- Joined
- Apr 16, 2005
- Location
- Sharon, SC
So my son, Lane 16, bought a k5 back in August and has been steadily working to fix it up.
Started with a nice 1987 solid survivor.
Motor had been rebuilt and replaced with a 383 stroker and TBI had been maintained. Solid, zero rust truck. Factory AC still worked. Small 4" lift.
We did all the basic maintenance items, made sure it was reliable before allowing him to throw more money at it. Everything on this has been him. No daddy's money. He saved and bought a TJ a few years ago, fixed it up sold it for profit and that money has gone into this rig.
A new set of 35s replaed the dry rotted tires on the (widened to 10") factory rallys.
Over Christmas break he got it painted. New stereo system for his Birthday....its coming along into quite a solid truck.
Last week was spring break and he HAD to have new exhaust. To be fair the el cheapo inherited "turbo" mufflers had rusted the welds out and were banging around underneath. So off it went to the exhaust shop for all new 2.5" true duals, H pipe and Flowmaster Super 10s...because hes young and loud is still cool.
He comes home from the exhaust shop and says, "Dad while it was on the lift I noticed the PS/AC belt is missing a couple spots on it, will you help me change it"
Sure. Sounds like a good father son activity and its a $5 V belt....
Now the just my luck car guy lesson begins..spend money on performance and the maintenance gremlin will get mad.
So we head out to the garage late Saturday evening to change the belt. While under the hood the I notice the "main" belt (5 rib) is pretty weathered and tell him he needs to replace it while we have it of to replace the v belt.
No biggie. New project replace the V belt and the main belt. Total cost is now $25.
We get back from the parts store and take the belts off and while reassembling I notice the bearing is going on he water pump. Son that really needs to be changed while we are in here.
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Total cost is now $60.
That project done and buttoned up and we drive it to make sure we get the air out of the system and coolant is topped off. I has an off idle miss that get worse at higher rpms. Not terrible but definitely needs a tune up. Pull a plug or two and they are tired and ready for replacements, the electrodes are all more round than square edges and they have been hot. The wires are all in good shape and they are custom and blue. That makes them cool so no new wires just 8 plugs.
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Plus change 8 spark plugs only. Total cost is now $80.
Back home and pulling the rest of the plugs. Guess on plug 7 the boot pulls off in his hands. It was too short to begin with. no patching here. Now the cool blue plug wires got to go. We will go back with good OEM AC DELCO wires on the stock HEI. but...
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Plus change 8 spark plugsonly and wires. Total cost is now $113.
Ok back home and finishing the tune up. Get all the wires on but he did it kinda sloppy. Being a young impressionable guy he knows he needs to clean that mess up and make his engine compartment look respectable. Pulls plug 6 off the distributor and....distributor pin pulls out of cap. Now we are into a full tune up like dad suggested from the get go when the belt issue was brought up.
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Plus change 8 spark plugsonly and wires. Plus a new distributor cap and rotor button Total cost is now $153.
Back home. Cap, rotor button installed. Quick sort out of putting the plugs on the wrong distributor pin and move all of them 1 spot clockwise and...we are back together and buttoned up. Test drive proves the miss is gone and power is restored. 16 year old is happy he time was spent and Dad and son had a fun little experience.
(BTW I let him make all the parts store runs solo while I kept getting back on the lawn mower.)
Prices above are list price and do not reflect the TRT30 discount so actual all in cost was closer to $100.
Just thought it was a "normal project" and thought others would get a chuckle because isnt that how it always goes...
Started with a nice 1987 solid survivor.
Motor had been rebuilt and replaced with a 383 stroker and TBI had been maintained. Solid, zero rust truck. Factory AC still worked. Small 4" lift.
We did all the basic maintenance items, made sure it was reliable before allowing him to throw more money at it. Everything on this has been him. No daddy's money. He saved and bought a TJ a few years ago, fixed it up sold it for profit and that money has gone into this rig.
A new set of 35s replaed the dry rotted tires on the (widened to 10") factory rallys.
Over Christmas break he got it painted. New stereo system for his Birthday....its coming along into quite a solid truck.
Last week was spring break and he HAD to have new exhaust. To be fair the el cheapo inherited "turbo" mufflers had rusted the welds out and were banging around underneath. So off it went to the exhaust shop for all new 2.5" true duals, H pipe and Flowmaster Super 10s...because hes young and loud is still cool.
He comes home from the exhaust shop and says, "Dad while it was on the lift I noticed the PS/AC belt is missing a couple spots on it, will you help me change it"
Sure. Sounds like a good father son activity and its a $5 V belt....
Now the just my luck car guy lesson begins..spend money on performance and the maintenance gremlin will get mad.
So we head out to the garage late Saturday evening to change the belt. While under the hood the I notice the "main" belt (5 rib) is pretty weathered and tell him he needs to replace it while we have it of to replace the v belt.
No biggie. New project replace the V belt and the main belt. Total cost is now $25.
We get back from the parts store and take the belts off and while reassembling I notice the bearing is going on he water pump. Son that really needs to be changed while we are in here.
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Total cost is now $60.
That project done and buttoned up and we drive it to make sure we get the air out of the system and coolant is topped off. I has an off idle miss that get worse at higher rpms. Not terrible but definitely needs a tune up. Pull a plug or two and they are tired and ready for replacements, the electrodes are all more round than square edges and they have been hot. The wires are all in good shape and they are custom and blue. That makes them cool so no new wires just 8 plugs.
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Plus change 8 spark plugs only. Total cost is now $80.
Back home and pulling the rest of the plugs. Guess on plug 7 the boot pulls off in his hands. It was too short to begin with. no patching here. Now the cool blue plug wires got to go. We will go back with good OEM AC DELCO wires on the stock HEI. but...
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Plus change 8 spark plugs
Ok back home and finishing the tune up. Get all the wires on but he did it kinda sloppy. Being a young impressionable guy he knows he needs to clean that mess up and make his engine compartment look respectable. Pulls plug 6 off the distributor and....distributor pin pulls out of cap. Now we are into a full tune up like dad suggested from the get go when the belt issue was brought up.
Back to Advance. replace the V belt and the main belt, and the water pump and a gallon of antifreeze. Plus change 8 spark plugs
Back home. Cap, rotor button installed. Quick sort out of putting the plugs on the wrong distributor pin and move all of them 1 spot clockwise and...we are back together and buttoned up. Test drive proves the miss is gone and power is restored. 16 year old is happy he time was spent and Dad and son had a fun little experience.
(BTW I let him make all the parts store runs solo while I kept getting back on the lawn mower.)
Prices above are list price and do not reflect the TRT30 discount so actual all in cost was closer to $100.
Just thought it was a "normal project" and thought others would get a chuckle because isnt that how it always goes...
Take it back and get a Milwaukee M18. And search Milwaukee 18v and read the many threads on here.
