1996 GMC 5-speed

[Barry Donovan]

windshield installed.

---

-12F in lagrange maine for my cold start.. I checked safelite website, they allowed a delay to 2 pm.
bangor maine was going to be 13F by then.

the repair guy scrubbed 2 small rust spots under the 18 year old glass, gave it 2 coats of primer.. and complimented the condition.

We got to talking, he is also looking for a gmt400.. less gadgets, and the first years of real injection.
I was proud to bring this one in to their shop.

not trusting the time allowance for glass to seat, now at 8F this evening already.. I let it sit and idle hot defrost to allow more seat time.

ice and rain storm tomorrow...again.
I also got free full trim, the glass edge and the side pieces at the door.
$185.
all that stuff was 18 years old.
This means 250-300k miles.
impressive.

You don't know how bad the old glass is , until you look through some brand new sometimes.

analogy to evolution..
anyway.

the new ground followup..
cold starts back to the reason I love this truck, it is on its way.
Now just pretending it will get through another ice storm with no problems... I am sure it will. The safelite guys seemed confident, and told me of the warranty.

[Barry Donovan]

fuyao!

---

that s not a cuss word above, that is the brand name of my glass.

my safelite review..
in one week we have had a worlds weather...one spot, called maine.

I judge thickness of new glass at the wipers outside and my finger inside behind them.
this seems beefier than what was already damn good.
no wavy side views, no egg like magnifying.

I get into my dads 2016, and look at the corner of glass for the brand
same as mine.

FUYAO.

lo and behold, safelite isn't flunking like a corvette forum full of bitches might declare.

this review is for real results.
I know they can't mess with truck glass anyway, they got work to do, and windshields are always a part of structure strength.

anyway..
I'd do it again for sure.
I am guessing some kind of computer guidance and chemistry would be the changes. It is right on as of now.. and will only settle to even better.
Being a steel nut, I am glad to have new glass, my welding got these old two rails straight as can be. New glass allows it to dial in even more.

[Barry Donovan]

map sensor

---

this little chore taught me 3 things.

• live data is still needed.. DTC does not trigger at all errors.
• and the map sensor readings on this truck do not go to zero. 14.7 = 0 on some tunes. This truck uses 14.7
• the vacuum goes even deeper just off idle. This means this truck can do the 85mm throttle and love it. Did not expect that from a 305...

it was bunged, still breathing.. but more importantly it was broken

the 4.4 vacuum is now a 4.8. That is another oddity in map sensor reading. when throttle on it hangs at 3 something before climbing the other way... does not make much sense. but timing is different at idle. I have seen 16 and 15 degrees.. it was always in 18-20.

the map sensor that reads vacuum was itself the vacuum leak. Too small to bother 5 liters and 8 cylinders...


more retard in the timing is a fuel saver, a stroke sender. This means cleaner engine and better fuel. Faster warmups. Gentle gear changes, no snappy tuning.
Again this 5 liter did not care if this was errored...keeps right on trucking.
I found it by chance in live data. No codes triggered.

and a fourth thing..
this engine is in mint condition. Of course consumption told me all that anyway.
I am guessing by the clean throttle, the map sensor was some hack swap (strange brand, non-gm) from a WELL used engine.

cost to fix.. 7.00 delivered

[Barry Donovan]

another truck in the yard. I almost feel relieved.
I was simply taking a shot at what I keep an eye out for in the mornings.
we are all disabled or retired. the caravan I got going needed air...gave it some.
the owner has stage 4 cancer. Hair gone now. She must have been a looker in her day.


winter is taking its toll this time, the statistics are the prophet.

the past is the future.
This car never needed a jump start.

I threw a cross against a wall once, to look up and found it left an impression I couldn't remove.
if you look close, I inadvertantly captured one on that guys hat..
startled me a bit. Perfect focus.



below zero dawn, dead calm.. february version. I stay a little more mechanically alert.
some have called me a nerd over the years.

This is 930 am. Stil single digits.

another round of torture for 5 days coming.
snow ice rain, getting it all.
the warning is for .3+ inches of ice this time.

staying alive with my 305.
cold start perfect, sputtering idle failed the pcv unplugged test.. it smooths out.
time to change the mobil 1 year long 7500 mile oil at 4k miles and november swap.
It did get extreme abuse, 20s below much more than once, many below zeros.
up to 40s and 50s.. slammed back down again.
1150 miles in one sitting.

it does good. The gas washing flood on the last random no start.. that must have loosened up some carbon all around.
Very nice motor.

inspection month this month..
should be no problems.

[Barry Donovan]

goofy start

---

after all the wet, still hovering at 30F..
it is air temps winning the top half of truck, the vehicles in the yard all have ice dangling.
got a hard start, but immediate fire, as weak as it was on just one cylinder for a time.

found the ground killer.
the truck can't simply keep snow in the back all winter.
a goofy start banging at 1 cylinder for 30 seconds and weak fired into a good idle, all 8.
no flood.

weak fire is the answer.
oddly enough, maintenance man was outside to hear it start.
he mentioned coil.

he does have some years on me.

thinking it over..
there is 3 stages.
outright snapping missing coil,
weak fire...
to thunder of a vortec.(this 305 is truly comical with the stroke sounds)

3 modes.

this seems to coincide with plugs that gapped themselves to .080 and kept running,
broken engine ground
now over to LS spark plugs on the 8.8mm wires and new ground.

trying this same stuff on my subaru would have the spare box of coils gaining a few more.
Truck does damn good.

I cleaned snow out of the back, broke off the icicles.. full power.



going to get a new coil anyway. It will act as a fresh reset for the LS plugs and ground and 8.8 wires.
it does start every time.. this weakness is the last anomaly.

[Barry Donovan]

coil module summary

---

where I have played with electrons since 1998, home built computers..
I realized just how tough that little coil/module combo is.

I summarized how tough that little module is on the side of the coil..not to mention a tough coil. Being it had a brain before it.. I give the module credit. This is still working full power mind you.. the february sun is bringing it right back out.

• coil and heatsink and module is painted covering rust (it is indeed old)
• alternator met a violent end a year or two ago.
• map sensor pegged timing to 38 degrees just off throttle.. this is a hard snap for ignition
  • it then survived a new map sensor, new gentle curve.. 2 degrees more retarded at idle. smooth sailing
• plug wires were so bad, 5 and 7 zapped to each other.. I added brand new accel zero bleed, equal length.
• 3 different sets of plugs
• broken engine ground. the disty for sure uses that one.. not sure where module uses its ground. Might be same spot
• extreme welding, chassis and frame
• 40 amps dropped to LED swap

I have never had a machine survive this weather pattern we are in. Ever. Here i am hacking away at a 21 yr old runtime..hardly bothers it.


my subaru would have killed the coil on each and every one of these events..
still working full power, I will swap out on a nice day. Just ridding tell tale signs it may give up soon.

[Barry Donovan]

the tailgater

---

I am chatting away with my brother doing 85 on 95...
and then I see it creeping up on me.

a saabaru.
seriously, that was the plate on the front of it.
I knew my limiter is now at 105-110, so I just kept talking and gave it some throttle.

I look again, before the straightaway ends.. and it is on the side of the road with its hazards on.

I guess the american 95 needs american 95.

this truck and its encounters... it livens up the day.

I may have chatted with the owner on the net, maine subarus.. not all that many enthusiasts.
the subaru powered saabs used to hang out there.

just goofing around.



and one year ago today..
the 3 footer.

[Barry Donovan]

airless puff

---

first real warm day in forever.. the february sun.
as you can see , the ground does not care.. it is well below 32F. I have not seen twisting land and pavement like this in some years.
frost heaves are still climbing.
This tells me all welds are damn good.
baja ride to milo maine.


an airless puff about halfway there..
noticably more power,smooth idle.
The LS plugs are now in action to a difference.
coolant emerged to its right height..
arctica is gone for this year. wild stabs below zero will be short lived.
the long term monster is retreated.

I looked over coil as a new one is in the mail..
the only thing unpainted is the bracket, andmy new one is double layered instead of single.
no need to change t now, but will anyway.

bought a tiny jug of coolant at a fmaily dollar, it took half it to get to inbetween cold/warm line
the radiator side tank driver side is nearly non existent leak this year.
last year took almost a gallon by march.
must be self sealing with the iron slimes.

the airless mover may have been the snow int he bed I refused to clean out all winter and new plugs changing old chambers.
they seem fast acting. the new map sensor is really riding a timing curve now.. feels powerful low speeds. stroking the stroke.

[Barry Donovan]

I broke my nub on this one.

---

god damn.
Now this is OLD.
I don't recall the last time I saw laminate of the metal layers change shape..
but I do remember seeing one.
it was 30 yrs old...on a small engine.

Good call on the coil.
I also found a bracket that comes up and over from the back of engine to hold wires.. it is bolted less than an inch from the engine ground that goes to frame.

I put the pieces of the crime scene together.

the coil kept right on trucking with a snap out to the bracket, to burn its own engine ground (which must have been like powder disentigration)..this took the map sensor to a bit crazy, but it all kept trucking.
the finale was coil could not stay in itself at all times.. it was zapping out to ground.


putting it back together, new coil /module/ brackets.. all you see in photo is now brand new. I was wanting to keep the bracket it snapped on away from it.. I broke the new 7 dollar map sensor in the process.
That must be a personal record. I think I got 48 hours out of it.

as it turns out, it does not need it to run.. it gains 2 degrees at idle and a p0108 code.
it will use more fuel.

anyway, started right up, the confidence I always expect..and it is right in the midst of one of the weather patterns again..
the random no start or hard start would have happened today.

ordered yet another 7 dollar map sensor and will install it when it gets here. Meanwhile, truck can go about its business.

[Barry Donovan]

glad to find this 3 pages back.. much more bangshifty hot rod builds keeping busy

sailed through inspection 22..
running very good.

I am inspired to get the 220 welder as the mechanic with many years (I like them inspecting my truck)
has an avalanche that needs some under cab work.

they see my work every year.. never think twice. I am self taught, trial and error'd and even had dangerous times a long the learning curve.

it does start to emerge eventually... as a thing called a skill.


my 7 dollar map sensor.. it lasted one day before i manhandled it changing the coil nearby.

[Barry Donovan]

spring time throttle

---

the change.. it is happening today. the air we breathe.. the engine's lungs are the same.

first sense of almost warm since october/november. this cycle will peak in a few years with unforgettablly cold memories.
The last time I was young, and most of those people that were here are dead today.

I never forget vehicles living rural.. as if to identify strangers. the weak the strong, the builders, the lazy.. its all there in the vehicle.
I remember a honda ridgeline, it passed me more times than I cannot remember.. with sarcasm, it did this. high revves..it even had a barky snappy exhaust for a short time. Itmust have gotten into trouble with it local.

my subaru always left me unlike the person with vehicles i really am...when volvo four bangers and ridgelines are some of the monsters.
made me feel way too small.

gmc got an oil change.. no errors or weirdness in the billet filter.
a long winter it has been. the bearings and iron stood ground.

Today I started out from the middle of the little town, simply gave it hefty throttle. The manual transmission whines a perfect infinite...
wake it from the coma on theis 50+ F day...a sense of trees emerging. After months of 45 minute warmups, sucking in gallons to move the ferrous...

Anyway. I saw "the" honda in my mirror as I started off.. been driving long enough to know someone is trying to keep up with my ambition.

I floored it. Very rare for me to do so.
60mph by end of second, the ridgeline getting smaller and smaller...
90 before the top of the hill... the hill the bellows an overdrive for all 700 residents of this place. A sound that never leaves...the shape of the terrian and the big gear digging in.. as if a victory cry without the tinny ninny...
Everyone remembers it. Like a jake brake holding back 120k pounds... the american iron v8 is carrying the other direction to speed ahead.

It is the legend that keeps many of us building...

[Barry Donovan]

not ignoring the truck.. the vehicle that does it all...

Am charging air conditioning myself right now.
I measured it at 18psi after 7 months.
got the vac pump and gauges, professional you know.

too cold to run by its own switches. They all fall flat here in november. Don't see it again until late april, may.
I expect this from all vehicles.. even my dads brand new tractor trailers.

we hit -23.6F for a low.. and sustained -20s for weeks random.




this photo is less than a week old. Our first 80F since august/september
that is ice in the middle of a dirt road.. where sun hits it all day.


Even when these systems do survive such a thing, they are not very cold anymore.

So, pumpin' it out to 30 inches vacuum..
I found a kit a parts store put together for 88-02 chevy trucks.
Specific esther oil and sealer.. and 36 ounces of freon.
I fell for it.
Will see how it goes shortly.

edit:
colder than ever.
I pumped out some more older thickening stuff or something. It is the third pull knowing it was old with new stuff.
Simply colder than ever.

I also added an interesting sealer, it is already dispersed. My new pump never had this treatment.
Will see what the pressure is next May.

I also found the pump is cool and quieter. Not sure what I plucked out this time.
Simply colder than ever. I do not like to keep my hand at the vent.. it is that cold.
running long term is just over 20... on the low side lasts longer. That is something I wanted to see this year.
Last year was nearly a dry refill. I used no additives.. and saw high pressure.

Tricky stuff.
Good to go.

[Barry Donovan]

floor pan driver side

---

inspecting the truck, I left off with forward quarter of custom rockers unwelded.. I was waiting for the brittle fall part into a pile of dust for some more chunks.

finally happened this year. 22 years of slammed with more maine debris than 1 year of rice cannot handle.

when steel mistakes happen just once, I have a vow to make it my own out of stainless.
22 years of a tough gmc or not (I do mean tough.. most impressive vehicle I have ever owned.)





the only error floor side with major shaping.. and I made it today. Fathers day.
no camera journal modes, just a couple of hours before dinner... and hammer welded it in.
cable runs high exact fit, made 2 new holes for some bigger stainless screws.

I then set in a flat piece of stainless to the right after hammering to get dust and swiss cheese... but not exactly failing.

I'll let that settle under the rug and heavy floor mat for my next round. I'll get pictures of it complete.

the only embarrassment.. at 80F I needed much less air conditioning. Beautiful to drive.
I never got wet there, nothing errored...but it was a surce of cab heat after all.
just peoples feet on a newer carpet that hid it all.


I patted myself on the back. I forgot I left the welder on high mode...it still took it like a champ.
I laughed out loud when i found the settings. Rusty floor pan and welder on high settings.

on sensitive areas I want to keep just for the fancy shape.. like run a bead to preserve in little dots at a time...
the low setting even saves the old gmc version of a floor pan.

I LOVE to work this trucks steel


happy fathers day.

[Barry Donovan]

24 below

---

I am getting slower.. more tense, less nimble.
thinking of perfect welding weather after a 24 below winter.
Harder to comprehend. I am a slow as the steel it seems.
A paradox to know how fast that is...

A/c charged up, figured I'd go get some food first.. and drive fast all the way home.
don't need hot frozen food


it reached 92F in the shade.

A span of 114F leaves a fog even if it is dry as a bone in the heat.
I knocked on my neighbors door, the viet nam veteran. I drive him around a lot. hospital runs especially.
I mentioned in these posts. Sometimes I drove fast to get him there on time.
the V.A. hospital runs... 222 miles round trip. (exactly 222 miles roundtrip)

he likes those burritos and philly steaks from sam's club. I go once a month and pile up.
He cannot walk anymore.
I change his oxygen tanks, chat with him once and awhile.
No one answered the door.
Found he was in the hospital for the fourth time in as many days.
I went and got him back home twice.

I don't think he is going to make it.

Quick shopping and back home.. the hottest day ever in my gmc.
387k miles now.


I may go visit a relative in washington dc with it...
I want to park it near a monument
A monument that never dies.

happy fourth of july.

[Barry Donovan]

the steel goes on

---

My neighbor louis. the viet nam veteran.
He passed on.
I knew it was coming. He had been shutting off like a switch, and turning grey in split second intervals.
All those rides... I decided to keep a blanket in my truck just in case I needed to cover him.

Waking up to where he left off.

he has more miles in my truck than anybody. My truck has more miles because of louis, than anybody.
All the V.A. hospital runs.
from lagrange maine to augusta and bangor and lincoln
222 miles was one of the round trips...on a routine.
The last weeks were several runs at all hours...picking up at hospital. He'd call ambulance realizing he was jjust dead..and woke back up.
We both knew when we were there. We both didn't know what it is to stay there.
He is there now.
I will think of him, and ask him for my gas money when we meet again.

I knew i'd be sad. As if to stay stronger ahead...knowing days are numbered.
I wept a little anyway.
Rest in peace u.s. marine


I welded today. Stainless steel. Us humans deserve it below our feet
We are rust, and character is age, accepting the environment we are in.
Density and strength is the survival.

one thing louis reminded me of without words.
He went down weak after his last lady friend died in this building we all live in.

you can be tough as nails...
but your own heart can kill you.