What did you do to your truck today??

[Boog]

Well I received my Lisle pivot pin removal tool today and finished the job of tightening the four bolts down in the steering column. Ordered Saturday night and arrived today by post office. Regular mail too.
I advise anyone doing this job to watch some vids or take pictures or both. Can’t hurt. I found two of the four bolts were less than finger tight. I removed one at a time, cleaned and put a touch of Loctite on the ends of each and reinstalled. At least one video said you have to remove the upper end of the steering shaft to gain access to those four bolts but that’s not the case. As you can see I just moved that shaft over by hand to give plenty of room to access the bolts. The busy side of the inner column area is the left side of course with the turn signal switch and dimmer switch and ignition switch linkage. I will tell you to check things as you are reassembling. I did have to back up a couple of times to reset some pieces. So maybe these pics will help someone.
I bought a steering wheel lock plate removal tool and that Lisle pivot pin puller tool. About $26 total. It looks like you’re working on part of the Terminator or some other robot.
GM used this design column from the 80-90s in numerous vehicles but this is the first one I have ever owned with a loose column.

[Just call me Sean]

Wow yea that's really apart. I couldn't quite picture it in my head.

[Boog]

In the second pic that wire spring is shown installed wrong. It holds the locking pin in place to move it back and forth. The rod sticking out to the left is the dimmer switch rod and has to be in just the right spot to work.
In the third pic I am pointing to the ignition switch actuator linkage and also has to be placed just right. As you disassemble it these small parts tend to move and or pop out of place.
In the fourth pic I am using the pivot pin remover to remove the inner “cage” for lack of a better word.
No further disassembly is needed.
In the fifth pic you see I just moved the shaft over enough to remove the bolts.
Reverse order for assembly. Hope it helps someone.

[Just call me Sean]

I changed the exhaust donuts. I didn't break any studs, but three that I previously changed backed out of the manifold. I used vice grips to get them off the flange. The one donut was smashed pretty good, the other side was missing completely. I don't know how it could have come out all the way, but it did.

[Grumpy old man]

heat air control module went out a while back on my 95 k2500 . I found a good 95 module on ebay and actually had heat this past winter fast forward and now that it's starting to heat up I check and my A/C isn't working so after replacing the low pressure switch and I'm back to cold air again , Nothing better than a easy fix .

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Just call me Sean

I changed the exhaust donuts. I didn't break any studs, but three that I previously changed backed out of the manifold. I used vice grips to get them off the flange. The one donut was smashed pretty good, the other side was missing completely. I don't know how it could have come out all the way, but it did.

It's a mystery. I had to do mine a couple years ago. One was leaking and I did both sides. I need a new exhaust. Nothing past the muffler, which is a dual outlet Flowmaster I put on when I bought it. It needed exhaust bad. I had dual tailpipes run out behind the tires. It took about 4 years for that to rot and fall off. I guess they used crappy cheap tube. They did my '72 system in '04 and it's all still on there

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

heat air control module went out a while back on my 95 k2500 . I found a good 95 module on ebay and actually had heat this past winter fast forward and now that it's starting to heat up I check and my A/C isn't working so after replacing the low pressure switch and I'm back to cold air again , Nothing better than a easy fix .

Nice. I hope to get my dash back together soon. Then I can chase down why the a/c stopped blowing cold.

[DeadheadNM]

No start after six week sleep. Popped in a new PMD and it fired right up. I’m glad that solved it because that’s all I know about 6.5L diesel issues.

[special-K]

A lot of efi pumps got replaced under warranty due to a failed PMD. To the point that GM ordered that all removed pumps be destroyed. Even GM dealerships didn't understand the 6.5TD injection system. Fuel delivery issues are usually due to support components.

The idea of mounting the PMD to the pump was for the circulating fuel through the pump to cool the heat sensitive PMD. The actual result was the opposite which caused pump failures. Mounting up off the manifold rather than under it results in about a 60* cooler environment. I guess the finned aluminum mount meant to be a heat sink helps as well.

Glad you get 'er goin'

[Tx Firefighter]

My 97 is up to 118k miles now so I figured I'd service the wheel bearings. Me being me, I scope creeped it to include new bearings, rotors, seals, rebuilt calipers with new pads and braided brake hoses.

[Just call me Sean]

My truck has been losing water very slowly for a while now. Didn't know where it was going. Well, it's leaking much faster now. Water pump. Removed it and made it to the parts store just in time to exchange it. Will be putting it on shortly.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

My 97 is up to 118k miles now so I figured I'd service the wheel bearings. Me being me, I scope creeped it to include new bearings, rotors, seals, rebuilt calipers with new pads and braided brake hoses.

Nice to be "thorough" while you're at it. You made it purdy while you were at it.

Originally Posted by Just call me Sean

My truck has been losing water very slowly for a while now. Didn't know where it was going. Well, it's leaking much faster now. Water pump. Removed it and made it to the parts store just in time to exchange it. Will be putting it on shortly.

Them Chevys let you know when they need something

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

My 97 is up to 118k miles now so I figured I'd service the wheel bearings. Me being me, I scope creeped it to include new bearings, rotors, seals, rebuilt calipers with new pads and braided brake hoses.

Clean work. Is this the one I remember from the build thread?

[Just call me Sean]

It's not even cold here but an animal crawled into the radiator shroud of the 99 yesterday and this is my fan. I picked one up from the junkyard this morning and just put it on.

[special-K]

I guess the animal lost that fight?

I'm a wimp. I've been wanting to change my oil, a simple task. I like to drain oil when it's hot. The last couple days it has been in the 90s and crawling under a hot truck to remove a hot filter and drain plugs has not been appealing to me at all. I'm thinking run it a bit in the morning, then change the oil while it's in the 60s.

[Just call me Sean]

Yea, I feel bad about it.

Sounds like a good plan.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by special-K

I guess the animal lost that fight?

I'm a wimp. I've been wanting to change my oil, a simple task. I like to drain oil when it's hot. The last couple days it has been in the 90s and crawling under a hot truck to remove a hot filter and drain plugs has not been appealing to me at all. I'm thinking run it a bit in the morning, then change the oil while it's in the 60s.

If it's 90° out, then your oil is 90°. Change away! Haha. Around here, that's almost operating temperature for most of the year... Not quite. That way, you can look at rolling under your truck as being in the shade.

[special-K]

Thunderstorms prevented me changing oil last night. But now it is cooled off and less humid.

This Suburban runs pretty cool. I guess when it's 90* out that hot oil is 90* cooler than actual temp (somehow and not sure how I dreamed that one up)

Today's the day! Someone shoot me if I don't change it today

[Snarl95]

Replaced positive battery cable.

[Just call me Sean]

Lighting problems with the 99. No turn signals, no hazards, no brake lights, intermittent reverse lights. I've been smacking the taillights occasionally to make them work, but it wasn't this bad. Passenger side was poor bulb contact, drivers side was the same and also poor plug contacts. I bent the tabs out for the bulbs, and removed the pins from the plug to bend them to make tighter contact with the tabs. The main problem that started me doing this, bad flasher. I changed it first which made the fronts work again, then had to mess with the back.

[Boog]

I just replaced a tail light circuit board on my 91 due to intermittent turn sig failure. After cleaning the plug in and bulb contacts I started mashing and moving the connector plug around and made it work or not. It turned out to be the circuit board itself was bad. With the turn sig on I mashed on the circuit panel until I found the bad spot. I didn't see any way to get to it inside so I just replaced it. Less than $20. Another import..

[Just call me Sean]

They're supposedly problematic, I've messed with a few. Haven't had any problems with the 93 ones though (knock on wood).

[special-K]

I had the problem with no signals, brake lights, 4-ways and it was a blown fuse. I looked at my right rear light assembly and noticed a bulb had been getting hot (and burned out). I had put new lights on a year or so before and on that side either I didn't get the seal for the circuit board right or it shrank up. Water was getting in

[Just call me Sean]

I didn't realize the 99 lighting system was different than my 93. I was going to swap the hazard flasher with the turn signal flasher but it only has the one. It's LED compatible though if I want to do that now. I want to make the upper taillight bulb a brake/blinker light also as a little custom touch since it's only used as a parking lamp but is still double filament.

[44th Miss Inf]

Originally Posted by 44th Miss Inf

Went yesterday and helped my wife’s young nephew get an 88 running he just inherited. It has been sitting at least 5 years. Dropped tank and cleaned, reinstalled. Got it to fire off.

Plan is a new tank, sending unit and fuel pump to start. Then go thru the brakes/wheel bearings. I’m having to show him everything, as no one has ever taken time (his family is not mechanically inclined) but that is what we are supposed to do.

Then I have to teach him to drive it, as its a 350/5 speed RCSB truck.

Got the Tbi back on and plugs changed yesterday. Need to reset iac, though. Showed him how to properly gap plugs, and change them.

He plans to pick up cap, rotor, wires, air filter, belt and tensioner, and oil and filter Friday, and maybe we can get together Friday afternoon to finish the tune up. He seems to be working as much as I am, so hard to get days off together.

Plan to take my pressure washer over and clean the underside well too.

We did yard drive the truck yesterday, but it has NO brakes, but he is excited.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by 44th Miss Inf

Got the Tbi back on and plugs changed yesterday. Need to reset iac, though. Showed him how to properly gap plugs, and change them.

He plans to pick up cap, rotor, wires, air filter, belt and tensioner, and oil and filter Friday, and maybe we can get together Friday afternoon to finish the tune up. He seems to be working as much as I am, so hard to get days off together.

Plan to take my pressure washer over and clean the underside well too.

We did yard drive the truck yesterday, but it has NO brakes, but he is excited.

That's good help from an uncle, he's lucky. Cool that you guys are making progress.