My '95 Caprice Classic STW, "Sally"

[Arquemann]

It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen anyone work on those GM OBD 1.5 systems but finding a used Snapon MT2500 “Red Brick” with the appropriate cartridge and cable would probably be your best bet.

Actron also made a tool that worked on those systems. Some Googling indicates it’s a CP9145 with a CP9127 cable.


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Yay, expensive as fuck or not in stock. Fuck this, I'm not spending hundreds just to know if I have trouble codes, engine lights not on.
If I want someone to program my PCM, does their normal obd1 stuff still work? Mainly I just want to know if the transmission tune is factory or not.

[kishy]

Yay, expensive as fuck or not in stock. Fuck this, I'm not spending hundreds just to know if I have trouble codes, engine lights not on.
If I want someone to program my PCM, does their normal obd1 stuff still work? Mainly I just want to know if the transmission tune is factory or not.

Not wanting to leverage your thread as an ad, but I will note that this: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...OBD1-Scan-Tool
has been tested on my friend's 95 dustbuster van, which is GM "OBD 1.5" and it worked - but in order to do that, we needed to use a newer cartridge than the one I am including with it. I think Pathfinder '96 is the one that was not too new for the tool, but did cover the vehicle.

So this tells us that if you want a capable tool, I'm selling one, but you'd need to get the more proper cartridge to use with it (they're available out there in the world). Certainly no pressure nor rush, but if you feel like you want it, shoot me a message.

As for the thread and vehicle overall: these B-bodies are getting hard to find over here, so I can only imagine they aren't much more common over there. Looks decently clean. And yes, big butt.

Wouldn't mind seeing more of how the trailer hitch works - how the ball mount/drawbar attaches and how the body of the frame is shaped and mounts to the car. Might seem stupid, but Euro and North American trailer hitches are rather different.

[Arquemann]

Not wanting to leverage your thread as an ad, but I will note that this: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...OBD1-Scan-Tool
has been tested on my friend's 95 dustbuster van, which is GM "OBD 1.5" and it worked - but in order to do that, we needed to use a newer cartridge than the one I am including with it. I think Pathfinder '96 is the one that was not too new for the tool, but did cover the vehicle.

So this tells us that if you want a capable tool, I'm selling one, but you'd need to get the more proper cartridge to use with it (they're available out there in the world). Certainly no pressure nor rush, but if you feel like you want it, shoot me a message.

As for the thread and vehicle overall: these B-bodies are getting hard to find over here, so I can only imagine they aren't much more common over there. Looks decently clean. And yes, big butt.

Wouldn't mind seeing more of how the trailer hitch works - how the ball mount/drawbar attaches and how the body of the frame is shaped and mounts to the car. Might seem stupid, but Euro and North American trailer hitches are rather different.

Was the van one of those cases where it had an OBD1 port, but the paperclip trick wouldn't work? How about other OBD scanners, did some others not work?
While it seems like a good offer, I kinda want to be 100% sure, since it'll cost a lot anyways just to get that case here. I see those 1996 Pathfinder cartridges are available atleast. Dunno what I'll do yet, I'll call around some more.

I've gotta check if the trailer connector is any good at some point so maybe I'll snap a couple pics while I'm at it. Yes I'm aware that the hitches can be different, how exactly I don't know. We use 7 or 13 pin trailer connectors. BTW, the trailer brake controllers you use are illegal in Europe.

I found an old listing for this car from 2021, it says the trans was renovated in 2019, which kinda smells like BS. Well, I'll spend a couple shillings and get the previous owners' phone numbers if I can.

[DerekTheGreat]

Yeah, cool car. I've always wanted one of those in Roadmaster or Cadillac flavor. Cap-rice flavor is good too. But now they're pretty much dried up or beat up.

Your trans probably was overhauled in 2019. Trouble is, "rebuilt" doesn't mean it's back to factory shifts and smooth sailing again. Dad had the 4L60E in his Camaro rebuilt once it started shifting bad. They ended up pulling it twice after that and it still shifts funny at times.

[Arquemann]

Did some shopping today and ordered:
-ALDL-to-USB cable from http://aldlcable.com/aldl.asp I should be able to use it with Scan9495 for diagnostics, live data and quite importantly; transmission parameters
-Transgo 4L6ISO3 TCC valve, which will hopefully fix the slipping lockup
-Champion spark plugs
-Door panel clips (because of course everything is rattling and loose in a Chebby...)
-Tailgate glass lift strut, defrost connector is broken and it looks crusty anyways

I'll also need to get more stuff, which I can get locally and save money:
-TPS sensor (cheap to check, can apparently cause late/hard shifts)
-Turn signal return springs (doesn't self-cancel)
-Trans pan gasket, only cork stuff available, what in the fuck?

I didn't end up ordering a new AC compressor, yet. The seller said that the compressor seals are done and the freon leaks out in a couple weeks.
Kinda want AC, but it'd be about 250€ to get a compressor to Finland, plus probably another hundred to get fresh ice cube juice into the system. I could probably swap the compressor myself.
And it only adds to the fuel consumption, which is just about at a tolerable level currently, this week I got 22 mpg commuting. Problem is not the speed, but even in light traffic I'm constantly on and off the throttle and this whale weighs over 2 tons.

[gadget73]

What compressor does that use? If its the same split case piece of shit my S10 had, don't bother, go for the Sanden-style replacement instead. The GM ones all fail at that center seal, the Sanden type doesn't have a seal in the middle so it can't give you problems.

[GM_Guy]

Do Champion plugs have a better reputation where you are? Cause you won't find anybody over on this side of the pond who will willingly run Champions in anything but a lawnmower. NGK's, Densos, Motorcraft, ACDelco get the nod.

[gadget73]

I run Champeen in my outboard motor, but thats the OEM plug.

[Arquemann]

Today I got the center mounted brake light fixed, just some corrosion on the contacts inside the tailgate. Didn't even break any clips on the tailgate interior panel. Tailgate is barely even rusty on the inside, probably because these have a clamshell tailgate, so there's no opening on the top for water to seep in. Also fixed a trunk interior light and fiddled with the rear-facing jumpseat locking mechanism. Interestingly it seems quite worn, the backrest doesn't quite want to stay locked up.

Had a couple friends come by and we got a subwoofer wired and bumping some sweeet upright bass. While cleaning out the car after purchase, I found an Alpine active subwoofer in a side cubby in the trunk. MSRP is like 300€, the controller knobs -thing was already attached underneath the dash. By chance the subwoofer came to life (obviously I had no idea if it even worked) and my computer/audio nerd friend made me an EQ curve by my taste. Amazing how well someone knowledgeable made the stereo sound from absolute garbage to pretty damn good.

What compressor does that use? If its the same split case piece of shit my S10 had, don't bother, go for the Sanden-style replacement instead. The GM ones all fail at that center seal, the Sanden type doesn't have a seal in the middle so it can't give you problems.

I don't know what's the split case POS you talk about, but mine has an HD6 style compressor. If the HD6 indeed is what you're talking about, do tell me more.

Do Champion plugs have a better reputation where you are? Cause you won't find anybody over on this side of the pond who will willingly run Champions in anything but a lawnmower. NGK's, Densos, Motorcraft, ACDelco get the nod.

Well I haven't really heard anyone bash plugs of any brand. In these old cars, I'll run basic copper plugs since they're easy to change. It's damn spark plug, not rocket science, I'd wager the new Champjoons are just as good or better than whatever used plugs are in it now. If they shit the bed, I'll buy a set of something else, no fuss. Why wouldn't you want spark plugs with the same name as mushrooms?

[DerekTheGreat]

...And [A/C] only adds to the fuel consumption, which is just about at a tolerable level currently, this week I got 22 mpg commuting. Problem is not the speed, but even in light traffic I'm constantly on and off the throttle and this whale weighs over 2 tons.

I disagree, especially at speed. I bet with the drag created by floating around with the windows down sucks any of the savings by not running A/C right out the.. window. The LT1 has more than enough torque to spin that compressor. I'd rather have A/C than swamp ass.

[Arquemann]

I disagree, especially at speed. I bet with the drag created by floating around with the windows down sucks any of the savings by not running A/C right out the.. window. The LT1 has more than enough torque to spin that compressor. I'd rather have A/C than swamp ass.

Well I don't really drive with the windows down anyways, it hasn't been that hot and my severe pollen allergies can pretty much maim me if I drive too much with the windows down.
Might fix it, might not, it's still expensive as fck to replace the compressor. I did make a looking-to-buy listing on a local car forum.
TBH the plush seats deter swamp ass really well, even with +30°C when I drove the car home the first time, my ass or back wasn't even wet, just moist. AC doesn't get between there too well anyways.

[gadget73]

apparently the S10 uses the HT6, which seems to be the same thing except 4 corner mounting instead of 2 ear mounting. Unfortunately it looks like there isn't a Sanden-type replacement for that one per Rockauto. If you look at pictures of it, there is a shiny machined band right in the middle of the thing. Thats where the two halves of the case come together with a big O ring to seal it up.

I put 4 of those OE types on the truck in the time I owned it and all of them failed the same way. Part of that was the mounting bracket system. The front bolts went into one bracket, the back bolts went into another, and there was a bolt or two that connected them together. Those bolts seemed prone to getting loose, the compressor halves would move relative to one another and that was the end of it. With nothing bolted to the back end of the compressor to make it twist you may not have that same issue.

[DerekTheGreat]

Oh. Yeah, I guess I could ask what the weather is typically like in your area. Thirty C is ~86 F. That's pretty typical of what I see around my area this time of year. Only trouble is, South East Michigan is extremely humid. So unless your car is moving, swamp ass. It also depends on genetics too. It takes a minute for me to start sweating, but once I do, it doesn't seem to stop unless I cease all activity.

[Arquemann]

Oh. Yeah, I guess I could ask what the weather is typically like in your area. Thirty C is ~86 F. That's pretty typical of what I see around my area this time of year. Only trouble is, South East Michigan is extremely humid. So unless your car is moving, swamp ass. It also depends on genetics too. It takes a minute for me to start sweating, but once I do, it doesn't seem to stop unless I cease all activity.

30°C for most Finns is somewhere between "fck me, it's hot today" and "nope, fuck this I'm staying indoors". 35°C is unbearable to be outside.
20-25°C is what most of our "warm" summer is. Around 20°C is what I can comfortably handle in a car without AC, 25°C maybe, if the sun isn't shining too hard.
Also humidity differs largely, what's considered humid here is probably nothing there, and what's humid there probably gets me swamp ass just standing.

In a months time, I probably won't ve wishing for ac anymore. The dehumidifying effect is considerable though...

[DerekTheGreat]

20C is perfect for me. 20-23 is ideal. The humidity around here is usually over 50%. Some days it's 80+. So even if it's 30C, it's nasty. Even if there's a breeze, it feels moist, warm & gross. It's almost like you're swimming without the water.