1991 V3500 - The Only Minivan I Will Ever Own

[ehjorten]

Figured I would start one of these here to keep all of my project/improvements together in one place!

To start...I had been looking for a 1991 Chevy Crew Cab for a little over 2 years.  I was looking at any Chevy Crew Cab, but really wanted the 1991 due to the fact that it was the only year they came from the factory with the automatic overdrive.  I also wanted a SRW one, but contemplated and test drove a couple of DRWs.

So...around comes the first of December and I spot a 1991 for sale on Craigslist that is only 3-1/2 hours drive from home!  I tell the wife and the next day I take my son and go to look at it!!  Liked it, made the deal and the next weekend I went back down to pick it up.

Spent the weekend at my parents' driving around town and then drove over to Redmond, OR in the truck for work and to see my brother.  Turned around the next day and drove it home to Western Washington.  Not one drop of fluid was lost at any point!  Needless to say I was pleased!!

So...I came home with a 1991 V3500 with the TBI Gen V 454, NP205 and 8" of lift on 35s.



Merry Christmas to me!!!  

[ehjorten]

First thing I did to the truck was take it to Les Schwab and get the tires rotated and balanced and then I pulled the driveshafts out cause it had a pretty good vibration and I could tell the center bearing was shot.

Took front shaft and rear 2-piece shafts to a local, reputable driveline shop along with new center bearing and all new HD greaseable U-Joints.  Had them check balance and rebuild the front CV joint.

Got a call from the Driveline shop and the front piece of the rear shaft was bent 0.150" so they re-tubed it.  Front driveshaft stub had too much play in it so they replaced the spline and stub.

Got them home and the front driveshaft was too long and the front piece of the rear was too long by about 3"! 

Took them back along with all of the measurements and they fixed them free of charge (I was thinking they had better)!  The front one they just made the mistake of assuming the replacement parts were the same length as the original parts.  The rear one they couldn't figure out what had happen.  Along with that I thought I had better have them check the length of the rear section because it is lifted 8" and I don't know that the previous owner even checked it.  It looked like it wasn't engaged enough.  Sure enough the shaft was only engaged on the slip yoke about 1-1/2 inches!!!    Had them lengthen it.

Got everything home with fresh paint and dynamically balanced and installed them and greased everything up.  Took it for a test-drive and all of the vibration was gone!!! 

[ehjorten]

Now I had the problem of getting the title transferred.  Had to have an emissions test where I live to get the title transferred and I am not versed in such things.  I have only had to get 1 emissions test ever and that was for the wife's 2003 Chevy.  Went to the emissions station and failed the first test!  



I had been getting a periodic code 44 from the ECM so I started looking for things that would cause a lean exhaust.  I hadn't looked over the engine at this point too closely, but when I did I found an open port on the TBI that was suppose to go over to the charcoal cannister.  I replaced that line, replaced the O2 sensor and found the #8 spark plug was fuel fouled.  Fixed those things along with a few other small items and went for a re-test.

Passed with flying colors!  



Over to the D.O.L. and $437 dollars later!!!!!!!!   I was fully registered (crap that WA state use tax kills ya...even when the previous owner leaves the sale price open for you to fill in and you low-ball it!  )

[756man]

Nice truck ! I'm jealous.

[78 Chevyrado]

I'd be tempted to get a minivan if they looked like that 

[ehjorten]

When I got the truck I noticed that the speedometer was reading low.  Quick check with the mile markers and it looked like it was reading under by 14%.  Later confirmed when I got it home and used the GPS to verify.  No wonder with the bigger tires.

I had never dealt with a fix like this on an electronic speedo.  Some quick research on the internet yielded information about the DRAC (digital ration adapter controller).  So...looking under the dash I found it just right of center of the steering column, clipped into a small metal bracket.

Here it is removed from the bracket


Being a mechanical engineer and working for a company that employs electrical engineers, I ordered online a 7-position, 14-pin DIP switch and gave it to a guy last night to de-solder the jumpers and solder in the DIP switch.  I have a soldering station at home, but don't have the small little tips that you need for this kind of work.

He brought it back in today all fixed up!

Modified DRAC with DIP switch


Now to get it installed and determine the right ratio to set it up and correct the signal.

I used the document located here: http://www.tbichips.com/drac/

[75ChevyGuy]

Nice buy! Very clean truck! Good luck with it!

[slammed79]

That'll definitely get the kids to soccer practice.    Great rig!

[VileZambonie]

  Some quick research on the internet yielded information about the DRAC (digital ration adapter controller). 

You mean like this place?

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=18371.0

[Grover 1]

Congrats on finding your dream truck.  If it's from the Bend/Redmond area it's probably rust free.  Are you in Vancouver?  I'm in Battle Ground.

[ehjorten]

  Some quick research on the internet yielded information about the DRAC (digital ration adapter controller). 

You mean like this place?

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=18371.0

Great place Vile!!!  but no...I never saw that one.  Got to TBIchips before I got my account fixed here.

Update on the mod to the DRAC...I installed it tonight and took my son for a ride.  Brought along the GPS and first try I was dead on!    Speedometer is right on the money now!

Got any information on the ABS module off of the master cylinder?  Probably some on this site, but I haven't searched yet.  Not totally sure if this truck had it, but if it did it is gone now.  Gotta go off and get the kids to bed.

[zieg85]

Very nice truck!!!

[ehjorten]

Worked a little on the truck this weekend.  Went through the whole courtesy light circuit to try and get a dome light to work.  No lights in the interior cause they wouldn't go out!  Checked the plungers on the doors and they were all good.  Thought maybe the previous owner had tapped into the ground circuit with the aftermarket stereo install (not a very clean install from an electrical standpoint).  Everything was good!  Looks like a bad headlamp switch!  Gonna order a new one.

Also installed new cap, rotor and plug wires. 

[ehjorten]

Okay...so I installed a new headlamp switch and that cured my problems with the dimmer.  The rheostat spring was busted and gone, but it did not fix the issue with the dome and underdash lights staying constantly on.  Anyone have any suggestions on what to look for?  I checked the door jamb switches and everything looked good.  Wiring appears to be good from what I can see.  I unplugged the electronic trailer brake controller and also unplugged the stereo thinking that maybe the previous owner tapped into the wrong wire, but that didn't help either!  Oh and pulling the fuse to the courtesy circuit shuts off the lights.  So...it has to have a ground somewhere.

[ehjorten]

Figured out the courtesy lights today!  Previous owner had installed a short whip antenna on the roof right above the dome light.  The uninsulated ground terminal in the dome light was touching the metal around the antenna base.  Wanna get rid of that anyway and put back the stock antenna in the windshield or something different like one on the front fender.