Oil pressure gauge always pegged.

[DeCaff2007]

Well, I ended up tearing off the driver side header. Not terribly difficult, but now my knees are on fire from kneeling on the front bumper all morning.

After the header was off, I grabbed the oil filter with both hands and STILL couldn't budge the damn thing. However, with the header off, I was able to wiggle a pipe wrench in there and that finally got the filter to come loose.

I still, however, have ordered that Lisle 63250 Filter Wrench, just because lol.

Next is to dial in the timing (it shouldn't be off by much!) and to do something about the PS pump.

Lastly, I know that lower control arms are NOT available for these trucks. I've read many, many posts with confusing and/or conflicting information about what will and what will not fit these trucks.

Mine are in OK shape, but they are really worn where the sway bar links connect.

What are my options?

 

[Schurkey]

In order of my preference:

1. Put new sway bar links on the control arms, don't obsess. As long as the holes in the arm aren't so wiped that the bushings poke through the hole, you're fine.
2. Weld the oversize holes, grind/drill the weld metal to original hole size and contour
3. Treasure-yard replacements
4. Astro-Van arms even though they're supposedly not the same--different ball joint angle or somesuch. Apparently, some folks are getting away with this.

 

[DeCaff2007]

In order of my preference:

1. Put new sway bar links on the control arms, don't obsess. As long as the holes in the arm aren't so wiped that the bushings poke through the hole, you're fine.
2. Weld the oversize holes, grind/drill the weld metal to original hole size and contour
3. Treasure-yard replacements
4. Astro-Van arms even though they're supposedly not the same--different ball joint angle or somesuch. Apparently, some folks are getting away with this.

Ah, I see. I'd prefer option 2, along with new control arm bushings, which are apparently widely available.

 

[Schurkey]

New bushings...yes. New ball joints...yes. Checking the arm for impact marks that might have bent it...yes.

Things would have to be fairly terrible before I got up enough ambition to weld the hole for the sway-bar link bushings.

 

[Road Trip]

Well, I ended up tearing off the driver side header. Not terribly difficult, but now my knees are on fire from kneeling on the front bumper all morning.

After the header was off, I grabbed the oil filter with both hands and STILL couldn't budge the damn thing. However, with the header off, I was able to wiggle a pipe wrench in there and that finally got the filter to come loose.

I still, however, have ordered that Lisle 63250 Filter Wrench, just because lol.

I've never been able to get a pipe wrench to fit in an engine bay, but I *have*
used a pipe wrench to successfully unstick an oil filter on an engine already
removed from an engine bay.

Good news for your knees -- that Lisle 63250 Filter Wrench is the only
one I've used to date inside an engine bay that grips as well as a pipe wrench
does outside of an engine bay. Resistance is Futile!

BTW, sincere congrats on pushing this project over the finish line. It's one
of those things where you wake up the next day and can't help but to double
check the truck to make sure that it wasn't just a dream.

 

[DeCaff2007]

BTW, sincere congrats on pushing this project over the finish line.

Thanks for that .

Seems to get it on the road legally, I need to get the front suspension done and believe it or not, those brand EFFING new tail lights are bad!

I had my Dad over, helping me bleed the brakes, so we decided to check all little things that could fail inspection. NEITHER tail light works correctly and the problem is the cheap aftermarket circuit board in the tail light housings.

I'm debating just finding an OEM set from Evil Bay or maybe get lucky in the yard, as I seem to have a knack for doing.

 

[Schurkey]

those brand EFFING new tail lights are bad!

NEITHER tail light works correctly and the problem is the cheap aftermarket circuit board in the tail light housings.

I hardly dare ask.

WHAT are the new taillights not doing properly?

I've had two sets of aftermarket tail/brake/turnsignal/backup light circuit boards in my two GMT400s, and they all work just fine.

I'd be more-likely to believe faulty bulbs, or faulty vehicle wiring than defective circuit boards...but anything can happen especially with "budget" parts.

 

[DeCaff2007]

WHAT are the new taillights not doing properly?

What are tail lights  supposed to do? It's not the bulbs. The circuit boards inside the tail light housings, like I said, are poorly made. The pins that plug into the connectors bend down around inside the board and are plastic welded in there. They should be SOLDERED. I'll take a pic if I remember to do so when I get home later tonight.

 

[DeCaff2007]

OK! I went to the yard today and found functional circuit boards. I didn't even need the whole tail light, which means I get to keep my nice, brand new tail light housings. I'm just replacing the circuit boards.

Upon doing so, BOTH reverse lights work as they should now. Brake lights work correctly, tail lights work correctly, turn signals blink, but one side is normal speed (you know, blink... blink... blink), but the other side goes blinkblinkbink, yeah, twice the speed.

Also, the 4 ways work as they should, HOWEVER, if the 4 ways are ON and I hit the brakes, the 4 ways CEASE to operate.

I'm in ZERO mood to go down the electrical rabbit hole right now.

 

[termite]

the 4 ways are ON and I hit the brakes, the 4 ways CEASE to operate

I thought this was normal for 400s on the tailights? The 99 I used to drive and my 95 both behave that way. Same bulb fires for turn signal and brake if I'm not mistaken.

On the brake with turn signal, one brake should flash when signaling (LH flash and RH solid for left, opposite for right turn).