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84 K20 "Ethel" Not an Sbc/NV4500/241C
- Thread starter sreidmx
- Start date
Semi restoration of a 1984 K20 pickup.
5.3 LS, nv4500, np241c.
That would be fun to watch. As long as you're not making me pay for it, I could enjoy that quite a bit.
Now if this were a brand new Optimizer in its crate...that might hurt a little bit. But an old worn-out unloved oil burner is probably not getting much out of life anyway. MightAsWell go out with a bang...
Allllriiigght... debacle extrodinaire!
Well having completed the transfer case swap 208-241 in one hour, I felt pretty dang good about my mechanical abilities but was brought back down to planet earth rather quickly. Water on the crossmember!! And not the oroville water! It was engine water! Dangit!!
So knowing that I am super lucky I decided between race truck prepping I'd squeeze in a water pump replacement..
since Ethel is our so called chase truck for at least this go around I need it to be solid. Delco pumps for some reason are not possible to source near me and the summit racing delco pump wouldn't have been here in time so I settled on a Napa (Murray) new pump. This time I also bought the felpro gasket set vs using right stuff as sealer. I did use 3m weather stripping glue for the gasket to block mainly to hold it on while I was bolting it up.
All came apart easy and went back together the same.
No leaks, nothing weird just the same like it should be.
Now as far as geartrain noise! Heck I can hear now!! It's a totally different truck! It doesn't sound like a box of rocks coming down the road anymore and is actually easier to shift too.. unfortunately I did discover that my trans needs a rebuild really bad, the output shaft bearing had a noticeable amount of free play, that is next on the list. But for now I have it running consistently, it doesn't stall anymore and the idle is much more stable, which suggests the return lines were my issue, I believe this because I don't have the surging when it's cold anymore and it starts much easier when cold as well.
The mpg is going up little by little and that's with wanging it to 70 for an hour at a time with big hills to climb..
the more I drive and work on this I appreciate the financial minimums required to keep it running, I'd venture to say it's cheaper to maintain this vs a sbc.. defiantly better on fuel any day of the week.
Off to bed.. long week ahead to get to the mint.. maybe Ethel will like mingling with all the vintage race stuff out there..
Well having completed the transfer case swap 208-241 in one hour, I felt pretty dang good about my mechanical abilities but was brought back down to planet earth rather quickly. Water on the crossmember!! And not the oroville water! It was engine water! Dangit!!
So knowing that I am super lucky I decided between race truck prepping I'd squeeze in a water pump replacement..
since Ethel is our so called chase truck for at least this go around I need it to be solid. Delco pumps for some reason are not possible to source near me and the summit racing delco pump wouldn't have been here in time so I settled on a Napa (Murray) new pump. This time I also bought the felpro gasket set vs using right stuff as sealer. I did use 3m weather stripping glue for the gasket to block mainly to hold it on while I was bolting it up.
All came apart easy and went back together the same.
No leaks, nothing weird just the same like it should be.
Now as far as geartrain noise! Heck I can hear now!! It's a totally different truck! It doesn't sound like a box of rocks coming down the road anymore and is actually easier to shift too.. unfortunately I did discover that my trans needs a rebuild really bad, the output shaft bearing had a noticeable amount of free play, that is next on the list. But for now I have it running consistently, it doesn't stall anymore and the idle is much more stable, which suggests the return lines were my issue, I believe this because I don't have the surging when it's cold anymore and it starts much easier when cold as well.
The mpg is going up little by little and that's with wanging it to 70 for an hour at a time with big hills to climb..
the more I drive and work on this I appreciate the financial minimums required to keep it running, I'd venture to say it's cheaper to maintain this vs a sbc.. defiantly better on fuel any day of the week.
Off to bed.. long week ahead to get to the mint.. maybe Ethel will like mingling with all the vintage race stuff out there..
Gouda jobba mang. Sometimes fixing a bunch of "little things" is more satisfying than build progress! Now go do burnouts!
That is, of course, the only CK5-approved way of extending the lifespan of an ailing transmission.
That is, of course, the only CK5-approved way of extending the lifespan of an ailing transmission.
It will only burnout in 1 gear.. and not even that entire gear..
Ha. As Justin said, that's what low range is for.
That's a big TEEEEEEEEN FOUR!!!
So Steve...what is it that you're "back from?" Page seven is nothing but ramblings about gear ratios, beer choices, and dome light options. Pretty standard fluff. 
Back from the depths of the back pages... I have been neglecting our build threads. I felt the need to update them. And unfortunately Lucy is on the back burner yet again.. 
Back from the depths of the back pages... I have been neglecting our build threads. I felt the need to update them. And unfortunately Lucy is on the back burner yet again..
Eh, that's life. Builds are bursty by nature.
I hear ya!
Pretty dang productive weekend, with the kid and wife suck it had forced me to stay home, in between naps I was able to tackle a ton of stuff, got the new bilsteins installed with the new control arms on the burb, dang a massive improvement all around!! Yay goo Bilstein!
I also got a chance to check out this aftermarket janky ac setup on Ethel, were approaching 100+ degrees so I need to fix this asap!
I used the part number from the parallel flow condenser thread and may have tracked down a similar sized unit with the outlets on the driver side like mine is now.
I don't know what engineer thought it would be smart to put a beadlock fitting on the inside of the truck but not the engine bay also is beyond me. The lines leading to the condenser are both this way. So needless to say I am getting a buddy to make the new lines using the existing fittings and I'll find a dryer that'll work with the condenser and the matching fittings. Then it should be good to cool. The fan works on all speeds and moves quiet a bit of air. I'll re duct it all and should be freezing my butt off soon enough, yay for expansion valves! No orfice tube here.
Decided sat would be a nice dirt therapy day, went out to JV with the kiddos and @secutright and wheeled some fun stuff, tried to go up some sandy stuff and crawled up the top of a decent hill, also found out my copilot has zero fear of angle or heights.. chomped French fries down some but pucker downhill.. didn't even care.. not sure if that's bad or good.
Also this kid can sleep anywhere..
Also reworked the dash with the panel from my 79 worked perfect and I just swapped gauges over, also changed the brake and clutch pedal bushings which made the pedals nice and solid. Also figured out my brake pedal excess travel problem stems from frozen rear shoe adjusters. All the brakes work it requires more pedal travel causing the pump to get into bypass on a panic stop.
I also got a chance to check out this aftermarket janky ac setup on Ethel, were approaching 100+ degrees so I need to fix this asap!
I used the part number from the parallel flow condenser thread and may have tracked down a similar sized unit with the outlets on the driver side like mine is now.
I don't know what engineer thought it would be smart to put a beadlock fitting on the inside of the truck but not the engine bay also is beyond me. The lines leading to the condenser are both this way. So needless to say I am getting a buddy to make the new lines using the existing fittings and I'll find a dryer that'll work with the condenser and the matching fittings. Then it should be good to cool. The fan works on all speeds and moves quiet a bit of air. I'll re duct it all and should be freezing my butt off soon enough, yay for expansion valves! No orfice tube here.
Decided sat would be a nice dirt therapy day, went out to JV with the kiddos and @secutright and wheeled some fun stuff, tried to go up some sandy stuff and crawled up the top of a decent hill, also found out my copilot has zero fear of angle or heights.. chomped French fries down some but pucker downhill.. didn't even care.. not sure if that's bad or good.
Also this kid can sleep anywhere..
Also reworked the dash with the panel from my 79 worked perfect and I just swapped gauges over, also changed the brake and clutch pedal bushings which made the pedals nice and solid. Also figured out my brake pedal excess travel problem stems from frozen rear shoe adjusters. All the brakes work it requires more pedal travel causing the pump to get into bypass on a panic stop.
We have the same car seats.
We love it, the fact that it can be switched as he grows was good enough reason for me. Which reminds me I gotta buy new seat belts that aren't such a pita to lock
Hose clamps do not belong in an a/c system. My boys can sleep anywhere also, even bouncing around in the side x side.
