Paul Bell
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Ascender Limited
- Thread starter Paul Bell
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Paul Bell
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So I took a little ride from NYC to Detroit and back. Road trip!
Somewhere in Ohio, the alternator died and the battery drained before I could get to a parts store.
$200.00 for the flatbed, $200.00 for an alternator & a few tools at an Autozone. I performed the swap in eight minutes flat.
Of course, I have a brand new 200 amp alternator sitting on a shelf at home waiting to be installed in the Trans Am
That's Frank the tow truck guy. He likes BOTH kinds of music, country AND western.
Somewhere in Ohio, the alternator died and the battery drained before I could get to a parts store.
$200.00 for the flatbed, $200.00 for an alternator & a few tools at an Autozone. I performed the swap in eight minutes flat.
Of course, I have a brand new 200 amp alternator sitting on a shelf at home waiting to be installed in the Trans Am
That's Frank the tow truck guy. He likes BOTH kinds of music, country AND western.
Paul Bell
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I picked up a new ACDelco transmission pan. No drain plug, eh?
I got some "short" 20 mm x 1.5 nuts and welded one on. That's the size of those really nice magnetic Subaru plugs on ebay for like five bucks each.
I got some "short" 20 mm x 1.5 nuts and welded one on. That's the size of those really nice magnetic Subaru plugs on ebay for like five bucks each.
Great intake you made man, and good job on making your own drain plug [emoji106]
Paul Bell
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I did a little work today on the truck. The coolant overflow jug had a leak so I got a replacement. I think they built these trucks around this thing!
Re-assembling the air filter (without the resonator box next to it) and it won't stay exactly in place in the slots as I put the cover in place.
Two bolts in the right spots and it stays put.
Re-assembling the air filter (without the resonator box next to it) and it won't stay exactly in place in the slots as I put the cover in place.
Two bolts in the right spots and it stays put.
Paul Bell
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And it was time to dump the catch can. This is after about 2,000 miles of use.
Paul Bell
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I got a new battery from these folks: http://www.directcycleparts.com/electrical-ignition-batteries-odyssey-odyssey-battery-pc1500-p-4032.html
Paul Bell
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My transmission has been slipping. I was hoping it would make it to springtime but no dice, third gear is gone. It goes through first, then second then it's in neutral. If I can get it up to highway speed in second then shift to drive, fourth gear holds-until it wants to down shift to third.
I went to see Bubba my Chevy parts guy with the part number for the "correct" unit for my truck. There was one in the warehouse at a discounted price but we just missed it, somebody else called for it an hour earlier.
They had 2004 units in stock-but it has a different part number.
We determined everything was the same-including the all important wiring harness/plug. Only the torque converter was different but we researched it and found they freely interchange. These transmissions are swappable from like 1999 through 2004. Starting in 2005, they had input speed sensors added.
I ordered the 2004 unit. It'll be on the counter tomorrow, no core charge, no shipping the core across the planet, I just gotta get it back when the swap is done.
I'm adding an external cooler with -6 AN lines and using Royal Purple Max ATF. I'm NOT a RP fan but my race transmission shop uses it and they say it foams the least. Good enough for me. 5 gallon jug on amazon is $211.00 with shipping-which is a VERY good price. I need it for the Trans Am too, it's soon gonna get it's engine & tranny installed.
I'm also replacing the leaky rear main seal and tossing on a B&M flex plate with ARP bolts.
I went to see Bubba my Chevy parts guy with the part number for the "correct" unit for my truck. There was one in the warehouse at a discounted price but we just missed it, somebody else called for it an hour earlier.
They had 2004 units in stock-but it has a different part number.
We determined everything was the same-including the all important wiring harness/plug. Only the torque converter was different but we researched it and found they freely interchange. These transmissions are swappable from like 1999 through 2004. Starting in 2005, they had input speed sensors added.
I ordered the 2004 unit. It'll be on the counter tomorrow, no core charge, no shipping the core across the planet, I just gotta get it back when the swap is done.
I'm adding an external cooler with -6 AN lines and using Royal Purple Max ATF. I'm NOT a RP fan but my race transmission shop uses it and they say it foams the least. Good enough for me. 5 gallon jug on amazon is $211.00 with shipping-which is a VERY good price. I need it for the Trans Am too, it's soon gonna get it's engine & tranny installed.
I'm also replacing the leaky rear main seal and tossing on a B&M flex plate with ARP bolts.
Paul Bell
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So my truck finally made it onto a lift at the service station down the street. Good guys, old gray hairs with faded pictures of their Novas & Chevelles doing wheelies scattered on the walls.
They're swapping in my GM Goodwrench transmission. I gave them a bunch of other goodies. They're also doing the rear main seal, B&M flexplate with ARP bolts, exhaust manifold doughnuts, transmission selector switch and front O2 sensors. I gots 3 gallon jugs and 1 quart of Royal Purple Max ATF sitting in the back for them.
I've never had a shop do this work for me, I've always dropped my own transmissions. Because the exhaust needs to come down, a lift is pretty much required-which I don't have.
They're swapping in my GM Goodwrench transmission. I gave them a bunch of other goodies. They're also doing the rear main seal, B&M flexplate with ARP bolts, exhaust manifold doughnuts, transmission selector switch and front O2 sensors. I gots 3 gallon jugs and 1 quart of Royal Purple Max ATF sitting in the back for them.
I've never had a shop do this work for me, I've always dropped my own transmissions. Because the exhaust needs to come down, a lift is pretty much required-which I don't have.
northcreek
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They drink that stuff ?Paul Bell said:
Paul Bell
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The work is finally finished. The GM transmission already had five quarts of fluid in it, I'll assume left over from when they tested it.
All is well, the shop did a meticulous job and the exhaust leak(s) at the manifold to Y-pipe connections are gone.
The new crank seal stopped the oil leak.
The O2 sensors eliminated the SES light and codes.
I can finally see how the new tires are on the highway!
All is well, the shop did a meticulous job and the exhaust leak(s) at the manifold to Y-pipe connections are gone.
The new crank seal stopped the oil leak.
The O2 sensors eliminated the SES light and codes.
I can finally see how the new tires are on the highway!
BlazingTrails
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Paul Bell
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Paul Bell
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I had my truck on a lift today to shoot some grease in my squeaky lower ball joints with a needle. They need replacing but need to hang in there until springtime.
I had the time to have a good look at everything like the trans work that was just done.
All the body mounts look good except at the left side under the cowl. It looks like it took a hit.
When I drive fast over bumps, the driver's door seems to rattle a bit. This could be the cause.
One more thing on the list!
I had the time to have a good look at everything like the trans work that was just done.
All the body mounts look good except at the left side under the cowl. It looks like it took a hit.
When I drive fast over bumps, the driver's door seems to rattle a bit. This could be the cause.
One more thing on the list!
Paul Bell
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My truck is a daily driver/work truck. It's often carrying around some tools & sound gear. My old four door Blazer could hold an 8 foot ladder on the passenger side with the right seats down.
The Ascender gobbles up a 10 foot ladder-not even on the dashboard. This to me is HUGE. 60 seconds to load it inside vs. like forever bungeeing it to the roof rack.
Don't worry guys, I'm careful not to bang up any interior stuff and I lay blankets on the seats to protect the leather. In five minutes, everything can come out and go into the shop.
The Ascender gobbles up a 10 foot ladder-not even on the dashboard. This to me is HUGE. 60 seconds to load it inside vs. like forever bungeeing it to the roof rack.
Don't worry guys, I'm careful not to bang up any interior stuff and I lay blankets on the seats to protect the leather. In five minutes, everything can come out and go into the shop.
Paul Bell
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As we hit a balmy 33 degrees yesterday, I performed a much needed oil & filter change.
The catch can is certainly doing it's job!
The catch can is certainly doing it's job!
Paul Bell
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Hey folks!
I've started amassing parts to do the water pump, heater hoses and A/C lines. As I'm removing the rear HVAC system, I'm converting everything under the hood to non-rear system hosing & piping. I'm also gonna do a new radiator & condenser. Trans cooler will be behind the grill-I HATE in-radiator trans coolers.
I saw an identical truck to mine the other day, but silver. Extended, limited, V8. We nodded at each other.
I've started amassing parts to do the water pump, heater hoses and A/C lines. As I'm removing the rear HVAC system, I'm converting everything under the hood to non-rear system hosing & piping. I'm also gonna do a new radiator & condenser. Trans cooler will be behind the grill-I HATE in-radiator trans coolers.
I saw an identical truck to mine the other day, but silver. Extended, limited, V8. We nodded at each other.
Paul Bell
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This truck certainly gobbles up more stuff than my S10 did! There's four of these cabinets & two smaller ones in there and a load of tools and other stuff also.
Paul Bell
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I did the cooling system work today. New water pump, radiator, A/C condenser, an external transmission cooler and converted the lines from front & rear heating & cooling to just front. I'll soon be yanking out the rear HVAC unit.
BlazingTrails
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Paul Bell
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It's a Tru-Cool MAX cooler. I chose it because it's very thin, has plates not tubes and it's a two pass design making it a bit more efficient and it places the in & out on one side.
Part of this job was installing the front panel I bought from shrek77, mine was shattered at the right fender.
The center of the panel has a grill clip landing that's not used with the Ascender grill and after trimming it out, the cooler fit nicely. Unfortunately, the only way I found to mount the cooler was with safety wire to the panel. The cooler has a steel plate along the top & bottom edges.
I was surprised what a bitch it was to bleed the cooling system. After I completed the job, I spun the truck around in my inclined driveway so it was nose up. Usually this works pretty well, run until the thermostat is open top it off and done. Not with this truck!
Part of this job was installing the front panel I bought from shrek77, mine was shattered at the right fender.
The center of the panel has a grill clip landing that's not used with the Ascender grill and after trimming it out, the cooler fit nicely. Unfortunately, the only way I found to mount the cooler was with safety wire to the panel. The cooler has a steel plate along the top & bottom edges.
I was surprised what a bitch it was to bleed the cooling system. After I completed the job, I spun the truck around in my inclined driveway so it was nose up. Usually this works pretty well, run until the thermostat is open top it off and done. Not with this truck!
Paul Bell
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I ended up spending more time on the heater hoses than I thought I would need to. This involved removing the firewall mounted vacuum solenoid that sends coolant to the rear.
I'm not too happy with how I had to patch together the lines to get them where I needed everything, 5/8 inch & 3/4 inch coolant elbows found at AutoZone helped me get to the water pump.
Maybe in the future I'll re-do these lines to my satisfaction. I added some wire harness split loom to prevent things from chaffing the hoses.
I'm not too happy with how I had to patch together the lines to get them where I needed everything, 5/8 inch & 3/4 inch coolant elbows found at AutoZone helped me get to the water pump.
Maybe in the future I'll re-do these lines to my satisfaction. I added some wire harness split loom to prevent things from chaffing the hoses.
BlazingTrails
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yeah the LS V8 engines are a little harder to bleed out. some guys do some mod to them where you tap cooling lines to the head to keep it bled out. my 4.2 was easy to do.
Paul Bell
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So at least one nipple in the made up heater hoses I patched together is leaking under pressure. At first opportunity, I'm gonna install a new set of GM hoses, it's three hoses.
It looks like the online catalogs call for a V8 vehicle to be an extended body with the rear heater so I've concluded that as the TBSS was a V8 with a short body, it can't have a rear heater so those are the hoses for me. It's a plug & play setup and has heat protection on the rear hoses, an ear to bolt to the valve cover and the nipple for the head bleeders.
It looks like the online catalogs call for a V8 vehicle to be an extended body with the rear heater so I've concluded that as the TBSS was a V8 with a short body, it can't have a rear heater so those are the hoses for me. It's a plug & play setup and has heat protection on the rear hoses, an ear to bolt to the valve cover and the nipple for the head bleeders.
Darkrider_LS
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Paul Bell
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northcreek
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Mike
It's made with a regular steel cable and will rust. And since it has no secondary latch, the tire could fall off the truck and kill somebody. The OEM were stainless steel cable with the secondary latch, which was overkill with this cable. Search for my review on it.
I'm looking at doing the same thing. What did you use between the two elbows?Paul Bell said:I picked up two intake elbows, a 4" 90 and a 4" x 3.5" 45. $9.52 & $18.43 off ebay.
A little trimming, a vacuum hose coupling and I got rid of that hideous intake thing. And I gained some nice intake roar.
