Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 Maniac | Maniac Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 | Good job with the pop-outs! I converted the side and rear doors on my 89 Ford to pop outs.
I didn't do it today, but last week I added an auxilliary electric fan mounted to the AC condenser. I have never been happy with the AC in my van and I long suspected it was an airflow issue. The van never overheated due to poor airflow, but the AC never really got cold unless I was doing 50+ miles per hour. Well, that auxilliary fan has really made a difference. Now the AC is cold even idling in traffic, and it is great once I get up to speed. If anyone has mediocre AC I recommend trying adding an electric fan to boost airflow across the condenser.
Last edited by Reed; August 15th 2018 9:12 pm.
Windows- they're what make a van worth owning! | | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Jun 2017 Posts: 38 newbie | newbie Joined: Jun 2017 Posts: 38 | | | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 Maniac | Maniac Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 |
Windows- they're what make a van worth owning! | | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Feb 2018 Posts: 116 Likes: 2 member | member Joined: Feb 2018 Posts: 116 Likes: 2 | Not today but over the last week I have completely tore into the engine on our van, it popped a headgasket during the 3800 mile road trip we took in late July/early August. Blew between a coolant passage and the combustion chamber in southern Utah, those 100+ degree dessert temperatures were not kind. So it was ruinning very warm on the big hills and burning off the coolant over the course of a day, at which point we would have to stop to let it cool and refill before continuing. :-( Both heads and the intake are off, I started cleaning them up last night, I'm at least going to repaint the intake and valve covers. Going to take advantage of having the heads off to do a little machine work. The drivers side head is warped, it is exactly at the max out of flat spec, and I can see on the 3rd cylinder from the front that is the spot that blew. So I'll have both heads decked the same amount and gain a little compression. I'm also trying to talk myself into not porting the heads per say, but just cleaning up/smoothing the casting defects to get a little more flow. I don't think going to a bigger cam and valves, etc is in my budget as it appears from reading/internet research that doing that would completely overrun the capability of the TBI computer and throttle body, and I don't have/want to spend the scratch to go to a different system at this juncture. I am a little sad because the money I was going to spend on a lift and bigger tires for my truck is no going into this. But on the flip side I'll have a better van? ;-P
In other things that will happen. Aluminum radiator, high flow water pump, high flow cat (air pump delete), replace every even slightly leaking gasket I can get to, etc. Hopefully I can get it machined and put back together and on the road by early-mid September. My weekends are booked for the most part so I'll be doing a bit on evenings here and there.
Last edited by RichardB; August 16th 2018 9:16 am.
1991 Dodge B250 Zephyr Conversion. "Bi-frost" 89,000-ish original miles and counting. - 318TBI; has headwork and other bolt on upgrades. Runs strong and smooth! - Powertrax locker - 3" aluminum radiator. - Rear air springs, rebuilt suspension, steering stabilizer. | | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 764 Likes: 12 old hand | old hand Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 764 Likes: 12 | Spent the day at Randy's Ring&Pinion. Went to have taller gears installed to hopefully make the C6 more highway friendly. Turned out the posi needed a complete rebuild , U-joint yoke was shot and I needed new axle bearings. Cost me $1700 and a whole day . Oh well, one thing I won't have to worry about for a while.
1975 Ford E-150 shorty (sold) 2016 Ram Promaster shorty 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit 5.7l 1984 Ford E-150
| | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,850 Likes: 231 carpal tunnel | carpal tunnel Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,850 Likes: 231 | Spent the day at Randy's Ring&Pinion. Went to have taller gears installed to hopefully make the C6 more highway friendly. Turned out the posi needed a complete rebuild , U-joint yoke was shot and I needed new axle bearings. Cost me $1700 and a whole day . Oh well, one thing I won't have to worry about for a while. I did this not too long ago on our '88 Ford. Replaced the clutch pack in the 8.8" along with new spider gears, new axles and bearings. Luckily everything else was in good shape. The clutches and plates (and that damn spring) are a PITA.
Last edited by CatFish; August 16th 2018 11:00 pm.
| | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 18,279 Likes: 552 | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 18,279 Likes: 552 | Van wash day ...... anybody that shows up at my house .... I will wash your van !
SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS '93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB '92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB | | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 146 member | member Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 146 | Road trip for a spare tire rack for the back door of the Dodge.
Last edited by Dw89xj; August 26th 2018 12:27 am.
98 Dodge shorty hitop mark iv 95 Chevy van 20 regency hitop conversion van | | | Re: What Did You do To your Van Today? | Joined: Jun 2017 Posts: 38 newbie | newbie Joined: Jun 2017 Posts: 38 |
Last edited by VanGuySteve; August 26th 2018 12:57 am.
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