Cummins Canoe (A Stepvan Story)

[PlethoraOfGuns]

While we wait for transmission parts, some other things can be done. The heater box was looking a little rusty, so time to look at that. It all works great, but rust is like cancer. Once it starts, it grows fast and can quickly become overwhelming. I wanted to just scrap off the peeling paint with a screwdriver and hit it with some spray paint, but I'm sure glad I didn't! I hate taking shortcuts and this was such an easy project!


Yep, this thing was looking pretty rough. The heater core is located inside this box, forward of the firewall. The blower is inside the cab.


Now on a normal car, removing the heater core can take upwards of 8 hours to remove and the reverse to reinstall it. This one took about 10 minutes to get out of the vehicle. I love this thing!


Very simple, no fuss design.


Oh boy...


Oh no...


Lots of sanding and a light acid bath and all the box pieces are good more paint.


Had some extra time so we reinstalled the rear bumper.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Since the axle is all back together, it would be a good time to get the fuel tank back in the rig.


Got the tank all cleaned up and painted.


The fuel sending unit crapped out about 11 hours into the ride home when we bought the vehicle. So in goes a new fuel sending unit. Hopefully this does the trick. If this wasn't the issue, who cares. The 40 gallon fuel tank was down and out, just change the sending unit ya dummy!


Got these nice new tank straps from NAPA! Even had the right size the first time. Found these strap rubbers as well. Gotta protect the tank from future rubbing.


This new model tank jack works great too!

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Transmission parts came in the mail!


These are all the components we think we need. Emphasize on the think part.


Pretending I know what I'm doing.


These springy thingalings looked important on the parts diagram, so they go in too.


Got a new ringading funny ring to put in. Note the chassis paint that is still on my thumb. This stuff is never going to come off.


Had to drive this drift pin in to secure this black shift fork to this shift rail. Only problem is that the silver shift fork is in the tail section, and the black shift fork is in the main case, down where you can't get to it very easy. And I was by myself, and it was awkward, and I just couldn't get it all lined up. That was, until I applied marked lines on the shaft!


With the lines on the shaft, I was able to align things properly and get the pin in no problem.


Good news is that all the components we ordered actually went in somewhere. No spare parts laying about!


Some RTV sealant and wrenching and all back together!


Fill plugs are too much of a pain. You never know where they are and if you do they are usually covered in grease and grime. This is a much more effective way to fill your transmission with gear oil. I will also add the awesome fact that I tore apart this transmission and modified it while standing next to it, while it was still in the vehicle. Try doing that in your regular van or pickup truck!

 

[marret]

Awesome and great story telling.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Transmission parts came in the mail!

View attachment 614547
These are all the components we think we need. Emphasize on the think part.

View attachment 614548
Pretending I know what I'm doing.

View attachment 614549
These springy thingalings looked important on the parts diagram, so they go in too.

View attachment 614550
Got a new ringading funny ring to put in.

View attachment 614551
Had to drive this drift pin in to secure this black shift fork to this shift rail. Only problem is that the silver shift fork is in the tail section, and the black shift fork is in the main case, down where you can't get to it very easy. And I was by myself, and it was awkward, and I just couldn't get it all lined up. That was, until I applied marked lines on the shaft!

View attachment 614552
With the lines on the shaft, I was able to align things properly and get the pin in no problem.

View attachment 614553
Good news is that all the components we ordered actually went in somewhere. No spare parts laying about!

View attachment 614554
Some RTV and wrenching and all back together!

View attachment 614555
Fill plugs are too much of a pain. You never know where they are and if you do they are usually covered in grease and grime. This is a much more effective way to fill your transmission with gear oil. I will also add the awesome fact that I tore apart this transmission and modified it while standing next to it, while it was still in the vehicle. Try doing that in your regular van or pickup truck!

Absolutely no way in an E-series van... everything on them is like pulling teeth without freezing.

Keep them coming.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Awesome and great story telling.

Thanks! Hopefully this thing gets finished and the real story begins.

Absolutely no way in an E-series van... everything on them is like pulling teeth without freezing.

Keep them coming.

Oh my. I've worked on them Fords before. They are pretty bad. But the Mercedes and Dodge Sprinter vans take the cake on repair and access nightmares. If I had to change a heater core in a Sprinter, I would just scrap the van, haha. We went with simplicity and longevity on this van. So far, it's working out great.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Can't wait to drive this thing and see if all our work on the axle and transmission actually worked and won't blow up! In the meantime, got more stuff to reassemble.


Heater box all painted and back together.


Redid the whole blower box too.


Yes, maybe we should have changed the heater core when we had it apart. But it was working great! And the best part, it only takes 10 minutes to remove! So not an issue if it ever needs to be replaced.


This shock mount isn't looking so great. It's probably been broken for awhile since one of the bolt holes is not so round anymore.


Kinda supposed to be like this.


This was not fun to clean and prep for welding.


But it will work.


All welded and painted. Van has all new shocks now!

 

[dcguillory]

This thread is pretty damn good. Nice attention to detail. Good pics. Nice little notes for each pic. Appreciate being along for the ride.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

This thread is pretty damn good. Nice attention to detail. Good pics. Nice little notes for each pic. Appreciate being along for the ride.

Thanks! We gotta keep it entertaining so we'll be able to look back and get a good laugh at all the crazy work we did!

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Great news, the van is mobile! Everything works and it drives fantastic!


This thing cruises on the highway! Gained 15mph with functioning overdrive. Much quieter too. Still hurts your ears, but no more bleeding out of the one ear.


Oh boy, weeks sitting in one place made a nice mess. Lots of rust and other stuff.


These bracket things gotta go. Thinking skinning the whole interior in plywood.


Not quite sure what these metal brackets are for, but they are going also. We have better ideas for some sort of divider wall between the cab and the living quarters.


Doing the old notch and chisel.


Doing more gutting, looking at this weird tube thing. No idea what it is.


Any ideas what this thing is?

 

[marret]

Awesome. No idea what the thingy is, but it looks well damped for vibration. End caps must come off.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Yes, the end caps come off and it's hollow inside. Very flimsy as well.

 

[Teacher88]

My guess is it is to hold the insurance and registration papers for the truck

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[lbarcher]

Yep, that's what it is. Very common on commercial trailers but not so common on trucks in my experience.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Son of a sailor. This whole time I've had my documents inside a small backpack just thrown in the back corner. Ok then, this makes perfect cents. We're keeping the document tube then.