Personalizing the whip / goodbye Caddilac

[Funner]

Your fan clutch isn't engaging early enough, basically. If the truck isn't running hot in any other way one fix is to wire up an auxillary fan for the AC condenser.. this sits in front of the assembly and turns on any time the AC clutch is engaged. Just provides some help moving air over the core at low vehicle/engine speeds. The other is to rebuild your fan clutch with thicker fluid and adjust the built-in thermostat to open sooner. Will make more noise at low speeds and probably reduce mileage slightly.. but ultimately it'll pull more air over the AC condenser at low speeds and help AC in those conditions. Search "landtank" fan clutch mods or buy one pre-modded from Landtank or NLXTACY

And for the record.. if the AC compressor is still operating while it's blowing hot it is realllly bad for that unit.

If you've already done the fan clutch tweaks sorry.. didn't read all the way through this thread.

I need to get down to galveston.. been years. Only ever even tried to surf once for about four hours (in australia).. is there anything decent to try and learn on down there?

I think this is likely your issue too, fan clutch. You can try shifting to neutral when stopped with foot on brake and then rev the motor up to 1200-1500 RPM's. If that keeps things cool then I would proceed with fan clutch fixes.

Edit: also forgot to mention, if you are happy with the ride quality on your truck then I see no need to invest in a lift. I would just throw some coil spacers on and call it good.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Your fan clutch isn't engaging early enough, basically. If the truck isn't running hot in any other way one fix is to wire up an auxillary fan for the AC condenser.. this sits in front of the assembly and turns on any time the AC clutch is engaged. Just provides some help moving air over the core at low vehicle/engine speeds. The other is to rebuild your fan clutch with thicker fluid and adjust the built-in thermostat to open sooner. Will make more noise at low speeds and probably reduce mileage slightly.. but ultimately it'll pull more air over the AC condenser at low speeds and help AC in those conditions. Search "landtank" fan clutch mods or buy one pre-modded from Landtank or NLXTACY

And for the record.. if the AC compressor is still operating while it's blowing hot it is realllly bad for that unit.

If you've already done the fan clutch tweaks sorry.. didn't read all the way through this thread.

I need to get down to galveston.. been years. Only ever even tried to surf once for about four hours (in australia).. is there anything decent to try and learn on down there?

Could also be loose belts, right? That's simple to check.

And the fan clutch could be "bad". Check to see how resistant it is when the vehicle is off. Try spinning it. Does it spin easy or with some resistance. Does it stop spinning when you let go or does it keep spinning?

 

[gsi18867]

Yikes, this thread is a train wreck.

Things that should never be done:
- 20"+ wheels on a Toyota truck
- Rubber band tires on a Toyota truck
- Driving around with a surfboard on your roof if you aren't actually driving to surf (kook)
- Stand up paddle board in the ocean (you're not Laird, stop snaking surfers and almost killing people because you can't control your huge board)
- Crocs (regardless of socks)

You're wrong about Crocs. But you're from NY, so we'll let it pass

 

[bloc]

Could also be loose belts, right? That's simple to check.

I would expect the truck to run hot if the belts are loose. Cruisers don't do a very good job of forcing ambient air through the radiator at speed making the fan clutch important then too.. my gut is telling me her belts and fan clutch fluid are probably "ok" but the opening temp is set too high.

 

[LS1FJ40]

I would expect the truck to run hot if the belts are loose. Cruisers don't do a very good job of forcing ambient air through the radiator at speed making the fan clutch important then too.. my gut is telling me her belts and fan clutch fluid are probably "ok" but the opening temp is set too high.

Valid.

 

[IslandCruiserTX]

Fan clutch fixed my A/C issue, you guys are the bomb, thank ya much!
I had a dude lived down the street had a 96, gorgeous, everytime I drove by, all his windows were rolled down. Thought to self, *self, dude's got wet floors, he's trying to dry out*, I NEVER saw said Dude outside, EVER. Then, I moved. August this year, I drove down my old street to hit up the recycling trailer, and BOOOOM, he was outside!!! I pulled over, introduced myself, and FINALLY got to tell him why his floorboards were soaked after rain. He thought I was insane, (crazy chick, hopped up on Diet Coke and adderall, jumps out of old land cruiser with 22's and a lift, wearing jean shorts and a tank top that says huge on it "beaches be crazy", and she is wayyyyy to excited to catch me outside). I got all up in his truck, popped the floorboard trim door thingys up, pulled back his carpet a bit, poked out the little round rubber stopper things in the frame, and the water just started POURING out of the bottom, we re-routed his sunroof drains on both sides and then he had to go buy some more clips to get his floorboard trim pieces back down (oops), needless to say he was stoked. I told him about y'all, even though I haven't checked in for over a year! He didnt seem very hands on...
Anyway - new dilema..... brake light. Running light part of the bulb comes on fine, the brighter brake part of the bulb, is on when I first put the bulb in, and then i set it down for a minute, and eventually the whole bulb goes off. Brand new bulb, works for a minute, lit up

on first contact....then fades to only running light. (Ok it doesnt fade completely off every time, but does atleast go down to "non brake" brightness). I sprayed the socket with some corrosion guard, looks pretty clean. There are no other issues with any of the other lights in that side. Could it be I need a new socket? Loose something.... I cant figure it out. I pulled the whole light assembly away reached in and made sure all of the connections were snapped together good (that was scary) but still, the brake part of the bulb only stays bright for a bit then fades out. I thought MAYBE the fuse could be going bad and that's the light furthest away from it so it wasnt getting enough juice.... called my husband to see if "we" have any extra fuses laying around anywhere....but he told me that was stupid, fuses either work or they dont, there is no in-between.
Tried searching in here, but then I got sidetracked..... I'll go back and search some more in a bit. (I'm supposed to be doing paperwork at the house today, im procrastinating).
Still love the whip, although I did scoop up a 2018 Cadillac XT5 in April, . I was scrolling back through this thread and saw my old SRX in there, ohhh memories. Anyway, besides this brake light issue which JUST came to attention this morning, she's happy!!

 

[jpoole]

Sounds like a bad ground on the brake/tail light socket. I've seen these on a few 80s. Basically, there is a wire that is soldered to the outside of the metal socket that the bulb pushes into. Remove the light housing and the socket/bulb and look for a ground wire on the side of the metal socket. See if you can tell it's loose by moving it around with a pick/screwdriver or something and/or test the light while playing with the ground wire to see if this is the problem. It could be a problem somewhere else but this seems most likely so check it first.

 

[IslandCruiserTX]

Sounds like a bad ground on the brake/tail light socket. I've seen these on a few 80s. Basically, there is a wire that is soldered to the outside of the metal socket that the bulb pushes into. Remove the light housing and the socket/bulb and look for a ground wire on the side of the metal socket. See if you can tell it's loose by moving it around with a pick/screwdriver or something and/or test the light while playing with the ground wire to see if this is the problem. It could be a problem somewhere else but this seems most likely so check it first.

The socket was basically just worn, the contacts in the socket were not touching good enough. I ordered a $6 socket off Amazon, and it came with 2 in the package! The original socket the wires come out the back of the socket, on this replacement the ground wire comes out of the back, and the other two come out to the side, but it fit in just fine, twisted and locked into place. (my 3 local auto part stores didn't have anything that would fit) It had a little bit of play in it.... kinda loose, so I took the gasket off of the original socket and doubled it up on the replacement, nice and snug now. And of course I wired it wrong the first time, the colored wires were opposite, but it's all good now. AND, I have a bonus extra socket to lie around get lost for when I need it.

Now, I need a new top brake light... it's always something!