Growing up doesn't have to suck

[iamdub]

My hood-cowl seal has shrunk (shrank? Shrunken?) over the years. This is how short it is when pushed all the way to one side:




I got one with much less wear (less squashed flat) and shrinkage from a newer Tahoe. I first planned to cut my original one in half and use half of the newer one to make it span fully and firmly. But, the new one was longer and "close enough", so I installed it as-is. This eliminates having a seam where two differently-squashed seals would meet. This is how much less shorter it is, I centered it after this pic:





I then moved on to disassemble the left rear window switch and clean the contacts to restore its operation. Finished up by adjusting the tire air pressures because I want all four to read the same on the DIC.

 

[ivin74]

Replaced the aspirator fan- no more growling above my head!

View attachment 351769

View attachment 351770

What does that fan do?

 

[OR VietVet]

What does that fan do?

I believe it is for auto temp control.

 

[buratito]

Since I finally got the all hose clamps I needed from the salvage yard, I was able to install the heater hose connectors. I definitely wanted this to be done before the engine was back in.


3/4" heater core connectors and 1/2" rear heater core connectors. The hoses to the two nipples on the water pump are 5/8":

View attachment 248936


About 12" each of 3/4" and 1/2" heater hoses and box of 3-way Ts and factory hose clamps (factory from GM, Ford and Honda )
View attachment 248937


Semi-comfy seat on cross member in engine bay:
View attachment 248938


The 1/2" tubes were too close, so I trimmed them down:
View attachment 248939


Minimal, but adequate gap and perfect alignment:
View attachment 248940

where did you buy the Tee connector. what is the part number of the Tee connector.

 

[iamdub]

What does that fan do?

As Ron lead on, it's a fancy temp sensor for the Automatic Climate Control. It has a small fan in it to pull air in through the tiny grille and blow it over a thermocouple (or thermistor?). With age and use, they get dirty and/or worn and the blower wheel makes a groaning or grinding noise. Many people often refer to it as a "speaker or microphone above their head making a buzzing sound".

 

[iamdub]

where did you buy the Tee connector. what is the part number of the Tee connector.

Transitional Hose Tee

Transitional hose tees can be used for custom cooling system hose connections.You must choose the measurements for the three hose sizes A, B and C. Choose A and B from the pulldowns and enter C in the space provided. C sizes could be anything from 1/4” to 2". NOTE: If you need a size not listed...

jagsthatrun.com

I haven't had coffee yet, but I believe you need Size "A" to be 3/4", Size "B" to be 5/8" and Size "C" to be 1/2". I believe shipping is $10.

 

[iamdub]

A couple weeks ago, when I was borrowing those 18" wheels (the "Uggos"), I had to shave a tiny bit off of the ball joint studs to fit them. It was then that I realized that if I ever needed to run my spare on the front, I'd be in for a treat as it's a 17" wheel. I didn't want to chop a half inch off of the stud. I have some 22s on deck with a somewhat oddball size tire- 275/45-22. So, my first plan was to get a spare 22" wheel and that same size tire. It's hard enough trying to find a cheap single wheel, let alone this particular size of tire. Plenty of sets, no singles. It's just a spare, no need to dump $500 on a setup.

I grew a brain cell and compared the 22" tire size I'll be running to the factory 275/55-20 that's found everywhere. Based on the advertised sidewall numbers, the factory 20" is only .6% larger than the 22 I'll be running. The stock spare size is 265/70-17, which is .9% smaller, meaning my planned setup with the 22s and 20" spare would be .3% closer in size than what the factory allows for their road wheel and spare setup. So, I decided I'd be just as suited finding a 20" wheel and stock-size tire, which is a much easier feat.

Day before yesterday, I found a single 20" wheel from a GMC Sierra in great shape on Marketplace. Often times, a single wheel means it was taken off and replaced due to defect or damage and the seller is just trying to get some of their money back, but on a bad wheel. The seller's story was that the dealership diagnosed a vibration as a bad wheel, ordered a replacement, transferred the tire to the new wheel, etc. and it made no difference. They told the guy to keep the new wheel and use the original as a matching spare, which he never bothered to even mount a tire to it. He sold the truck to his nephew, who didn't want the wheel as he was replacing all the wheels with aftermarket.

He lived over two hours away from me. But I took a chance and asked if he, or anyone he knew would be traveling my way anytime soon. As luck would have it, he was headed to Baton Rouge the next day (yesterday), and to a place right off I-10 that was along my route. Convinced that this was fate, we met up and I got the wheel yesterday morning. He was asking $100 and it had been posted for over a week. But, due to the convenience and the fact that it would be a matching wheel, I was fine paying $100.

I'm stoked because it's a factory chrome-cladded wheel, so it's gonna get the treatment my current 20s received. I'll pick a good 275-55/20 Bridgestone Dueler from the handfuls available and have a completely matching set of five de-clads. It'll stay in place as my spare when I'm running the 22s since it's such a close match in size.

De-cladding is a PITA, but I'm kinda looking forward to it. Maybe because it's just one wheel. I'm also not gonna make the rings to snap in a center cap since the winch would probably break the rings out.

 

[OR VietVet]

As Ron lead on, it's a fancy temp sensor for the Automatic Climate Control. It has a small fan in it to pull air in through the tiny grille and blow it over a thermocouple (or thermistor?). With age and use, they get dirty and/or worn and the blower wheel makes a groaning or grinding noise. Many people often refer to it as a "speaker or microphone above their head making a buzzing sound".

More Information for ACDELCO 155632

More Information for GM GENUINE 22834330

 

[Ghost10]

Some "before" pics-


Homemade resonator delete with G8 GT tips:

View attachment 256582


I can't express enough how perfect that one little $30 18" muffler was prior to removing the cats:

View attachment 256583

View attachment 256584


All gutted and section of cross member removed for working space:
View attachment 256585

Damn look at that drive shaft

 

[iamdub]

Damn look at that drive shaft

How you gonna come in here and bump a 16-month-old post to bag on me about my rusty shaft?!

Y'all gonna give me a complex about it.