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Rookie preparing!! Help experts please

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ground_up

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Hi all. I am sorry to waste thread space. I really feel bad to ask normal questions. I am very very new to Chevy/GM due to me being a Honda expert. Thus also meaning, yes I can wrench and know mechanical parts(not completely clueless here).

I bought a 1978 K5 Cheyenne. She is a rust bucket and has many many body problems. No prob for me because I look at the inner beauty(4x4 400 Small Block). I will be going up the the mtns pretty soon for some fun and camping. I am just needing to know what should be looked at first to be replaced. She starts up right away, but needs to be warm so she does not die(getting carb cleaner kit unless others think other wise). She has a 4 inch lift I believe. I measured the back block and it was 4 inchs. It was a farmers truck so dont really know. Now I will be hitting dirt and rocks and many other things on the way up. So I need to know what should be replaced before saying she is reliable. Bushing, shackles, shafts, hoses, ect. Where do I start on a K5? Whats most important to be replaced? She drives great and feels like I think she should while driving. I take her to work everyday and have been for awhile now(I choose her over the Honda thats fully tuned lol). So short trips and start ups are more then fine. But can it take a huge bump or dip??

I am relaying on everyones expertise to give me a starting point. I can take pics of parts and everything for better responses. Once again I am sorry to ask such rookie question(s). I really appreciate it. Thank you all

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ground_up said:
Hi all. I am sorry to waste thread space. I really feel bad to ask normal questions. I am very very new to Chevy/GM due to me being a Honda expert. Thus also meaning, yes I can wrench and know mechanical parts(not completely clueless here).

I bought a 1978 K5 Cheyenne. She is a rust bucket and has many many body problems. No prob for me because I look at the inner beauty(4x4 400 Small Block). I will be going up the the mtns pretty soon for some fun and camping. I am just needing to know what should be looked at first to be replaced. She starts up right away, but needs to be warm so she does not die(getting carb cleaner kit unless others think other wise). She has a 4 inch lift I believe. I measured the back block and it was 4 inches. It was a farmers truck so dont really know. Now I will be hitting dirt and rocks and many other things on the way up. So I need to know what should be replaced before saying she is reliable. Bushing, shackles, shafts, hoses, ect. Where do I start on a K5? Whats most important to be replaced? She drives great and feels like I think she should while driving. I take her to work everyday and have been for awhile now(I choose her over the Honda thats fully tuned lol). So short trips and start ups are more then fine. But can it take a huge bump or dip??

I am relaying on everyones expertise to give me a starting point. I can take pics of parts and everything for better responses. Once again I am sorry to ask such rookie question(s). I really appreciate it. Thank you all
Click to expand...

No question is a bad question, only may have been covered before. But getting questions answered is the whole idea behind the site:D.

Cleaning the carb is a good start, I'd make sure the choke is adjusted correctly.

As for things to check, you listed alot of them. Some things to start checking:

  • All the hoses and belts for cracks or stiffness.
  • All the fluids.
  • Wheel brake cylinders for leaks
  • If the body is creaking or shifting, might check the body mounts.
But you are doing the most important thing of all. Just drive it! Lots of people jump in straight to doing mods without ever just driving it stock, and miss out since it's off the road.

Now we need some pics of the '78:deal:
 
as was said before you pretty much answered your own questions on what to look for. and i have found on this site to have alot of very knowledgable ppl. one of the other things is to take this one thing at a time or it can get over whelming. make a checklist of things and go from there. and there is no such thing as a bad question. trust me i look and ask alot of them all over the place. :haha:
 
StevoandaRedK5 said:
No question is a bad question, only may have been covered before. But getting questions answered is the whole idea behind the site:D.

Cleaning the carb is a good start, I'd make sure the choke is adjusted correctly.

As for things to check, you listed alot of them. Some things to start checking:

  • All the hoses and belts for cracks or stiffness.
  • All the fluids.
  • Wheel brake cylinders for leaks
  • If the body is creaking or shifting, might check the body mounts.
But you are doing the most important thing of all. Just drive it! Lots of people jump in straight to doing mods without ever just driving it stock, and miss out since it's off the road.

Now we need some pics of the '78:deal:
Click to expand...


Everything theese guys are saying for sure

Just get a ck list started.
Replace all fluids greese everything
Ck Brakes N Steering components
Ck engine over for leaks and misses and you know all that jazz.
Sounds like an awesome Ride keep us posted

Make sure once its up and running you go ck the 4wheeel drive out before youu go on a trip and find out it doesnt work when you need it.
 
If you are going up in the mountains and are planning some rough terrain driving, throw in an extra fuel filter. I took my 72 out shortly after I bought it and hit some rough spots that bounced the K5 around a bit. Turns out the gas tank let loose everything that had built up in it over the years. Luckily I had a cleanable fuel filter on mine. I had to clean it out several times to make it home.
That being said, safety is your main concern. Check all steering and brake components for wear. Replace anything that needs to be replaced.
 
Thank you all for your replys!! I posted pics in op. Yes she is a rust bucket and needs some looks but she runs and is my new found love. I hold her ever where I go :D . Ok I have already checked all fluids and belts. I had to replace the starter, flywheel and alternator with new alternator belt. The battery tested out fine. The carb is ok but I am more then positive that it just needs a good cleaning. I do have a short somewhere thou. Every time I hit a bump or are stopping and the it starts to shift some weight forward the headlights flicker, gauges flicker, radio stutters and gauges (temp and voltage, only ones that work) go crazy!! So I will try and figure where it could be. Its weird thou because its only affected when hitting bumps or shifting of weight. I was thinking its a ground thats lose or something flapping around under the dash. Any ideas?? My other concern was if I should look at wheel barrings or drive shafts for major damage before hitting some terrain. I looks fine. Just some rust dust that spread a little which I am going after asap. O and one other thing, when I am in gear and at idle and start to turn, it feels like its pumping back towards the other way. Almost like when you under steer and its trying to pull the other way i guess you could say. Like the pump is dying. Is that a sign of it taking a chit?? Thank you all soooo much for helping. I am just trying to get the main basic things fixed and ready for any time use with out modi yet. She will get hers but in time. I am enjoying her the way she is. Thanks again. I will post everyones feed back in an order in OP so in case anyone else looks around for the same it will be on this thread.
 
Hey welcome to the thread!

Check out your u joints on the front drive shaft, mine fell out first time I went to put it in 4 high, great looking rig, and welcome to Ck5 These seem like a great bunch of guys! I'm new here too!
 
On top of everything else I would do a good tune up. New plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Check all your vacuum lines for cracks, brittle spots or breaks. Replace as needed.
If you are heading for the hills. Get a spare distrubutor module. They are cheap. You dont know how old the one in the truck is. If it goes out on the trail the spare will have you up and running again in a few minutes.
Your electrical problem sounds like a bad ground. I would check and re do all the grounds you can find. On an old rusty K5 bad grounds are a common problem.
 
+1 Grounds.

The existing battery ground should have 2 wires on it. The main cable should go from the battery to the engine block someplace. There is also a smaller cable on the battery cable side that is about a foot long and bolts to the radiator support. Unbolt them, clean the rust and gunk out from under them and bolt them back up.

There is also a second ground cable (usually a flat braided cable with no insulation). That cable usually goes from the rear passenger side of the engine block to the fire wall. With those braided cables I would just replace it. they are cheep down at the local Napa. Clean the metal up so you get a good connection.

Given what you are saying that everything seems to be impacted at the same time I would be willing to bet it is one, or both of those grounds that are failing. If I were dealing with it I would just replace both the battery ground and body ground cleaning up the connection points and not have to worry about them again.

Hope that helps,

Rufus


Welcome to the K5 addiction! :bow:
 
You also want to check the frame around the steering box. These trucks are known for having the frame crack around the steering box mounts.
 
blbikerood said:
Check out your u joints on the front drive shaft, mine fell out first time I went to put it in 4 high, great looking rig, and welcome to Ck5 These seem like a great bunch of guys! I'm new here too!
Click to expand...


Ditto on the u joints. I bought a '70 K5 and the front u joint on the rear shaft let go on me on the way home. It was a 5 mile drive home. :doah: Just becuase the PO drove the truck does not mean she is road worthy.:o
 
Thank you all soooo much! got the u-bolts and spraks with a new carb on the list and air filter. checked the hubs and they seems pretty good actually. the steering shaft is bad and probably isnt helping with my loose steering. I did replaced and or cleaned all grounds. I was excited till it wont crank now. It wont kick the starter at all. The battery did die so i went and swapped for a red top Optima. Still nothing. Did i dont something wrong or encourage the short i had to go completely down the drain? If so where would i start looking?? I think it might be an ignition coil or relay. On hondas its for sures a ignition coil and or relay. Still learning sorry. I am kinda a cry baby right now that i dont get to drive her so any more input is way more then welcome! I listen to vets or others that have the experience for sures. Thank you all!!!
 
Ok guys. I am frustrated now. I have replaced both the ignition module and ignition coil. So the problem is ruled away from those 2. I also replaced the ground from the bat terminal that has the 10gage out to the body. Both are clean and are touching steel. I have a ground that runs from the chaise to the radiator mount that i cleaned and checked. Is there any other grounds to check or is there something else I am missing to check?? Please please help. I hate wiring!! I will wrench all day and would rather have bloody ripped up knuckles then work on electrical lol. I hope someone can tell me where its going wrong or give advice. I have found diagrams but they vary between models and are year specific. So if anyone really knows k5's or has a 77-79 please tell me what grounds im missing. Also to add, the ground that is on my bat goes to my alternator mount and posi goes to starter. That right?? I have over thought it way to much and I am 100% sure that is but I am questioning myself now. Please and thank you guys so much!!
 
ok, lets start off with the basics here and get some solid terms.


"wont crank now. It wont kick the starter at all."

This tells me that the starter is not engaging at all in this case. Yet later on you indicate that you thought it might be an ignition module or coil. If that was the case I would assume the engine is cranking over but not firing.

So lets get some clarification, does the starter crank the engine but the engine not fire?

or,

Does the starter not crank the engine at all? And if this is the case do you hear any clicking at all?


Once we get clarification there we can help you troubleshoot the proper items so that you don't have to just start throwing parts at it. That can get expensive.

With regards to battery cables.

Pos on battery should go down to starter.
Neg on battery should go to alternator mount (good engine ground)
Neg on battery (light gauge wire) to the radiator support.
Engine block to frame with braided cable.
Engine block to Main body (firewall) with braided cable.
 
Yeah, start with clarification of the problem.

The starter worked before you redid your cables?
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say if the starter is not turning the engine over, then the problem will be where you did your electrical work. Maybe a ground is not hooked up or tightened. Your negative batt cable should go right to the engine block or cylinder head if possible. Alt bracket will sometimes be OK but there are alot of points where corrosion and even paint can build up and make it a bad ground.

Take a step back. Retrace what you did and make sure everything is correct.

One more thing. Do the headlights work? Any other electrical work? If yes, try moving the shifter around while holding the key in the start position. Be sure to hold your foot on the brake in case it starts up while in gear.
 
Thanks guys. I for sure think it a ground now. I looked for the block ground and cant find one!??! I see a wire clip bolted to the passenger side of the firewall with a crimp on it but no wire. I tried tracing area for further hardware to condone where it would have gone to. Where the hell are the dang engine block grounds?! My bat ground is good to alternator and radiator support. The posi is good to the starter. Now I am out of grounds?? Any way you can give me point of views to find where a ground would be connected?

The starter wont kick nor click. I turned the headlights on for a crank test to see if the load is being transfered and they dont flinch(no dimming at all). There is a wire that comes off the starter I believe and it travels all the way to the rear of the truck. It is not part of any harnesses. It looks pretty damaged from the headers roasting its ass. So I am for sure going to replace that before further testing. I thank you all sooooooo much!! This is the only place that everyone actually loves the oldies and is more then willing to help my beautiful rust bucket.
 
Look on the firewall just to the driver side of center and you will see a "junction block" with two terminals and several wires on it (maybe one wire on the left post and two or more on the right post) check to see if there is voltage at either post. If you don't have voltage there then you blew a fusible link wire down to the starter. When a fusible link wire between the starter and junction block goes you will have nothing electrical that is controlled by the ignition switch but you will have headlights, brake lights.
 
Is there power to either side of the junction block (circled in blue)?

junction block.jpg
 
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