Thanks! My local NAPA was able to find the right stuff. Just had to talk to the right person. In this case it's a gal. She's a hell of a counter person.
CK5
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'91 K5 Four Wheel Camper
This is the build for my 1991 V1500 Blazer, AKA the K5.3. It started out life being sold to the U.S. Government with a 350 TBI/700r4/241 combo. 4 years with a 5.3/700r4 Combo and now moving to an 8.1L Vortec and NV4500 5-speed.
Thanks! My local NAPA was able to find the right stuff. Just had to talk to the right person. In this case it's a gal. She's a hell of a counter person.
Sometimes those are the best employees.
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Brakes are done outside of fabricating the new parking brake cable brackets. On to other things……….like tearing back into the trans to figure out how we lost the Parking pawl when Rob tore it down to install the Bowtie Overdrive kit. Or…..sometangwong with our junkyard 241 score, which I doubt. I swore I spun the tcase input and saw the rear output moving. None the less, this hoopty has no Park pawl when shifted into Park.
Oily mess before
Oily mess before
This might possibly be my favorite build on here right now, which is saying something when you went from a stick to a slushbox.
Martin
Martin
aren't those shocks upside down?
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Sweet! Be curious to see what's up with the no Park deal.
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Nah, this K5 was always an automatic. Rob’s ’75 K5 that we scrapped/parted out was a stick.
Yes, the rear shocks are indeed upside down. The reason is if you put the shock body at the bottom the body interferes with the axle tube. On my K10 and Suburban I beat a little dent in the shock body to clear the axle tube but I’m wondering if that is why my shocks are dyeing prematurely. Anybody have any bad experiences running them upside down like this? I’ve seen it done on a lot of square bodies probably for the same reason where the shock body interferes with the 14 bolt FF axle tube on the driver's side.
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You and me both! I got the pan off and everything seems to look okay but I don’t know the internals of juice boxes enough to know for sure. I see movement in the park pawl rod and something moving at the rear. Not sure it is moving enough, but it moves.
I thought up another theory while beating my head on the valvebody trying to look at the pawl….So, Rob had to buy a replacement 241 as the original one had a bent output shaft. I’m wondering if the used one he got is a 32 spline from a TH400/465 where this 4L60/700R4 has a 27 spline. Would a 32 spline tcase input be large enough in diameter where it would fit over the 27 spline trans output? It feels like either there is no Park pawl action or no connection between the tcase and trans. Almost like the old days when the sleeve would break between transmissions and tcases. Sumbish is pissing me off
y5mgisi
1 ton status
I feel like the easiest way to tell would be to pull the governor out of the Trans and watch inside there to see if it moves while you rock the truck back and forth.
Here's the kicker. The friggen trans had park prior to us pulling it and the tcase. I rolled the trans over on the engine stand to change the TV valve and spring, which happen to be on the opposite side of the trans from the shift input and park mechanism. I'm lost as to what the hell could have happened to loose the park pawl by diving inside the trans. Now Larry's theory about me possibly getting a 32 spline input 241 is plausible. The issue is, a VSS equipped 241 with the correct side drop is a 2 year only t-case, so they don't grow on trees around anywhere. Then factor in the fact that a 3/4 ton version behind a th400/465 is even more hard to come by. Just my luck I manage to get the friggen unicorn of 241's as a 32 spline as a possible source of our new problem. I might be grabbing the old 241 and doing an input shaft swapperoo sometime in the near future.
I've got to keep positive though, because that's just my nature. Setbacks happen. We've had a couple already. If this stuff was easy, everybody would be doing it. So no crying over some spilled ATF and start problem solving. We'll get this. Besides I'm betting its something stupid I did in the first place.
I've got to keep positive though, because that's just my nature. Setbacks happen. We've had a couple already. If this stuff was easy, everybody would be doing it. So no crying over some spilled ATF and start problem solving. We'll get this. Besides I'm betting its something stupid I did in the first place.
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That isn’t a bad idea! Might just give that a shot as it sounds quicker than pulling the tcase to verify splines if Rob doesn’t find a smoking gun once he take a look at the trans internals.
Got a nuisance thing out of the way tonight. Apparently LS engines like to rub the OEM engine crossmember. I wish I would have noticed this much sooner because the only way to deal with it at this point was to raise the engine with a floor jack and use a hand file to knock off the corner of the engine block. Damn, my arm is tired!
Still pretty close but this is as much clearance as I could make with a hand file.
Haha, grinding that down with a hand file had to suck.
Martin
Martin
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Yep. That corner on mine is pretty dang close also. I didn't have to trim mine but next time I will just for peace of mind.
Thanks! It's not a real over the top build by any stretch but solid high quality work. Really, if I didn't have the 5.3L it probably would got a re-hashed 350 and TBI. So beyond the LS install (which is pretty basic BTW), this isn't far off from anybodies standard 4" lift and 3/4 ton axle install build. Larry's attention to detail is where the difference is made. He and I were talking the other day in the garage about how well the chassis looks, it is almost as detailed and well painted it looks like we might have pulled the tub off to do it.
I did stop by yesterday to drop off a brake line we whipped up at work to repair a damaged one on the rear axle Larry noticed. Got a chance to look over the park pawl mechanism. I have to agree with Larry, it looks fine and working. Which leaves the one thing, the t-case. I'm pretty sure I got the 32 spline version. Larry's going to pull it tomorrow and confirm. If it is the wrong one, I'll take the old one and we'll swap the inputs.
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Missing Park Pawl mystery solved! As I suspected, the transfercase turned out to be a 32 spline and not making a connection to the 27 spline 700R4. What am amateur mistake that shouldn’t happen around here 
. The 32 spline diameter is around 1.75" while the 27 spline is a tad over 1”. Rob is going to get the old tcase core back so we can play input swaperoo
. The 32 spline diameter is around 1.75" while the 27 spline is a tad over 1”. Rob is going to get the old tcase core back so we can play input swaperoo
As Larry noted I've managed to get a 32 spline 241. So it's loaded in the back of the S10 for a ride to work with the broken one to swap inputs. For anybody who cares I snapped a pic of both to show the difference. The 32 spline is on the left, 27 spline on the right.
In the one step forward, two steps back mode...We attempted to bleed the brakes tonight when I stopped by to pick up the t-case. Starting with the rear, I'm pumping and Larry is working the bleeders. Not much of anything coming out of either side with multiple attempts. We move to the front and we have lots of fluid flow and get the air out. Move back to the rear and still nothing. Larry inspects the combination valve further and we find fluid leaking out of the valve on the end where one of the buttons are. Time to start looking for a combination valve.
So to keep some positive vibe going here's a couple of pics I didn't post last week.
The reworked driveshaft. Very nicely done.
Bringing the big baloneys home.
__________________
In the one step forward, two steps back mode...We attempted to bleed the brakes tonight when I stopped by to pick up the t-case. Starting with the rear, I'm pumping and Larry is working the bleeders. Not much of anything coming out of either side with multiple attempts. We move to the front and we have lots of fluid flow and get the air out. Move back to the rear and still nothing. Larry inspects the combination valve further and we find fluid leaking out of the valve on the end where one of the buttons are. Time to start looking for a combination valve.
So to keep some positive vibe going here's a couple of pics I didn't post last week.
The reworked driveshaft. Very nicely done.
Bringing the big baloneys home.
__________________
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I never thought the 32 spline was that much bigger that it would even bolt up!
Very nice job on the drive shaft
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Well, what an absolute pain in the dick the last few days have been! So after the transfercase debacle Rob came by the other night to pick it up in order swap the input we tried to bleed the brakes while he was here only to discover we had no fluid going to the rear axle. Come to find out the proportioning valve was dead and badly leaking out of the rear section of the prop block with the valve hanging out. I tried to recenter the valve but there was no go….the prop was shot. This must be a common theme with these as my dad’s 90 G-van did the same thing a few years ago.
The best part about this is this particular stinking prop valve is a 2 year only valve use on RWAL equipped 90-91 square bodies, while the GMT400 trucks used a completely different prop valve. After studying my K10 and Suburban for a while I determined it wouldn’t be too painful just to convert it over to the earlier style and retrofit the earlier prop valve back down on the crossmember where it belongs. I tell ya, I would rather shave an angry Badgers balls than go through this again.
So this is the mess before. The Red Arrow is the rear brake portion of the prop block. It was badly leaking from here.
This is the spot on the crossmember where the prop valve would be on older rigs. The lines looked like they would almost line up close enough to an older prob valve. Well, this isn’t horseshoes or hand grenades…. And of course, the ORD steering box brace must come back off that I conveniently installed when the engine was OUT!
This here is what the 73-89 proportioning valves look like. This one happened to come off a ’82 C20 or something like that.
For the most part, the lines did almost line up with the older prop valve with the exception of two issues. First issue being the lines from the master cylinder to the prop valve must be changed as it would practically be impossible to bend them around to fit the valve and still clear the ORD steering brace. Second, the brake line to the rear is too long and has the wrong size tube nut. I don’t know what size tube nut is the right one but it doesn’t exist in any part store! So, Rob had to grab the M/C to prop valve lines and rear brake line tube nut from the boneyard. The line must be cut and double flared at the red line. Doing double flares is not my favorite thing to do and I’ve never been good at them but I never had a good flare kit either so I made a trip to Sears for a fresh Craftsman Double Flare kit. It worked great! I’m a double flaring building mofo now!
These were the original lines for the RWAL. Just no way to cleanly bend them to fit the older prop valve
End result…prop in place and ORD steering box reinstalled/torqued. Hope it doesn’t leak once we bleed the brakes!
Looks better with less congestion now too. Vacuum brakes will do for a while until a hydroboost swap finds its way into the budget
Also got the battery trays sand blasted and squirted this week as well. It seems I painted them on the windiest day of the week so they’re not perfect.
Oh, and I had to cut 2 F150’s worth of aluminum weight out of the 700R4 dust cover to fit behind the Gen III oil pan.
Now, I can finally get back on wiring where I had hoped to start this week!
The best part about this is this particular stinking prop valve is a 2 year only valve use on RWAL equipped 90-91 square bodies, while the GMT400 trucks used a completely different prop valve. After studying my K10 and Suburban for a while I determined it wouldn’t be too painful just to convert it over to the earlier style and retrofit the earlier prop valve back down on the crossmember where it belongs. I tell ya, I would rather shave an angry Badgers balls than go through this again.
So this is the mess before. The Red Arrow is the rear brake portion of the prop block. It was badly leaking from here.
This is the spot on the crossmember where the prop valve would be on older rigs. The lines looked like they would almost line up close enough to an older prob valve. Well, this isn’t horseshoes or hand grenades…. And of course, the ORD steering box brace must come back off that I conveniently installed when the engine was OUT!
This here is what the 73-89 proportioning valves look like. This one happened to come off a ’82 C20 or something like that.
For the most part, the lines did almost line up with the older prop valve with the exception of two issues. First issue being the lines from the master cylinder to the prop valve must be changed as it would practically be impossible to bend them around to fit the valve and still clear the ORD steering brace. Second, the brake line to the rear is too long and has the wrong size tube nut. I don’t know what size tube nut is the right one but it doesn’t exist in any part store! So, Rob had to grab the M/C to prop valve lines and rear brake line tube nut from the boneyard. The line must be cut and double flared at the red line. Doing double flares is not my favorite thing to do and I’ve never been good at them but I never had a good flare kit either so I made a trip to Sears for a fresh Craftsman Double Flare kit. It worked great! I’m a double flaring building mofo now!
These were the original lines for the RWAL. Just no way to cleanly bend them to fit the older prop valve
End result…prop in place and ORD steering box reinstalled/torqued. Hope it doesn’t leak once we bleed the brakes!
Looks better with less congestion now too. Vacuum brakes will do for a while until a hydroboost swap finds its way into the budget
Also got the battery trays sand blasted and squirted this week as well. It seems I painted them on the windiest day of the week so they’re not perfect.
Oh, and I had to cut 2 F150’s worth of aluminum weight out of the 700R4 dust cover to fit behind the Gen III oil pan.
Now, I can finally get back on wiring where I had hoped to start this week!
