a4hope
+1y
Well it's been a while since I posted any updates, and recently I've been working on her a lot more.
I decided it was time to make the A/C work this summer, and after finding a leak and having a hose made by a local shop (about ten bucks and fifteen minutes, they had just gotten a new kit for making them) I converted it over to r134a. Then, I found that the compressor wasn't running. Tracing things back, with the help of a factory wiring book, I found that the A/C is controlled thru the ECU. The dash switch was functioning, but the ECU wasn't sending voltage to the relay to energize the compressor. I figured I didn't want to mess with sending the ECU out to be repaired, so I just put it on the to-do list and left it.
Then later this summer she tried to overheat on me on my way to work. A couple days before I noticed the temperature creeping up at idle, but it was ok when moving down the road. Well that morning the temperature got right up and flirted with the red, like the thermostat wasn't opening. I wasn't going to overheat it so I stopped and parked it, got a ride to work, and limped it the five miles home after work. After replacing the thermostat and radiator cap, I determined it was the water pump.
Lo and behold, when I pulled the water pump, all of the impeller blades were gone. I found one in the cavity of the block, all corroded and broken off. I wonder how long that one blade had been keeping it going! So after replacing it and flushing the old coolant, she ran fine again. I also learned just how fragile aluminum radiators are, as I managed to punch a small hole in it during the water pump replacement. I also learned that aluminum radiators CAN be repaired by a good shop. They sandblasted the area, heated it, and applied a solder-type one part epoxy with heat. They tested the repair with 20-some psi and it's been fine since.
About two months ago the head gasket finally gave up. I had to wait about six weeks before I had time to work on it. I ended up getting a Fel-Pro head set from Rockauto.com for about $90 shipped and started tearing into it. Tip: the bracket that supports the intake manifold is a pain to get at because it fastens way down low, I ended up pulling the right front wheel and getting at the bolts thru the fender liner opening with at knuckle on an extension.
Turns out the head was warped (.013 between cylinders 2&3!) but not cracked, and the coolant getting into the cylinders had boogered up the valves. I took the head to a local machine guy who magnafluxed it to check for cracks, resurfaced the head and ground the valves for $200. He got back to me the next day. After getting everything back together, with new plugs and fresh oil and filter, she fired right up! I only ran it for about 10 seconds and shut her off, it was dinner time and I'd finish cleaning up and bleeding the coolant system the next day.
While sitting in the deer blind the next morning, which was opening morning for firearm deer season in Michigan, I got this strange feeling that I had not torqued the camshaft sprocket bolt, but had just threaded it in and gotten distracted with something else. Well that afternoon, after shooting and quartering a nice 5 point buck, I went back and pulled the valve cover. Sure enough the cam sprocket bolt was loose! Good thing I remembered before running the engine more than a few seconds!
After buttoning everything up and driving it about 10-15 miles, it was running ok but stalled on me a couple times and was idling rough. I figured it was finally time to send the ECU out to be rebuilt. I'd been putting it off but after rebuilding the head I figured I was in it that deep, might just as well take care of it.
Long story short, I sent it to Foreign Auto Computer Repair in Texas, and for $195 they fixed everything that was wrong with it, shipped it back, and warrantied it for 18 months, unlimited mileage. The tech I talked with (they call you when the get the computer) said there was a circuit shorted out and was helpful enough to mark the pin with paint so I could find the short when I got the computer back. I got it back yesterday and after checking the ignition timing today, she runs great. The circuit that was shorted was the pin out to the A/C relay. I checked that circuit but haven't plugged the relay back in yet, I want to be double sure there isn't a short before I do. So the A/C should also work now too. That computer was definitely causing issues.
By now I've replaced and repaired enough things I'm starting to have a new truck! I still like it a lot and will continue to keep it on the road. I'm especially glad to have it back in service with winter approaching. I do really like the simplicity of these trucks and they are easier to work on than a lot of the newer stuff. I still have a list of things to do but it's mostly repairing rusty bodywork. I know this truck pretty well now and after doing my first head job, I'm not afraid to tackle any future issues.