On the road again (sort of)

[D13]

About 2 years ago I bought this 87. 6.2, 700R4 fully loaded. Diesel promptly went to $4+ a gallon so I kept driving my minivan.

At long last diesel is down to $2.10, gas is at $2.40, and the van is at 204k miles and rusted out. So I pulled the truck out, and got her running.

First, 2 new batteries.
2nd, disconnected the fuse to the PO's alarm that I couldn't get to reset. Now at least I can start the thing.
Got it to run, lots of smoke, drove it around to find that the front brakes were pulling and grabbing. Replaced the hardware, then it only pulled to one side. Replaced both calipers (hint- NAPA rebuilts cost about $ more than just the hardware. Just do it). Still pulled and the brake light came on! Found the leak in the rear pipe and fixed it (hint - Call Inline Tube and just order the prebent pipe. Costs a few bucks but swaps out really quick - less time to install and bleed than to remove the old one!). Still pulled. Replaced the front brake hose (many thanks to this forum helping identify the problem - I haveNEVE had to relplace a brake hose before!) (hint - get front pipes too. You're gonna need one if you have a loaded truck with hydroboost- you can't get to the line nut). Now the brakes are OK!
3. Put in 10 gallons of fresh diesel.
4. Swap plates.
5. Drive it around on short (10-20) mile trips for the weekend. Eveything seems OK. Change the oil (7 quarts!)
6. Drive to work (75 miles round trip). About halfway home, in a construction zone, get flashed, guy tells me I haveno brake lights. Check it out and he's right! Start troubleshooting and discover PO's alarm is jacked into the brake lights not the specified parking lights! Funny because I have turn signals.... SO I start to disconnect the alarm. Find it put in with the wildest assorment of hardware, boutt splices, crimp-on taps, metric and standard screws and bolts, etc. Get enough of it undone so that the brake lights work.
7. Drive to work. Put in $40 diesel, one tank full, one tank part full. Guesstimate $60 to fill but will rud a long way.
8. Drive home from work and discover another gear in the trans. TCC was 4th gear only, now have TCC late in 3rd. Guess I'm starting to get everything loosened up in her.
Next - finish removeing the wiring mess and get my dash put back together.

[old Rusty C10]

sounds like a great start bow about some pics of the rest of the truck ? are you planning any mods?

[D13]

Plan is to drive it forever! or at least until the engine blows. Right now I'm concentrating on fixing what I must, then I'll just do the upkeep. Will be upgrading the glows, maybe a non-EGR intake, and figure out why the cold idle advance works randomly.

I've got 2 tractor projects and 1-2 truck projects so I just needed a big comfortable reliable driver. This is my first diesel truck and it's kind of interesting, not sure if the added maintainence cost will outweigh the fuel cost savings (7 quarts to an oil change - my 5.3 only uses 6 and my 250 5!).

The bed is pretty nice but the cab rockers/corners are rough. I'm really not into loaded trucks but i must confess I love cruise and can deal with the A/C.

But I'm happy that I've done all the work on it myself.