My son bought his first truck tonight

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

And as for S-10 repairs, one of the next things to do is find out where the freon is leaking because it lost its charge again

Look at the actual fill/check ports, they have that tire looking valve stem thing in them. The bigger one was leaking on my truck. It could also just be a worn out seal. Look for an oil residue coming out around a joint or something.

[jhaymon]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

I was thinking about that while I struggled to get the tank out. The problem is that the bolts holding the bed were probably rusted as much as the cross braces they go through and I would have been struggling with that too. All I know is that I don't want to do it again.

your changing the tank so it has to come out from under the truck. removing the bed wont work because the canister is in the way of the back tank strap so either way you still have to get under the truck. i've pulled the tank on allot of newer gm tanks and that clip that the hanger bolts into always breaks. i dont know if gm uses lock tight or what but they are the biggest pita.

Looking at the truck they put down salt on the roads. i dont know if you knew this, but you could have gotten a plastic tank out of a newer model and it would bolt right in. you'ld think after 50 some odd years GM would quit putting hollow rockers and deep cab corners on trucks that rust out and fall off.

[Woogeroo]

Originally Posted by jhaymon

Looking at the truck they put down salt on the roads. i dont know if you knew this, but you could have gotten a plastic tank out of a newer model and it would bolt right in. you'ld think after 50 some odd years GM would quit putting hollow rockers and deep cab corners on trucks that rust out and fall off.

I agree !

You'd think... but, I guess they want them to rust out so you have to buy another one?

-W

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Look at the actual fill/check ports, they have that tire looking valve stem thing in them. The bigger one was leaking on my truck. It could also just be a worn out seal. Look for an oil residue coming out around a joint or something.

One of the joints did have signs of a leak and it was fixed. Apparently there is another leak. I'll look it over and see if I can spot it. I bought a can of freon with dye added to help spot the leak.

Originally Posted by jhaymon

your changing the tank so it has to come out from under the truck. removing the bed wont work because the canister is in the way of the back tank strap so either way you still have to get under the truck. i've pulled the tank on allot of newer gm tanks and that clip that the hanger bolts into always breaks. i dont know if gm uses lock tight or what but they are the biggest pita.

Looking at the truck they put down salt on the roads. i dont know if you knew this, but you could have gotten a plastic tank out of a newer model and it would bolt right in. you'ld think after 50 some odd years GM would quit putting hollow rockers and deep cab corners on trucks that rust out and fall off.

I didn't know the newer models had plastic tanks, that would have been a good option. All the replacement new tanks I found were steel. It will outlast the rest of the truck anyway. Or at least well past the time he sells it. Salt is always a problem around here. I have relatives out west and if we decide to replace the bed I'll probaly look out there for a new one. I found one here that was pretty nice for $450 ($10 less than what he paid for the truck) but it still had rust hidden behind the tail lights and probably under the bed supports too.

I really think his best option on this truck is to just drive the hell out of it as is, maintain it, fix the little things like the radio and AC. Then when he has his savings built up look for a truck or car with less miles and rust and get what he can out of this.

[Hellfire420]

nice looking truck. I had to replace the pump in the tank of my 89 a while back, and found that taking it out was easy enough, but hooking everything back up was a PITA so I just popped the bed off, real easy. wished I had thought of it sooner. probably lots that can go wrong with that to, but my bed was a cakewalk to take off. worst thing was how hard it was to figure out what was wrong with the truck, the pump didn't just quit, it just wasn't putting out the pressure it needed so it still ran, just not well

[crazyforsummer]

I could be a great voucher for ya as I have a 1993 Chevrolet cavalier with the 2.2 4 banger and I beat the crap out of it and it still has the get up and go it had when my uncle gave me the car at 150,??? Kms it now has 181,023 kms on her and with the stuff I've put it through this past winter she still runs like a top , I'm unfortunately trading it off on a 1996 Chevrolet extcab s10 2wd , Gunna miss the cheap beater that is my first car that's legally been on the road ,,, lol but I need a truck for work and winter get to pick my truck up in Edmonton Alberta august 6th hopefully all works out and my girlfriend will like the truck better haha
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[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Hellfire420

nice looking truck. I had to replace the pump in the tank of my 89 a while back, and found that taking it out was easy enough, but hooking everything back up was a PITA so I just popped the bed off, real easy. wished I had thought of it sooner. probably lots that can go wrong with that to, but my bed was a cakewalk to take off. worst thing was how hard it was to figure out what was wrong with the truck, the pump didn't just quit, it just wasn't putting out the pressure it needed so it still ran, just not well

Lets just hope it doesn't need to be done again. On our way to SE Idaho right now btw. My wife is from Idaho Falls.

Originally Posted by crazyforsummer

I could be a great voucher for ya as I have a 1993 Chevrolet cavalier with the 2.2 4 banger and I beat the crap out of it and it still has the get up and go it had when my uncle gave me the car at 150,??? Kms it now has 181,023 kms on her and with the stuff I've put it through this past winter she still runs like a top , I'm unfortunately trading it off on a 1996 Chevrolet extcab s10 2wd , Gunna miss the cheap beater that is my first car that's legally been on the road ,,, lol but I need a truck for work and winter get to pick my truck up in Edmonton Alberta august 6th hopefully all works out and my girlfriend will like the truck better haha
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My C-10 would have been considered a cheap beater when I started driving it in 1983. Good luck with the newer beater.

[crazyforsummer]

Thanks I'll have to post pics of her when I get it , kinda happy I'm getting a truck
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[Woogeroo]

What's the latest on this one, hgs?

-W

[hgs_notes]

Haven't worked on it lately. Between work and vacations and the fact I have 2 other truck projects, there has not been much time to do anything with this one. It's running fine and he's driving it all the time, but the starter is sticking on after the key is let up occasionally and it kinda looks like it needs a radiator flush before winter.

[hgs_notes]

Its almost a year after he bought this truck and he's upgrading. One of his buddies is buying this truck for $700. So a year of use cost him about $3-400 plus gas and insurance. Not bad.

We found him a 95 blazer to replace it. The blazer is 4wd, v-6, and in much better shape than this S-10. It has a few more miles (216k), but has been owned by a local mechanic the last 4 or 5 years who did most of the expected high mileage maintenance. New head gaskets and shaved the heads, new water pump, starter, alternator, wiper motors front and back, among other things. Good tires, good glass, almost everything works and its pretty well optioned. So it'll cost him $300 out of pocket after selling his truck.

[rambler]

looks like you got a good deal..

[hgs_notes]

Yeah, I think so. He loves it. There are a few things to work on, nothing major. Slow leak on a tire, they need balanced, driver door handle, fix some rust around the rear wiper hole and seal it. I need to find a deal like this for my oldest kid now. She's been driving the same beater for about 4 years now. More than got her money out of it.