96 GMC K2500 Suburban Restoration (with a couple of mods)

[South VA]

And…
I found out this afternoon that the supplier sent the wrong actuator; and it will be Thursday or Friday before they can send the right one. So maybe I can pick it up sometime Friday.

Then again, maybe not.

 

[BNielsen]

Hopefully you're not getting burned out on the old girl after all these shenanigans. I know there's been a time or 20 where I've threatened to sell my truck after it's been a pain.
Haven't done it yet, hopefully I don't ever come to that point.

 

[South VA]

Hopefully you're not getting burned out on the old girl after all these shenanigans. I know there's been a time or 20 where I've threatened to sell my truck after it's been a pain.
Haven't done it yet, hopefully I don't ever come to that point.

Thanks for the encouragement.

I must confess that more than once I’ve doubted my sanity for continuing on this path (or treasure hunt, as @Stumpy calls it), with this 27 year old beast. This morning happens to be one of those times.

Thinking about the transfer case actuator, the intermittent ABS light, and the transmission receiving its final checkup next week, I can’t help but wonder if there will be yet another issue that rears its ugly head at an inopportune time. And another after that. And so forth.

Sisyphus comes to mind.

So what you‘ve said is quite timely; it really does help to be reminded that I’m not the only one who has felt like selling the damned thing and being done with it.

And that this too shall pass. Thanks, again.

Writing about this helps, too, and I am grateful for having a place to do so where folks that get it will read it (however long I might drone on) and offer comments such as yours.

If it were just me, I would most likely continue to simply soldier on and figure this thing out. I’m stubborn that way. And apparently a glutton for punishment.

But I have a partner in this endeavor, and she also questions my sanity at times. More than she lets on, I suspect. With that in mind, especially since she is not mechanically inclined, I have to be careful how I share my observations with her about what is going on with this vehicle. We look at vehicles from very different viewpoints.

For example, my recently being pleased with being able to confirm, with the new scan tool, that the TPS was in fact malfunctioning, but was also easily and inexpensively remedied, was not met with what I felt should be proper enthusiasm on her part. Whereas I see it as finding and eliminating a potentially significant issue, she sees it as yet more evidence that this particular Suburban just might be a lemon.

That said, she patiently continues (mostly) to hang in there with me on this project, with only occasional outward signs of real concern. So far, at least. What’s more, she has actually encouraged me at times, when I needed encouraging. For which I am most grateful. She’s a keeper.

So what it comes down to is waiting to pick it up on Friday, or even Monday, and reschedule the follow up appointment at the transmission shop for Wednesday, and put the necessary miles on the transmission before then.

Assuming all that is sorted out, the following week will our final camping trip scheduled this year, to Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina on October 9. If that proves uneventful, we’ll try to squeeze in another trip yet this fall, which would be great. Fall is one of my two favorite seasons.

However, I’ll mentally prepare myself for the possibility that something untoward happens that precludes towing the camper this fall. And if that does come to pass, then I’ll winterize the camper, and prepare for next year by getting fixed whatever needs fixed on the Subdivision, and go through it this winter with a fine toothed comb. Eventually it will be road trip worthy.

Even if it doesn‘t break, I’ll go through it this winter.

In the new garage.

 

[South VA]

Turned out it wasn’t the actuator after all. The transfer case motor was fried, thanks to a packrat-chewed and subsequently shoddily repaired wire shorting it out. Some head-scratching, waiting on the part, and two hours at their labor rate plus the TC motor (which cost almost exactly what I would have paid for it) made for a lengthy though not horrendously expensive stay at the shop. And so the transfer case issue is fixed.

However - the newly rebuilt transmission is now shifting a bit, ah, firmly. Ok, it shifts pretty hard; and all of the time.

Deep sigh.

It’s already on the schedule at the transmission shop next Tuesday for a follow up appointment, so I’ll park it until then.

As a result, our upcoming camping trip now appears to be hanging by a thread. Which has become a disturbing trend.

Not surprisingly, upon learning this my GF suggested that at some point, continuing with this vehicle may prove to be unwise. And what could I say? She was simply being the adult in the room. So I had to admit that should things continue in this fashion, it would make sense to consider making a change.

Then, recovering somewhat, I suggested that we wait until Tuesday to find out what the issue actually is before throwing in the towel.

Deep sigh.

Silver lining time:

- We found this out now instead of a hundred or more miles into a camping trip in the mountains.

- The transmission is fully warrantied for parts and labor.

- The upcoming trip isn’t a once a year camping vacation for us. The loss of a trip has less of an impact on us, now that we're both retired, than it would if we were still working and using vacation time. Plus, we may yet be able to squeeze in a shorter trip this fall. Maybe two!

- This setback actually frees up a number of days to work through the long list of other things on the farm that really need doing sooner than later. And we've been making visible progress on that front.

- The Subdivision continues to run well otherwise. And looks great. We really ought to be running out of things to fix; eventually it will be sorted out, and we’ll truly be back in action.

Right?

 

[TPMLE]

I’ve got the same drivetrain as you in my 98 C3500 CCLB, 7.4L 4L80E trans. I recently went back and added up all of the repair costs associated with keeping it running in good condition. I do my own regular maintenance and many other repairs myself, but many things I just don’t have the space/time/tools to do. Bought it used in 2002 with 40k miles currently has 175k. I’ve put $13k into that truck over 20 years, that’s not including regular maintenance costs, the transmission has never had any issues and only issue the engine itself really has been the intake manifold gaskets which I do myself. Most other things under the hood are not original (talking radiator, hydro boost, water pump, ABS (which is bypassed), one exhaust manifold, catalytic converters, and numerous front suspension and steering components. So take it as another point of reference, there’s been a few times my wife has frowned upon spending more $$ to keep it on the road, but I feel that right now it runs almost as good as it did 20 years ago

 

[Orpedcrow]

Definitely just a hiccup. Typical teething of an older project. You are fixing to have years of trouble free service out of the subdivision.

 

[South VA]

I’ve got the same drivetrain as you in my 98 C3500 CCLB, 7.4L 4L80E trans. I recently went back and added up all of the repair costs associated with keeping it running in good condition. I do my own regular maintenance and many other repairs myself, but many things I just don’t have the space/time/tools to do. Bought it used in 2002 with 40k miles currently has 175k. I’ve put $13k into that truck over 20 years, that’s not including regular maintenance costs, the transmission has never had any issues and only issue the engine itself really has been the intake manifold gaskets which I do myself. Most other things under the hood are not original (talking radiator, hydro boost, water pump, ABS (which is bypassed), one exhaust manifold, catalytic converters, and numerous front suspension and steering components. So take it as another point of reference, there’s been a few times my wife has frowned upon spending more $$ to keep it on the road, but I feel that right now it runs almost as good as it did 20 years ago

Thanks for that perspective. When I take the paint job and normal wear items out of the equation, and then consider what this vehicle has been through - sitting in the Tucson sun, and playing host to a busy packrat - the amount I’ve spent on this beast is actually not at all unreasonable. The transmission rebuild, at $3900 including an upgraded torque converter, is the single largest unplanned expense to date.

And, as noted, it runs quite well.

Except for the transmission. But that will be fixed, hopefully next week. Or however long it takes.

 

[South VA]

Definitely just a hiccup. Typical teething of an older project. You are fixing to have years of trouble free service out of the subdivision.

That’s exactly what I need to hear right now. Thank you!!

 

[GrimsterGMC]

Older trucks can be an emotional roller coaster, when they are trouble they bring you down but when you get them sorted they give so much fun. When I bought mine it turned out to need a ton of repairs, it was my first American truck and didn't get much of a chance to look it over properly but it was what I had always wanted and bought it. I spent a lot of money on it initially, partly due to being half way around the world from where the parts are sourced. The way I look at it is this, the more I spend on it the newer it gets. When I got it every part was 27 years old so there was always going to be a steady stream of parts needing replacing. I now have new paint, suspension, steering, brakes, diffs, ECU and components etc and those parts are all going to last another 30 years so if I keep it for those 30 years then I will have a lot of trouble free motoring. It's just hard to justify the initial big investment but that will be spread over the lifespan of the truck so it isn't really that bad.

 

[62barsoom]

Dang but I feel your pain. I tell the bride there's no way we can afford anything new, so it's going to be used and that means repairs no matter what we buy. I also keep the amortization in mind. How many big car payments have you made so far on that gorgeous truck. All in I bet you aren't really looking bad. And as fast as you're knocking the issues out I think you've got a winner.