I have no clue what I am doing. time to give up?

[wormgod]

I really should have taken auto shop and metal shop in high school. maybe I would have a clue as to what the **** I am doing.

so I finally got the disc brakes installed and looking good on that old GM 14 bolt rear axle. that was a mother****er of a job and it fought me every step. well, I decide to start crawling around under the blazer and see what I can see to get ready to add the lift kit. what do I find? a new fuel leak. it's rapidly dripping out of somewhere on the rear of the passenger side of the engine. looks like maybe a fuel line or a fitting or something, or maybe the injector....but I have no idea. so I crawl to the rear and see that I will have to take off the fuel tank skid plate and drop the fuel tank to add the new shackles....I don't know how to do that but it seems easy enough if I had the knowledge and the right tools and the skills....but I have none of the above.

so after sitting there staring at it a while and smoking a few cigarettes, I started thinking that it's time to give up on the project. I can't weld....so adding the spring perches and shock mounts to the 14 bolt to make it fit the blazer is out. I know next to nothing about engines, so finding and fixing the fuel leak is out, and all the other crap is out too because my ****ty trucking job never leaves me any home time to actually work on this thing, and anyone that could help me has moved away.

so it's either give up on the whole project and sell all this crap while I still can, or pay someone else to fix the axle and add the lift kit and fix the fuel leak.

maybe I'll just let it sit over the winter while I think about it. getting in way over your head is fun.

 

[Corey 78K5]

I'll say this the best I can......

Suck it up and learn Dude. If it was easy they would have school girls doing it.

 

[Russell]

Rear fuel leak is a bad cap on an injector return line port 99% of the time. Or a split return line. Both are easy fixes.

Dropping the fuel tank is a pain, but is easily done when the tank is almost empty. Getting welding done is just a matter of finding someone who does know how to weld and coughing up some cash I weld for my buddies all the time for free

 

[munepit]

Yes, Sometimes it is very frustrating! But don't give up. The reason my burb is where it os now is due to CK5. Mine sat for 10yrs. then I found this place. I cant weld either. Well, I could if I had a welder.

Just keep asking questions! The brotherhood will help you. Look, Russell already found your gas leak. Don't let it sit, I did that and it ended up sitting for a decade. Once you learn it will help you next time. Stay strong!

 

[2many]

This is what it's all about. I remember 16 years ago I was sitting in your seat. I bought my first jeep and started trail riding it (rough). Evertime I took it out something had to be fixed. I had no clue how to fix it. Unfortunately there was no ck5 but I had friends with alot of patience. My clutch went out. I had never even seen a clutch. I called a friend and he said take the drive shaft out. So I took it out and called him back and said now what. Ha said put a jack under the trans so I did and called him back. Lol.
Point being everybody's gotta start somewhere sometime. Get a socket set and set of wrenches And take that gas tank skid plates off and call the brotherhood back.

Don't give up. Use jack stands and always be safe.

 

[thebluemax]

long winded but....

I've been where you are and still feel like I want to throw in the towel. But don't give up. Up until a few years ago my truck was in pieces because I couldn't get the time or money or expertise to complete it. Then I found this site and bought a shop manual, asked questions, and slowly it's been coming together.

I have a 14 bolt that needs perches as well and out of the clear blue I got a PM the other night asking if I had done them yet, long story short...I now have someone who can help.

Tools can be bought over time or borrowed/rented.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

 

[wormgod]

thanks for the words of encouragement. I won't give up so easily.

well, I kicked back, smoked a couple more cigarettes and got one project done. I wired in and installed the license plate light.

I got to looking at the leak and it looks like it is coming from the 3rd injector from the front, on the passenger side. most likely from one of the rubber hoses. why the hell does it always have to be in the hardest spot to reach!?!?!?!?

and here are a couple pics of the rear axle. it turned out pretty decent for my first try.

I tried to remove the skid plate over the fuel tank. got the 2 front bolts off, but the 2 rear ones came out a little bit and now they are stuck.

I have decided that before I go any further, I am going to buy an air compressor and some air tools. this crap would be so much easier with air tools.

 

[groovy75]

Just keep tryin,easier if u break down the problems one at a time.....and ASK away!Just remember. The sweet truck you'll have in the end! !!!

 

[kennyw]

Also, pick up some PB Blaster to soak the bolts before you try to remove them. Anything that is rusted in place will be a lot easier to deal with after soaking in that stuff for 24 hours.

 

[tRustyK5]

If you get a nut or bolt that begins to come out and then stops, tighten it back up and hit it with any penetrant you happen to have, PB blaster is good, even WD 40 will do. Then loosen it again until it begins to bind up. Repeat. If you try to force them when they bind you will break bolts when they could have been saved.

The big thing to remember is none of this is rocket science. These rigs were built by normal men, designed to be repaired by normal men. The biggest thing is to ask a lot of questions as you go. Each thing you learn is a piece of knowledge that is yours forever.

The little fuel return line that is leaking...requires a particular hose. Straight up rubber will deteriorate quickly.

 

[Fordum]

Like they say, if you are willing to try, and listen to what they tell you around here, then you can do almost anything.
One point, while cigarettes are slow death, (So, who is in a hurry??) I'm not going to preach.
I firmly believe in the God given right to live like you want to.
But, smoking around a gas leak, even a good distance from one, is a shortcut to a really nasty death.
On a still day, gas fumes can sneak up on you. I've seen a fire start with a tossed match over 30 feet from the nearest puddle of gas.

And one other thing. Most of the folks here are rockhounds. Where I live, its mud. PB Blaster is great, also Kroil, and WD-40.
As long as your problem is rust.
If its a case of mud caked in the threads, warm water does a lot better.

I had a tire guy wring off two of my wheel studs on my 250, because he had sprayed them with some kind of penetrant.
He put a big air impact on them, and as they backed off, the mud in the threads kept building up until the stud gave.
Another one stripped out.
I sprayed the rest of the wheels with water, and the lug nuts came right off.

He wound up having to wire brush the one he sprayed, because the water could not get past the oil.
So, if its rust, go for the PB, if its caked with mud, hit it with water first. If it still does not want to come, then use the oil.

 

[shaun89]

i no we're kinda past the words of encouragement but i have to say,when i was learning i was 17 under my truck mother fuc#ing it at 1am having to get to school or work the next day because it was my DD. but i didnt give up,and kept asking on here. im sure annoyed some guys lol but just turning wrenches and asking a lot of questions on here helped me come a long way. now i can re-gear axles,lifting a truck is easy as pie.now im learnin how to bend tubing from a buddy of mine. it never ends! goodluck!

 

[tRustyK5]

His rig is diesel, so the "fuel" leak isn't anywhere near as volatile. You can chuck a lit match into a bucket of diesel and the match will just go out.

Most of us smokers are dumb, but not smoke around gasoline dumb...

 

[BoondocK5]

Don't give up, everyone has to start somewhere. Your where I was when I was 15. Holy **** 30 years ago!
Now, I'm not scared of anything mechanical. Look at my build thread, it's a nightmare! I just keep chugging along. You can do it too. Just ask, we are all happy offer advice.

 

[Fordum]

His rig is diesel, so the "fuel" leak isn't anywhere near as volatile. You can chuck a lit match into a bucket of diesel and the match will just go out.

Most of us smokers are dumb, but not smoke around gasoline dumb...

AH, missed that part. Yep, that stuff is a lot nicer. However, I do not recommend pouring a couple of gallons of a 90 degree mix of diesel and 40W oil onto your privates.

Not as much fun as it sounds............

 

[tRustyK5]

AH, missed that part. Yep, that stuff is a lot nicer. However, I do not recommend pouring a couple of gallons of a 90 degree mix of diesel and 40W oil onto your privates.

Not as much fun as it sounds............

I'm gonna take your word on that Jay...and for once I don't want to hear the story!

 

[wormgod]

anyone know what the part numbers are for the fuel return lines and those little clip thingies that hold them on? or a link? since I am on the road all the time I pretty much have to mail order everything so I can work on it when I get home for a minute or two.

might as well replace all the lines while I am at it. and I have a set of glow plugs and belts to install if I ever get brave enough. just have to figure out how to get the belts on...never done that before either. I am sure there is a video somewhere.

 

[munepit]

Hell, I pulled my tyranny and transfercase today by myself with no air tools or anybody to help. It kicked my ass. I've never done it before. I bought a tranny jack from Harbor freight. Don't buy that jack. It fell off. It was a PITA, but I did it. It saved me a bunch of money by me pulling it. Don't give up.

 

[tRustyK5]

anyone know what the part numbers are for the fuel return lines and those little clip thingies that hold them on? or a link? since I am on the road all the time I pretty much have to mail order everything so I can work on it when I get home for a minute or two.

might as well replace all the lines while I am at it. and I have a set of glow plugs and belts to install if I ever get brave enough. just have to figure out how to get the belts on...never done that before either. I am sure there is a video somewhere.

First thing to do is go find the diesel forum here and do some reading, look at the pictures, take notes etc. Get familiar with what each thing is, and try to find out what it does and why.

Belts are pretty easy to change, but the power steering one can kick your ass until you find the bolts to loosen. They're not as obvious or easy to get to as the alternator belt is. With "V" belts you want to tension them so that when it's all tight you can push the middle of the belt down about 1/2".

Glow plugs...this is a potentially problematic area for a 6.2 as there are many different kinds depending on what you have. A lot of them are prone to swelling up as they fail. That makes them metric bastards to get out, and often the ends break off inside the pre-combustion chamber. There are a few different "self-limiting" glow plugs out there that can withstand some serious abuse without swelling. Whatever you do, be patient when removing the old glow plugs. If they do not just unscrew, keep turning them. The swollen tip will eventually bite enough into the threads and it will come out.

I got those little hoes and clips at a GM dealer. I wouldn't recomend that unless your wallet is too heavy and thick for you to walk correctly. The dealer will fix that problem for you. It has been covered in the diesel forum though...and I'm almost 100% sure someone else had a better/cheaper source. Of course that was after I already got raped.

Anyways, don't be shy about what you don't know. We're a pretty patient and helpful bunch here. Take pic's, ask Q's and take your time. This is the closest to a free education as you're ever gonna find. Don't worry about mistakes either, that is all part of it and we've all made more than our share.

 

[wormgod]

Somehow, this seems to be the wrong approach.

lol. I figure if the whole thing goes up, the insurance will cover it.