New here...Resurrecting an '82 K5

[skniper]

Just found ya'll today...great site.
We have just acquired an '82 K5 for our deer camp. It's been sitting for a few years, I spent this weekend cleaning, flushing, lubing, etc, etc..everything I could. Even replaced EVERY single vacuum line on top of the motor. It runs but not well. The block and innards were replaced with new GM about 5K miles ago, the original carb, etc were put back on.
When I got it to run it was almost WFO. I sprayed the carb real good but I think it is really gunked up inside and full of debris, changed the fuel filter too. The fuel line flushed out some debris into a bucket so I know it's dirty.
Is there a favorite method for siphoning a Blazer's gas tank out?...the gas is vinegar, smells like crap. I couldn't get small tube to pass all the way through the filler neck....anti-siphon device?
Also, I removed the Roch. Q-jet, sealed the motor, and brought the carb home with me(the truck is 300 miles away). Is there a recommended Q-jet rebuild kit that ya'll like? I think it will run like brand new if I overhaul the carb.
Sorry for any redundant newbie questions...I'm on some Land Cruiser forums that are very similar to this.
Thanks for any & all suggestions!!

 

[unclematty]

makesure to do the basic tune up too, thats what always saves me is back to basics, just about any carb rebuild kit will work for what your doing. definatly get rid of that dirty old fuel, and check under the distributor cap for any wear, or carnage

 

[dyeager535]

Yep, wouldn't worry about brand of rebuild kits, from my experience they are all about the same. Same pieces, quality, etc. GM one would probably be better, but I wouldn't pay the price difference.

If it sat that long, the float bowl is probably full of crusty white powder, which can wreak havoc in all the small orifices. A good cleaning (along with the rebuild kit for safe measure) should make the carb good as new.

No anti-siphon on the tanks, unless you consider the bends anti-siphon...the fuel fill at the tank itself is a 90* bend, hard to get a hose to follow that since it's about two feet and through another bend before you get there. You could siphon from the fuel pump, just remove the rubber feed line before the pump and get it running into a bucket (multiple if the tank is full) that is lower than the bottom of the tank, and almost all of it will come out. There is a rubber line between the tank and frame too, but I don't think that is visible with the tank bolted up, not as accessible as the fuel pump line.

 

[loafer]

You can siphon or pump the tank using the fuel supply line. Disconnect the line under the truck before the fuel pump.

 

[PhoenixZorn]

Noob questions are appreciated on this forum... that's the whole point of it... you sound like you know what you are doing for the most part. I don't know for sure if the K5s have an anti-siphon thingy, but the down spout does curve a lot, so you may just wanna keep shoving that line down into the tank.

As for the carb, take the top end off, clean everything with carb cleaner or Coleman White fuel (cheaper and less fumes, dries clean) and then put it all back together... I didn't even take mine apart, just cleaned it up really well, dropped it back on my new engine, and it ran like a champ.

Also, unless you have emissions where you live, I'd plug the fuel recycler hoses, and take out the coffee can if there is one there.

 

[Emmettology 101]

We've siphon'd from one K5 to another before. We used some heater core hose.... This was on a 78 and an 82.... Worked pretty well except for the gas taste in your mouth!


And welcome!

 

[skniper]

Thanks dudes!
I'll siphon the tank somewhere before the pump and get a carb kit for it. It will also need a water pump and probably a fan clutch. The fan "axle" is real wobbly and the fan clutch has a grindy sound.
This will be a semi-beater K5, I want it to be highway worthy at least...I'm a geek about mechanical things being tight & right.

Btw, the fuel gauge does not work (big surprise)...is this a common problem with these...any quick fix for that? I have no idea how much gas I may have to siphon.
Oh yeah, it still has the 8 track...and it works!!
Thanks again for the responses.

 

[dyeager535]

Fuel gauge not working is fairly common, but you'll have to tell us exactly what it does, behavior on fillups, how it acts while you drive, etc. Pretty simple setup, ground wire and sending wire from the tank, sending wire to the gauge. Failure points are pretty few.

 

[skniper]

New guy's '82...Fuel Gauge

Fuel gauge not working is fairly common, but you'll have to tell us exactly what it does, behavior on fillups, how it acts while you drive, etc. Pretty simple setup, ground wire and sending wire from the tank, sending wire to the gauge. Failure points are pretty few.

The fuel gauge doesn't do much at all. It pretty much sits pegged at "F" full. Doesn't move regardless of battery hook up or ignition key position or motor running. The previous owner doesn't remember it working. It did move a little once when I was cranking the motor or had it running for a short time...don't remember exactly. Maybe the gauge itself is trashed.
I really haven't driven the vehicle other than just trying to get it to run last weekend...I can't tell you any of its fillup or highway habits

Any further thoughts? Thnx.

 

[pvfjr]

Sounds like a break somewhere in the sending wire.

 

[tRustyK5]

My fuel gauge did that and it was the guage itself. Pretty easy fix.

Rene

 

[speedyvision917]

Pictures???

 

[dyeager535]

One of the easiest tests is to take the sending unit wire (lots of times pink, comes up the drivers side frame rail from the fuel sender, only it and the ground, ground bolts to frame near tank) and disconnect it, and see what happens. If the needle moves, it's not the gauge. Should be a connector on that wire near the tank to make disconnecting it easy.

Sounds like a wiring issue to me too. Try pressing or tapping (not too hard) on the cluster with the key on, see if you can get it to move. Could be a bad connection at the back of the cluster.