, I hooked up the hoses, put the fan back on, then finally filled the system up with fresh coolant. After about 1 minute, I started hearing dripping into the bucket again.

I crawled underneath and the leak was still coming from the same spot. At this point I was completely stumped, so I talked to 4x4high, and thought maybe it was the freeze plug next to the timing cover. It didn't matter too much, since I still needed to pull the A/C compressor and power steering pump accessory bracket off to identify the leak location. I did that yesterday after a bit of sleep.

What I found was related to the dexcool lawsuit a couple years ago. Basically the dexcool killed the silicone in the intake gasket and allowed the coolant to leak by. It appears after checking the oil, that I may have gotten lucky and it leaked outside the engine, unlike the Lumina. I won't know for sure that I am in the clear until I tear the intake off, and I should be doing that tomorrow.

I have a new gasket set sitting at the house, and most of the electrical unhooked from the manifold. I need to still disconnect the fuel lines, remove the electronics, and unhook the heater hoses and radiator hose. At that point I should be able to remove the 8 bolts holding the intake down, then replace the gaskets. As well as the van has been running, I don't think there will be anything serious inside, but I have been surprised before. :doah:

I will post up my findings when I get the intake off, as well as post up when I get the van running again. Because of this issue, I gave away the tickets I won to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra, as I didn't want to put any more miles on Krusty than I absolutely have to. The trans is still holding together, and I am hoping it will hold together long enough to the get the van back on the road. ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=571 Moving forward again http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=567 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:12:34 GMT I managed to do a couple things last weekend. First and foremost was I got through organizing about half the garage area. I am still working on getting the rest of the stuff sorted into a garbage pile, but I now have a lot more room to move around and work on stuff. Second was getting the... I managed to do a couple things last weekend. First and foremost was I got through organizing about half the garage area. I am still working on getting the rest of the stuff sorted into a garbage pile, but I now have a lot more room to move around and work on stuff.

Second was getting the process started to get internet at the house. This will be installed later today, and will be the first time in a few years that I have had it while home. It just wasn't that important, but this will allow me some flexibility that I haven't had before. Like being able to hit up CK5 when I get stumped while working at home.:D As well as being able to upload pics even if I have forgotten the camera card at home. I plan on posting a lot more pictures as we move forward. Hopefully people can see what I accomplish, as well as hear about it.

Also got a portion of the house cleaned up a bit, mainly the bills and file cabinet. We really needed to get it cleaned out, there was crap in there from as far back as 98.:eek1: Now it contains the critical stuff going back to the bankruptcy last year.

Started the final stages of getting the camera system set up. I haven't got it finished, that will be done this weekend. I am also now going to tie it into my home network and set the configuration to allow me to view the cameras while out of the house. As well as being able to work with the system upstairs, while it is setup downstairs.:D

I have also started getting everything together for decorating the house for Christmas. If all goes to plan I should have all the decorations up this week/weekend, but the first lighting ceremony;) won't be until after Thanksgiving. I am using a lot more LED lights this year, so I don't expect to see much of an increase in my power bill. I am however adding around 1000 lights to the setup, plus at least one or two inflatables. Should be the nicest display I have ever done, and it is absolutely great having enough room to do it. We haven't had anything really to allow us to decorate for the last few years, now we have a lot of space. I plan on filling in a lot this year. This is also part of the reason that I am pushing on the camera system, I want a bit of security.:D:crazy:

Will update more, possibly even from home tomorrow.:bow: ]]> lectric80 http://coloradok5.com/forums/blog.php?b=567