dropping fuel tank in a Chevy Astro

please join me in my journey as I restore my 1993 Chevy Astro van. This is a restoration on a small budget that I am doing in my 2 car garage with the help of my husband.

[@n1zw]

I wish I still had my Astro Van it had a strong engine and transmission I never had any major issues besides replacing the rear brake lines, radiator, and alternator. Other than those it great for years. This Van is very popular and for good reasons. Good luck and God bless.

[@astrovanboss]

Yes! Love these vans so much! Same as me. Never had major issues. Still using original main parts. I am very close to getting my restored van running. I have the tank installed and I will have a new video of that process up very soon. Thank you very much for your comment and kind words☺

[@n1zw]

@@astrovanboss Believe me if I could find a nice one I would get it. I can't remember the exact year mine was but It was not the all-wheel drive and was the fuel-injected model under the intake manifold. It is where you find the fuel injection system and most people refer to the part as a spider because it looks like spider legs. It was an easy job repairing because you can access everything from inside. Good lunch with you Van I know how good these Vans are worth it.

[@helitoursla8152]

Awesome! Thank you :)

[@reynoldpetersen3280]

A very handy lady.

[@delmontindustriesltd7501]

Love the video! My dad and I were going to sell our old 94 Astro but after hearing it fire up on starting fluid it brought back so many memories that we decided to keep it. I am going to start restoring it in the spring. First thing is the fuel pump. This video in particular is helpful as I have also never dropped the tank before. I look forward to seeing the progress! -Nick.

[@astrovanboss]

That is so awesome to hear! Yeah, there is something about an old 4.3 engine rumbling away that hits me in the feels. I also have a 94 which I use as my daily driver till my 93 is done. Then I have plans to clean up and convert my 94 to electric. And our 91 is going to get restored as well. I wish you a good journey while you restore your 94. And I would love to see your progress as you do it. Do you have Instagram? My instagram is #astrovanboss .

[@astrovanboss]

oh! incase you dont know for when you restore your 94. I use Rockauto.com for most of my parts. It is a great parts finder. And also for weather stripping, use www.steelerubber.com/

[@delmontindustriesltd7501]

I appreciate the reply. You can see a few videos on my channel of the van running several years ago. I can't wait to get her back out on the road. Thanks also for the parts referral.

[@johnalarcon5006]

Don't drop the tank just cut a access square hole through the floorboard above the fuel pump, then go to the wrecking yard and find the same van and cut out a larger peice of floorboard material and screw it down over your cut access hole , believe me it works great as I did the samething 1 month ago , use number 8 sheet metal screws 3/8 long and screw it down, you can also place a line of G E silicone caulking around the cut hole then place your new floorboard over it ans screw it down to seal any fumes or dirt from entering the vehicle

[@wilburburnside9623]

Best one on Goo tube . Well done ! Just what I was looking for .🙂

[@TheTheratfarmer]

just got my ole girl running again, been sitting for over 11 years. drop the tank, clean the tank, install an OEM fuel pump module and new fuel filter. i payed an established repair shop to do the repairs. i can do it myself, but i don't have a garage. more work to come.

[@lauributt8023]

Wow I've been watching you're videos, that's a nice year astro van 🤟👌

[@astrovanboss]

thank you! yeah I love the 1990’s to 1994 . best years in my opinion.

[@marklennox2151]

It's 5:30 am (couldn't sleep) and I stumbled on this. I love your "can do" attitude. I picked up a 2000 Astro w/141k and it struggles up steep hills. I'm thinking fuel pump and that requires dropping the tank. I would never consider doing it myself but you got me thinking maybe I can. I would put a piece of plywood on top of the jack to help prevent it from falling. 👍

[@astrovanboss]

Thank you! If your Astro is struggling up hills, it may be something else. If it has a catalytic converter, it may be plugged. Replace the fuel filter, it should be replaced every year. do a full tune up. Also check/replace the EGR valve, it controls the air/fuel mixture. If the engine is not getting enough air, the combustion will be weak. Also check all your vacuum lines and O2 censor . If you see any cracks in hoses. It will cause vacuum issues for your van which causes running issues. Start with the small easy fixes, then work your way to compression leaks, trans, torque converter.

[@marklennox2151]

@@astrovanboss Wow. That's a lot of possibilities. Thanks for your expertise. I was thinking fuel filter at first but when I was struggling up a hill I was pumping the accelerator pedal out of frustration and I heard the fuel pump scream for a second or two like it was complaining. That's the only time I've ever heard it other than priming. It gets this herky jerky motion also. It runs great on the flats. I'll change the fuel filter for starters. I didn't get any maintenance records when I bought it so other than checking the fluids I have no idea what is due. Anyhoo thanks for your generous reply.

[@astrovanboss]

this is why I like the old TBI injectors. Because I can expose the injectors and with the dog house off. I would drive my van and have my husband shine a light on the injectors and watch the fuel spray. I dont know how you would do that with the spider injectors. There usually are signs that your fuel pump isn’t working properly, like your gas gauge jumping. But I have not had that experience so not sure if it is true. Usually if your pump is failing it would happen anytime and not just hills. But if everything else is good, then open up the tank.

[@AstroVanTribe]

You'd probably like my Astro Van content 😘

[@Deucealive75]

Cool video. That van is clean underneath. You should see what we have to deal with in the rust belt. I just got done using fluid film and Blaster surface shield underneath my fairly clean 05 Astro while I had the tank out for a fuel pump to slow and prevent rust. Where I live there are no 93 Astros around. My wife says she get comments about our 05 from strangers with many asking if it's for sale. The tank removal on your 93 was similar to the 97 Safari I did some years ago. My 05 was more difficult. The 05 uses a plastic tank that's mostly protected by a steel shield. The filler tube hose is unique compared to the 97 and may be difficult to find if it would need replacing. May be a dealer part only.

[@astrovanboss]

Yeah I hate that salt that they put on the roads. Its not only hard on old vehicles but hard on the environment as well. My 94 Astro actually came from a rust belt so after Im done my 93, I have to restore my 94. Yeah I get random people telling me and my husband they love our vans. Ive had many asking if I would sell it to them... Not a chance! lol my filler tube looks to be in good condition. But I may replace it anyway. I use RockAuto.com for most of my parts. And if I cannot find the part, I will find one close to matching or make my own.

[@Deucealive75]

@@astrovanboss I looked on Rock auto a few days ago for the rubber filler tube hose in between the tank and tube and I didn't see it. When I did my 97 I just chopped it off during removal and got a section of hose from the auto parts store. The 05 is different because the tank side of the hose is larger than the tube side.

[@astrovanboss]

@@Deucealive75 Yeah I was thinking of doing the same thing. Just getting a section of hose. It really doesn't matter the shape of hose (as long as it doesn't kink), just that it is the same size and thickness. If shape is important, all you really have to do is rap the hose in wire and shape it that way. Or find a hose with a bend in it and just cut to length.

[@NancyBeaulieu]

Your girl power rocks

[@smokenbudesq]

KNOWLEDGE ROCKS NO MATTER WHO YOU THINK YOU ARE.

[@notcharles]

Put the bolts back in the holes they came out of. Then, when you go to put the tank back, they will be most handy.

Great content. Keep it up! Would you like to be KZbin friends? :)

[@dennissytsma3561]

The Kelsey-Hayes 4WAL ABS are rare to non existant. I wonder if your ABS works and assuming not if you plan to repair? The ABS is said to be lousy and not worth fixing. I tried and failed fixing mine via replacement with salvage yard unit that failed within days of swapping it out. And the rear brakes are I think 8 inch and some say to replace with 11 drum brakes or very expensive disk brakes. Some say the vans are unsafe in front end crash tests. Please talk about your plans in your VLOGS. very nice so far. I suggest some air tools on your christmas list to speed up the work.

[@astrovanboss]

My ABS did start to fail a few years before I decided to restore the van. I have yet to look into it. But I will say that when the ABS was working, it saved me a bunch of times. Of course it works best if you are not going to fast. Because if you are speeding and you slam on your brakes. The laws of physics will not care that you want to steer on ice. Gravity will win every time. And as for saying theys vans are bad in crashes, I say its fales. every accident is unique. I have heard people say they got hit head on with a semi truck and the engine was still running after. Or that if it wasnt for the Astro, they would have died. These vans are tanks. I feel way more safer driving them then any other vehicle I have been in. I don’t remember size of my brakes, when I work on them, I will do a video about them. Also I have air tools, and impact guns. But I am old school, I like the quite and it was late at night when I was doing this. Thank you for your comments and questions.

[@notcharles]

cut the music mama!

[@TheTheratfarmer]

meticulas. ever thought about military? you have to be quick and decisive. no? ok.

[@astrovanboss]

Thought about it when I was younger to get free flying lessons. But dont like guns.

[@johnalarcon5006]

This is too much work just cut a hole in the floor board , I did just that to change out my fuel pump, then I went to the wecking yard and cut out the same floor board stampings and made a removal cover incase the fuel pump goes out again

[@astrovanboss]

With the number of times your fuel pump will dye, its not worth cutting a hole in the body in my eyes. In the 28 years and 340,000miles of having this van. The fuel pump has died once... Plus I do not see dropping the tank hard at all.

[@johnalarcon5006]

@@astrovanboss well I had 2 pumps go out so I went ahead and cut out the floor board and no I didn't use cheap fuel pumps either, but I actually went to the junkyard and cut out a peice from another astro so it would perfectly fit over the hole then screwed it down with #10 sheet metal screws 3/8 long as to not drill into my fuel tank , astro van fuel pumps are notorious for going out , consider yourself lucky!!!!!!!

[@johnalarcon5006]

@@astrovanboss Also before I did this work I asked a mechanic how much would he charge me to drop the tank and replace the fuel pump and reassemble everything, parts and labor 1100.00 that's a California price too!!!!!

[@astrovanboss]

​@@johnalarcon5006 I dont think its luck, we have owned 9 Astros in total, currently have 4. My husband also has Astro van fever so between the 2 of us It will be 3 times out of 9 Astro's in over 30 years (because he is older then me). It may have something to do with the fuel as I herd some countries have bad fuel that eats fuel pumps.?? But yeah, if it makes your life easier, then all for it. But we dont need too.

[@astrovanboss]

Ah! I see! You have a mechanic. So its more cost effective for you, I get it. We do all our mechanic work so we save a tune of money.

[@waleadabuawah2575]

Why disappeared for a whole year

[@astrovanboss]

Yes, sorry about that. Have been very busy working under the van grinding every nook and cranny of the vans underbelly. Very time consuming. Also had some house renovations that took 3 months. But I do have some update videos to post, though they are short. I apologize, I love working on my vans so much, I forget half the time to film.

[@astrovanboss]

also I figured no-one would be interested in watching hours apon hours of just grinding and painting. But if Im wrong about that, let me know. I can video that.