What have you done to/with your van today?

[chevymaher]

"Late Gen One' I would like someone to explain that to me,being just an old mechanic. I have only worked on these since they came out..

LOL they just making crap up out the side of the neck lately. Started with the gen 3 we saw the brake lights.

[Big_kid]

Yesterday I checked under the hood and wasn't surprised. Antifreeze: Low (I knew it would be, the van hasn't maintained it since I got it- either engine), Oil: low. I also found I don't have an 5W30 on hand, so I didn't start it up. I did top off the radiator and the heater core with Prestone and water. During the engine swap I added a flush tee to one of the heater hoses, and can make that the highest point. I'll try to remember to pick up some oil today and see how the heat works, it's only been good once- when I spun the bearing. Too bad that was in the middle of summer.

[sixsix]

"Late Gen One' I would like someone to explain that to me,being just an old mechanic. I have only worked on these since they came out..

I always think of the '94 / '95 thing / the half changeover / materials went south / you being funny / LOL

this ---> the other day, I joked about something being old, "it's got Ben Franklin's initials on the bottom...".
... He said, "who, yeah, what?"

Jeannie said my eyes glazed over before I just wandered off...

[Mmusicman]

Good weather for the holiday.
Unfortunately I have nothing planned, nothing to do.
Vans are both good.. need nothing.
A lot of my friends are going to Daytona for the 47th Annual Turkey Rod Run.
Wife has to work Friday.. so that kills any travel plans.
Maybe time to start working on the the classic car again...

[dcsleeper]

It's always a good day to Oldsmobile

[sixsix]

And those good looking "Lifetime Seat Covers" are Perfect.
Thanks Music.

[icebrrg3rd]

Finally did those wires. It's not as cool as mmusicman's engine pics but hey, it's what I gots. Now if I touch the wires and a piece of metal at the same time I don't get all tingly. This isn't the finished pic, I went thru and removed all the stock wire mounting trees, as these wires were thicker and didn't fit in them. I picked up some clips to hold the wires neatly, I think it looks good.

One good thing that I did was when the dash was off, I could re-attach the heater control hoses so they weren't dangling down. Now they're not in the way when I put the doghouse back together. Sorry, didn't take an "after" pic.

I also picked up a used tire that is the same as my "new" ones so I now have a matching spare. Only thing it was an older tire (made early 2015 vs late 2018 for the other 4), but it is a spare. And anyways, when these wear out I'll probably go with a thicker sidewall, not a fan of the 55 series, would like at least a 60 and go from a 215 to a 225 width, so I'd be buying a new spare to have matching diameters. No pic, looks just like my other ones.

-Andrew

[sixsix]

Oh, Andy, That Looks like Serious Business!!
Music who... ?

I have wondered about that mess of vacuum stuff always hanging down...
- got me one time, putting the cover back on, caught one...
- chased vacuum/selection probs for a bit... for nothing.

Disappeared when I took the cover off & back on for Distr. work.
Must have paid more attention holding stuff up and running the top Screws back in.

[AstroWill]

Finally did those wires. It's not as cool as mmusicman's engine pics but hey, it's what I gots. Now if I touch the wires and a piece of metal at the same time I don't get all tingly. This isn't the finished pic, I went thru and removed all the stock wire mounting trees, as these wires were thicker and didn't fit in them. I picked up some clips to hold the wires neatly, I think it looks good.

Definitely looks good! Proper amount of ignition wires there, love it!

[Mmusicman]

I'd say those wires are looking pretty impressive!
Nice attention to detail!

[icebrrg3rd]

So driving home yesterday after picking up my daughter from school, I had to do a quick stop due to traffic abruptly stopping. An idiot decided to turn into a parking lot from the center lane, and couldn't pull in due to another idiot waiting to pull out sitting in the center of the enter/exit lane, causing both lanes to be blocked. Luckily it was lower speed (~30 mph) but my pedal went to the floor and the brake light went on. I had enough pressure to stop, and just limped slowly the last few blocks home (off the main street). The little reservoir was empty, which I assume is for the rear brakes. It was raining pretty good so I didn't look at where it could be leaking, but I'm guessing probably over the fuel tank.

Now I'm thinking of using that cupronickel brake line to replace it, I see it online for a range of prices. Anyone have any recommendations for brand, size, etc? I'll probably leave the original line and just run new stuff. Also, what type of flare is it? 45 or 37 degree, single or double? I'll probably do the fronts too, as they seem to be rusty too. I'll also be bypassing the ABS, as it's already not in use (no tone rings on the 9" rear end), and pull the ABS unit out of the van.

Oh, and thanks to all for the comments on the plug wires.

-Andrew

[Leeann_93]

This is the flaring tool I bought and my husband used on every brake line on the '02 - and they are double flare:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000L7QZ0Q/ref=au_as_r?_encoding=UTF8&Make=Chevrolet%7C47&Model=Astro%7C415&Year=2005%7C2005&ie=UTF8&vehicleId=8&vehicleType=automotive

My next coil of tubing will be this (I bought a coil that I needed that day at NAPA and it's not as easy to work as the copper/nickel stuff):

3/16:
https://www.amazon.com/Brake-Line-Universal-Size-Copper-Nickel/dp/B07BMZ5FV2/ref=sxin_10?ascsubtag=amzn1.osa.abaf23f2-71c7-442d-a4f7-f70a12c722ac.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&creativeASIN=B07BMZ5FV2&cv_ct_cx=brake+line+flaring+tool&cv_ct_id=amzn1.osa.abaf23f2-71c7-442d-a4f7-f70a12c722ac.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&cv_ct_pg=search&cv_ct_we=asin&cv_ct_wn=osp-single-source-gl-ranking&dchild=1&keywords=brake+line+flaring+tool&linkCode=oas&pd_rd_i=B07BMZ5FV2&pd_rd_r=946e958e-09aa-435a-9ad5-7ac66d3ef950&pd_rd_w=VGQIa&pd_rd_wg=NoPTJ&pf_rd_p=f78282ee-db56-4d41-99a2-17abf93837bc&pf_rd_r=HENPHYFVDVM4J1H8D4MV&qid=1606406303&sr=1-1-d9dc7690-f7e1-44eb-ad06-aebbef559a37&tag=thedrive09-20

¼":
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BN2W29H/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07BN2W29H&pd_rd_w=wAumH&pf_rd_p=f0355a48-7e73-489a-9590-564e12837b93&pd_rd_wg=Kzfkt&pf_rd_r=XZGP77ET1JX5QAZVVJTF&pd_rd_r=f935970b-f560-4279-8a94-f692fdf7ff81&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUFY1OFRBRE9NMTc5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzA0NDgzMjZERlRWTUtQQVRXNiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDM1NDA5MlJJMlA2QzJZU05HRCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbF90aGVtYXRpYyZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=


If you are removing the ABS pump, you won't need the ½"-20 flare nuts, as they only go to the ABS pump. You'll only need the 7/16"-24 flare nuts.



Oh - and yeah, the most common spot is above the gas tank. I didn't have to drop the tank to replace that line, thank god. Posts about that line start just under halfway down this page:
https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.p ... &start=160

And then the rest of the lines from here on:
https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.p ... &start=260

You might not need them for the copper/nickel stuff, but I bought a pair of these and they work really well at bending the tubing without flattening it (though I got mine from Eastwood):
https://www.amazon.com/Brake-Fuel-Line-Bending-Pliers/dp/B01FOKIQXS/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1BXK8REHAU6ZD&dchild=1&keywords=brake+line+pliers&qid=1606407079&s=automotive&sprefix=brake+line+pl%2Cautomotive%2C139&sr=1-7

And spring for the better style tubing cutter, too (instead of the teeny one) - like this:
https://www.amazon.com/OTC-6512-Heavy-Duty-Tubing-Cutter/dp/B000F5ED44/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=otc+tubing+cutter&qid=1606407220&s=automotive&sr=1-2

[icebrrg3rd]

Thanks Leeann, those were the ones I was looking at. Which size did you use for the rear? Oh, and I have a decent cutter, used for cutting pipes for plumbing. Only thing is the delivery time is a few days away, so the van will be down for a little bit. Hope the Sebring doesn't realize this and follow suit.

-Andrew

[markmitch]

I ordered the parts I need to make progress on my rear drive to AWD swap. Then I watched a movie. We don't do holidays but since there are no stores open in town I guess its movie day for me.

[sixsix]

...We don't do holidays

I realize it is religious based, but golly, don't the kids get bummed?

Are there any "Celebrations" that 'Fit In' ?

[Leeann_93]

Thanks Leeann, those were the ones I was looking at. Which size did you use for the rear? Oh, and I have a decent cutter, used for cutting pipes for plumbing. Only thing is the delivery time is a few days away, so the van will be down for a little bit. Hope the Sebring doesn't realize this and follow suit.

-Andrew

I just bought ¼" and used it everywhere - the flare nuts are the same. I think the Astro used 3/16" for one and ¼" for the other (and I can't remember which), but I'm lazy.

[Mmusicman]

Did a minor alignment tweak on my 2000 yesterday. I have some "heel toe feathering" on the outside of my tire. "Camber and toe" measure correctly and appear to be within spec (while vehicle is sitting)... but I suspect I "may" have some play while driving. I added some slight correction to hopefully compensate. I may be due for some new steering components.

I'm also running a lot of castor (more than spec) which mostly comes to play when turning, but is said to help improve straight driving too. This could be a result from that too. I've also read that vehicles with high factory castor this may be somewhat normal, and is corrected simply by rotating tires. But my wife's car doesn't do this with the same identical camber/toe setting.

For my Thanksgiving holiday..I'm also doing a little cleanup around the house.
I have some old tires I need to remove from some rims... (long overdue project)

I have tried a few different methods to remove the tire.
Cutting though them was quite easy.. but didn't really accomplish much when it came to separating the bead..

I came up with this DIY idea!
Jack the up van in the air (with this makeshift tool in place).. then lower it onto the tire...

IT WORKED PERFECTLY! First try!
MacGyver would have been proud.
(I did this once before to replace a bad valve stem)

SUCCESS! I WIN!

Slow day... thought I would share...

[dcsleeper]

Genius! I LOL'd

If that first pic is looking towards the back, it is toed in too much.

[Leeann_93]

I took mine on errands, since my husband had to work. Ace Hardware, Walgreens, the beer store, Home Depot. Ran like a top.

[DriveDog]

I just bought ¼" and used it everywhere - the flare nuts are the same. I think the Astro used 3/16" for one and ¼" for the other (and I can't remember which), but I'm lazy.

I'm guessing your ABS is still operational—so the slight increase in volume of the lines didn't affect ABS, I take it?