OK, first off, let me introduce my project truck. She is a 1990 4x4 Chevy S10, 4.3L.
I got this truck as a result of my other truck being stolen, which left me with nothing so I had to take what little money I had to get a vehicle quick.
Now to the Issues and/or Questions. I'm open to suggestions, in fact, I welcome them!
- Brake Lights won't work: The bulbs are fine, and there don't seem to be any blown fuses. As you probably realize, the brake lights and blinker lights are the same bulb. The blinkers work just fine. Any ideas?
- Shifts too late? I'm not used to an older vehicle, so this may be me being paranoid. But my truck seems to ride in first gear for a long period of time, either up to about 15mph or 2,000rpm. It seems reluctant to shift into second, sometimes you have to let off the accelerator for it to shift into second. Every other gear shifts smoothly, but when it goes from first to second it kind of jumps.
- Leaky Windshield Seals: I'm about to take my front windshield out to do a little damage control (rust :/), and the seals need to be replaced. I found the exterior window trim, part # 29 7670 from LMCTrucks.com, but When you lift that seal up, there is another one under it, like below the windshield. Does anyone know what this is called/where I can order it from?
- Gas gauge always reads full: As great as that sounds, It is really inconvenient. I have a digital dash. Anyone have any suggestions? The level of gas never changes, it always stays at FULL, yet the other things change, like the Battery Voltage which is right next to the fuel gauge.
- Parts of the Dash come and go as they please: When i bought the truck, the dash was completely black, it would not light up at all. Randomly it will come back on, then parts of it will dissappear while the rest will stay lit up. Currently it does not show your speed, though it still shows mileage, oil, FULL GAS, and Battery voltage (conveniently for the seller it did not show mileage when i bought it, 233,000). Ideas?! I LOVE if someone knew anything about changing from a digital to an analog dash, if that's even possible?
- 4X4 won't engage: My 4X4 shifter will go down from 2wd to 4High easily, but when driving it does not seem to be in 4x4. The shifter will not go into N easily at all, you really have to force it. And if you get it into N, it WILL NOT go in 4Low. No matter how hard you try, it will NOT move down, and it's very hard to shift from N back up to 4High. There is a TINY transmission leak, though maybe only a drop or two every few days.This REALLY makes me mad, since if I'm going to get the bad mpg of a 4X4 i want to be able to get all four tires spinning. I don't want all that extra weight if it's not even going to work.
- Smoke when accelerating: I know this can be many things, but I figured I'd list it here as well. I've got new piston rings for it, and I'm about to have the engine taken apart to replace a LOT of leaky gaskets(yay for an entire engine rebuild gasket kit from Felpro!), the timing chain, water pump, etc.
- Headlights need adjusting: One points sideways, and one points up. But i guess i can't complain as they are glass and not the shitty plastic ones that you see so often clouded up
. Any tips/articles that could benefit me to make my headlights actually go straight. (I'd even settle for both point up, to blind those HID assholes). - My ABS light is on: on my temperamental dash. My breaks work amazingly, no noise or anything, though I haven't actually gotten a chance to get the wheels off to check them yet. One thing at a time.
Don't even get me started on the heater core bypass i had to do the day i got it, or the front suspension being so mess up it's not even safe to drive right now lol. Or the rust spots. I'm sure there are other issues that I have forgotten, but these are the only ones i can think of right now.
Come on fellas, help a girl out. Any input would be great! (And yes I did paint that red, it looks so out of place in that nasty engine bay doesn't it!) That is going to be my project when the engine is being rebuilt, repaint the engine bay and firewall! Rust CONTROL!
