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what spare parts should I allways have in the van for emer

1K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  workinVan 
#1 ·
New Safari owner here. from Providence, Lil 'Rhodie

Just picked up a 1999 safari cargo. traded a POS Saab for it.
I am in the process of installing a rear bench and have the chance to pick at a 2001 parts pass. van this weekend. Any thoughts on seat install?

Is there any thing else that commonly needs replacing or would leave me stranded,( mass air, computer etc)
that I could get from the donor van. Anything easy that is, I'm not interested in dropping a fuel tank for a pump.

My 1999 seems to run and drive fine, heater doesn't go to full blast, and suspect it is that rheostat thing that always go bad

thanks

Since_1971
 
#3 ·
Door handles
Second set of rims for snow tires
Extra rims for full size matching spares that are included in tire rotations
 
#5 ·
Get the starter, alternator, radiator, battery, cap & rotor, hoses, drive belt, headlights or the composite bulbs (depending on your type of headlights), the blower motor, jack, lug wrench, ratcheting handle, and the instrument cluster.

Also be sure to get the catalytic converter because you can recycle it for scrap metal and get about $35 to $40 for it.

If you have room to store additional items, pull the grille, the headlight trim, the window glass (as rear windows on vans are commonly broken by thieves) and the mirrors. I don't know how strong the demand is for these items on ebay but these are items are usually missing on most of the A/S vans that I see in the junkyard.
 
#6 ·
jeeze loueeze ted. thats quite a bit of parts for emergency. i see the thought of making some quick cash on a scrap van but for emergency and convenience at the same time i would say carry a AAA card. fits in your wallet and barley lifts the ars any when sitting on it
 
#8 ·
Anything you can pull off the parts Van I would. Electrical components inside the Van like heater controls, cruise control stalk or the whole darn steering column. Anything. Wouldn't take a lot of room to store some extra parts in your basement. As time goes on you don't need them and you fell confident with your Van start selling some of the parts on craigslist.

As far as carrying extra parts around in the Van........I don't & both my Vans are really OLD. :lol: I just carry tools, jumper cables, full size spare, 4-way & jack, and extra fluids with me.
 
#9 ·
i always carry an old serpentine belt and a 5/8" wrench to install it, a roll of duct tape, it could be used for any number of things, last time i used it to repair a blown rad. hose. I carry a spare fuel pump relay and a heater blower motor relay, 5 spare lug nuts, jumper cables, flash light, and a lug nut wrench. oh and a wrench set and a socket set.
 
#11 ·
I also carried a timing belt for the 240 when I had the volvos. I do like the idea of a timing chain.

Also, how loud should the fuel pump be. I can't tell, there is no insulation. Someone before me did the sardine job, looks patched well. If the van has 168K that should mean that the fuel pump has been done at least once, but should/could be due. What do you think. I do plan on changing out the filter soon.

Since_1971
 
#12 ·
If its running good I wouldn't touch the fuel pump. Its a good idea to change the fuel filter more often on these Vans and keep the fuel above 1/4 of a tank as the fuel is what cools the pump.

These Vans are more realiable then you may think........settle down and enjoy your Van! :rockon:
 
#14 ·
as long as you can get it cheep grab the crankshaft position sensor.
its right below the crank pully held on by one 8 mm bolt but if that ever goes on you it'll stop your engine from starting and small enough to keep in the truck
 
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