'89 Stepside "Way Cool Jr."

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PlayingWithTBI

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I grabbed a 10mm socket and tried to tighten it, but the bolt wouldn't tighten. I pulled it out and it wasn't a bolt, but a big screw. I pitched it in my random hardware bucket and put the ring terminal directly on the battery

Glad you found it! Tracing poor connections is a PITA!

I have that same "self tapping" bolt near the battery. I was thinking about doing the same thing as you but, since it still tightens, I figured it'd be good to ground to the body panel for other stuff too?:confused: So I added an 8GA when I did my little upgrade. You can't see the bolt but the red arrow points to where that wire is.

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Erik the Awful

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I'm sitting here this morning, putting my transmission build into a spreadsheet, and I realized my rebuild kit didn't come with a transmission filter. It also has a chintzy cork gasket. I checked on RockAuto and discovered they have the Corvette servo back in stock. Yesterday I told my wife I finally had all the parts to put the transmission together. Doh! I was budgeting $500 for parts, but I'm not unhappy at $630. If I could trust the factory 4-pinion reaction carrier, I'd be at $400 even, but I do plan to do some towing with the truck, so I ponied up.

Apologies that the forum doesn't keep the formatting from my spreadsheet, but here's the parts I bought for my transmission rebuild. Shipping not included.

Rebuild Kit Pioneer 750033 RockAuto $40.89
High Friction Clutches Raybestos RCP96087 RockAuto $35.79
Steels Assorted OTS $44.47
Line Pressure Booster Kit Sonnax 700R4-LB1 RockAuto $14.88
Extra-Wide Kevlar Band Sonnax 77700-01K RockAuto $29.79
Hardened Sun Shell Sonnax 77749-02K RockAuto $80.79
2nd Gear “Corvette” Servo Kit Sonnax 77701-04K RockAuto $24.79
Super-Hold Servo Kit Sonnax 77767K RockAuto $50.89
5-Planet Reaction Carrier AC Delco 24241244 Summit Racing $230.99
Overrun Clutch Spring Plate GM Genuine 24206085 RockAuto $5.20
Case Vent Tube GM Genuine 24202440 RockAuto $5.47
Filter Raybestos 515700 RockAuto $14.13
Oil Pan GM Genuine 8667545 RockAuto $17.48
TCC Lockup Pressure Switch GM Genuine 8642473 RockAuto $5.99
TCC Lockup Vacuum Switch TCI CMP3766B Summit Racing $28.99
Total: $630.59
 

Erik the Awful

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I decided to aim the headlights today so I can try and drive the truck to work in the morning. I went to fire it up and it cranked with no start. I checked the handheld and the Holley TPS was reading 83% again. I pitched it in the trash and nabbed the TPSs off both my TBIs. They're identical. I put the first in and it fixed the problem. The second I put in a box to keep in the truck. Now I just need to find a cheap T10 screwdriver to go with it. Stupid torx bolts. "Torx bolts have a higher torque rating." As if you're worried about the torque rating on the two screws that hold the TPS in place. Those are "job security" bolts.

I got the headlights aimed and hit the switch to aim the brights. Nothing. It didn't make a 'click', and the high beams didn't kick on. Out of curiosity I hit the wiper switch. Nothing. Well, frick and frack. That's another $40 part. It's not supposed to rain for a few days, so I'm going to drive it.
 

Erik the Awful

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I drove the truck this morning, and a block from the house the windshield started fogging up. I hit the wiper switch and they worked! I absolutely did not touch the high beam switch out of fear it would conk out the wipers. Truck ran great all the way to work. All the way home it tried to idle at 1200-1400 rpm. I idled down the road at 45 mph. It was reading 0% on the IAC. It did this the other day, but when I shut it off for five minutes and restarted for the drive home, it went away. This time I restarted it at an intersection, and it still idled high. Not sure what's up with that.

One of my coworkers commented she could hear my truck from a quarter mile away, but that it's 'probably not' illegally loud. I think if the exhaust were any less rumbley and more raspy, it would get tickets.
 

Erik the Awful

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I think I'd like to fix the squeaky alternator before I post any sound clips. Also, I can't go full throttle until the transmission rebuild is finished. It gets to 60 mph pretty quick with half throttle, shifting at 3500 rpm.

Ideally, I'd like to hit Thunder Valley's Saturday Test-N-Tune and get a 1/4 mile video.

Maybe I'll WD-40 the alternator, Type F the transmission, and see if I can get a clip, but only after I make a scrap metal run. I really need to clean up while the truck's running decent.
 

Erik the Awful

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I have a new pet peeve: rebuild kits that don't really have all the parts you need to rebuild.

If you buy a "rebuild kit" for a 700R4, it comes with seals and gaskets. It doesn't have all of the steel balls you need. It doesn't have clutches or steels. It doesn't have the band. It doesn't have a filter. It doesn't have new c-clips. It doesn't have new bushings.
View media item 32676I'll be making yet another stop at Oklahoma Transmission Supply tomorrow to get new bushings and the c-clip for the line pressure valve in the pump. I did get the servo together with new seals, and I installed the Sonnax Line Pressure Booster in the pump. I knocked the seals and bushings out of the front of the oil pump and out of the tailshaft. Tomorrow I need to cut up a soda bottle so I can install the teflon rings on the input shaft.
 
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