$200 96 4.0 Project

[koda2000]

If your blend door is broken you'll want to do the Dorman quick & dirty blend door replacement. There's a how-to thread somewhere. @GLOCKer can help with this job as he's recently done it.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

The fuel float is sticking now though, nevermind how I just learned that.

Maybe you ran out of fuel.... I did that last week, after my gauge was showing at least three or four gallons left (even on level ground). I discovered it was out of fuel only AFTER removing the fuel pump and sender unit from the top of the tank. Dang/ yay!?!?

Besides not trusting the gauge, and relying more on the odometer, do you have any maintenance or repair ideas for the gauge/sending unit?

Thanks,

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I'll report back on what I find with the blend door, I'm hoping it's the motor, the truck sat a while, when I got it some fuses were blown, maybe I'll get lucky. This truck was owned by someone I believe just changed oil and drove and nothing else, but at 98K how much does one need to actually normally do?


The fuel float unstuck itself seemingly, I put $20 worth of premium gas in it, Shell at that, and it both runs smoother and the float works now. My opinion is the float was varnished from sitting OUT of gas for so long. The pump I know nothing about, it was near freezing this morning though and it cranked right up so I'm betting it's been replaced.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So I'm back, and the motor is running when you run the knob from hot to cold and back, it's slow seemingly but is getting the job done. I was going to pull it and verify that the shaft is turning but the actuator is actually held up with plastic release tabs, not bolts? You squeeze them together to remove it? That's odd to me, in my parts truck it's held in with bolts. The one positive is if it was summer time, it's I think stuck on AC.

 

[koda2000]

So I'm back, and the motor is running when you run the knob from hot to cold and back, it's slow seemingly but is getting the job done. I was going to pull it and verify that the shaft is turning but the actuator is actually held up with plastic release tabs, not bolts? You squeeze them together to remove it? That's odd to me, in my parts truck it's held in with bolts. The one positive is if it was summer time, it's I think stuck on AC.

The new actuators come snap-mounted to a plastic base. The one I bought from Dorman last winter was like that. Sounds like it's time for the quick & dirty blend door replacement if you want any heat this winter.

Yes the motor turns very slowly.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So I've got GREAT news. I don't have to worry about no heat anymore, problem is officially SOLVED.

The transmission completely **** the bed, I drove it on a 25 mile one way drive, everything went great, coming back it started hunting gears. I got it home, I have all the gears but heaven forbid it pick one, no OD, no reverse, and a vomiting transmission, right out the passenger side. Pulled dipstick, fluid is the color of bad motor oil, and now very low following the experience of a giant cloud of smoke from underneath.

To recap that, I've had a 01 SOHC that was a complete lemon mechanically, and now I've had a 96 that, with 98K miles, really showed it's colors. Can't say I'll buy another V6 truck, just my two cents. Gonna throw a trans in this one and sell it for the first $1k to roll my direction, assuming I find one. If I don't, that motor will bring $500 easy here, it's a quiet 4.0 with no problems. Next plan? Find another V8 truck, they last near forever.

 

[CDW6212R]

Sorry about that deal, I've wondered when my V6 truck would do the same. Then the trans went and I haven't driven it since.

You know these trucks, find the right keeper and get it in top shop, then don't bother with the V6 engine/trans issues any more. The 302/4R70W are easier to work with anyway.

BTW, I think my "good" 98 black Limited has a bad water pump now, the last three days I've listened to a rough whine. I was hoping it was the alternator, but the last time I listened it much more sounds like it's from the middle/center, not near the top/left. I literally just installed my one new alternator in my newest white 98, it had a whine that was the alternator.

 

[koda2000]

I find it really difficult to discern where whining noises are coming from on the 5.0L, even when using my mechanic's theosophic. I been faked-out multiple times into thinking it was coming from the alternator, or a particular pulley, only to replace what I think is bad with no improvement. While it's a bit of a pain I now remove the belt every time to find the real culprit. As far as the water pump, every time I've had a bad one I could tell by pushing & pulling on the fan. If the shaft it's clunking back and forth it's bad.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I mean it sucks because I actually liked the truck, it's super quiet, it's definitely a 98K mile original truck, I guess it was rode hard or something by the man that had it all those years. I have my Eddie Bauer done at least, there's that positive. I got tempted for just the complete heck of it to restore this truck. How hard is a 4R55E rebuild? If it wasn't for the price, I'd explore a reman transmissiont, the kits are cheap though. Granted it's all under the bridge because I don't have the time to be without a vehicle.

I think in all honesty the EPC stuck shut, it's got a CEL but no trans codes.

 

[CDW6212R]

My 99 5R55E threw a high EPC pressure code. I found part of a bearing shell in the pan, so it likely has a big internal leak which maxed out the EPC, so it slipped very bad in 1st and reverse.

Rebuilding any trans is mostly about the R&R of the trans, and the specialty tools required to change the clutch seals etc. Those tools used to be under $100 for a four speed, now I think it would run a good $200+ for sure. I'm hoping the seal tools I have will also fit the 5R seals.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I'll look into it, getting the tools doesn't worry me, I don't plan on scrapping this truck because outside of no heat and the window motors being a mess, and this, it's really a nice vehicle to work with, it's very unmolested, which says something for near 25 years old. It's straight as a string, only one or two dents on the whole car from doors. The exhaust looks fun to remove but it's still clean pipe, it's never been on salt period.

In the meanwhile though, while I'm vehicle shopping, I've explored upgrading, there's an Avalanche on an auction I'm on next week that I really love, there's an F150 on that same auction if I'm too cheap, but it's a 98 and ragged. I asked about that white Eddie Bauer I've been talking about, and in the guys own words "The motor and transmission are A1, the interior is a disaster, I used it when I went to farm auctions". I told him $350 for the whole truck, because I know he's wrecked it inside. I'm gonna argue I just need a transmission to fix my old 2000 and flexplate.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So the good news is it must've vented out the top the fluid that was pouring. The bad news is it has nothing but forward gear, drive best I can tell, even in neutral.

 

[CDW6212R]

So the good news is it must've vented out the top the fluid that was pouring. The bad news is it has nothing but forward gear, drive best I can tell, even in neutral.

That isn't really good news, it means it got very hot. The weakness of the 5R and all versions back to the A4LD, is that the internal hard parts are fairly fragile. Any excess heat usually causes expensive damage, often many of the hard parts will have to be replaced. Heat is the big enemy after any debris, those cause damage after the first symptoms. First the clutches are eaten typically, while the driver keeps going as long as they can. Then the debris fouls the VB and messes up shifting, while heat rises and possibly begins to damage the hard steel parts, drums/hubs etc.

If you find any material in the ATF, I'd scrap the radiator and cooler, and an external filter must be installed on the return line to the trans.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I know but at least I can figure out moving it around, hopefully without vomiting anymore, outside of pushing it backwards by hand. That's my viewpoint, whenever I had to move stuff before I just used my towing sling with my 2000. The radiator is junk anyhow, tank leaks on one side. There is no cooler on this truck that I've found, it's just to the radiator and back.

I'd figure that the trans was bad when I bought it, with the slow reverse when cold, and the trans x cleaned up whatever solenoid was dirty, and it's just gone downhill since then. Fluid was pretty though, the fresh service I found the receipt for probably was to remedy a problem.

There's a reasonable chance I found a transmission this morning, out a 95 with 172K miles on it. Bit high but if it's good, and has any warranty, for $200 or so, I'm down. The guy is supposed to crank the truck if it'll start and drive it around his junkyard and report back. He's always done me right so we'll see.

I plan on even if I install a good used trans, fixing this truck up right. I've had good luck with my under $500 second gens up until right now. I'm amazed dumping that much ATF on the cat didn't burn this truck though, I had enough smoke that's for sure. I was fit to be tied when that happened.

 

[CDW6212R]

You can move the truck as needed for sure, the heat I meant was while on the normal drive before. I'd try a used one also for the price and value of the truck. That's why I haven't gotten my black 98 fixed yet, I'm not paying a shop $3k for a truck worth maybe $2k right now. I can build one for $250ish, and use one spare TC I have left. A TC is around $150 the last time I checked, that's what one for my 5R cost last year.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I still have the one out my old 5R, no metal in the fluid so I kept it. I replaced the one for my 4R70W in my Eddie's V8 swap, it's smooth as butter I'll say that, it was $128 though. I'm likely going to go the used trans route, I see no metal in the fluid on the dipstick, rubbed it across the sticker under the hood and nothing sparkles, so maybe it just melted the clutches down and the TC. A good V8 truck here will bring you $2500 all day long, I'd about buy that Eddie Bauer if I got it for dirt cheap just to flip, it'd flip easy.

 

[CDW6212R]

They are all getting scarce now, that's going to keep the prices higher and eventually drive them up.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I debated completely redoing it my 2000 just because it's a V8 and would be a nice ride, make it AWD again, fix the doors, maybe swap the rear axle for one without 300K on it. I turned down an offer of three grand on my V8 swapped Eddie Bauer the day I cranked it the first time, but that car is special to me, I didn't build it thinking about money nor do I care now.

A SOHC truck here will bring you $1500, there's a 4WD 01 near me, guy wants $1500 firm, and it's a nice ride, 180K on it, motor has new gaskets all over it which tells me it's been fixed. That Eddie Bauer I want to get in some ways to just have a matched pair of Eddie Bauers. The real mistake though was turning down $1k cash on that 96. That was actually stupid.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So I've got a decision to make about this truck. The guy is supposed to test one transmission he has, if he doesn't have it, there's no local transmissions for this truck. I'm vehicle shopping again. I do plan on fixing it though, for whatever strange reason. If I find a trans I bet I could do it in half a day. I'm putting it on the project block since my Eddie Bauer is road ready as soon as I get a muffler on it, it's done otherwise, excluding an oil change to get that old oil out.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

He doesn't have it, it's a waiting game now, or junk the truck. I'm looking at the white Eddie Bauer, gonna make the guy an offer Thursday, if I don't buy a Chevy Avalanche Saturday.