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Astro Van Q’s

Discussion in 'General' started by RRP, Jul 11, 2018.

  1. bored&stroked

    bored&stroked Disclaimer: Can't spell

    Da fuk?
    The intake bolts to the cylinder head. What your saying is literally impossible.
     
  2. Focker

    Focker Well-Known Member

    Agreed, not sure I agree with your googlefoo. The problem with overtorqueing the intake manifold was that it distorted the plastic intake gasket and started you down the road of dexcool contamination and coolant leaks.
     
  3. ghetto customs

    ghetto customs Who's that Parrish guy?

    Idk man, but this convinced me...
     

    Attached Files:

  4. bored&stroked

    bored&stroked Disclaimer: Can't spell

    Just doesn't make sence. It bolts to the head. The head bolts to the block. If you tighten the head bolts too much perhaps but the intake bolts have absolutely no connection to the block.
     
    drop likes this.
  5. BSA43

    BSA43 Well-Known Member

    That's a mighty slow van if it can only manage 24 mph empty. :Poke:
     
  6. deepsxepa

    deepsxepa Hazardous

    couldnt find that tsb # on any official sites. Im not sure what to make of that. the later models do have a couple of real long and thin bolts but I just cant see them being enough to distort the main bearing saddles or even being that long. it really doesnt make sense but without an exploded view diagram to look at or an engine apart, I dunno man. seems suspicious lol
     
  7. Resident Plarp

    Resident Plarp drittsekkmanufacturing.com

    I drove a ‘91 Astro (glide) in my late teens. For whatever reason, we put a glass pack on it, removed the bench seats and put a love seat in the back, sideways. Field parties, off-roading, and smashing garbage cans were its talents. It never really had any mechanical issues, save for the driver-side window motor failing and a “friend” kicked off the passenger-side mirror (at a field party). Nope, you couldn’t kill that thing. Some fat cunt bitch whore driving an old K Car did that for me; got t-boned in a school zone and had to say goodbye to the ‘ol war wagon. I miss the van.
     
  8. RTD

    RTD Well-Known Member

    I bought an old worn out one with 200000 miles to last me one winter when I was 19, ended up driving it for 10 years and put another 250000 miles on it.
     
    Phl218 and Shenanigans like this.
  9. RRP

    RRP Kinda Superbikey

    Very good info all. Thanks. Sounds like a contender.

    For clarification, the 95-2005 are a no go or just not as good as the first gen?

    Thanks
    M
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2018
  10. Tiller15

    Tiller15 TEAM GIXXER

    There's a 2003 GMC Safari with 91k original miles very very close to me. I am so tempted just because these vans can do just about anything. Are the 03 GMC versions ones to look out for? This thing is cleeeaaannn!
     
  11. cBJr

    cBJr Well-Known Member

    I’m more impressed he made it to laguna doing only 16mph.
     
  12. ghetto customs

    ghetto customs Who's that Parrish guy?

    Haha, damn!
    Didnt notice the autocorrect!

    I got lucky with this one being in great shape. Got it from the 2nd owner that was a church pastor. AC quit working so he tossed it for cheap! Besides the nasty carpet, everything inside worked and is in perfect shape. Could use a headliner but fuck that task!

    One of the worst task so far was to replace the steel brake line going to the rear axle, had to drop the tank and bend the tube 20 times. Rear drum brakes are kind of shitty, have to stay on top of them to keep em adjusted.
     

    Attached Files:

    cBJr likes this.
  13. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    Dang Ghetto,

    That van looks really nice. I was expecting a free candy van for some reason, however knowing you paint that thought should not have entered my mind. Interior looks nice too. I presume the wood inside was something you did too, looks good?
     
  14. G Dawg

    G Dawg Broken Member

    I forgot to mention I had one of those, last van I had before buying my Transit Connect. I paid $2700 which in my opinion was too much but I needed something to drive while my E350 was being worked on. I believe it was an 03. Not much of a fan . Started throwing codes 2 months after I bought it.
     
  15. ghetto customs

    ghetto customs Who's that Parrish guy?

    Yeah man, ive done everything. Its our rollen hotel room. Hang an AC unit in the driverside window and relax! If MA extends the Twins Cup to 2019, im thinking to upgrade into the Transit medium roof.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2018
    Boman Forklift likes this.
  16. Spitz

    Spitz Well-Known Member


    Probably water contamination in the oil causing this elusive problem. :D
     
  17. deepsxepa

    deepsxepa Hazardous


    the '03 -'05s went to rear disc brakes and larger 6 lug wheels. finding an early one in decent condition will be more difficult and they dont have some of the more modern stuff, thats one of the reasons they are more reliable but I wouldnt rule out the newer ones.

    there has been four versions of fuel injection on these and the second one was the most problematic but not terrible. I 'think' that was '94 to '98 but those can be updated.

    one thing about the early ones is they had fiberglass mono-leafs instead of steel leaf springs, I dont know the cut off year for those but they can be updated easily enough. the mono-leafs are much lighter but they dont carry weight as well as the steel leafs.

    the first year ('85) was carbureted but those are all but gone now.

    If I were looking for one and not having had any prior experience with them, I would probably be looking at '00 and up and just replace the FI 'spider' and lower intake manifold gasket right away to avoid having to do it later. and the usual stuff, flush coolant, bleed brakes, replace all fluids etc.

    heres a nice one: https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/d/1987-custom-astro-van-street/6622820417.html

    it has been for sale for a year now and started at $6700. I talked to the guy and the graphics are vinyl so they will come off but its a rare, full on cargo (no extra windows) and has some nice mods.

    there is lots of them out there
     
  18. beechkingd

    beechkingd Well-Known Member

    God help you if you have to do a u turn, you'll end up doing a 75 point turn. We used to have a couple of them at work, hated every single mile I drove in those things. They rattled and vibrated worse then just about anything I've ever driven and you couldn't do a damn U turn.
     
  19. Resident Plarp

    Resident Plarp drittsekkmanufacturing.com

    That’s because you were doing it wrong. It’s a rear-wheel drive van ... you were supposed to use the gas pedal for u-turns.

    :D :D :D
     
    beechkingd, G Dawg and ChemGuy like this.
  20. G Dawg

    G Dawg Broken Member

    Not sure what you were driving, but I used a couple of mine a courier vehicles in Chicago.
    I had no problems doing u-turns, which I did quite often.
     

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