Astro Van Engine Swap (Completed)

[pontiacgp]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

I know there are a few members living relatively close to me and if they ever have to do a job half that I would hope they'd be asking for help...I could use some free beer...

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

I know there are a few members living relatively close to me and if they ever have to do a job half that I would hope they'd be asking for help...I could use some free beer...

I enjoy having people around to keep me company but it usually just slows me down. I have to tear it apart myself so that I can remember the way it goes back together. Having someone to fetch tools and what not would be a giant help though.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

Alright, i'm actually a lil behind in updating this so, i'm just gonna post some pics.

Got the motor pulled from the subframe, took some pics for reference. You can see some more of the wiring in these pics, too.

The little white plug towards the left was a real pain to get to. The only reason I needed to unplug this and the other plugs in the same box was because they were routed above an a/c line that was staying attached to the body.

Got a shot of my boy helping transfer parts to the new motor.

Here's another funny pic of us moving the new motor up to where we needed it. It was behind and to the left of the van.

ANd then there is a gap in pictures. We had it in that night but didn't get any good pics, sorry.

Today, we finished it up and got it started. I'm not real thrilled. It's missing and/or running rich, not sure which is causing which yet. There is a possibility the cat is causing problems, it's rattling. The check engine light is also on, so i'm a lil curious what it has to say.

 

[dogsht]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

The drum can be ok but the not the cinder blocks. If you ever crawl under it with cinder block you risk your boy growing up without his Daddy. They will break suddenly with no warning.

 

[stomis]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

The drum can be ok but the not the cinder blocks. If you ever crawl under it with cinder block you risk your boy growing up without his Daddy. They will break suddenly with no warning.

I wouldnt say that. It depends how they are put down. If theres nothing better to use theres nothing wrong with using cinder blocks with a piece of wood on top. The must do is that they are facing the way they would in a foundation. IE with the holes up toward the sky.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

The drum can be ok but the not the cinder blocks. If you ever crawl under it with cinder block you risk your boy growing up without his Daddy. They will break suddenly with no warning.

I wouldnt say that. It depends how they are put down. If theres nothing better to use theres nothing wrong with using cinder blocks with a piece of wood on top. The must do is that they are facing the way they would in a foundation. IE with the holes up toward the sky.

They were not set right. The bottom blocks were right but the ones on top were wrong. This is why the drum stayed under it the whole time.

 

[dogsht]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

Stomis its a bad idea period. Lots of people have made this mistake most don't have bad things happen but honestly you can find blocks of wood or something. I am just trying to help the guy think of what he may not know or realize. Again they do frequently break under that type of load without any warning.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

Stomis its a bad idea period. Lots of people have made this mistake most don't have bad things happen but honestly you can find blocks of wood or something. I am just trying to help the guy think of what he may not know or realize. Again they do frequently break under that type of load without any warning.

To make it even worse those blocks came from my fire pit. I wasn't thrilld about it but it should be clar that i do what i have to do to get things done. Now, if everyone had read everything posted before, i had already stated that the drum itself had supportted the entire load. I just threw the stands in to help the drum and give it more stability.

edit- Besides it proved to work better than the damn factory jack in my Tempo did. The car fell off the jack in the Advance Auto parking lot while I was changing the brakes. Damn Fords!

 

[dan2286]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

I would love to know what your neighbors said when they first saw the van being propped up like that

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: Astro Van Engine Swap

I would love to know what your neighbors said when they first saw the van being propped up like that

The house next to us on that side is for sale. So i'd really love to know how the realtor explains it to prospective buyers.
I think they've shown it 3-4 times since I started working on the van.