Did you ever get this Van fixed yet?

 

WTF?? Hummer and mom in the same sentence have a different meaning in this house (well, a different DESIRED meaning). yer right, this thing is a piece of junk. i keep meticulous service records, and i can't believe what a POS this thing has been. Ya ya ya, the engine and tranny will last forever........ but $800 fuel pump (PART ONLY)??[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

Creator, i can't believe you like these things. ....Then again , i bought mine cuz my good pal has had 2 of them, abuses the crap outta them towing way over what he should with no electric brakes on rough, steep logging roads... and they've been great vans for him. Mine has pretty well been soccer-mom van, and it's just one thing after another.

 

you are correct. so when you bench test, put power to the IGNITION terminal to see if it's pushing out the bendix gear.i was only powering up the hot terminal which was only spinning the starter. you must power the ignition terminal to see if the bendix gear is being pushed out.

so anyways, WASTED an entire day on this stupid thing. here's my #1 beef... they sell solenoids for cheap. the solenoid is held on by 3 external torx bolts. it's an odd-ball small size torx, plus, it's external (you need a female torx socket), PLUS there is limited clearance between armature cover and solenoid, so, NOBODY SELLS THE TOOL YOU NEED to take it apart!! DUH! Eventually, I tracked down a Snap-On Tools truck. He had the E-5 External-Torx, DEEP socket (regular socket won't reach). Aaaarrrgghgh! AND, $20 for one socket (what else would you expect from Snap-On).

Okay, so now we can finally remove the Solenoid. (BTW, Idiot parts guy said if i was getting starter motor to spin, then problem HAD to be the bendix drive, NOT the solenoid. i tried to argue, but he disagreed. he's WRONG, Creator is correct ) I see the cheap plastic fork is broken, that the solenoid activates to engage the bendix drive. so, all i need is the fork. NOBODY SELLS THE FORK!! None of the parts guys, and GM doesn't sell a single part for these starters.

Off to 3 starter/motor rebuild shops to see if they have the fork. the one Chinese guy brings it up on computer screen; the exact part i need. i think he's helping me and his phone rings and he spends the next 30 minutes jabbering away in Chinese to someone, obviously a personal call, while i stand in his face staring at him. he gets off phone, no apology, looks around, says he doesn't have the part. I ask how much, and when can he get it in. He only wants to sell me an exchange for $125, when he now knows i only need a $5 part to make mine perfect. what an ignorant jerk. I will never deal with them again, ever, and will tell everyone i know to avoid them . I wish i knew how to crap through his mail slot.

so my dad (Ford Parts manager) managed to scrounge me a fork, i put it back together, and everything is fine. putting it back in veh isn't bad, but getting the wires properly connected and separated is a huge pain in the A$$!! touch wood (not that wood Toyo!!) it keeps working.

so for a day of lost wages and a $20 tool, it works great. glad i saved the $200 from Parts store (I think?), only cost me $500 in wages. STOOPID!

 

Confused, My day was nothing like yours[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I actually accomplished spending money today, again[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Bought a 2003 LTZ400[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] That thing hauls azz[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Need to order paddles for it tomorrow[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]Glad I checked the classifieds early today. You just don't see the Z400 for sale around here.

I do need to stop spending money and get to fixing my electrical problem[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]Lord knows, it's not going to fix itself[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

Glad you saved money fixing the starter yourself[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]to bad, it cost you a day's wages[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

OK, I've gotta vent. I'm playing weight **** over on RV.net. Heh, there's not enough of it needed here so I gotta go where I'm usefull. I'm truly, truly scared. I hope this person is really leaving CA and going somewhere else. They've never towed. Have an E-350 PSD (on topic...sorta). Wanting to tow a trailer too big for the van. So people start telling this lady to change from 3.55s to 4.10s to up her towing.

Or there's the guy telling her she can tow whatever till she hits GCWR (without obviously looking to see what other ratings will be exceeded before then), "No, you can tow more, up to the 20K limit, if you have the right hitch. The towing guide lists the max weight for 4.10 gears as 10k because that's what the stock hitch is rated for. Several makers incl. Hidden Hitch and Reese make 14,000 pound hitches. Upgrade to one of those, and you tailer max will then be 20k-7560=12440."

This lady doesn't even know what a WD hitch is, let alone the receiver, "I know we'll need to upgrade the hitch, but what, specifically IS the hitch? We have something on the back; it is a UHaul thing with no ball. It is rated 500GTW and 5000GTrailerW and 750GTW and 7500lbGTrailer with Weight Distribution. I would call this a receiver? We'll need to remove that whole big thing and install a new one? Is that where the weight distribution hitch goes? How does it fit into/onto the tongue of the TT? Where is the ball? Should it be on the back of the van (i.e. it is missing from our hitch/receiver - depending on what the hell we have back there) or is it part of the tongue of the TT?"

She's all up on wanting to be safe (still has her 10 y/o kid in a car seat of some kind) but is wanting to tow too much. I can see Darwin...he's gonna go for her next... Unfortunately, Darwin Strikes in these circumstances usually involve someone else getting killed, maimed, etc. This reminds me of a friends status on Yahoo! Messenger a lot "Stupid should hurt."

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AWESOME!! that sounds like the jewel of your quad collection now! I like the newer year, hopefully means your not having to worry about anything for a long time. Man, all your quads are speed demon stuff. Our area is really dominated by the rec/utility stuff, for all the trail and bush riding, but I guess you guys are more sand and speed.
you bought it the same day it came out, so i hope you got a great deal. Is that a 4-stroke?

your wiring problem should be simple. the PSD comes pre-wired. you do need to add the black/square relays to the under-the-hood fuse box, plus maybe a fuse. if it's not working, there's gotta be something wrong with wiring pattern-maybe on your trailer.

unfortunately for me, i have a compulsive personality to finish things i start, or i sit and obsess about them all day, like this stupid starter, fixing quads, the flatdeck trailers, etc.. I'd like to think I've learned a ton about how to repair this stuff, and how it works. I'll make a good MacGyver.

Skinner, those folks sound dumber than a sack of hammers. they don't even know what a receiver is, or what any of those things mean?? Is the E350 their mo-home, or a Van? their mo-home will blow apart the tranny trying to haul too much weight. PLUS they'll need electric brakes (i'm sure that's lost on them).. Just tell them to leave it floored in O/D on the steepest hill=blown tranny=no more problem.

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: BlackandRedWarrior
OK, I've gotta vent. I'm playing weight **** over on RV.net. [q/]


Dude, You are obsessed with ridding the world of weight idiots[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I commend you on your efforts[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]Like I posted along time ago, we are our own worst enemies and it's only a matter of time before vehicles pulling travel trailers/5th wheels will need to stop at the weight stations[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] Last trip to Reno, couple months ago, I saw that the CHP had a sign posted at the Truckee weight station, telling out of state U-Hauls to pull in to get weighed. It's coming and "we" only have ourselves to blame. Sort of like the thread here about Pismo citing[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] for loud exhaust/pipes[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img] People are idiots and shouldn't be allowed to pro-create. If you need any help, let me know[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] But, I know you can hold your own[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Confused, it is the gem of our collection[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Actually, I think the Mojave will always be the gem[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]because of all the work my daughter and I have put into it[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] When I told my daughter tonight, that the Mojave was now hers, she was all smiles, ear to ear[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
I think I got a heck of a deal on it, $3500[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Around here, you very seldom see the Z400 for sale. It might start to show up more, now that Suzuki is coming out with a Z450, but, that's just to much for me. Around here, bikes made back in the mid 80's are selling for more the $3500, '01 Raptors are going for around $4100-4400+, was looking at a '02 Warrior for $3600, it did have some aftermarket parts on it though. Then, there was a'89 warrior for sale, new "top end" for $3700. So, I think I stole this bike for $3500[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] This bike has it's normal wear from riding, which is no big deal. It's stock, which I like[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] He did put different rear tires on it. Think I'll eventually put ITP Holeshots on it. Shifts sweet and has loads of power[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Around here, you have a mix of utility/work quads for the farms and ranches. Then people like me, who don't have any property to "work", have the sport quads. We don't really ride any technical stuff, so, like you said, it's more speed stuff around here. Even though, we are not speed demons[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] just like cruising as a family[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] And yes, the quad is a 4 stroke[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Don't know why we bought a 2 stroke for the wife[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]
It's funny, my youngest daughter and I were in the spa a couple nights ago. She goes "daddy, I think I'm going to need a new quad real soon"[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] (she has the 70)She even knew what size and color she wanted[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] A 90 that is blue[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Told her, she'll have to wait until next year. She was actually cool with that[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I have great kids[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

My wife hates it, the kids think like me[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Having the fork break is pretty rare but I have seen it a couple of times. Glad you were able to fix her up[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I spread the Gospel (hehehe) over in Toy Haulers (now talk about some eye opening stuff on guys getting REAL empty weights!), Towing and Tow Vehicles. I'm heading over there after I post this. There are some very knowlegable guys over there. That was where that post came from about the guy killing someone with his truck/trailer.

Morning Ritual at Work:
Read Email (tape back-up report, Dilbert cartoon, maybe something else.)
Check out Groklaw.net (for information on The SCO Group vs. IBM.)
Come here. Usually check out the CA thread in Where to Ride, this thread, Enviro forum, and Duning.
Next I'm off to RV.net forums. Posted those 3 I go through earlier.
Log in to home machine and read email at home.
Chat a little on IRC and Yahoo.
Go home.

Might do some work in there. LOL. Yesterday I was lost...the ISP had major FUBAR. It's up this morning.

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