I lifted the hood on the Blazer . . .

[Yukon Jack]

I kinda dig the push bar too - I've got that chain off of it now, I was using it to assist when I was pulling the axle and putting it back in. I think I need to prep the bar and get it into a nice coat of black paint.

[Yukon Jack]

Put in a new alternator last night and she is charging. Left me stranded Sunday when I went for a drive with the kids but problem solved.

Ran into a new wiring issue. If any of you have some insight, please advise - here is the post about the wiring issue help

[Yukon Jack]

Took another drive last night and when I got to my buddy's and shot of the motor it woudn't start - I'm thinking the new starter might not be good. Starts fine cold but has to cool off alot to start after driving it. I didn't start and let it run too many times before having to replace the previous starter but definitely did start it a couple times without this problem - so just crossing my fingers that it is the new starter. I've got a post in the engine/drivetrain forum with more info on this problem. What would I do without this site!

Dang setbacks! Oh well, I'll get it all figured out someday.

[meathead95]

sounds like timing to me

[Yukon Jack]

We did adjust the distributor a little last night without any change. It is odd as it will crank over 3-4 times progressively getting slower than won't crank over any more when it has recently been warmed up. I checked the battery when it did that and it still has a good charge. A couple people have questioned whether the new starter might have some bad windings.

As it wasn't doing this before the new starter was installed, that makes me think it probably isn't the timing and makes me point my finger at the new starter.

[meathead95]

yes mine did the exact same thing you described and i replaced the starter today and it solved my problem

[Yukon Jack]

Hopefully I can pull the starter late tonight and get a new one tomorrow - I so want to drive the K5 to work but I don't dare do that until it will start reliably!

[meathead95]

i know what you mean

[Yukon Jack]

Pulled the 5-6 day old starter yesterday morning before I loaded the kids up to take to school. Picked up a new one and got it installed late last night - works like a champ hot or cold. Definitely can hear it spinning better than the other and has no problems firing the motor when it is hot. Nice to be able to mark that off the fix-it list!

[Yukon Jack]

Got out this afternoon and made some good progress. Moved around some wires and stopped the short I was having in the tail/stop fuse. I think the culprit may actually be the front passenger parking lamp fixture. If I keep that bulb out everything works and no blown fuses. I will have to get another lamp fixture and see what happens.

After dealing with that I set forth to replace the busted heater core. Got the hood spring bracket off and then started taking inner fender bolts out. Had to grind the back bottom bolt off as the inner captured nut fixture broke and was spinning. Got all those things done and started taking out the heater box bolts - - then I find a prior owner must have had to replace the heater core before and rather than do it the right way he broke the area where one of the bolts is that you can't get to easily and the other bolt you can't get to he left without the nut - - so if I would have known that I wouldn't have had to pull the inner fender. Oh well, at least now that one bolt has a nut on it to help secure the heater box.

This evening I changed the oil and put in a tach and vacuumed the interior a bit.

Monday I'm driving it to work and taking it to get inspected!

Pretty excited!

[1969k10stepside]

And you couldnt have planned a better day to have it inspected and drive it to work. One year and a day since you started the thread. Tomorrow is the day that makes it a year since you started the thread.
I hate them inner fender bolts too,I opted to cut them off with the dremel tool one night after messing with them with no success.
So now that this project is winding down,is it time to turn the 69 k20 into a K30?

[Yukon Jack]

That's funny about the thread being started a year ago - I knew it was about a year ago that I pulled the motor but hadn't noticed exactly a year ago.

Still a few more things to do to the Blazer but you're right, it is winding down. I'm not messing with rust repairs or paint for quite some time. I will get the rough areas protected, but that's it. Time to pop the top and enjoy!

As for the K20, the K30 parts truck is sitting patiently and that is one of the next projects - swapping the Dana 60 into the K20. Also going to take some steps to eliminate some of the K20's body lift - probably going to lower the motor 1" and I think that will let me go to a 2" body lift - that will be much better.

I think my wife would appreciate it if I didn't do any more projects for a bit - seems a little annoyed lately when I rush to the barn once the kids hit their beds.

[Mike C]

Awesome Mark! Can't wait to get more updates.

[Yukon Jack]

Inspection was a piece of cake. Looks like all they care about is VIN #'s here. Didn't check the blinkers, lights, anything else, just the VIN #.

Filled the tank the first time and as I was walking out with the Highway Patrol inspector I saw drips under the tank, actually quite a bit dripping. She didn't notice that - not sure how she could have missed it.

Rushed home and started siphoning gas - three pin hole leaks. All would be well and good but about 2 years ago when I was initially trying to get this project going I pulled the tank and took it to be cleaned and sealed. Well, guess I know that the guy didn't seal it!

Now I have to find him and see what he has to say.

I was pretty mad when I saw those three pinhole leaks, oh well, just something more to do, at least the K5 is inspected and I can tag it now.

Guess I'll be pulling the tank next time I go to the shop.

[Yukon Jack]

Pulled the tank last night and dropped it off at a different radiator shop today. Should be ready by the end of the week. Tried to find the guy from the first radiator shop but his number is no longer in service, go figure!

[Yukon Jack]

No new progress but I did install the hood Monday morning before going to get the K5 inspected. Its been off for a year so great to get it reinstalled.

[jaros44sr]

From the looks of that splash behind the rear of the front wheels you're wheeling it already, or is that driveway dirt? j/k I want to paint my truck with brown paint and chunks just like that. Never wash off the mud, looking goood YJ!!
You must be enjoying the ride after all the work, hope to get there someday...... J.

[Yukon Jack]

Driveway is gravel and the road from my drive to blacktop is a mix of dirt, sand, gravel and potholes the size of VW bugs! Well maybe not that bad, but remember the turbulence scene from the movie Airplane, kinda that bouncy

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by Yukon Jack

Driveway is gravel and the road from my drive to blacktop is a mix of dirt, sand, gravel and potholes the size of VW bugs! Well maybe not that bad, but remember the turbulence scene from the movie Airplane, kinda that bouncy

Maybe increase your MPH and you'll jump over them...

[Yukon Jack]

Just talked to the guy trying to repair the tank and he said the last guy did such a crappy job there was no way he could repair the tank. So, a waste of money to the first guy and now I have to go buy a new tank, take it to this new guy and have him take the old filler neck and put it in the correct location on the new tank. Oh well, it's only money!!!!

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by Yukon Jack

Just talked to the guy trying to repair the tank and he said the last guy did such a crappy job there was no way he could repair the tank. So, a waste of money to the first guy and now I have to go buy a new tank, take it to this new guy and have him take the old filler neck and put it in the correct location on the new tank. Oh well, it's only money!!!!

Just call up our buddy Fuelcellguy.

Problem solved.

[Yukon Jack]

Yep, that would do it, he did an awesome job on the tank on my 69, but I wanna be driving this thing ASAP . . . so, I jumped in my car, jetted over to a local supplier and picked up a new tank right after I got done with a meeting at work.

Then I took the new tank back to the radiator shop and he will make the necessary mods. Here are a couple pics of the new and old tank - looks like the neck on this one is actually in the right position, just obviously not the proper neck. Radiator guy said he ought to have that taken care of by tomorrow!!! Did I mention the radiator shop guy, Ed, has a 67-72 GMC long wheelbase step sitting right in front of his shop. That's a good sign in my book!

[vtblazer]

Who's close enough to you to 'run' over and pick up parts for our truck?

Man...I'm so jealous.

If I don't have it in my own stock out in the back 40, I have to order it online.

[Yukon Jack]

www.bowtiebits.com is actually within 5 minutes of my office but I still buy most of my parts from Tim Christian and GMCPaul - they both are so good to deal with and I usually get better deals from them. But I want to be driving this K5 yesterday so I called this guy and he had one in stock for a competive price - he was even friendly today, somedays he just doesn't seem that he wants to talk with you or even deal with you. That guy has missed out on probably a couple thousand dollars worth of part sales over the years between the K20 and the K5 - all due to the fact that he isn't very personable. Personalized and friendly service is darn important in my book!

[Yukon Jack]

Picked up my tank yesterday from the radiator shop after the guy took my filler tube off the old tank and soldered it onto the new tank. When I went to install the tank still had interference problems. The neck needed to be bent a bit different. Rather than screw with having to take it back to him to modify, I ended up cutting the filler neck off of the tank and used about a 4" piece of fuel hose that goes directly off of the tank then to the old filler neck that was attached to the tank. That fixed my problem.

So, for me, it would have been cheaper to have just left the new tank like it was when I bought it, hack sawed off the neck from my old tank and used the short piece of rubber fuel hose to connect the two.

Drove the K5 around the block and happy to report I am not having any hot start problems. Looks like the new starter and adjusting the timing has my K5 happy!