Thanks!

Hood isn't too bad. . .hopefully I won't need to replace it. I haven't really messed with it much yet since its a minor cosmetic issue. Should be able to get it to fit better with a little adjustment.

Worked on Sub install some last night. . .Should finish that this afternoon. Also popped in the SuperbrightLEDS. They certainly don't disappoint. Definitely brighter! Response time is excellent. Prob 3x faster than the incandescent. Had to use dremel to shave down the socket to get the LED bulb to fit.

 

How do you go about charging the system with R152a? Did you have to make any conversions in the system? Mine is still on R12, and it works...kind of. It works well enough to be able to tell that it's holding refrigerant, but it's obvious that it needs to be recharged.

 

I didn't do anything else to the AC really. . . It had already had a R134a conversion done about 15 years ago. I believe the 152a is compatable with PAG, and Ester Oils. . . but don't quote me on that.

The oils are the main thing to look at, I remember reading 134a and the ester oil coagulates and gums up the system.

Otherwise the only difference between 134a, and R-12 are the fittings. . .If you have a gauge set with both size fittings then that shouldn't matter.

Again I'd search to be sure, but I believe R-12, and R-152a will mix without issue. If I remember right, on my C1500 it was still R-12 with a bit in the system, and I filled up with 152a, and been going strong since. . .about 3 years.

 

Spent most of my weekend messing with my computers, so didn't get much done out in the garage.

Here are a couple pics of the LEDs I installed for the tail/brake lights.

Both pics are with LED installed on Pass Side, Stock on the Driver Side.

Parking/Running Lamps:


Brake Lights:



Here's the sub installed in it's stop for the time being:



I'll work on a more permanent install once I get the rear tire carrier, and get some more room inside.

Started working on swapping out the Ignition Module, but haven't finished yet since I'm going to try to get the knock sensor out with a little extra access.

Turns out I installed the trans dipstick on the wrong side of the wiring harness, so I need to flip that around, then try to get the knock sensor. Harness is in the way at the moment.

Lol of course you can't see any of that, but here's a pic anyway:



Last thing. . . I did find another surprise. Sitting in the back while I was messing with the sub/amp settings I noticed there wasn't any sound coming from the pass door. .
. . Took off the door panel to find this.



No speaker at all. . .very strange. . .but it explains why my stereo wasn't as loud. Since I had an extra piece of dynamat laying around I threw that in there for good measure, and installed one of the new 6.5"s I got.

Was going to do the other side as well, but couldn't find anyone that stocked sound deadener. Ordered some GT mat off fleabay which should be here today.

Still have a pile of parts that need to go on, hopefully I'll get back out this afternoon and get more done.

 

So I think I got my SES licked. . .Blasted the crap out of the rear knock sensor and let is sit for a few days.

Took off the dist cap & rotor for extra room, and was able to get the sensor to break free without any trouble.

Put it back together with new Dist Cap, Rotor, and Ignition Module. Just screwed in the new knock sensor, and hooked other new one back up. . . even though it's just sitting on the intake right now.

All good. . not dash lights. . . Yay! Haven't driven it yet, but I have to say it's running much better. Revs up significantly faster than it did before. Smells a little less rich too.

Been out with clients non stop this week, so haven't had much garage time. And been having trouble motivating myself to go out and get dirty in the little free time I've had.

Only other thing I've accomplished was putting a layer of the GT Mat on the tailgate. I just did the part right under the trim panel. . . thinking I will go back in again and try to put a few pieces inbetween the two skins of the tailgate, for additional sound reduction. . . .Sorry I forgot to take pictures of that.

 

New day. . new problems lol.

First thing is. . my LEDs that worked perfectly after install are now hyperflashing for my turn signals. . Guess I'll have to pick up an LED flasher module, because it's super annoying and then my cool digital turn signal indicators hyperflash too.

I put another 25 or so miles on yesterday. SES goes out when starting the car, then after about 10-15 min comes back on. Repeats each time I shut the car off and start again.

Just checked and now it's giving me a Code 32. . . Chart says that's Map Sensor or EGR. So will have to work on figuring out what's going on there.

A positive note is when the SES is off I definitely seem to have more power. When it comes back on I'm guessing it goes into open loop "Safe Mode" . . . At least Code 43 seems to be gone now. My MPG seems to be much better so far also. Like 40 mi on the tank and gauge hasn't moved off full yet.

Didn't really get a day off at all last week, so prob going to take the afternoon off and work on the blazer a bit more.

 

So far I got the new delco ball joint installed on the driver side, so both of the uppers are good now.

I finally gave the tires a good yank while I had the front end jacked up. . Definitely a lot of slop still. . .Seems like most of it's from the gear box / pitman arm.

So just went ahead and ordered a reman Lares box, and Moog Pitman arm from RockAuto. Probably should have done tie rods too, but didn't want a $300 parts order. We'll see where that gets me, if it fixes the worst of it then I'll put off the tie rods for a while longer.

I grabbed a LED flasher at O'reilly's so turn signals are fixed now. . they flash a tad bit faster than stock but not bad.

Also, got to thinking about my new Code 32. . .If it's map related, then good chance it could just be a vacuum leak? New genuine MAP is another $50, so going to do more diagnosing before throwing money at parts I might not need.

Last thing is I started trying to take the exterior window trim off the rear doors to paint. . .thinking it would come off after removing the upper door screws. . No luck. Don't want to bend or break any of it, so I'll have to stick with my original plan of painting on the car and just tape/cover everything else.

 

New Steering Gear box, and Pitman arm showed up today.

Started on that and was going pretty easy until I got to releasing the pitman arm from the center link. It didn't want to give it up, but after a few rounds of heat I was able to get my puller on. . .cranked it down still wouldn't budge until I heated it up under pressure.

Other than that it was an easier job than I expected. . .

Here's the old and new next to each other for comparison.



The old Pitman arm was definitely worn out and had some slop. I got as far as reinstalling the new box onto the frame. Had to stop there to clean myself up to go out for a friend's birthday.

Looking forward to test driving tomorrow, but I need to get some fresh PS fluid as I forgot to do that ahead of time.

Will also try to work on either the U-joints, or Leaf springs . .Doubt I'll have time to do both with family coming over in the afternoon.

To go along with adding the leaf I also just got some energy suspension bushing as well, so looking forward to further suspension improvement.

 

The information is very useful. thank you very much

 

Happy to help. . and glad it's of use to other people.

I got a little more done yesterday, but didn't get started on any of the other things I was hoping to do this weekend.

Buttoned up the new steering gear box, then went driving around some more. Definitely improved the steering more. . down to about 3/4-1in of play in the steering wheel.

Thinking pitman arm was the worst part. Probably could have gotten away with keeping the original box, or rebuilding myself, but nice to know it should be good for another 20 years now.

I also did some adjustment on the tie rods. Got the steering wheel almost straight again. . need to do a little more adjustment. Probably won't see any more improvement until the alignment.

Tie rods have some play, but don't seem too bad. Almost ordered new ones as there was so much grime I didn't think I'd be able to adjust them, but since I got them to move I'll wait on new parts. A positive note is with just little adjustment to get rid of the Toe Out my road noise was greatly reduced.

Left turns are fantastic, firm, with little body roll. . .When I turn right it leans in much more, so camber/caster are still out of whack.

I did do another $3 cosmetic upgrade. . . I had ordered a sample of blue carbon fiber vinyl to do the grill emblem. Lol since it's so small the $2.90 sample piece was plenty of material.




It's not a very good picture, but here's the finished product.





I like it, although I kind of wish I'd have gone for glossy over satin finish. Now the orange corner and bumper lights are glaring at me because of the blue emblem. . .guess I'll have to suck it up and spend the $65 on clear corner/bumper lights soon.

Started working on the wheels too. . Lol I thought they were bare Aluminum with how oxidized they were, but I found the clear coat under there.

I got some cheap cotton polishing heads for my drill, and started using Mother's wheel polish.


Here I've done the top half of the wheel but not the bottom. Nice to see some shine from them again. Will be making many more passes over all of them and should be able to get them pretty much back to new. If they weren't cleared I'd consider polishing to a high shine, but I don't feel like stripping them at this point.