I use one of these. Works pretty good
CK5
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The Great Smaug
- Thread starter campfire
- Start date
But then, with all that schtuff buttoned up, it was finally time for the test drive. 
It moves. It goes forward and backwards. I tooled it around the yard and then hit up the road. Brakes pulled to one side. But everything else seemed fine. Gauges are happy and it sounds good. Still no exhaust, but it's not as loud as I expected. All the gears synchronized perfectly and I worked her up to 50MPH. And then I heard a "pop," the brake light came on, and the pedal sunk to the floor. No front brakes, and not much in the rear, either. So I called off the test drive after half a mile. Drove it back home and parked it under the yard light. Come to think of it, that's exactly how the Blazer's test drive went. Maybe I should test this stuff during daylight hours?
It moves. It goes forward and backwards. I tooled it around the yard and then hit up the road. Brakes pulled to one side. But everything else seemed fine. Gauges are happy and it sounds good. Still no exhaust, but it's not as loud as I expected. All the gears synchronized perfectly and I worked her up to 50MPH. And then I heard a "pop," the brake light came on, and the pedal sunk to the floor. No front brakes, and not much in the rear, either. So I called off the test drive after half a mile. Drove it back home and parked it under the yard light. Come to think of it, that's exactly how the Blazer's test drive went. Maybe I should test this stuff during daylight hours?
Not sure yet what happened. But it's funny that the one optional thing I did today was the first thing to break. 
When I got back the turbo-side exhaust manifold was burning crud off, and the driver-side overflow hard line still leaks. I remember bending it slightly during assembly, but I didn't expect it to be an issue. Oh, and the ziptie I put on the front shock is within 3/8" of the bottom. Just from driving across the pasture. Ugh.
Sorry, @AgDieseler. You're not gonna get to see Texas shocks on this Yooper truck. Dey too tall, eh?
How fast can I get a pair of 5125s shipped?
Sorry, @AgDieseler. You're not gonna get to see Texas shocks on this Yooper truck. Dey too tall, eh?
How fast can I get a pair of 5125s shipped?
Pictures of it facing the other way. Because it's raining and I don't yet have a hood.
@GWeakland620, it seems to have caught your headlight disease somewhere along the way. How did you manage that?
@GWeakland620, it seems to have caught your headlight disease somewhere along the way. How did you manage that?
Goal for tomorrow - Make a successful trip to town. Finish exhaust. Figure out what happened to the brakes. I'm excited at how short this list is getting. But I'm also down to 4.5 days now.
Medium priorities - Install hood, reseal rear end (and throw in the Detroit while I'm at it), install skid plate, install head liner.
Lower priorities: sway bar (disconnects already installed), seats, amenities, etc.
Medium priorities - Install hood, reseal rear end (and throw in the Detroit while I'm at it), install skid plate, install head liner.
Lower priorities: sway bar (disconnects already installed), seats, amenities, etc.
I actually bought one of those for the Blazer project. But I remember it not working for some reason, and then I forgot about it. I will give that a try next time I have ATF issues. Thanks!
Wow you are making some serious progress!!!
Methlight. They just fall out.Pictures of it facing the other way. Because it's raining and I don't yet have a hood.
@GWeakland620, it seems to have caught your headlight disease somewhere along the way. How did you manage that?
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I have to. I have 4 days left and failure is not an appealing option.
Motivation. It's a powerful drug.
Today's Suburban accomplishment...nothing. Didn't even look at it, though I did spend the day working logistics for the coming week. And I procured a long block for the Blazer.
So today's goals have shifted to tomorrow evening. 3.5 days left to get these gremlins resolved.
Today's Suburban accomplishment...nothing. Didn't even look at it, though I did spend the day working logistics for the coming week. And I procured a long block for the Blazer.
So today's goals have shifted to tomorrow evening. 3.5 days left to get these gremlins resolved.
Sometimes stopping and seeing where everything stands is needed in order to move forward.
Guess you don't want to part out the blazer if you bought a long block for it. It's ok, I couldn't figure out an offer that wouldn't offend you or me.
I figured as much, since you didn't say anything. The more I thought about it the more I'm convinced that its value is in its functionality. Any dead truck is a $500 affair, and that's just a waste of an otherwise good truck. I found a bolt-in long block, and I think it'll be back on the road soon. I just finished one 6.2 engine swap, so doing it again should be a cakewalk, eh?
But that's a story for another week. This week is about wheeling.
Ok, today again got sidetracked. But in the evening I pushed the reset button on the combination valve and the front brakes magically started 'working' again. They're flaky, squirrelly, and once the truck failed to lock up either axle at highway speed. But I did get to drive it 6 miles on the highway today. It cruises smoothly, with a small amount of wandering in the steering. I covered the starter in soot, so the next item on the list is finishing the exhaust. Duh. Should have done that before now. I also think that starter deserves some sort of heat shield.
Morning view:
Evening view:
Nighttime view. Not sure what went wrong with the camera. The lighting wasn't nearly so bad in person.
One piece at a time. 2.5 days to go.
I also think that starter deserves some sort of heat shield. Morning view:
Evening view:
Nighttime view. Not sure what went wrong with the camera. The lighting wasn't nearly so bad in person.
One piece at a time. 2.5 days to go.
I found a third minor fuel leak at one of the injectors. Thankfully it's on the easy side of the engine. All vital signs & fluid reservoirs look good. Shifting is still very nice.
Nice progress. Glad you’re running and rolling.
David
David
But back to brakes. I'm not sure what I'm dealing with here. Neither axle works correctly. The back is weak and the front is flaky. I haven't touched anything except for replacing the front calipers and hoses. Last fall all 4 worked well, with the back locking up slightly early. This is why I swapped in the 3/4-ton front calipers.
I'll start with bleeding the front again. But it clearly lost fluid yesterday within half a mile of home, without any visible leaks (about 1/3rd of the front reservoir volume). It might have just burped up some big air bubbles. But I don't understand the coming and going, unless the master cylinder is failing. But a failing M/C shouldn't trigger the combination valve, should it? Won't it fail both lines equally? The combo valve should only trigger if one line lost pressure while the other one held.
This is the only issue that has me concerned at this point. Minor leaks & exhaust are easy stuff, and much less likely to kill someone.
I'll start with bleeding the front again. But it clearly lost fluid yesterday within half a mile of home, without any visible leaks (about 1/3rd of the front reservoir volume). It might have just burped up some big air bubbles. But I don't understand the coming and going, unless the master cylinder is failing. But a failing M/C shouldn't trigger the combination valve, should it? Won't it fail both lines equally? The combo valve should only trigger if one line lost pressure while the other one held.
This is the only issue that has me concerned at this point. Minor leaks & exhaust are easy stuff, and much less likely to kill someone.
As I think about it, I think I have a lifetime warranty on that master cylinder. I might just give Autozone a call.
My vacuum pump plugged up while bleeding, so I bled them out manually, by pumping the pedal. I have heard of this method destroying piston seals inside the M/C. But I don't understand why it would be flaky.
My vacuum pump plugged up while bleeding, so I bled them out manually, by pumping the pedal. I have heard of this method destroying piston seals inside the M/C. But I don't understand why it would be flaky.
Thanks. Running and rolling are great leaps forward.
Next step is defeating this slogan:
