1994 Chevy Astro Van LT Rebuild

[dennis7815]

Repaired van fully repainted and rust cut out and repaired by Jorge's Body Shop Homestead Florida 5-21-2017. check youtube for my videos

Roof Rust Repair done by Jorge's Body Shop Homestead Florida

Passenger side roofline was rusted clear through. Jorge's body shop homestead florida cutaway the rusted roof and welded in new metal and replaced windshield

Roof Rust Repair done by Jorge's Body Shop Homestead Florida

I should have taken more before photographs. my videos are better and check out my videos at url
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... mVkp4T2t2g

I need help to repair my abs Kelsey Hayes 4WAL and electrical problems. I plan to replace the 100 amp alternator with 200 amp version made by DB electric and post to video and here soon

[AstroWill]

Sure looks a lot better!

What kind of load do you have that you are going with a 200amp alt?

[dennis7815]

Factory tow package used to tow 20 foot boat that weighs under 5000 pounds. Factory rear A/C. The 100 or 105 amp alternators showed low voltage when I turn up the front and rear a/c's during rain with headlights on and wipers on. 160 amp version would have worked fine, but considering the 200 amp version was only $25 more so I opted for 200 amp from DB electric. I hope to post video and photos on internet soon after I install the 200 amp unit. I don't have any big stereo or electrical loads. I plan to replace the speakers soon with aftermarket speakers all around the van and post videos to internet. I hope to finish interior work over time a bit at a time since I am only one using the van often the only one in the van. Van is for south florida boat hauling and farm work. I grow avocados and mangos and other tropical fruit in Homestead Florida. I think this is the only project I have posted on this forum unless I am mistaken. I sometimes fail to remember everything I do on line.

[AstroWill]

Awesome! I was just wondering. I was going to say that you might want to check your connections/wiring, but I see in another post you said you have 42yrs of electronics work under your belt, so I'm sure you have already checked everything like that. Regardless, that charging wire is going to have to be upgraded anyway. Can't wait to see the install!

[dennis7815]

Awesome! I was just wondering. I was going to say that you might want to check your connections/wiring, but I see in another post you said you have 42yrs of electronics work under your belt, so I'm sure you have already checked everything like that. Regardless, that charging wire is going to have to be upgraded anyway. Can't wait to see the install!

Thanks for the tips. I have not checked everything yet and making small improvements since I got it out of the body shop 5/21/2017. The seats are being redone by local shop one seat at a time, I don't plan to do a full restore because I only need it to tow my boat around florida and do farm work. It looked so bad before I feared I was going to be stopped by police or the windshield would fall out if I hit the brakes too hard (LOL). Next I need to repair the backup lights that I hope is just the switch because I fear without the lights working when I backup someone may run into me not paying attention and parts are too difficult to find for this old van. I am also having trouble with the side door on the van does not want to lock all the time despite all new door motors so may be a poor ground.

I worked on air traffic control systems for FAA until I retired and I really miss working at all the airports in the caribbean nations and Florida and Georgia for over 42 years. I hope to find a new job as a contractor in the near future because I miss working near runways and watching the planes take off and land. I was technical support which is 2nd level supertech and engineering became involved if I ran into anything I couldn't fix. Fixing electrical problems on old van is difficult due to lack of good parts and fact that most people junk out vehicles instead of fixing them which to my mind is a shame but difficult to find people with skills required to restore and maintain older vehicles. With the excellent people I worked with, I found if I looked long enough, I would find the people with the skills needed to fix anything but a broken heart. Some of them were pretty crusty and you had to become friends with them first for them to share their knowledge for any given fix. I plan to keep working on my van's electrical system, but monsoon rains been keeping me indoors. When found fixes that "weren't in the manual" I would publish "technical exchange articles" (TEX's) the engineers panned calling them "expert procedures" or "technical notes" solutions that had no business in the technical instruction manuals. My articles often were the only way to help the young bloods know what the old graybeard heads knew about the older systems. I hope to find a solution for the Kelsey Hayes 4WAL, but from my research, not fixing it may be best option. I am very happy to have my van doing better and the drivetrain is doing ok so far so I am pretty happy with progress so far.