Rawhide and The Burb

[HotWheelsBurban]

Well well well....time for more updates!
Finally got the oil and filter changed in Rawhide! The last time I changed them was on February 6, 2023.....kept trying to get to it, and it kept raining on my days off, or there were other things needing doing as well.
That old oil was black as the devil's 'hole....
I think I'm going to have to replace the belt tensioner this week. Something is making noise under the hood and it varies with the RPM. Hopefully it's that and not the alternator bearing. Or God forbid, the water pump. No leaks underneath so I am betting on the tensioner. Gotta put the stethoscope on it to narrow it down....
Got two new front tires on Rawhide (what Mom and I got each other for Valentine's lol). So we did not go to the Conroe swap meet that weekend, cause that was that budget gone! Found out that it was crappy weather and I prolly wouldn't have made any money, had we gone. We'll see how the traders village swap meet in NW Houston this weekend is.
Replaced the PCV valve last month on Rawhide, and it helped with the idle which is still sometimes rough. I think I need to replace the plug wires and route them properly with extra separators, and that should take care of that issue. Remember most of what I've replaced on the big truck is original parts....
Burb is unfortunately still stuck in front of our trailer, waiting for me to be able to get under him and see what the problem is. Hoping it's just the filter gasket; read reports from several of the square body guys that had that happen on their trucks.

 

[99xcss4]

black as the devil's hole

thats a new one never heard that one before I like it most of the time I hear black as the ace of spades hopefully you get some time to check out the suburban and get him going down the road again

 

[454cid]

I think I'm going to have to replace the belt tensioner this week. Something is making noise under the hood and it varies with the RPM. Hopefully it's that and not the alternator bearing. Or God forbid, the water pump.

I've never associated a noise with a water pump. On my truck it's always been a seal, and on my Buick it's been the bearing.

Don't forget you've got an idler pulley, too. That was the noise source on my truck, when I assumed alternator and bought one.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I've never associated a noise with a water pump. On my truck it's always been a seal, and on my Buick it's been the bearing.

Don't forget you've got an idler pulley, too. That was the noise source on my truck, when I assumed alternator and bought one.

Idler pulley was replaced in December (just before Christmas) when it locked up and took out the belt. Didn't have funds then to buy the tensioner too, and it was behaving then.

 

[99xcss4]

in hopes of hearing that mr burb is back on the road again I made this

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[letitsnow]

I would for sure grab a ratchet and take the belt off, then slowly spin each component by itself before replacing any parts. The noises from mine were the alternator. It was fairly new and never caused problems, just noisy.

 

[Stumpy]

Same. I've had bearings in an alternator go bad, and lock it all up.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Wow I've got some updates....
Last month I was out at the shop, actually I think it may have been in March even. Was getting ready to leave, and Mom suggested I check the belt and pulleys while we were in the driveway. I popped the belt off, checked alternator and it is great. Next one down that side is the tensioner.....and it is really bad. So I got the one I'd bought a week or so before, and swapped them out. No more squeaky!
That thing was so bad, we might not have made it home....
Somewhere in March I got Rawhide's oil and filter changed, it'd been a year and a few weeks since I had done that. Intended to, many times, but it would rain or life would otherwise get in the way. Got a little bit of crappy gas from a Kroger I won't buy it from again anytime soon, and it's made the truck idle lopey and run rich. Run a can of Berrymans B12 chemtool through it, doesn't seem to be much changed. Gonna have to pull the plugs and see if they're fouled. It just does this at idle or real low speeds like parking or backing out of a space. Runs great once a little bit of throttle is applied....Has NOT thrown any codes.
Going to Austin for Lone Star Roundup show in April, had to refill the master cylinder rear brake section because it was low and made the dash light come on. Probably a seeping wheel cylinder, I'm keeping an eye on it. Hope I got the slide on drums.....
Other than that, the truck performed well on the trip. Hauled that trailer great and we mainly knew it was there on stops. Eventually I will get a shell on it so we don't have the wind drag coming off the cab, down into the bed, then catching the.front of the trailer.
I found out that Burb has a swollen oil filter so the gasket prolly blew out and that's where the oil went?? Didn't have a chance to get into fixing it though cause the park wanted it moved ASAP. Paid a wrecker buddy over a Benjamin to haul it, but at least he has a Chevy wrecker and he gave me a good deal.
Maybe memorial day I can get some truck service done? I'll be off cause Costco is closed that day. Rawhide's front brakes need the caliper pins cleaned and relubed; when they're hot, they grab.
I bought the hardware for my latest project (fixing the tailgate crossbars) a couple weeks ago and finally got it partially done(waiting for the rest of the acorn nuts to come into the hardware store).
Here's before and after pics: