Here is video #4.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
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.
'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.
Here are the final two videos of our snow wheeling fun. Well, at least until I get Larry's footage and process it for him.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
Little off topic from the snow wheeling but seeing as to how you've used the stock truck manifolds on your 5.3 I'll ask. Do you think they would clear a mechanical clutch linkage, google hasn't turned up much.
handloader90
Building!
I'd like to join you guys next year!
handloader90
Building!
The attached pic shows an LQ4 (6.0 LS) driver side header clearing the mechanical clutch linkage on my '79 K5.
I'm going hydraulic clutch but I had planned on keeping the mechanical clutch and when I checked clearances everything looked to clear, that was my main concern with the LS and keeping the stock 4 speed.
Last edited:
That is exactly what I was looking for. I should go hydraulic but I've got the mechanical setup already and it's just a farm truck so flexing the linkage apart won't happen. I can't thank you enough!
Sorry I can't help much there. Looks like Handloader90 has a good response on the issue.
If you are out this way, hit us up. Snow isn't done falling up in the high country. We will probably make another run in the next month or March. I've got a nephew with a JK Rubicon that is itching to go.
Good shot. Had I kept the 75 it would have been done this way. 5.3/465 combo. Really liking the auto at this time though. If a NV4500 fell in my lap I wouldn't turn it down though!
handloader90
Building!
I won't be back to Colorado until May/June of this year. I'll be in Colorado Springs. Definitely wanna link up with all of these cool LS swapped squarebody's that are being created down around Pueblo lol.
Let me guess....Army?
You are more than welcome to come on down when you get out here.
handloader90
Building!
Yessir and thanks!
Thank you for your service!
handloader90
Building!
Thank you for your support!
He's already got a fan club. Good to have another K5er moving in
Tony Vickers
1/2 ton status
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2016
- Posts
- 128
- Reaction score
- 44
I’ve been crazy busy with work and life lately and falling behind with posting progress pictures…… Without further ado…..here are a few new pics of Zoo5
Cutting off the old spring hangers and exhaust hanger bracket
Cleaned up and ready for some ORD goodies. I still need to snap some pics of the after shackle swap
We’re still working on giving this ole K5 some class but at least now it’s got glass!
It was nice of our glass installer friend to stop by today
The chassis and suspension is pretty much done outside of some small things like front brake lines and drive shafts. Rob dropped off a set of nice meat for it last night!
Passenger door after fresh paint and new weather stripping & window channels and lot of adjustments
Purdy! That door shuts better than a brand new truck now….hope I have the same luck with the driver’s door.
This door has a long ways to go but at least it has fresh paint and fresh weather stripping. It is also so far out of whack I’ll probably have to pull the front fender off to get to the door hinges for front to back adjustment.
That’s it for now….the goal is to have it started and be able to drive it in and out of the garage by Thanksgiving. We’ll see!
What brand of front springs did you go with? I'm about to do the same thing. --Thanks
I reused the lift springs I had originally used on my 75. They are basic rough country 4" lift springs. They do the job, but the high spring rate does make the ride live up to the name "rough".
One of the upgrades planned for later will be at minimum some soft ride springs from skyjacker, tuff country or if the budget allows ORD front springs. I'm used to the existing springs and it's not so bad to hate driving it. On pavement it's firm, handles well at highway speed, just rough on the big bumps. Off pavement, I air down most of the time and aren't moving at Baja like speeds so the soft tires take a lot of the sting out of the springs. So for now they stay. I've got other items that need finished before my first trip to the desert this spring.
Sorry to stir things,
but I will tell you that you would not be disappointed if you went with ORD!!!
I have said it before, you have to feel the difference to believe it!
And I am not a paid endorser for them.
but I will tell you that you would not be disappointed if you went with ORD!!!
I have said it before, you have to feel the difference to believe it!
And I am not a paid endorser for them.
I don't doubt that at all. Like I said, if the budget allows that would be the plan to go with the ORD springs.
Tony Vickers
1/2 ton status
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2016
- Posts
- 128
- Reaction score
- 44
COOL! I've go a bunch of ORD parts on my rig and love them. Those guys are always helpful!
Haven't ben up to much lately since we went to play in the snow. The K5.3 did develop a problem that left me on the side of highway 96 a couple of weeks ago. I got a phone call from one of my wrecker drivers on a Sunday that he got our rollback stuck right near where we went snow wheeling in Westcliffe. I told him I'd load up the Blazer and come pop him out of the drainage he got one side stuck in. So I stopped off to fuel up and headed out. About 10 or so miles outside of Wetmore climbing a steep grade the dang truck just shuts off. It was about a 1/2 mile to the top of the hill. Since it was pretty steep I had no momentum to coast over to the shoulder. Stuck smack dab in the middle of the road I got help from a nice family in a Dodge flatbed. They gave me a tug up to the top of the hill where there is a wide spot to park in. I still had my tool bag behind the seat so I got started troubleshooting. The engine cranked but wouldn't fire. First thought was the fuel pump quit. Thanks to Larry's forethought in setting up the wiring, he reused the stock TBI fuel pump relay which includes the test port lead. The guy from the Dodge loaned me a test light and I proved I didn't have power at the relay key on. I used a length of wire and jumped power to the test port lead on the relay and could then hear the fuel pump run, but the engine still wouldn't fire. I had already checked fuses with the test light, but they had lit up. By now I've used up 20 minutes or better of the family's time, so I let them go as I had called Larry to brainstorm and possibly come rescue me.
On the phone with Larry, we tossed around a couple of ideas to check and he needed 30 minutes to get a truck and trailer hooked up and be on his way. So my rescue mission turned into another. Thankfully, another towing outfit saw my guy stuck and popped him loose and I didn't need to go get him. I went back to recheck the fuses by pulling them to look at them visually. Sure enough I found the 10 amp ECM-B fuse popped. Swapped in a 15 amp from the radio spot and the truck lit right off. I found the result, now I need to find the reason it popped. I did call Larry to have him stand down on the rescue mission. Drove home without a problem.
Hadn't had much time to fool with it plus the weather had been crappy so I didn't investigate beyond swapping the 10 amp fuse that the circuit is rated for back in. I decided to drive the truck to work, but this time armed with a baggy of spare fuses in the console. Again while climbing a hill on the way to work today, the fuse popped again. I stuffed one back in and continued on the way to work. I pulled up the schematic at work to figure out whats going on. The ECM-B fuse in a stock TBI truck feeds the fuel pump relay for the load side to the pump and two circuits also run to the ECM. Mine, with the modifications Larry made eliminated the stock TBI ECM. So the load is coming from the fuel pump. Talking with one of my techs, he suggested running a fuse buddy and monitoring what the current load is. One issue to watch is the value, but also if the value ramps up slowly or spikes when the fuse pops.
For those that haven't used a Fuse Buddy, this is it.
It is awesome for monitoring the current load on a working circuit. I hooked it up at lunchtime and took a run down the street to get an iced tea. Just at an idle the circuit was pulling 8 to 9 amps. Running down the road getting on the throttle to accelerate I watched the value come up to 11.50 amps. Uh-oh.
In the name of distracted driving, I attempted to catch that high of a reading as it happened. I didn't catch it. But did scare the crap out of a guy on the shoulder. Kids, don't try this at home..
10.88 amps is still over the fuse rating. Driving home on the highway the load never got up to 12amps. No pics. Driving at 70 in the dark trying to steer, hold a flashlight to light it up and take a pic is no bueno. I did do some research on Larry's suggestion to see what the L98 fuel pump we used is rated for in the application it came in. 20amps is what it's rated for. I think I'll stick with a 15 amp fuse since it's not pulling more than 12amps under a load.
I also started stripping the trim on the front of its chrome. The plan will be to paint it to contrast the body color. Anybody try to peel the chorme off of the plastic? It's suprisingly easy to do. Even more so if the chrome has bubbled in a spot or two. Took about an hour per headlight bezel.
Drivers side:
Pass side with the pile of chrome I peeled off of it.
Got the grill left to do then I can prep it for paint.
On the phone with Larry, we tossed around a couple of ideas to check and he needed 30 minutes to get a truck and trailer hooked up and be on his way. So my rescue mission turned into another. Thankfully, another towing outfit saw my guy stuck and popped him loose and I didn't need to go get him. I went back to recheck the fuses by pulling them to look at them visually. Sure enough I found the 10 amp ECM-B fuse popped. Swapped in a 15 amp from the radio spot and the truck lit right off. I found the result, now I need to find the reason it popped. I did call Larry to have him stand down on the rescue mission. Drove home without a problem.
Hadn't had much time to fool with it plus the weather had been crappy so I didn't investigate beyond swapping the 10 amp fuse that the circuit is rated for back in. I decided to drive the truck to work, but this time armed with a baggy of spare fuses in the console. Again while climbing a hill on the way to work today, the fuse popped again. I stuffed one back in and continued on the way to work. I pulled up the schematic at work to figure out whats going on. The ECM-B fuse in a stock TBI truck feeds the fuel pump relay for the load side to the pump and two circuits also run to the ECM. Mine, with the modifications Larry made eliminated the stock TBI ECM. So the load is coming from the fuel pump. Talking with one of my techs, he suggested running a fuse buddy and monitoring what the current load is. One issue to watch is the value, but also if the value ramps up slowly or spikes when the fuse pops.
For those that haven't used a Fuse Buddy, this is it.
It is awesome for monitoring the current load on a working circuit. I hooked it up at lunchtime and took a run down the street to get an iced tea. Just at an idle the circuit was pulling 8 to 9 amps. Running down the road getting on the throttle to accelerate I watched the value come up to 11.50 amps. Uh-oh.
In the name of distracted driving, I attempted to catch that high of a reading as it happened. I didn't catch it. But did scare the crap out of a guy on the shoulder. Kids, don't try this at home..
10.88 amps is still over the fuse rating. Driving home on the highway the load never got up to 12amps. No pics. Driving at 70 in the dark trying to steer, hold a flashlight to light it up and take a pic is no bueno. I did do some research on Larry's suggestion to see what the L98 fuel pump we used is rated for in the application it came in. 20amps is what it's rated for. I think I'll stick with a 15 amp fuse since it's not pulling more than 12amps under a load.
I also started stripping the trim on the front of its chrome. The plan will be to paint it to contrast the body color. Anybody try to peel the chorme off of the plastic? It's suprisingly easy to do. Even more so if the chrome has bubbled in a spot or two. Took about an hour per headlight bezel.
Drivers side:
Pass side with the pile of chrome I peeled off of it.
Got the grill left to do then I can prep it for paint.
Last edited:
Thanks for the heads up on the fuse buddy. Interesting gadget. May have to pick one up! Glad you got it figured out. Was the wire used to the fuel pump rated for the load you're pulling, or you think you should up the ga a bit?
