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Rebuild of Blue85 post fire

Rebuild of Blue85
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centexk5 said:
Steam is the preferred way.
Click to expand...
I hovered a steam iron over it and it got like 75% fixed. Then I soaked it, used a bit of soap, rinsed and dried with the iron. I'd say it's 90%. Hopefully if it's pulled a bit while gluing, it will look OK.

20240823_205816.jpg

(Sorry for the bad picture)

But c'mon, it should look better than this:

20240823_210533.jpg
 
No updates because I've slowed down. We had a 3-truck overland weekend, just my family.

Yay, I have a ceiling again. Hasn't looked this good in years or decades or whatever. I have other ideas, but it's back to how I had it for now.
20240906_194932.jpg
 
On my bucket list (since 2018! https://ck5.com/forums/threads/350-lean-on-one-bank-but-not-the-other.334663/) was to update my ECU firmware from whatever was offered back in 2009 to something with a bug fix. The idea was that I had created the 2nd O2 sensor interface correctly, but there was a software bug pushing the feedback in the wrong direction. My fix back then was to ignore the 2nd O2 sensor and do all fueling off 1, which is how it's been ever since for thousands of miles of exploring. So I updated the firmware from 2.8.8 to 3.4.4, but didn't know it would cause so much added work.

  1. The utility says it can update hands-free, but I had to pull the ECU out from the dash and open it to set the boot jumper. Oh well. Seemingly in the future that won't be required.
  2. The fuel table went from 12x12 to 16x16. The export and import took my old top column of 5500RPM (because I'm a wimp) to 7000 RPM and stretched all the values across. My peak VE (i.e. torque) went from 2800 RPM to 3900RPM, and everything else in proportion. It also scaled the MAP (engine load) values incorrectly, so nothing was going to work right. I ended up hand editing tables in Excel.
  3. I can't tell you why, but the spark table got all jumbled. I had 39 degrees across most of the WOT instead of the old max of 27. The bottom row seemed the same, so not sure what happened, but that was not going to do anything good, so again, I hand manipulated old data into the new format.
  4. The definition of IAC position was reversed. With an idle speed of 1200RPM, I took a lot of stuff apart and plugged it looking for vacuum leaks until I discovered that the controller was parking the IAC at the full-open position when the engine was warmed up. A few minutes of reversing the table and finally I had to open the idle screw above "stuck throttle blades" to get it to run.
  5. The new firmware made my dash setup incompatible. I messed with this a lot today to get it working. I ended up starting a new project and connecting to the ECU to get the correct ECU/firmware definition. The key is that you can't update it on the actual machine running the dash (i.e. my Raspberry Pi). You have to connect that one directly to another machine over WiFi (RPi is the WiFi host) and remotely upload the project from the remote machine.

Supposedly I can use the WiFi connected machine to do the tuning while keeping my dash setup connected, and this seems to be the main point of the app, but I haven't seen it work yet.

I was able to get a lot of tuning done using the PC yesterday and both banks are looking good up to about 3000RPM. I really need insurance! Local mechanics are not keen on signing a letter of safety for an experimental vehicle that was recently totaled. :confused:
 
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Blue85 said:
On my bucket list (since 2018! https://ck5.com/forums/threads/350-lean-on-one-bank-but-not-the-other.334663/) was to update my ECU firmware from whatever was offered back in 2009 to something with a bug fix. The idea was that I had created the 2nd O2 sensor interface correctly, but there was a software bug pushing the feedback in the wrong direction. My fix back then was to ignore the 2nd O2 sensor and do all fueling off 1, which is how it's been ever since for thousands of miles of exploring. So I updated the firmware from 2.8.8 to 3.4.4, but didn't know it would cause so much added work.

  1. The utility says it can update hands-free, but I had to pull the ECU out from the dash and open it to set the boot jumper. Oh well. Seemingly in the future that won't be required.
  2. The fuel table went from 12x12 to 16x16. The export and import took my old top column of 5500RPM (because I'm a wimp) to 7000 RPM and stretched all the values across. My peak VE (i.e. torque) went from 2800 RPM to 3900RPM, and everything else in proportion. It also scaled the MAP (engine load) values incorrectly, so nothing was going to work right. I ended up hand editing tables in Excel.
  3. I can't tell you why, but the spark table got all jumbled. I had 39 degrees across most of the WOT instead of the old max of 27. The bottom row seemed the same, so not sure what happened, but that was not going to do anything good, so again, I hand manipulated old data into the new format.
  4. The definition of IAC position was reversed. With an idle speed of 1200RPM, I took a lot of stuff apart and plugged it looking for vacuum leaks until I discovered that the controller was parking the IAC at the full-open position when the engine was warmed up. A few minutes of reversing the table and finally I had to open the idle screw above "stuck throttle blades" to get it to run.
  5. The new firmware made my dash setup incompatible. I messed with this a lot today to get it working. I ended up starting a new project and connecting to the ECU to get the correct ECU/firmware definition. The key is that you can't update it on the actual machine running the dash (i.e. my Raspberry Pi). You have to connect that one directly to another machine over WiFi (RPi is the WiFi host) and run "Dash Echo" to remotely upload the project from the remote machine.

Supposedly I can use the WiFi connected machine to do the tuning while keeping my dash setup connected, and this seems to be the main point of the app, but I haven't seen it work yet.

I was able to get a lot of tuning done using the PC yesterday and both banks are looking good up to about 3000RPM. I really need insurance! Local mechanics are not keen on signing a letter of safety for an experimental vehicle that was recently totaled. :confused:
Click to expand...
Man, I remember dealing with the same thing when I finally updated mine. Was a mess, but has been (knocks on wood) rock solid reliable since.
 
It's been a few years since this one made it to deer camp.

20241116_122828.jpg
The tuning needs a lot of work. Basically did the trip under 1/2 throttle.

And, I got it stuck! I was just pulling off the road to let my brother pass, but I couldn't see because of the rain and fogged windshield. Tire dropped in a hole with a small tree laying there. Used "4WD" to get out, but stopped later to unlock the hubs, which were free. So I drove hundreds of miles down with hubs locked and when all I had to do was pull the shifter, I got out and unlocked :doah:

You lose track of stuff parking for over a year.
 
They are both 1-offs. You can search for bumpers and my username, there are pics and even plans. I can look stuff up later.
 
I've done that, except I "locked" hubs when we hit the dirt, winched the truck over a berm and thought I had broke something, nope just unlocked the hubs from the last trip. :doah:
 
Blue85 said:
They are both 1-offs. You can search for bumpers and my username, there are pics and even plans. I can look stuff up later.
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Found the thread for the front. Did you have a thread for the rear, I wasn't able to find it. I really like how tight the front tucks in and isn't bulky.
 
The initial build was in 2005. We started with the 4wdmetalworks rear bumper design for the basic shape, because the taper doesn't look like a piece of rectangle tubing bolted out back, but it's still not that hard to build.

4wdmetalworks rear 2.jpg

4wdmetalworks rear.jpg

The shackles are a little beefier, though, and protection for the gas tank/skid was added:

IM000438.JPG

IM000436.JPG

I didn't use the gate latch very long at all. I replaced that pin with a kind of fabricated wing bolt - to tie it down tight. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/need-pics-tire-carrier-bumper.163492/page-5#post-2815491 I also added a brace from the near the spindle mount that goes diagonally forward to the frame. You have to do everything you can to make these stiff when you put a heavy wheel/tire on a lever arm.

Trailer spindles actually suck for this application, as has been discussed many times before. After mine broke, I went a new route in 2010: https://ck5.com/forums/threads/need-pics-tire-carrier-bumper.163492/page-4

Initially I coated it with POR-15, but that is a crappy product (don't argue me in this thread, take it over here: https://ck5.com/forums/threads/my-saved-rant.346045/) and later I had it powder coated, which has held up great for a lot of years.

I got tired of the hold-down wing-bolt solution after a while and changed it to a big stainless DeStaCo locking clamp, #341-RSS, which makes opening the gate much easier.
 
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Blue85 said:
The initial build was in 2005. We started with the 4wdmetalworks rear bumper design for the basic shape, because the taper doesn't look like a piece of rectangle tubing bolted out back, but it's still not that hard to build.

View attachment 491121

View attachment 491122

The shackles are a little beefier, though, and protection for the gas tank/skid was added:

View attachment 491124

View attachment 491125

I didn't use the gate latch very long at all. I replaced that pin with a kind of fabricated wing bolt - to tie it down tight. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/need-pics-tire-carrier-bumper.163492/page-5#post-2815491 I also added a brace from the near the spindle mount that goes diagonally forward to the frame. You have to do everything you can to make these stiff when you put a heavy wheel/tire on a lever arm.

Trailer spindles actually suck for this application, as has been discussed many times before. After mine broke, I went a new route in 2010: https://ck5.com/forums/threads/need-pics-tire-carrier-bumper.163492/page-4

Initially I coated it with POR-15, but that is a crappy product (don't argue me in this thread, take it over here: https://ck5.com/forums/threads/my-saved-rant.346045/) and later I had it powder coated, which has held up great for a lot of years.

I got tired of the hold-down wing-bolt solution after a while and changed it to a big stainless DeStaCo locking clamp, #341-RSS, which makes opening the gate much easier.
Click to expand...
I really like that they're not bulky and tuck in tight. Right now I have a stock rear and a old school Warn front meant to fit a 8274 sized winch. I hate the way the my front sticks way out there and gets in the way when working in the engine compartment.
 
Glad to see the Blazer resurrected from the ashes. Great work. And I totally agree it's way better drive them, than work on them.
 
I asked a couple of mechanics about doing an inspection and they were afraid of the liability of signing something. I had no plans to come after them if I pop a brake hose, but I can see their point that the insurance company sure would (not that I can get collision coverage on a modified vehicle, but how can they know that for sure). I called the State Police post a couple of times and they said they would get back to me, but never did. I'm taking that as saying it's not something they do.

So I gave up on Auto Owners and got a stand-alone policy from Progressive. The snow will come soon (normally it's already here), so I'll turn the policy down to storage. I've been looking at Frankenmuth anyway and maybe there's a good time to move everything over at once.
 
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