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Spider or no?

1K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  stent 
#1 ·
OK. New to me 2003 Astro. Runs great, no codes. Very few records. 153k miles. Has coolant leak at lower intake.

I have a few questions:

Would you do the fuel injection spider?
I will either do all the maintenance on this van and a simple camper build and sell it OR I will leave it at my son's house in WA for a vehicle to camp and drive when we visit (<5k miles per year)

If you would do the spider should it be ACDelco or is Standard Motor Products good enough?
The AC-Delco 217-2038 that everyone recommends is 2-3 weeks out from Amazon. Also, that is the conversion one from the earlier models. I understand it will also fit the 2003 just don't use the bracket, right?

I will use the Fuel-Pro lower manifold gasket kit and do a water pump, heater valve, rad hoses and possibly radiator at same time.

And finally, I also need to do motor mounts and plan to do a lift. Any reason to do these before the intake manifold gasket?

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
ranchero7 said:
OK. New to me 2003 Astro. Runs great, no codes. Very few records. 153k miles. Has coolant leak at lower intake.
...Would you do the fuel injection spider?
Really depends on your budget, and if you don't mind doing the plenum job again later.
Spider job is not terrible, and when replacing spider you don't have to do intake gaskets.

Mine failed at just over 200K.. I replaced it with the ACDelco.
With your mileage and depending on how long it takes you to put on mileage, you could possible drive for several years before needing to replace the spider. Of course, it could also fail sooner too. No real answer.. everyone is different.

Personally, I'd probably just wait until it needs to be done, but that's me.
The flip side is you are already in there.. no better time to do it, and possible save you all kinds of grief down the road when it finally decides to fail. I don't know if they all eventually fail or not.

If you would do the spider should it be ACDelco or is Standard Motor Products good enough?
No question in my mind... I'd use ACDelco.

And finally, I also need to do motor mounts and plan to do a lift. Any reason to do these before the intake manifold gasket?
Nope, no reason at all.
Motor mounts are a completely different job, on the opposite under-side of the engine!
Do them whenever!
 
#4 ·
You can use the bracket. You don't need the bolt the bracket slides onto; it's already installed on yours.

The bracket is identical to the one in which the current spider is mounted - when you pull out the assembly, the bracket comes with. I used the new bracket as a convenience - I didn't have to pull it from the old spider and I didn't have to clean it up.
 
#6 ·
i'm in a similar situation with the coolant leak & a seemingly good spider. i've decided to change the spider now, with the intake sitting on a bench rather than digging it out from underneath the dashboard sometime in the future. an added plus for me is moving up to the improved spider, as my '99 has the old style spider now. i went ahead & got a complete intake assembly at the JY to preinstall everything now then i'll just swap it in when i finally take the original intake out.

pics of the JY intake :
int1.jpg

int5.jpg


spider in a box :
ick3.jpg

ick10.jpg


the gaskets :
INT9.jpg

INT10.jpg


practicing taking the intake out at the JY convinced me to spend the extra $$ now rather than pull off the plenum later.
:2: if you can afford it, my vote would be change the spider now while the intake is out of the van. :2:
:wave:
 
#8 ·
ranchero7 said:
Stent - I did decide to replace the spider as well. Looks like we're on parallel paths. I plan to start mine in a few days.
definitely parallel paths - i've got the list of other things to do at the same time like you.
i plan to do the work next month.
FYI - i've been mellowly driving my van with the leak plugged with stop leak since right after last thanksgiving.
GOOD LUCK !!!!
 
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