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'90 K5 - Stock reliable daily driver

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dlind

dlind

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dlind submitted a new Build:

'90 K5 - Stock reliable daily driver

Hello everyone! I finally bought a K5 after years of wanting one. It is a 1990 Silverado with quite a few options.. locker, tow package, and cruise are my favorite. The odometer is incorrect but my guess is that it has a little over 200 on her right now. The previous owner put it a new AC system, windshield, shocks, rear window motor and cable, battery and radiator. Vehicle speed sensor and fuel filter look fairly new as well but the PO didn't mention anything about either. It has an older respray paint job that I'm guessing is about eight years old by looking at the car fax.

I want to keep it fairly stock and make it a reliable daily driver.

So far I have done..
o Oil change
o Plugs
o ECM coolant temp sensor
o O2 sensor (which was broken in half)
o Replaced all dash lights (had to to read engine codes)
o Coolant flush
o Coolant overflow tank (old one was cracked)
o Thermostat and Radiator cap
o Installed block heater (don't need it here in Savannah but I'm sure the Army will send me somewhere cold again haha)
o EGR valve (old one held zero vacuum)
o Replaced the license plate light socket and also ran new ground for trailer harness.

A few things that are on my list to fix it do..
o intermittent speedo problem. It won't work randomly and then sometimes it will start at 35ish or 65ish mph and go up from there OR just stay at that mph. Then after stopping for a minute or two while in gear it'll start working again.
o I have a pretty loud clunk sound when shifting into gear. Motor/trans mounts or u joints?
o PS window is very slow and only goes halfway down
o The steering is a little loose
o I will probably take it to get new exhaust soon. The current system is ratty and I'm pretty sure it leaks. I'm thinking single three inch exhaust.
o Transmission service to include pressure test and replace selector shaft seal (I'm not too sure I want to do a flush)
o Replace door pins

I have an ALDL USB cable coming in the mail. I don't think I really need it but it'll be cool to see exactly what the engine is doing.

Does anyone have any tips for a newbie K5 owner? What should I look to service or replace to make it a reliable daily driver?

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Read more about this build here...
 
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Nice blazer! What do you do in the Army?
Does the transmission shift ok? The key to that transmission lasting is a good cooler and a properly adjusted throttle valve (tv) cable. the clunk could be either of those things listed. Mine clunked too, it was something in the trans. Power window could be wiring or a gummed up regulator, or just an old motor. Some add relays to get extra juice to the motors. Do a search if you want. I bet it's just an old motor.

Loose steering you say? Never heard that one. :rolleyes: Search xj shaft mod or google it. Obviously check for play in the steering system too. Take a good look around the steering box where it mounts to the frame. Make sure it's tight and look for cracks. My advice is to keep the engine and exhaust stock for best reliability. A 3 in single exhaust is the stock size. Squeezing power out of these engines is a waste in my opinion, unless you love the tbi and have lots of time/money. Standard bolt ons don't do much unless you tweak the computer...

Anyway, welcome!
 
I'm a "mechanic" in the Army but we are glorified parts changers really haha. I don't turn wrenches anymore tho, now I manage the parts changers.

I have noticed it shift funny a couple times. At about 3/4 throttle around 35 mph it doesn't want to shift until I get off the throttle. It does have a tranny cooler. I will have to look into the TV cable adjustment.

Thanks for the info! I'll take a look for the XJ mod.
 
dlind said:
I'm a "mechanic" in the Army but we are glorified parts changers really haha. I don't turn wrenches anymore tho, now I manage the parts changers.

I have noticed it shift funny a couple times. At about 3/4 throttle around 35 mph it doesn't want to shift until I get off the throttle. It does have a tranny cooler. I will have to look into the TV cable adjustment.

Thanks for the info! I'll take a look for the XJ mod.
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Very cool! I'm an aviation parts changer.
 
Did you just put in those seats?? Another guy just put in the same ones....very nice!

Speedo, check the twisted wire going from the t-case all they way up into the dash. Look and see if the wire got damaged somewhere. You also might be able to replace the speedo sensor on the t-case if it's cheap enough.

Does the cruise control work consistently or does it also behave intermittent? Check engine light?
 
Nice Truck!

The speedo problem sounds exactly like what my 90 K5 does occasionally. It seems to happen in moist air, or if I park over wet grass overnight. Let me know if you find a solution!

-Rob
 
Yes I just put them in last month. I got the idea off of the YouTube channel Merricks Garage. They are the third row seats out of a 2007 burban. I'm happy with how it turned out, the brackets were my first real fabrication job.

I've checked the wire and the VSS is new. It seems to me that it's the speedo itself. Those speedometers are extremely hard to find. The cruise control works without any problems and I don't have any CELs.

jeff in co said:
Did you just put in those seats?? Another guy just put in the same ones....very nice!

Speedo, check the twisted wire going from the t-case all they way up into the dash. Look and see if the wire got damaged somewhere. You also might be able to replace the speedo sensor on the t-case if it's cheap enough.

Does the cruise control work consistently or does it also behave intermittent? Check engine light?
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I
 
RivMan said:
Nice Truck!

The speedo problem sounds exactly like what my 90 K5 does occasionally. It seems to happen in moist air, or if I park over wet grass overnight. Let me know if you find a solution!

-Rob
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That is exactly when mine does it was well. I thinks it's the speedometer itself like I said above.
 
yea, saw that too on Merricks. Very nice addition.

Junkyard is going to be your friend and you might be able to find another electric speedo. Only was used in 90-91 Blazers and Suburbans. If your cruise works and no Check engine, then probably the speedo head itself. That signal drives abs brakes (rear), computer and cruise.
 
Looks nice!

So for daily driver status ( long term). I would start replacing rubber bits. I would replace all the body mounts. Replace leaf spring bushings get better shocks.

IMHO new carpet is awesome.

I have never seen a blazer with the window stuff in great shape. So I would start replacing all the weather stripping, all the window channels, especially that rear window channel.

There's other things too but that should keep ya busy for a bit
 
blazinzuk said:
Looks nice!

So for daily driver status ( long term). I would start replacing rubber bits. I would replace all the body mounts. Replace leaf spring bushings get better shocks.

IMHO new carpet is awesome.

I have never seen a blazer with the window stuff in great shape. So I would start replacing all the weather stripping, all the window channels, especially that rear window channel.

There's other things too but that should keep ya busy for a bit
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Funny you say that. I just ordered my new rear window seal last night
 
dlind said:
Funny you say that. I just ordered my new rear window seal last night
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Excellent the reason the tailgates rust is rain gets past that seal and the drains don't work to well, so water just sits down there.
 
I've just gone through getting my speedo working on my 91. Here's a couple of things to think about. The ECM and Cruise run on a different signal from the DRAC module than the circuit that feeds to the speedometer. It's possible that the speedo can quit, but the ECM sees the vss and the cruise also still has a signal. This can help find the problem. If those are working, but the speedo quits, check the circuit between the DRAC and the cluster.

Clusters for the 90-91's are a little harder to find for sure. Any on EBay go for a big sum as the LS swappers want them to make the swap to a later trans work without having to adapt some kind of speedo cable to it. That drove the price up on them. Now that's not to say they aren't in boneyards and other auto recycling centers. I picked up my spare for $35 at a local yard. I could have flipped it for 4 times that price, but I wanted to have a back up.

Part of the checks to look for is inspecting the cluster printed circuit on the back side. Little tip, don't pull the cluster with the key on. (that's why I needed a back up to start with, shorted my printed circuit out on the metal dash) You want to look at the terminals on the printed circuit where the connector plugs in. The terminals are easy to tweak out of shape or tear so use caution when handling. Next thing is to see how the other end of the printed circuit plugs into the speedometer. Make sure it's tight. That being said, be very cautious handling the cluster as it is sensitive.

Nice K5 by the way.
 
ZooMad75 said:
I've just gone through getting my speedo working on my 91. Here's a couple of things to think about. The ECM and Cruise run on a different signal from the DRAC module than the circuit that feeds to the speedometer. It's possible that the speedo can quit, but the ECM sees the vss and the cruise also still has a signal. This can help find the problem. If those are working, but the speedo quits, check the circuit between the DRAC and the cluster.

Clusters for the 90-91's are a little harder to find for sure. Any on EBay go for a big sum as the LS swappers want them to make the swap to a later trans work without having to adapt some kind of speedo cable to it. That drove the price up on them. Now that's not to say they aren't in boneyards and other auto recycling centers. I picked up my spare for $35 at a local yard. I could have flipped it for 4 times that price, but I wanted to have a back up.

Part of the checks to look for is inspecting the cluster printed circuit on the back side. Little tip, don't pull the cluster with the key on. (that's why I needed a back up to start with, shorted my printed circuit out on the metal dash) You want to look at the terminals on the printed circuit where the connector plugs in. The terminals are easy to tweak out of shape or tear so use caution when handling. Next thing is to see how the other end of the printed circuit plugs into the speedometer. Make sure it's tight. That being said, be very cautious handling the cluster as it is sensitive.

Nice K5 by the way.
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Thanks for the tips, I am definitely gonna keep an eye out for a speedo. I'll check the drac circuit as well!
 
I have been looking for a cheap easy way to organize my tools in the truck and I came up with this. I didn't want to drill holes in the truck and I also wanted the box to be easily and quickly moved. I went down to Home Depot and picked up four heavy duty magnets rated at 65lbs and attached them to a tool box I had. Seems to work well. If I were to do it over again I would line up where I attached the magnets to the tool box with the raised channels on the bed for more bed to magnet contact.

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