Well thanks to all of you guys I now own the thing!

You wouldn't believe what a mess it was trying to get it home. It literally quit when the front tires hit the ramps trying to load it up onto the trailer. I ran the battery dead (which wasn't too hard) trying to restart it. The fuel gauge was pretty low but the light wasn't on. So I put another battery in that I had with me and tried some more. Finally I went and bought a fuel can and put a couple gallons in it and eventually it fired to life again. My son was very excited because he was doing the cranking when it started (while I worked the throttle under the hood).

Anyway eventually got it home and took some pictures for you guys. I created an album in the photo gallery. It should be on top, it's the only puke-green D1 I've seen here so far! Sorry the order of the photos is all weird. I don't see where you can move them around either...?

The head gasket is certainly shot. I now have water in the oil and water coming out of the exhaust while it runs. It's good in a way becasue I know I'm the first to run it in this condition based on the fact there was no water in the block before (remember the freeze plug) and the oil was good. Now the big question will be is the head and/or block cracked?

I also discovered today that both sun roofs are open in the back. Of course thy don't operate electrically. I was able to get the front one to close fairly well but the back one is still cracked open. I will need to get it closed so I can install the obligitory 100 mph tape.

No other surprises so far. Now the real fun begins though!

 

Well...... normally when the block is suspected of a crack or slipped liner it would be pressure tested. That requires the removal of the heads. Might as well start there. From the intake to the plenum can be removed in one mass, that isn't in the manual.

Funny, I bought my truck with my boys right there. They have been as involved as I have been. Another huge irony is that my oldest is seriously thinking of joining the Coasties.......look out Darwin, here comes another.

 

Sun roof motors have a manual crank feature I believe, from looking in the RAVE.

CG is an interesting place, I have a 23 foot diesel powered Zodiac SOLAS boat we got surplus from the cutter ELM. You have to be on your game in the CG.

 

Looking over the pics I'd say you have a great candidate for restoration to dd status. It's a seven passenger truck with leather seats, dual sunroofs, funky blue....so for a 94 it's the top dog on things that can drive you nuts.

Physically it's in great shape, very little rust anywhere which makes it a keeper on that alone. Even the clear-coat can be remedied. The bumper end cap, rear bumper and light are the only obvious dings and those pieces can be had inexpensively from contacts right here (in SB's sig).

As long as it's not the block (which I doubt...for now) you have a decent truck to work with. The hg might have been bad prior to the block freezing considering the mileage which is about right for replacing them anyways. You'd be ahead of the game on that. The electrical won't take long to wring out. Ground strapping is most likely the reason. Even my truck with 98k had that going on when I first snagged it so it's fairly common on these trucks because of where the lugs are (water prone areas create corrosion).

 

Sounds like you have a great project to share with your son.

I would go ahead and pull that motor out and put it on a stand so you can easily access everything and go thru it completely since you have such a small amount in the purchase, you may as well go thru it as completely as possible one good time and you should have a solid truck that you will be completely familar with and it will be a fantastic learning experience with your son.

I spent four years in the Navy 1971-1975, if I had the chance to do it over again, I think I would prefer the Coast Guard. They have some fantastic duty stations in some beautiful places and no damn aircraft carriers to get stuck on out in the middle of the ocean.

 

On a boat is on a boat, there's no Seven/Elevens out there. I did a year of hard labor on a commercial fishing boat. Out for five, in for two, rinse, repeat. It wore me out but we ate like kings. Bottle clubs and sleazy woman on days off. Sounds familiar, I know. I then joined the Chair Force 84 - 96, became Air Crew right out of Basic (Radity-O) and found bottle clubs and sleazy woman in ALL corners of the world.......mostly around Navy ports of call!!!!! At least Matt isn't a Marine........ they eat the banana's.

Heck, you've got me excited about tearing my lump down.....except it's getting 16.6 mpg still.... and my TR7 won't be ready until maybe late Spring. Maybe next year......

 

As I have been told many times by my Navy friends... "You Coasties are in the shallow-water Navy". Ha! Tell your boy he's making the best choice of all the branches (I also served ten years in the Army). Well next to the 'Air-Farce' that is! ;-)

SavB I found the manual crank. LR really thought ahead on this as there is a small plastic tab that can be removed to access the manual crank. Unfortunately both are completely frozen or locked-up. I turned as hard as I dare and neither would budge. Duct tape for now, expecting rain for the next few days. Speed limited to 100 mph for the time being...

 

Could someone take a picture of this manual crank?? I would like to see this.

 

Check the PDF in SavB's post above. The 'crank' is your allen-head wrench or driver fitted into the motor as shown (spindle 'A'). You just have to remove the small plastic cover to gain access.

 

I have.

So far I have zero experience with sunroofs. My truck doesn't have them and most that I've known that do pretty much silicone them shut. I would not silicone them shut unless it took more time than I have remaining on this planet.