Just bought an 87 with 59K... think I know why it has so few miles on it.

[89Suburban]

Yah don't use that crap. Just bypass it for now. I would stop dealing with that shop as well. They just keep pounding you with ********.


Posted From Hell

 

[89Suburban]

Any updates?


Posted From Hell

 

[TheBlue'Burban]

Sorry for not updating, things have been crazy busy around here. Not much else to report yet. I am just leaving the tailgate window up until I can scrounge the parts I need to get it fixed up. I ordered a LMC catalog and printed the page with all the tailgate and window parts... gotta tear the cover back off and see exactly all I will need to get it fixed back up.

I am certainly done dealing with the dealer and their shop... buncha hooligans. I have just been rolling with the windows down and the vent fan on full blast. Back sweat be damned. I'm not going to ruin my engine with a can of anything... and I don't have the time to tear it down in one shot and I need to drive it so I can't let it sit while I find time to tinker with it.

I bought some plugs and wires for it. AC Delco wires, and some good plugs, (forget the brand right now). Looked at the block, the current plugs are kinda rusty, so I'm hesitant to tackle swapping them out myself... don't want to break something off. Again, I don't have the time to tear it down in one shot and I need to drive it so I can't let it sit while I find time to tinker with it.

I am starting to get a little concerned that after it warms up and I have driven it for a little while, it starts to get a little hesitation in it, mostly while my foot is barely on the pedal.

The other thing is, (which I attributed to the can of Sea Foam that I first put in) when it first starts up after sitting overnight, there is a plume of white smoke out of the exhaust. It usually goes away after the initial billow, but every once in a while it will sputter out a couple puffs for a few blocks before it warms up..... is this plugs? Is it gaskets? Working out the cobwebs? Is the smoke and the hesitation related?

Thanks for keeping interest in this thread guys... I appreciate the input.

 

[HotRodPC]

When you get the plugs and wires changed, you might lose that hesitation.

Which way did you do the Seafoam treatment? Did you suck it in the Vac line, let it soak then start it up? Or just put it in the fuel tank? I'd imagine if that method was done, it should be been burnt off with a couple times of driving it.

White smoke could just be condensation. Depending on your weather conditions your motor, Cat or muffler might be sweating inside and when you start it up, it's burningg off the water. Trans fluid can also cause white smoke, but you shouldn't have a vac modulator with a 700r4 so that shouldn't be an issue. If it's white, and goes away pretty quick. I don't think I'd be very concerned about it as of yet unless your having a coolant loss problem.

 

[TheBlue'Burban]

I put the Sea Foam through the gas tank... and I have another can to put in this next time I fill it up. I have been waiting til I get to half a tank to fill it back up so I can try and calculate my exact fuel mileage.

Glad to hear it's not anything super serious. It has been REALLY hot and humid here the past few weeks... so condensation might be the issue.

 

[skysurfer]

The other thing is, (which I attributed to the can of Sea Foam that I first put in) when it first starts up after sitting overnight, there is a plume of white smoke out of the exhaust. It usually goes away after the initial billow, but every once in a while it will sputter out a couple puffs for a few blocks before it warms up.....

Worn valve stem seals. It's not a big deal, mine has been doing that for years.

 

[89Suburban]

Sorry for not updating, things have been crazy busy around here. Not much else to report yet. I am just leaving the tailgate window up until I can scrounge the parts I need to get it fixed up. I ordered a LMC catalog and printed the page with all the tailgate and window parts... gotta tear the cover back off and see exactly all I will need to get it fixed back up.

I am certainly done dealing with the dealer and their shop... buncha hooligans. I have just been rolling with the windows down and the vent fan on full blast. Back sweat be damned. I'm not going to ruin my engine with a can of anything... and I don't have the time to tear it down in one shot and I need to drive it so I can't let it sit while I find time to tinker with it.

I bought some plugs and wires for it. AC Delco wires, and some good plugs, (forget the brand right now). Looked at the block, the current plugs are kinda rusty, so I'm hesitant to tackle swapping them out myself... don't want to break something off. Again, I don't have the time to tear it down in one shot and I need to drive it so I can't let it sit while I find time to tinker with it.

I am starting to get a little concerned that after it warms up and I have driven it for a little while, it starts to get a little hesitation in it, mostly while my foot is barely on the pedal.

The other thing is, (which I attributed to the can of Sea Foam that I first put in) when it first starts up after sitting overnight, there is a plume of white smoke out of the exhaust. It usually goes away after the initial billow, but every once in a while it will sputter out a couple puffs for a few blocks before it warms up..... is this plugs? Is it gaskets? Working out the cobwebs? Is the smoke and the hesitation related?

Thanks for keeping interest in this thread guys... I appreciate the input.

Good job buying the AC Delco stuff. That hesitation is most likely the EGR valve opening after warm up on acceleration. They are pretty sensitive. If it gets to be too annoying you can plug the vacuum line off it. I been trying to figure those out for about 3 years? I finally found a EGR that seems to be working correctly. I have it in operable mode on Silvy right now. I been trying to find a used one that would work right instead of buying something for 80 - 100 bucks. I might have a few extra bucks next year so I might spring for a new one, but you really have to know what you are looking for and buy the right one or it will act just the same as a bad one.


I have been getting white condensation smoke too at night. We have been having some very high dew points that last 2 weeks so that does not surprise me to see you having the same thing going on. If you are not loosing any coolant it is not an issue. The exhaust systems on our Burbs are pretty long.

My AC works but it is just too damn hot. Being in the mid 90's with that high dew point is just brutal. I try not to use the A/C in these severe conditions so I don't stress anything on the truck. I might just turn it on when I stop at a light. Plus the fuel it sucks up with the a/c is on. Get yourself one of those little 12V oscillating fans.

Shame you aint closer I could help out.

 

[bucket]

I run the AC in mine without worries, it cools it nicely with the front and rear on, even if it's hot and humid. GM put it there, so I'm gonna use it, lol.

 

[HotRodPC]

My AC works but it is just too damn hot. Being in the mid 90's with that high dew point is just brutal. I try not to use the A/C in these severe conditions so I don't stress anything on the truck. I might just turn it on when I stop at a light. Plus the fuel it sucks up with the a/c is on. Get yourself one of those little 12V oscillating fans.

Shame you aint closer I could help out.

I run the AC in mine without worries, it cools it nicely with the front and rear on, even if it's hot and humid. GM put it there, so I'm gonna use it, lol.

I agree with bucket. If you're going to run your AC, just run it. It's not stressing anything on the truck other than the cooling system a little bit. If the cooling system is up to par, you should do just fine. You might even run a little warmer with the AC on. Running 200-210 in the summer isn't all that bad if you have good coolant and a good pressure cap of at least 13lbs to keep the boiling point higher. And actually, the AC is less stress on anything going down the road and is more stressful idling while sitting at a light than anything. If you can use it sitting at a light you can use it all the time. Just Do it. Use it and keep an eye on your Water Temp for awhile til you know what's normal and what's not. I'd damn sure be running the ****.

 

[TheBlue'Burban]

Another update... finally ran it (consistently without breakdowns) long enough to get a gas mileage figure.

15.026 gallons got me 262 miles. So that's 17.44 MPG. right?!?!

I didn't believe my calculations at first. I had looked up some estimated numbers, and came up with this. Though it is saying a 4WD, I figured I would be close. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/4029.shtml

But almost 17 and a half miles per gallon combined?!?! Granted, it is probably more highway, but I have been driving around town and on two lanes... and not always babying it.

I'm pleasantly surprised. Wonder how much better it will get once I ditch the 15+ year old spark plugs and wires?

 

[89Suburban]

Yup, sounds just about right to me. I could not believe it myself when I bought this one.


Posted From Hell

 

[TheBlue'Burban]

So, I haven't updated in a while, here is a bit of what has been going on with Ol' Blue.

Still need to put plugs and wires on her to make her run like a champ... but they are a bit rusted now, and I'm afraid I might strip one out trying to do it myself. My mechanic said he will bend the rules to use my parts and do it for $80... assuming all goes well and they all come out ok. I just haven't had time or money to take it in to him... because our 05 Subaru Outback has been giving us problems.

Stalls out, engine light comes on, take it in, he said its the throttle body. Replaced with a used one to save some dough... few months later it happens exactly the same again. Put a new one one... few days later, same thing happens again. He looks at it, calls me and says "I ******' hate your car" must be in the computer, gonna have to take it to Subaru to have them figure it out.

My wife says "After driving and riding around in the Suburban, I feel a bit claustrophobic in the Subie now... I love all the space I have in here. Also, isn't it odd that this is our one reliable vehicle right now, and it's so old."

(Chest puff of pride for the old girl)

Also... was talking to my mechanic about the AC issue, and he said it didnt make sense to him that it wasn't leaking all the time, just when I first turned on the AC. Wondered if it might have just been the condensation drain was clogged up from sitting, and it spilled out from inside... suggested i play around with it some more.

I had been afraid of spewing coolant all over my rental's parking lot, ruining somethign that I didn't have the money to fix, etc. and hadn't messed with it since the day I bought it. I pulled the carpet back, and there is definetely a sticky, oily residue soaked into the carpet pad, the carpet, and the insulation on the firewall behind the AC unit under the dash. Could see where it had come streaming down from the firewall and into the footwell. I wiped it off, turned on the AC, cranked it up and let it sit....

And it worked! AC got cold, nothing came out... my temp gauge stayed put. I have been cautiously running it off and on for a few weeks now,and same thing. Heat works great too!

All summer long I sweated my ass off so I didn't hurt the poor girl... and here she was bluffing.

I hope.

 

[r67northern]

"My wife says "After driving and riding around in the Suburban, I feel a bit claustrophobic in the Subie now... I love all the space I have in here. Also, isn't it odd that this is our one reliable vehicle right now, and it's so old." "

Yep, my '90 is the only vehicle in the 'fleet' that we are never allowed to get rid of. It's my wife's favorite. Good to hear your AC is up and running.

 

[austinado16]

Same here, wife loves the thing and would drive it as her daily if fuel wasn't $4/gal.

Thumbs up for running the a/c all the time when needed. That's what it's been designed to do, so take full advantage! Switched ours over to R134a a few years ago and it blows so cold on low (both front and rear units on low) fan speed that sometimes we have to blend in some heat.

 

[MrMarty51]

Good to hear it is a nice unit fuhr the fambly there B.B. and thanks fuhr the update.