I forgot my key to the truck. So, I burned half a tank of gas and spent 4 hours driving for nothing more than cleaning some leaves out of the engine bay.
I also somehow thought that the GMT800 didn't come in standard cab short bed. If I was looking for a high use truck, I'd probably abandon this project, but this isn't one of those, so I'm pressing onwards.
I've got the big block to put in there someday, but seeing things like this has me questioning that choice.
Sometimes, logic doesn't dictate decision making. Sometimes it does.
If logic dictated decisions, neither of us would own slammed gmt400s. Especially not with tbi small block chevy power.
So, embrace the trip! At least you got to see family and get out of the city for a minute.
Heading down for Easter, might work on the truck a little if it isn't raining.
The truck moved under its own power today. Now I have to identify and do all ten-thousand things I wasn't even going to bother with if the truck didn't move.
There is no video of the maiden voyage, as I only drove it a grand total of about 500 yards, just to make sure the transmission worked to some degree.
First thing on the list after I put the torque converter cover back on and weld the exhaust back together is a bath. A very comprehensive bath.
Truck got a bath and is going to get new tires. It's still two hours away, but it's almost time to get plates for it.
Such a good looking truck
I may need your help fixing the birds nest of wires that's in there and putting in a radio.
Where do people find these weirdo off brand tires? Never see 'em at W-mart....
In reply to Brett_Murphy :
Game on. Im pretty ok with electrical. And have a stereo ill GIVE you.
You say that now, but there are orphan wires everywhere. There are speakers behind the seats that are aftermarket. Until I get a shop vac in there, it's all theoretical- it is still NASTY in there. I also realized I didn't mention the drugs I found in the truck. There was a bowl and a miniscule bit of weed in there. Now they're in the trash.
I had the same truck back in the day, Belltech drop, roll pan, bullitt grill, and same wheels as yours. I don't know if yours does this but my centerlines would make a creaking sound from the caps shifting on the wheels.
If you still have the stock air filter housing on it I believe there is a noise restrictor in the air snorkel that can be pull out for better engine sounds and maybe flow.
It's fun to see yours being fixed up.
I got some Continentals at the local llantas usadas place for $255 mounted.
Now I gotta drive for four hours to put them on sometime soon.
Rain.
Rain.
Rain.
Rain.
Not having any power tools is one thing, but not having a shop or garage means that if it is raining, I'm not working on the truck.
There's been a lot of rain on the weekends, lately. I'm never going to finish this thing unless I can get it to my house so I can pick at it when the skies are clear.
Today the tires and wheels went on the truck, and it drove up and down the street a little bit. I worry that the tires are a smidge too big and that they may rub a bit. We'll see.
I also put the driver's side exhaust back on... Only to remember that the exhaust can't be on yet, since the transmission shield is still laying in the bed. DOH!
It's close to being a running thing.
- Remember to take the wingnut for the air filter back down with me. I stuck it in my pocket so it wouldn't get lost and brought it home. It's sitting on my desk instead of being 130 miles away, where it should be.
- Bleed brakes (so mushy)
- Take the driver's side exhaust back off
- Put transmission shield back on
-Put the driver's side exhaust back on
- Weld exhaust back together
- Change fuel filter
-CLEAN THE INTERIOR. It's bad in there, still.
- Get insurance
- Get a plate
- Find out the 100000 other things that are probably wrong with it. I'm thinking I may try to swing by Dusterbd13's place and drop off a box of parts for Stampie and have him take a look at it.
One problem that seems to pop up if it sits for ANY time at all is that it won't start. We did a bit of troubleshooting, and the injector isn't doing jack on startup. It seems in order to getoline through the system, we have to dump an ounce or so of gasoline into the bowl on the TBI. Then, it will fire right up and keep pulling gas. It's got me a bit baffled- I am hoping it is the fuel filter, which is of indeterminate age.
I'm also semi-convinced that the truck is even lower than it came from the factory. I may measure the distance between the frame rail and the ground and see what I get.
Well yeah it's lower than factory! I can see that it has a flip kit from here! Probably spindles up front too!
When you first turn the key to "on" (not running), do you hear the fuel pump buzz for a couple seconds? It should.
Does the fuel pump run while the engine is cranking as well? It should.
If i remember correctly, the ignition module has something to do with injector prime.
Ill have to chew on it.
And come on by! Would love to see it. Also, ill be in Raleigh for a training at the end of the month if you want me to grab stampies crap afterwards.
In reply to SkinnyG :
It was a lowering package from the factory- BYP and ZQ8 are the RPO codes. The Bilsteins (or ones like them) from the factory are still present.
I can't hear the fuel pump running at all, but I have hearing damage. The next time I'm down there I'll ask somebody else to listen for when it buzzes. 
Also, let me clarify the situation. Once it is primed, it will start right up. After it has started the first time, it will continue to start right up after being shut off, even several hours later. I'm not yet sure how much time has to elapse before it needs a bit of fuel to prime the bowls again.
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
Yes, please do. I'll keep loading the box up. LMK if you want to grab lunch or something while you're in town, too.
Maybe the fuel pump relay is not happy?
The fuel pump is wired with a relay in parallel with an oil pressure switch. If the relay dies, the oil pressure switch should still keep it going, but it might be a tougher re-start, if at all. I think the duplicity is more of a fail-safe to get you home if the pump relay quits.
The ECU will prime the pump when the key is "on." Then it needs a tach signal to keep the pump on. If the engine quits, you lose the tach signal, the ECU shuts the fuel pump off.
I was down at my in-laws today and started the truck. It started after cranking for 10 seconds after sitting a month... and then it was missing on a cylinder.
That lasted until I shut if off and turned it back on again. This thing needs to not sit for a month at a time.
Still left to do (nothing removed, more things added):
- Get insurance
- Get a plate
- replace distributor, plugs and wires
- replace windshield wipers
- Fix exhaust
- buy another wingnut for the air cleaner, as I have no idea where the "someplace this won't get lost" I put it wound up being
- Go through the brakes - they're working better as I use them more. I think there was a LOT of rust to scrape through on the rotors and putting maybe 1/4 mile on it total so far just isn't enough
- Put transmission shield back on
- Change fuel filter
-CLEAN THE INTERIOR. It's still bad.
I really just need to get it up to Raleigh so I can work on it when I have an hour here and there instead of having to bookmark an entire day and spend 4 hours round trip driving to the in-laws.
Cool project. I agree that it needs to be ran or driven more. I have an 88' C-1500 that does something similar if it sit for a longer period of time. Its almost like to computer forgets what its doing for a few minutes. Also the distributors in these trucks are vented under the cap at the base of the distributor. there is a little screen under the rotor. They can some times build up corrosion from sitting in humid climates or even when the seasons change. It may cause some issues. I'm from southern Ohio and I have had about 8 of these GMT 400 trucks and have had issues before with the distributors. Either way keep up the pogress.
I'm going to try to grab this and bring it up this week. I plan on using a tow dolly with the driveshaft disconnected.
Yeah, that didn't happen. The new plan is to drive it home.
I have to insure and register it, and I'm going to try to drive it home. How long do you have to have AAA before they will tow your sorry ass home?
I got a temporary plate today, and I got an AAA membership earlier this week.
If things go according to plan, we'll be rolling up US1 on Sunday.
Whee!
In reply to Brett_Murphy :
Sorry I haven't checked this thread in a while but congrats on getting it going and thanks for my box of wonderful.
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