Termite's 95 K2500 Suburban

[termite]

To hell with throttle body kits. Got one from napa that appeared to have everything I needed, doesnt have the correct TBI to intake gasket. None of the stores within an hour drive seem to have it either. Looks like a felpro 60954 should be correct.

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Guess this project s going to be dormant for a week while I'm visiting family with the kids.

 

[xXxPARAGONxXx]

There was some of that inside my dash. It’s terrible stuff

Yup, I remember on mine, too. It was around the knee bolster area. I made the mistake of taking a vacuum brush attachment to it. It totally made a sticky mess on the brush. Had to freakin' throw it away. Won't make that mistake again.

 

[termite]

Yup, I remember on mine, too. It was around the knee bolster area. I made the mistake of taking a vacuum brush attachment to it. It totally made a sticky mess on the brush. Had to freakin' throw it away. Won't make that mistake again.

I did the same thing, then threw the attachment in the trash. Actually just used that vacuum the other day to clean lifter valley out with the crevice tool. It’s a cheap 1 gallon unit that’s banned from cleaning interiors.

 

[termite]

Filled it with coolant, connected all vacuum lines and remaining plugs. Then routed spark plug wires per FSM as best as possible with only 3-wire retainers. Originally, there were some 4-wire retainers that had been butchered by PO or service people and no longer useful. got the wires routed and then noticed cracked insulation on the number 4 plug wire. Should have pulled them completely off and bought new at the start of this.

Also looking at new distributors, magnet is flaking in the OE unit that is in there now and likely nearing end of life. Options are NAPA, UMP 9366, and Delphi CZ20001. UMP appears to have the best warranty at 5 years. Napa is attractive since they are right down the road.

 

[termite]

Decided I’m going with a Carquest new dizzy, T1830, supposed to have a lifetime warranty and available today. Grabbing wires from Carquest today as well.
if the kids and rain cooperate, it’ll be fired back up today.

 

[termite]

I ended up with a carquest branded one. In stock half a mile from my office and lifetime warranty on it. Should get off work early today and get it stabbed before needing to pick up the kids, if my luck hold out.

Well, such is life. Got off half hour early today and got a text that one of the kids was sick before I had even let the dogs out. So, knocked out the chores and picked up the kids from their grandmother's early as well. No progress on the suburban. Likely on hold till Saturday.

 

[termite]

Stab the new dizzy. Check.

Install new plug wires. Check.

Topped up coolant. Check.

Double checked everything Is connected and full. Check (including fresh oil and filter).

Fire it off with timing wire disconnected. Check, runs horrible.

Triple check TDC on #1 compression stroke and rotor at #1. Rejected. Looks like I get the award of ID 10 T for the day.

Backed up and re-stabbed dizzy. Reconnect plug wires and fire it off again. Acts like no spark. Plenty of fuel spraying.

 

[termite]

45 minutes in the dark and cold with a flashlight yielded a running big block. Reconnected cap and wires before firing it off. Idles smooth after some adjusting of the dizzy by the ear. Fully retarded which makes me suspect I may be a tooth off on the distributor gear.

Hit it with the timing light and it's in the range of 20-25 BTDC. Going to hopefully get a chance to pull #1 plug and verify the timing marks against top of piston if I can recruit a second set of capable hands....and daylight to work in ideally.

 

[termite]

@someotherguy can you post a pic of your 7.4 distributor orientation for me?

 

[termite]

Took another crack at setting distributor last night after verifying timing mark on damper, still accurate after 245k miles and the rubber looking rough. Had the driven gear one tooth ahead.

Fired it up, adjusted by ear to smooth while it warmed up and hit it with the new timing light I had to get. ~12 advanced set it at 4 and clamped it down. Rechecked after tightening it down and its closer to 5/6. Going to stay there, at least for now.

Timing advances as expected with the wire plugged back in. Tomorrow, shakedown ride to get gas after work and maybe use the suburban Monday to go pick up the truck I'm buying.