In the one pic above the radiator isn't sitting in the isolators? Did you remove the upper hold downs and it shifted?
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
1989 K5 - Gradual Learning
- Thread starter shima
- Start date
First 4x4 - learning basic maintenance / upkeep and maybe some small mods.
Distributor wear looks normal. Lots of energy in that spark.
If you can un-pin the original connector and the pins fit the new one, that’s the most stock way to do it. Otherwise, I just cut and solder and heat shrink.
If you can un-pin the original connector and the pins fit the new one, that’s the most stock way to do it. Otherwise, I just cut and solder and heat shrink.
Hey, thanks. I put some pictures of it at the bottom of this post. Let me know man!
It is still secure up top. When trying to remove the fan shroud, I removed the four screws that hold it in place and then was trying to slip the whole thing past my fan. I ended up shaking the absolute s*** out of it in anger, so I am sure that I caused the leaking that you can see in the prior picture.
Thanks! I am gonna go with soldering + heat shrink for this job just because it's what I know. Just gonna be awkward to solder I am sure.
You forgot the picture?
Much easier to remove fan and clutch together,no need to undo belts. Then take the shroud out.
I would recommend unpinning the wires from the old connector and sliding them into the new connector. The less connections/ splices the better.
This totally, the little pick tool is cheap and once you have learned how to do it the knowledge base grown.
Got everything out.
I need to write up a full list of crap to buy. Now that I'm doing this I am thinking I should replace a lot of the wire looming stuff... and I have a few broken connectors... etc.
I need to write up a full list of crap to buy. Now that I'm doing this I am thinking I should replace a lot of the wire looming stuff... and I have a few broken connectors... etc.
The “might as well” feeling is a strong one to overcome.
Replace it with woven stuff like this: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/TCX-F6W0-31BK10
Just attach an old license plate to the bottom of that shroud.
Martin
Martin
It has been a while since I've sent an update. I'm making some progress!
I spent some time cleaning the belly of the engine. I tried to mop up the coolant that was left behind.
I started cleaning up the intake manifold surfaces. I was using a basic scraper. A friend recommended 0000 steel wool, so I'm going to try that to get it as smooth as possible before reinstalling.
Back inside the engine bay, I have started replacing the damaged connectors. I also ripped out some of the old wire loom. I am trying to de-pin and re-pin the connectors as much as possible. The metal contact area on my temperature gauge connector was marred / corroded pretty badly, so in that case I opted to solder. Other than that I've been successful in de-pinning and re-pinning. The coolant temp sensor was a pain in the ass, because the wires want to come out of the front of the connector. So I had to bend some things to make that work. I also realized last night that I missed a broken connector (oil pressure sender). Damnit! That one arrives on Friday.
The old wire loom was in pretty terrible shape. It felt good to rip it out. It basically just crumbled when you touched it. Some of the wiring in there had super old duct tape wrapped around it, so I pulled that off to get a peek. It looks like a previous owner spliced together some wires, like they made two wires merge into one. I haven't seen this before, but I plan to just clean it and put on fresh electrical tape.
Overall I'm happy. It is a lot of work ahead but I feel like the Blazer is going to run much better after all of this is done. I don't know if I mentioned it in a previous post, but a lot of my intake manifold bolts were pretty damn loose when I went to remove the intake. Even just that will feel good to correct.
The "to do" list is currently:
I spent some time cleaning the belly of the engine. I tried to mop up the coolant that was left behind.
I started cleaning up the intake manifold surfaces. I was using a basic scraper. A friend recommended 0000 steel wool, so I'm going to try that to get it as smooth as possible before reinstalling.
Back inside the engine bay, I have started replacing the damaged connectors. I also ripped out some of the old wire loom. I am trying to de-pin and re-pin the connectors as much as possible. The metal contact area on my temperature gauge connector was marred / corroded pretty badly, so in that case I opted to solder. Other than that I've been successful in de-pinning and re-pinning. The coolant temp sensor was a pain in the ass, because the wires want to come out of the front of the connector. So I had to bend some things to make that work. I also realized last night that I missed a broken connector (oil pressure sender). Damnit! That one arrives on Friday.
The old wire loom was in pretty terrible shape. It felt good to rip it out. It basically just crumbled when you touched it. Some of the wiring in there had super old duct tape wrapped around it, so I pulled that off to get a peek. It looks like a previous owner spliced together some wires, like they made two wires merge into one. I haven't seen this before, but I plan to just clean it and put on fresh electrical tape.
Overall I'm happy. It is a lot of work ahead but I feel like the Blazer is going to run much better after all of this is done. I don't know if I mentioned it in a previous post, but a lot of my intake manifold bolts were pretty damn loose when I went to remove the intake. Even just that will feel good to correct.
The "to do" list is currently:
- Finish replacing broken connectors.
- Wrap wiring in the new woven stuff I bought (thanks for the suggestion @mrk5).
- Finish cleaning intake manifold and the surfaces it rides on.
- Reinstall intake and all of the other engine stuff.
- Refill the Blazer with coolant.
- Replace the fan shroud (or slap an old license plate on it lol @82355).
keep chugging along!
That duct tape over that splice is factory believe it or not. Also, make sure to get ALL the old silicone and junk out of all the bolt holes. It can hide in there deep.
It is common for that oil pressure sensor and connector to be broken. Whenever someone lowers the tail of the trans down, it can hit the firewall. Same with the distributor cap.
That duct tape over that splice is factory believe it or not. Also, make sure to get ALL the old silicone and junk out of all the bolt holes. It can hide in there deep.
It is common for that oil pressure sensor and connector to be broken. Whenever someone lowers the tail of the trans down, it can hit the firewall. Same with the distributor cap.
Hahahah that is hilarious!!!
Yep.
Great progress. Let me know if you want/need help.
Ah, the dreaded "pull-to-seat". The only correct way to replace them is remove the wire at the other end and pull it through or cut the terminal and crimp a new one on. Otherwise, a pigtail can be spliced.
If you have the factory crimp splices out in the open, you could solder them to ensure they don't become bad contacts later. Once they start to corrode, they can be problematic (and also get hard to solder). Or sometimes they're fine for 50 years. That tape was an attempt to protect them from the environment.
Tonight I finished replacing the last of the broken connectors. It ended up being six total:
The distributor ignition module connector was a PITA to solder, because it has four wires... and it is back against the firewall. I was sitting on the alternator / pulley area with my feet on either side of the engine.
Here's a pic of the setup. It took a while to finish but I got it done.
After finishing up the connectors, I put a little bit of solder on the factory splice connections and wrapped them in fresh electrical tape.
By the time that work was done, my lower back was screaming and I called it a night. The next time I get out there I am going to wrap the wiring in the fresh woven loom stuff I got and then I'm done with electrical. After that I can move on to finishing cleaning the surfaces and then start reassembly.
- EGR Solenoid
- MAP
- Coolant Temp
- Temp Gauge
- Oil Pressure
- Distributor Ignition Module
The distributor ignition module connector was a PITA to solder, because it has four wires... and it is back against the firewall. I was sitting on the alternator / pulley area with my feet on either side of the engine.
Here's a pic of the setup. It took a while to finish but I got it done.
After finishing up the connectors, I put a little bit of solder on the factory splice connections and wrapped them in fresh electrical tape.
By the time that work was done, my lower back was screaming and I called it a night. The next time I get out there I am going to wrap the wiring in the fresh woven loom stuff I got and then I'm done with electrical. After that I can move on to finishing cleaning the surfaces and then start reassembly.
For better or worse, the intake manifold is back on.
I replaced nearly all of the old wire loom. The only old wire loom that I kept was on the driver's side of the firewall near the bulkhead. The wiring routes up toward the windshield but then goes back down beneath the brake booster. Right beneath the brake booster is where it transitions from the old wire loom to the new woven stuff.
I am really nervous about the intake because I am not sure whether I used enough RTV on the front and back surface areas. It was perhaps as thick as two or three credit cards?
When doing my final cleaning, I noticed a couple of things that I wanted to ask about...
First - when vacuuming everything for the final time, coolant got sucked out of this port (below). I didn't expect this to be a coolant port, because I assumed the coolant ports were the smaller ports at the front and back of the engine. I am trying to find diagrams online and am falling short somehow. Does coolant coming out of this port indicate a serious problem?
Second - this is much less significant but I found this small o-ring by cylinder #8 (it was sitting in some grime on top of the intake). I checked my fuel lines, and their o-rings are intact... I have no idea where this o-ring could go. If anyone has an idea let me know.
I replaced nearly all of the old wire loom. The only old wire loom that I kept was on the driver's side of the firewall near the bulkhead. The wiring routes up toward the windshield but then goes back down beneath the brake booster. Right beneath the brake booster is where it transitions from the old wire loom to the new woven stuff.
I am really nervous about the intake because I am not sure whether I used enough RTV on the front and back surface areas. It was perhaps as thick as two or three credit cards?
When doing my final cleaning, I noticed a couple of things that I wanted to ask about...
First - when vacuuming everything for the final time, coolant got sucked out of this port (below). I didn't expect this to be a coolant port, because I assumed the coolant ports were the smaller ports at the front and back of the engine. I am trying to find diagrams online and am falling short somehow. Does coolant coming out of this port indicate a serious problem?
Second - this is much less significant but I found this small o-ring by cylinder #8 (it was sitting in some grime on top of the intake). I checked my fuel lines, and their o-rings are intact... I have no idea where this o-ring could go. If anyone has an idea let me know.
Last edited:
