EC2012
Newbie
Just picked her up about 2 weeks ago. L31, 4L80, 9.5 SF 4.10, 195K. I always wanted a 400 era Burb after driving new ones back in 97 and 98. Like most good things, I had to wait this long to afford one.
Ugly, but runs decently, and the price was too good to pass.
Issues so far:
- sloppy steering: replaced pitman and idler assembly, replaced sway bar bushings. Tie rods are next.
- so so brakes; needs rebuild.
- hard 1/2 upshift, whiny pinion bearings, constant bump in OD (like it wants to come out of OD for a brief second multiple times a minute). Needs rebuild
- exhaust leak
- PS leak
- wiper motor is possessed; runs for about a minute after hitting "mist" and will not stop in the same place twice
- half the locks don't, and solenoid is keeping the locks from manually engaging
- cheap interior trim has seen better days
- disgusting carpet
- missing hardware or broken mount holes
- needs paint
- needs windshield
And tons of smaller stuff.
I bought this for family trips and pulling an RV down the road, and my build will focus on that goal. This is a budget build, and I will be doing as much as possible, including the motor and trans. It's a rite of passage I haven't achieved yet, and there is no better modern vehicle to test the waters on. There is way too much info available online to think about farming most of it out, especially after being quoted more than I paid for it just to fix the normal wear items.
The build will include:
- pulling and refreshing the trans. It otherwise seems to shift very well, so the refresh will focus on wear parts such as the bearings, bushings, converter and pump/VB longevity upgrades. Unless I see something major I'm not touching the clutches or pistons; I just need to fix what's wrong and get it back on the road for now. Once we start really using her, I'll do a full rebuild with BW high energies and a better quality converter. 100% against a 6L anything; am thinking about a GVO, however.
- I'm going to repower her, but am not sure if it will be rebuilding the L31 .30 over with a new cam, heads and intake, a 383 conversion, BB or 6.5. I am 100% against swapping in an LS; for simplicity I want something under the hood that either came with the 400 or is a direct swap. Debating on just upgrading to MPI or a marine manifold. Stock heads will be fluxed.
- tuning will happen before upgrades, after the trans is fixed.
- rear disc conversion; sourcing parts to DIY, not a kit
- exhaust needs some love, and am looking at mufflers that don't drone
- paint and body will be using parts store paint and HF HVLP guns. If it's chrome it's changing color
- interior parts are cheap and plentiful in every yard around me. I'm fixing the larger parts; dash will be glassed, Bondoed and painted and rear cover panels will have washers glassed in to reinforce broken mount holes
- nasty carpet goes in favor of LMC rubber floor kit
- AV gets some love from Pioneer and Walmart
And loads more I'm sure once this gets going in earnest. I love that it's easy and cheap enough to do things as budget permits, and rugged enough to still run with these issues.
Ugly, but runs decently, and the price was too good to pass.
Issues so far:
- sloppy steering: replaced pitman and idler assembly, replaced sway bar bushings. Tie rods are next.
- so so brakes; needs rebuild.
- hard 1/2 upshift, whiny pinion bearings, constant bump in OD (like it wants to come out of OD for a brief second multiple times a minute). Needs rebuild
- exhaust leak
- PS leak
- wiper motor is possessed; runs for about a minute after hitting "mist" and will not stop in the same place twice
- half the locks don't, and solenoid is keeping the locks from manually engaging
- cheap interior trim has seen better days
- disgusting carpet
- missing hardware or broken mount holes
- needs paint
- needs windshield
And tons of smaller stuff.
I bought this for family trips and pulling an RV down the road, and my build will focus on that goal. This is a budget build, and I will be doing as much as possible, including the motor and trans. It's a rite of passage I haven't achieved yet, and there is no better modern vehicle to test the waters on. There is way too much info available online to think about farming most of it out, especially after being quoted more than I paid for it just to fix the normal wear items.
The build will include:
- pulling and refreshing the trans. It otherwise seems to shift very well, so the refresh will focus on wear parts such as the bearings, bushings, converter and pump/VB longevity upgrades. Unless I see something major I'm not touching the clutches or pistons; I just need to fix what's wrong and get it back on the road for now. Once we start really using her, I'll do a full rebuild with BW high energies and a better quality converter. 100% against a 6L anything; am thinking about a GVO, however.
- I'm going to repower her, but am not sure if it will be rebuilding the L31 .30 over with a new cam, heads and intake, a 383 conversion, BB or 6.5. I am 100% against swapping in an LS; for simplicity I want something under the hood that either came with the 400 or is a direct swap. Debating on just upgrading to MPI or a marine manifold. Stock heads will be fluxed.
- tuning will happen before upgrades, after the trans is fixed.
- rear disc conversion; sourcing parts to DIY, not a kit
- exhaust needs some love, and am looking at mufflers that don't drone
- paint and body will be using parts store paint and HF HVLP guns. If it's chrome it's changing color
- interior parts are cheap and plentiful in every yard around me. I'm fixing the larger parts; dash will be glassed, Bondoed and painted and rear cover panels will have washers glassed in to reinforce broken mount holes
- nasty carpet goes in favor of LMC rubber floor kit
- AV gets some love from Pioneer and Walmart
And loads more I'm sure once this gets going in earnest. I love that it's easy and cheap enough to do things as budget permits, and rugged enough to still run with these issues.
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