A few questions regarding my 87

[Jared's 87]

I have some questions about my truck, this will be lengthy, but I figured I would try to cover everything in one thread.


1. Tach
After doing some research on Tach dashes, I have come to realize that they just wont work on my 87 because of VSS or something (by all means correct me if I am wrong) I really had desired one but wanted to use MY Speedo b/c of the 4wd light (maybe they all come that way, I dont know) and it seems with my setup it just wont work. My initial plan was to buy a tach dash and just use the Tach and fuel gauge out of it in my cluster. But anyway, back to the question, what is a decently priced/ reliable tach? I know there are tons out there, but I want one mainly for troubleshooting purposes (no racing/heavy performance stuff)


2. A/C
The truck didnt have all the A/C components when I bought it. The in cab stuff is all there now (controls, duct, vents, replaced all vac lines, actuators work great, blend doors fully operational, and heater/defrost work great as well) The truck has the evaporator and drier and what looks to me as all the electrical connections including the harness which I believe will go to the compressor. I picked up a dual line, condenser line, and condenser at my local Pull-a-Part today (hope the condenser works) It all came out of an 85 CC, I hope they interchange! Didnt get a compressor, figued I should just get a new/reman one instead. I have what appears to be the A/C compressor bracket already in the truck, is there only ONE? If any of you guys could show me a couple underhood pics of you A/C systems, that would help me a ton, assuming there are quite a few years with the same setup. I hear now that you cant get R-12 anymore, so is the 134A my only option? What will I have to do to convert? If the condenser and line that I bought today wont work for me, its not gonna break my heart, bought on a whim. I am really determined to try and get this thing going myself, and could use any advice or input you guys can share. I have notice that the truck has a tranny cooler in front of the radiator (not sure if this was a stock item), but would the tranny cooler be able to stay or go to put a condenser in?


Whew, almost done...

3. Engine
Since I bought the truck, it has received new plugs/wires, PCV, Fuel filter, Seafoam treatment (Both tanks, TBI, and Crankcase), new engine vac lines, Air filter, fresh oil w/ some Lucas stabilizer, and a battery. Simple stuff I know, but I figured I would take care of the easy stuff first. Cold start, cranks great, has a bit of a lope (may have an aftermarket cam, I cannot be sure). After she warms up a bit, the idle comes down and chokes it pretty bad, kills quite often, mainly in gear stopped with brakes applied. It has a new IAC as well, injectors look to be spraying equally, havent checked the fuel pressure yet. While driving, she runs great, a little smoke/soot out the dual exhaust, so not sure whats causing that. Has plenty of getup for the tires and gears 35"/3.08. I just cant seem to figure out the stalling problem, thats where I need some ideas. Oh, and BTW, the motor has had a rebuild approx 30k ago according to PO, found receipts as well..


Like mentioned before, any advice/input you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Hope to get to know you guys better as well, this is such a great forum.

Thanks in advance

Jared

[jared87350]

double check ur timing with the spark control unit disconnected, your initial timing should be arount 12 . then reconnect and restart.check the timing agian. check your idle.

[Jared's 87]

Wouldnt have thought the timing would be off, but sure will check it. If its off, cant be by much...

[b454rat]

Could be the idle just needs to be turned up. Could be the seafoam cleaned up some carbon but got stuck somewhere. Put some more in it and go flog it, get that crap out of there.

As for the tach dash, I installed a tach into my old 87, everything worked as if was stock. IIRC I used the 87 cluster and cut a hole for the back of the tach to clear. Everything else is the same and will interchange. I also think where the two idiot lights go in the speedo, on the left would be 4wd lite and on the right was the check engine lite. I think mine was empty since mine was a 2wd. Been a year almost, so can't remember.

I got a couple pics in my sig, 87 chevy.

[Jared's 87]

I'll be checking the idle tomorrow, definetely need to get to the bottom of it...


Ok, so I COULD use my cluster, keeping my speedo, and just purchase a tach dash, take the tack and fuel gauge from said das and put it into my cluster? I thought I read somewhere that the fuel gauge wouldnt go into the blank spot on an 87 cluster. I could be way wrong, too much info on too many projects all working at once. Thanks for your advice and input.

Jared

[87 STEPPER]

Ok when you change an IAC you have to "ZERO" it out or whats know as setting the minimum idel air to do this you must place a jumper in the ALDL connector in cavities A and B see pic's then you need to turn the ingition sw. to on but do not start the engine then go out and and remove the connector on the IAC motor you may hear it making a clicking noise this is normal now turn off the Ign. sw. and remove the jumper form the ALDL and reinstall the connector on the IAC motor and then turn the Ign.sw. on wait about 10 sec's. and then start the engine.

You have just properly set your minimum idel air.

[Jared's 87]

Originally Posted by 87 STEPPER

Ok when you change an IAC you have to "ZERO" it out or whats know as setting the minimum idel air to do this you must place a jumper in the ALDL connector in cavities A and B see pic's then you need to turn the ingition sw. to on but do not start the engine then go out and and remove the connector on the IAC motor you may hear it making a clicking noise this is normal now turn off the Ign. sw. and remove the jumper form the ALDL and reinstall the connector on the IAC motor and then turn the Ign.sw. on wait about 10 sec's. and then start the engine.

You have just properly set your minimum idel air.

Attachment 550108

Attachment 550109

Thanks for the info, I'll try that

[Jared's 87]

I was just looking at the pics, that was a slick 87.




Back to topic.....No advice on the A/C? This is kinda uncharted territory for me so I sure want to do it right the first time

[doublearrow]

I don't have any on the computer but hopefully by tuesday I could post pics of my 87 underhood to give you ideas of the ac.

Can you tell me what IAC stands for?

[Jared's 87]

Idle Air control, at least thats what I call it

[Jared's 87]

Originally Posted by 87 STEPPER

Ok when you change an IAC you have to "ZERO" it out or whats know as setting the minimum idel air to do this you must place a jumper in the ALDL connector in cavities A and B see pic's then you need to turn the ingition sw. to on but do not start the engine then go out and and remove the connector on the IAC motor you may hear it making a clicking noise this is normal now turn off the Ign. sw. and remove the jumper form the ALDL and reinstall the connector on the IAC motor and then turn the Ign.sw. on wait about 10 sec's. and then start the engine.

You have just properly set your minimum idel air.

Attachment 550108

Attachment 550109

Well, that was a complete failure wont start whatsoever now.....

Anyone have a suggestion, or should I have her towed to a mechanic

[KazuyaIB]

Originally Posted by Jared's 87

I'll be checking the idle tomorrow, definetely need to get to the bottom of it...


Ok, so I COULD use my cluster, keeping my speedo, and just purchase a tach dash, take the tack and fuel gauge from said das and put it into my cluster? I thought I read somewhere that the fuel gauge wouldnt go into the blank spot on an 87 cluster. I could be way wrong, too much info on too many projects all working at once. Thanks for your advice and input.

Jared

The fuel gauge will go in the empty spot its just make a hole and lead the wires from the fuel gauge to the new area.

[Jared's 87]

Thanks, I appreciate the pics....

Seems easy enough to do, I wonder if the tach itself can be bought individually w/o having to get the whole cluster, I know I can get the fuel gauge....more research to do now

[87 STEPPER]

Originally Posted by Jared's 87

Well, that was a complete failure wont start whatsoever now.....

Anyone have a suggestion, or should I have her towed to a mechanic

Im not sure why that is did you checked the timing before this and if so did you reconnect everything?

place your jumper in cavities A & B again and see if there are any DTC's set if so clear them check every that thing is reconnected remove the jumper and try to start the engine.

[Jared's 87]

No, didnt check the timing on it yet, to be honest, I thought it ran too good to have jumped timing. It would start on its own before and idle good till it warmed up, then would get real low and die out. After Zeroing out the IAC, wouldnt start al all. After recharging the battery for some more juice, finally got her started by giving it some gas, but wont stay running otherwise now. I'll check to see if I am getting any DTC's today.

[dammitmitchell]

have you checked for vaccum leaks?
motor might have recently be rebuilt but it dosent mean that something like the brake booster dosent have a leak.
do you hear a hissing in the cab when the brakes are applied?
does the motor die faster with brakes applied (in neutral or dive no diff)

is there any rubber hosing "floating" around in the engine bay =-)

[Jared's 87]

Well, as far as I can tell, I dont have any vac leaks. All the vac lines are new. As for the booster, possible I guess, it will die when a load is put (brakes on when in drive or reverse) but will stay running in neutral or park when brakes are applied.

[dammitmitchell]

then your boosters prolly bad...
is there a hissing in the cabin?

make sure you check this while in neutural r park....

or you can disconnect the booster "cap" the vaccum lines for it and see if it still does it

[Jared's 87]

Ok, I will try that tomorrow As far as I can tell, I had never heard any hissing. Only hissing I ever heard was when I take the air cleaner off, but will check regardless. Gotta get her fixed.

[spinem]

bad diaphram is brake booster will kill engine when brakes are depressed.

sloppy idle=vacc leak &/or going bad/bad egr?...most likely vacc.

Do u have to "put ur foot in it" to get up to a decent speed?

[spinem]

Originally Posted by dammitmitchell

then your boosters prolly bad...
is there a hissing in the cabin?

make sure you check this while in neutural r park....

or you can disconnect the booster "cap" the vaccum lines for it and see if it still does it

aaaahhhh!!!! u beat me too it!!
why would u check when in netural? if its dring while undernormal driving conditions, test it in the conditions when it fails

[spinem]

Originally Posted by Jared's 87

No, didnt check the timing on it yet, to be honest, I thought it ran too good to have jumped timing. It would start on its own before and idle good till it warmed up, then would get real low and die out. After Zeroing out the IAC, wouldnt start al all. After recharging the battery for some more juice, finally got her started by giving it some gas, but wont stay running otherwise now. I'll check to see if I am getting any DTC's today.

egr valve (if equip could be bad, or loose and sucking vacc also)

last post i promis

[dammitmitchell]

Originally Posted by spinem

aaaahhhh!!!! u beat me too it!!
why would u check when in neutral? if its dring while under normal driving conditions, test it in the conditions when it fails

checking it in neutral or park you dont have anything but the brakes to worry about, if it's dying during deceleration there's a tons of other things to think of.
for example (this just happened to me)
while sittin in the cab ready to back out the truck would be warmed up and ready to go, depress the brakes and sputter sputter dead...
and there's this like throaty hiss inside the cab when it happens.
but either way if you disconnect the booster vaccum then do a short drive and the motor still keeps quitting out, it's definatley not the booster..

im all aobut isolating things one at a time, because my brain gets all cluttered i look around and go "shiny" and forget what i was doing

[dammitmitchell]

also have you done your fuelfilter ever? hows the spark plugs? wires cap n rotor?
those are alllll cheap things to do ..
but im still thinking it could be a booster it's getting about time for it to go out

[Jared's 87]

Originally Posted by dammitmitchell

also have you done your fuelfilter ever? hows the spark plugs? wires cap n rotor?
those are alllll cheap things to do ..
but im still thinking it could be a booster it's getting about time for it to go out

All new....

The only time it dies is when a drive gear is engaged and brakes are applied. Doesnt die otherwise. I really need to get a tach on there to see where I am idling at. I had her cranked up and running at my shop for about an hour, idle seemed low, as soon as I would jump in and drop it into reverse, it would die.