Dio's WorkshopWelcome to my brain. It’s messy. It’s interesting. And it’s all connected if you stick around long enough. "Believe Nothing: no matter who said, even if I have said it, except it agree with your own reason and common sense. Siddhartha Guatamo, the Buddha.
New cylinder lock came in today. Figured, “what the hell, can’t hurt to try,,,”
And when I was on my way home, swapped out the locks, and ‘tried again’
CRANK CRANK CRANK,,, but didn’t start. NOT THAT THAT’S A PROBLEM,,, She cranked from inside the Cab, not me jerry rigging a jumper on the starter.
I figure that octane level of the gunk in the tank ain’t quite enough to get started easy: needs a little kick, like some ether or something. (but, as you heard in that video yesterday, she runs smooth once she is goin’ ) (there will be gallons of fresh added soon, along with some SeaFoam fuel cleaner.)
BUT that wasn’t the point,,, My No crank Issue is GONE!!! Swapped the cylinders around agian and lo and behold! No crank issue again. No Brainer as to which cylinder is getitng put in, eh? That damned Passlock thing they did in the late 90’s was hit or miss at best and only messed with the techs minds. Too many stories in forums online of chasing down ghost issues that all lead back to that Passlock. Crazy stuff that make chasing down a bad ground look like kidsplay.
SOoooo’sssss Next is hydraulics,,, Gotta see what I can do to get that power to the shoes, then see what it takes to make sure the shoes can go Stoppies,, And freely moving as they are not currently,,, She runs, now to get the show to the rest of the corners.
Yes, there is a lot that needs done under the hood still: coolant flush, hoses, clean up all the electric connections that are showing some corrosion because that leads to high draw as well. Exhaust repairs, Etc etc,,, Those are details,,, I’m not ignoring them, just in triage mode and the worst offenders get immediate attention: Nothing is getting written off at this point because she showed her promise wasn’t empty.
So, “Twuck” it is, but BIg Country made the suggestion last night of BLOO in addition. BLOO Twuck! (and she is BLOO,) Or mehbe Ol’Bloo Twuck,,, (and you know that will get whittled down to just “Ol’BLoo” eventually,,,,)
As you can see by the previous post, She is a runner. LOUD, but I knew when I saw her cats were cut off, she was gonna be.
Still a no crank issue. More on that in a minute.
Went for the battery first thing this am. Grabbed up a can of Starting fluid as well, because, 12 years in a field,,,,
Battery installed, all connections tight, twist the key, and see lights, and gauges doing wonky things, I can hear the fuel pump whined up,,,
no crank,,,,
Back up and punt,,,
Check at starter, work back. Voltage on the selonoid battery terminal, ground showing on the signal terminal. OK,,, just for giggles, jumper across with a screw driver, crank crank crank, lots of sparks of course, but the engine is turning over. NOW, I need an assistant: No one available,,, keep playing around till one appears. Go ahead and turn key to run, and just to make sure, pull Buffalo up (Running) and set up some jumpers for added kick. Easy view of the cylinders on the Evens side so I pull out my HEI test plug and set it up on #2. Turn the key to run, and then jumper those terminals on the starter. Slow to kick, but eventually started seeing nice hot sparks in the tester. Time for the Ether,,, Two squirts into the intake (PCV tube, such a great location for that purpose.) and bump her over. COuGH, sPUtteR,,, VWOOOOMMM!
and she keeps on runnin!!!! Far more than a couple squirts of ether in the pipes account for,,, There must be fuel in that tank even though it shows empty, and probably not very good fuel, but then a 350 could probably run on old paint thinner too. She keeps running as I race around getting something to toss in the radiator to keep things cool. Took less than a gallon to get me up to top, so there was stuff in her that I hadn’t seen. (and honestly, never really checked other than a glance down in the rad)
Take the jumpers off and shut down Buff; let Twuck run on her own power since she seems so damned willing right now. Check voltages from alt and across points to make sure things are looking right. Was low at 13.8 but in five mintues was up to 14.5, just like every Chevy I have owned in the past.
At this point Twuck is purring like a big ol D9 Catapillar earth mover,,, just humming LOUDLY along content in herself and her power. Blip the throttle acouple of times and LOUD was only the starting point,,, SHes got some serious power behind that purr.
Still no crank. Still no signal to starter. No click at the starter relay, but I can trip it from there, so its not the signal wire. If you have never used a PowerProbeIII, you are missing out. A Serious Electric Diag tool,,,, Gotta be in that ignition switch that I was just banging around on as of yesterday,,, Pull it ALL back apart and see what I can see.
ONLY, there are two screws holding that switch in place. A type I have nothing that fits. E5 inverted torx,,, smallest E’x’ I have is E6 and its a socket and won’t fit down that hole,,,,
ZON!!!!!
They’ll be here on friday, and yes, I paid extra in shipping. I have another ignition switch of that exact make in the Donor Vehicle so a parts swap should isolate or eliminate the issue. AND, It may be that damned security feature I mentioned the other day,,,, Won’t be the first time that little bug-a-boo has bitten Ol’ Dio. I’m researching a ‘bypass’ or ‘ eliminate’ option for that. (technically, I could bypass it by installing a ‘Start” switch/button in the Dash: I proved that the run feature did its thing. Thats last resort, though not off the table. )
SO, I am currently stuck on this page, not quite able to move forward, brainium tired from all the intuitive ‘jumps to conclusion’ features of Diagnostics, but SATISFIED with myself for the days efforts. Oh, and the powersteering works like a champ. Used the moments she was running to straighten the front tires out. Blower motor for the heater works too, and she ran long enough to know that the heater core does put out heat. Did NOT check the AC at this time, though I shoulda,,, Oh well, she ain’t goin’ no where fast
YET! LOL
LIve
Learn
LAUGH
LOVE
LOAD!
PS: I do know “the King is a F.I.N.K.’ acronym. AND there is a ‘Nuetral Safety” on this truck,,, Thats my next check,,, One that will need to wait for daylight hours again. I did ‘engage’ the clutch peddle but didn’t seem to change anything. Doesn’t mean the switch is any good though.
I’s way too early, way tooo Kold and my inner bear spirit wants to go back to bed,,,
Not gonna happen of course. Off work today; bosses decided since half of the krew decided to no-show yesterday, completely mucking up ALL the plans for the weeks work, they were gonna take a day off as well. I spent half the day making the items we need for the install we were supposed to be doing today, then the other half working on Twuck, as noted in yesterdays “Miracles” post.
Today, gonna run and get a battery for the ol’girl and see what I can see. Remembered yesterday eve, that I have some headlamps left over from a different GM, years past. Dunno why I saved them: they’re good, at least for now. I always swapped them out in pairs, keeping the one that hadn’t burned out, tossing the one that did, and so now have a pair of working units on hand. Good enough to make sure things are working at least.
Online shopping,,, Cripes,,, the price of batteries now. Iswot’tis,,, Can’t go back in time much as we would prefer too. (and OH, if I could go back in time,,, the ‘corrections’ I would try to make,,,,)(I guess thats why we aren’t allowed that little skill, eh? Too many paradoxes that could be created by loose cannons with ideas.)
LOL I did enjoy that one. Too bad those that should see it, wouldn’t get the irony of thier ways.
It may be kold out, but Dio has stuff to dos, even if I ain’t making a dime today, I will at least continue the further investment in myself. Baby steps, but moving forward. That keycylinder was a critical point. Didn’t want to be under the dash splicing wires, hot wiring a truck just to ‘make sure’. (yes, I do know how, and no its not fun, and not as easy as Hollyweird makes it out to be.)(let me clarify: I know how on things older than 2004; since they have gone to the nearly complete BCM functions, Not a clue and wouldn’t want to try. AND, why I never want to own a truck or car newer than 2004 and much prefer older than 96; don’t care how nice they are, too many points where a guy like me can’t work on the things.)
Buuuttttttttt,,,,, with that being said, I dol like my techy side of things too. Fact, I have a touchscreen interface with GPS in Buffalo, and I have lined up a similar model that will work in Twuck, though I have not yet purchased it. ((Dead last thing going in as its NOT ESSENTIAL)) I did find the interface as truly useful, especially as I hate holding a phone to my head while driving. I don’t like taking calls while driving, as it is, there are times,,, Especially when that vehicle is a work truck. Communications are part of the tool. I used to be one that wanted the high powered stereo system in my cars, but age and having been a touring sound person, I found that just the noise of the vehicle was ‘enough’. Being able to hear the ‘creaks and growns of the ship’ moving, were informative to nipping problems in the ass before they bit you in yours. I don’t even turn the radio on, unless I am driving distances and solo: I do need that ‘outside voice’ to help keep the eyelids propped up.
Ok, the sun is breaking over the ridgeline, even if the fogs are still heavy. Time to go get a battery and get bizzy. More laters,,,,
Live
Love
Laugh
Learn
LOAD
PS: Forgot to mention, Twuck has a brakeline blown somewhere. NO fluid in the master cylinder at all. Need to fill it and pump the brakes to see where the leak is. BUT, that is actually a point that gives me hope. It means something was working properly and pressure was enough to blow a line. (likely a solid line that was rusted to hell and back.) Still flummoxed on the clutch hydraulics, but I haven’t dived in there yet: at least that system is small, not covering the length and width of the frame like the brake lines do.
That is what is left of the old Ignition lock cylinder,,,, Least to say, a couple hours of brute force application was required. Including pulling the steering wheel (which in hindsight, SHOULD have been my first move,,,)
BUT, Working key switch ( I THINK?!?!) again.
Off
On.
Now I need to get a battery and start really digging in. That is when I find out if this thing works or not. Those keys are sometimes problematic with the security system, and I don’t know if this is going to bite me or not. FIngers crossed.
It was the early part of the Tweens when the political divisions of the United States reached irreconcilable differences. Ted, a burnt out computer programmer, and Jim, a double amputee combat vet, reverse engineer the pentagons drone program and create a rebel air force. While traveling the country helping others defend what is left of the country, they run afoul a most evil woman intent on creating a serfdom within the country.
A beginner’s guide to going off grid. how to evaluate if you even want to make the attempt. written by the curmudgeonly author of this blog and his dog
Dio's Workshop 