Mission Possible: A Boxy 1984 Caprice Classic

[101Volts]

I saw this electric fan on Amazon. What do you think of it?

Amazon.com: Flex-a-lite 114 Black 14" Trimline Electric Fan (reversible): Automotive

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

If you're sure that it can fit into the Caprice, go for it.

[spacemanspif]

1600cfm isn't the greatest but as long as you don't sit in a lot of traffic with the air conditioning on you will be ok. Controller is the next step so you can turn the fan off and on either manually or automatically, whichever method you prefer. I don't think the pollution stuff helps economy at all rebuilding the system probably won't get you any gain in mpg. Removing it will lighten the car and eliminate 1 belt from the accessory load on the engine though.

[101Volts]

Well I just got a Suburban and my Mom thinks "We have enough cars" so I've been thinking of selling the Caprice once it's warmer and I work on the car a bit, fixing cosmetic things mostly and the air conditioner.

However, it does look like both Mom's Caravan and Dad's Caravan will be sold this year and replaced with just one Caravan. I'm still thinking of Ecomodding the Caprice a bit, though the idea of me having three cars is a bit much to maintain for me unless I'm taking cars in to fix and then sell or part out. Oh well. It's not like I was driving this Chevy in the winter most of the time, I did it on one day but the Suburban is more of a winter driver. If I sell the Caprice I'll have a place to put the Suburban in the garage, too. And the Wagon is not a winter car either.

However, I expect to keep the Mercury Wagon for a while so maybe I'll get a new fan for it.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by 101Volts

Well I just got a Suburban and my Mom thinks "We have enough cars" so I've been thinking of selling the Caprice once it's warmer and I work on the car a bit, fixing cosmetic things mostly and the air conditioner.

Due to the drivetrain options that suburban when equipt with a 6.2ltr or 5.7ltr diesel (or a cummins if you have unlimited money) and an NV3500 transmission
2wd can approach the 30mpg mark driven properly.

So you could probably beat the caprice on FE if you mod the old burban.

[101Volts]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Due to the drivetrain options that suburban when equipt with a 6.2ltr or 5.7ltr diesel (or a cummins if you have unlimited money) and an NV3500 transmission
2wd can approach the 30mpg mark driven properly.

So you could probably beat the caprice on FE if you mod the old burban.

I started a thread about the Suburban:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tic-31399.html

Oh, and it's a 2WD/4WD vehicle.

[TurnpikeCruiser]

Originally Posted by 101Volts

However, I expect to keep the Mercury Wagon for a while so maybe I'll get a new fan for it.

I believe the wagons and the sedans had the same wheel arch shape. They still make fiberglass fender skirts if you start modding the wagon.

[101Volts]

OK, little update: Don't run oil that's too thin for your engine. The engine in this Chevy is still going fine, but for a while (November 2011-April 20 2015) I was running the same Full Synthetic 5w20. Granted, I did put some Full Synthetic 10w20 or 10w30 in it and I didn't drive it over 3,500 miles on that oil but now I switched over to conventional Pennzoil 5w30 for the time being. Back when I used 5w20 (WAY too low for this car in temperatures I run at) I had a much louder engine. Now, the engine runs quieter. And, I realize the information may be out of date but the manual even says I should run 20w50 in this car if it's hot enough outside. Well, with the stock 5.0 engine I just shouldn't go under a 30 weight for this car because it would probably cause premature engine wear.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

After all, an excessively-low viscosity in the oil can lead to a lower efficiency, while also sacrificing the engine integrity on the long run.

[101Volts]

Looks like I'll use this car more now that the Caravan's likely being junked this year; it's so rusty we're not inspecting it again and it's not likely to be driven beyond local areas.

Since my last post, this has happened to the Caprice:

New Coolant Pump;
New Belts (Except A/C Belt which was removed, compressor's frozen);
Replaced P.S. Fluid;
Shell T6 5w40 Diesel oil, Using T6 0w40 next as I got 2 gallons for $10;
Amsoil EaO59 Oil Filter;
ATF, Filter & Gasket change + adding Lucas thickener when it leaks (it's not leaking out of the pan gasket)
Wheel Alignment.

Ideas for what I'll do next are:

80w90 Gear Oil change, then to Amsoil 75w90 to compare;
0w30 Synthetic or Biosynthetic Motor Oil (Haven't seen any leaks with the Diesel oil);
New Shocks (When were they last changed anyway?);
Another wheel alignment, if necessary.

At least I'll know I have a clean engine after using this Diesel oil and Amsoil filter, previous oils be far removed!

Thinking about this car does make me think a bit about life; how using the Caravan for the last near 46k miles and 4 years just hasn't given me much driving time in this car which we still haven't driven even 1,500 miles per year since we got it. (Mileage is under 114k, we got it somewhere between 107.5-109k in June 2010.) My attention hasn't been set on this vehicle much in that time! Still, all for the better perhaps. Now I know what oils to use a bit more.