starting issues 1987 Dodge B250

[Kaylee]

I'm assuming it's a rebuild. It was $90.28 plus tax.
They didn't mention warranty.
By that point, I was in GTM ( == Grit-Teeth Mode).

Was thinking they would be my "usual" shop, but not after this.
Will contact the shop that fixed my Timing, and ask for a quote to give the van a thorough look over.
Any thoughts on how much that "should" cost?
To pay for that, I'm going to bite the bullet and make a "premature" withdrawal from one of my locked in retirement accounts. There's a financial penalty, but it's too stressful waiting on other money I'm due (should have been here 2+ months ago).

Only good thing about the timing of this latest mini-breakdown is that I had just completed work on a real-time server security tool, and being stranded with free wifi meant I got to check its data every few hours, plus do a bunch of extra testing of a new data repository.
That gave me much more confidence, given that it helps a few hundred thousand people.
I'll be able to sleep easy this week.

P.S. DANG it - the grillers are at it again! The awesome aroma of meat just struck me!
Will definitely try grilling fake-hot-dogs, this week.
Deep in The real Forest, nobody grills.

 

[highdesertranger]

I wouldn't have just anybody do a checkup only somebody that you really trust. it's very easy for the checkup people to be shall we say, less than honest. meaning at best you just wasted your money, at worse you will be replace good parts with junk. shops that are real dishonest will pull something like saying your vehicle is unsafe to drive and they can not release it to you unless you have X amount of repairs done. highdesertranger

 

[Doubleone]

The starter electrical connection to ground is through that bolt. That loose bolt might have contributed to the demise of the old starter... With rebuilt engines I'd also recheck the battery to engine ground cables as they sometimes forget to reconnect those.

 

[Elbear1]

$400 with a tow hurts but isnt terrible. If it was a new starter that can be about 1/4 and you know how much tows cost. Shouldve been an hour labor at most. At least its fixed. Relieved for you.

As perspective if you couldve got a new starter mailed to you and changed it yourself it wouldve been $50-75

 

[Qxxx]

"Will contact the shop that fixed my Timing, and ask for a quote to give the van a thorough look over. Any thoughts on how much that "should" cost?"

Kaylee Serenity. I have no idea which state you're in but if in the west, it might be helpful to try and hookup with one of the caravans or some other people (ie old timers with knowledge of older vehicles) who visit this forum. In the winter, it would be easy to find them down around Quartzsite. I'm sure they would help you do a lot of "routine maintenance" for just the price of parts, and might have some of the old time engine tools, like dwell meter, timing light, cylinder compression checker.

Depending on how long it's been, there are a lot of things that could probably use changing out ala routine maintenance, just on the basis of age, eg, spark plugs and wires, EGR valve, gas filter, various engine hoses (you definitely need to survey these), the engine belt driving water pump and alternator.

I figure that, any time I go into a shop, it's gonna cost me a "minimum" of $400, even for simple stuff, so don't feel too bad. Different shops are different. Where I take my SUV, they'll not charge for diagnostics, if they replace something, but another "independent" shop nearby charges $120 extra for diagnostics, no matter what. I don't go there anymore. Many charges are simply base minimum charges, even if it takes only 2 minutes to diagnose a problem.

 

[Kaylee]

Thanks y'all!
I do have to head South-ish in late fall, so if there's anybody reading this who's a Dodge repair Geek and would like to help out, please PM or post.

Update:
Something felt "off" when I was working in the van after the repair.
Finally figured it out next morning: my fan/vent cover is gone.
It must have happened at the shop.
Real observant of them.

Just got back to town, and will email them.
One more frustration to deal with!

 

[Qxxx]

Missing parts after going to the shop ... oof! Car repair is always a darn crap shoot.

Kaylee, in case you are not familiar with it, there will be a van build in Parker AZ in november, 3 months time. A lot of volunteer work, mostly on builds, but there will certainly be people happy to help out with maintenance issues too. The following guy is the organizer.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_W_E5SFCxwpSOaqMjOOBTg/videos

After that will be RTR and the caravans with helpful people. People will start gathering around Quartzsite as winter approaches.

 

[Kaylee]

Got an email reply saying they can't find it, and denying they had anything to do with it.
I had parked overnight in their lot, and know it was there in the morning.
After the repair, I parked behind their building, to use their wifi, and something was definitely different, lightwise, but I was so upset by the overbilling that I didn't think to inspect the roof.
There's only one place it could have disappeared.

Qxxx:
Thanks for the suggestion, and yes I've heard of Jamie's van build.

I'm TBI, so I'm very sensitive to Noise, and from what I've heard, it wouldn't be a good place for me.
For next winter, I definitely do have to head South. I'm the gal who got stranded in far northern WI with a dead/seized engine in January of this year.

I plan to avoid all rowdy/noisy/congested wintering areas, and, until I'm solvent, have to minimize my travel distance.
I had budgeted for $2000/year for repairs, and so far it's been $6400 (eek!), plus I had a very unexpected 3k$ fraud charge on my credit card (Wells Fargo so unlikely to be reversed), so I'm running on fumes.

I'm hoping there's somewhere/somebody near the middle of the country who could help.

P.S. It could be worse.
The worst of summer is mostly over, and last week had some great van-dwellling weather, with more to come.
Also, it rained hard the day after I realized the cover was gone, so I now know that the ceiling vent is storm proof. That was a huge relief!

 

[Qxxx]

In case you get to AZ....

The van builds have a reputation for night time partying, but that's mainly next to jamie's bus from what I understand, karaoke and crates of beer cans. But you're probably ok parking away from 'centerville'. A couple of hundred people attend, so it's not nearly as mobbed as RTR, and they'll be spread out. I know people who stayed on the periphery and just worked on their rigs and got to know their neighbors. Van build people are spread out down the way,



Then the caravans of course will only have 50-75 people and a few knowledgeable on auto work. I camped near one caravan last february and it didn't look so mobbed. 


Head south before the engine freezes this time,

 

[Kaylee]

This week, since I have to be in towns for net access, I'm doing a bunch of Errands, including... my first ever van oil change!!!

Am planning to go to the only shop (of 4 emergency repair shops) that fixed the problem (without creating other problems) & treated me respectfully.

What's a normal range of costs for an oil change at a real shop on a big old van (i.e. 1987 Dodge B250)?
Thanks in advance.


P.S. The last shop totally blew me off about the vent cover. Grrr!Argh!
P.P.S. Qxxx: I was headed South when the engine died. But yeah, I hear ya!
P.P.P.S. Town with Good Shop also has an Aldi & Walmart... will be my first since early May. Will be doing a very frugal stock up focused on all the stuff that's expensive Up North.
There's also a Taco Bell. I will indulge from the Value menu.

 

[Kaylee]

Right at this moment, I'm in that awesome shop.
When I spoke with them early this week, they had remembered me.

They did the oil change and inspection.
I had explained I wanted a more thorough inspection, and was concerned about what would break next (i.e. Fix It Now, BEFORE it's a Tow-only Emergency).
They gave me a report including pictures, with items circled & arrows.
It was also color coded to reflect urgency.
All the stuff matched the most reliable advice I've received from several of you & VD folks.

They're currently replacing the universal joints.
I've asked them to send the exact verbage, so I can post that here.
I'm feeling much better & safer about the upcoming Trek Southwards!

P.S. I also asked if they could show me the "trick" to removing the coolant reservoir cap, which they did.
Ah! It's a full-turn before prying off! I was hitting some resistance half-way, and ass-uming that was the pry off point.
Good shops want to help people, and the mechanic was both patient & happy to help me.

 

[Qxxx]

Universal joints on driveshaft going from transmission to rear differential. I assume that van has the type of universal joints that need periodic greasing, usually done when they do oil changes every 3,000 miles. There should be little grease-nypples on the joints. This shows what the driveshaft grease fittings look like.

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/maintenance-detailing/220638-greasing-driveshaft-4th-gen.html

"my first ever van oil change!!!".

Duh, everything underside needs to be greased. Also, the grease fittings on the steering knuckles. Plus I imagine the front wheel bearings also need regreasing, and maybe need to be changed out. On older vans you take the wheels off, and pull the casings apart, and should have bearings inside and outside. It's about a 20-minute job.

https://www.autozone.com/repairguid...uspension/Wheel-Bearings/_/P-0996b43f802e34d2

IOW, all those gizmos that move a lot need either oil or grease periodically.

 

[highdesertranger]

what brand U-Joint are they putting in. top of the line are Timkin or Dana. putting cheap U-Joints in is a sacrilege seeing how good ones are like under 20 bucks in fact for a Dana from RockAuto is 15.63 whereas a el cheapo is 3.43. this is one way to tell how good a shop is ask them what brand U-Joint are they going to install and how much it is, then check. highdesertranger

 

[Kaylee]

HDR: The invoice doesn't say.
The "Description" column says "U-JOINT".
The "Reference" column says "UJ246".
The unit price was $44.19 each.

Thanks everyone!


Edit To Add:
I just googled:
UJ246 universal joint

and it sounds like that's made by "SKF".
Which means nothing to me, but probably something to many of you.

 

[B and C]

Searching the part number, SKF comes up as the MFG.

 

[Elbear1]

Did the thing clunk real hard when you put it in gear?

 

[highdesertranger]

it's also a Moog/Precision part number. but that's common in the parts industry.

always ask for brand names of parts used. then look that part up. see where it was made and what it actually cost. shops need to make money so they have to charge more then what you can get the part for. but how much more? it's good to know.

also there is a world of difference in the quality of parts, some parts are flat out junk, some parts I would never put on my vehicle. if anybody has a question on the quality of a part ask here.

highdesertranger

 

[Qxxx]

Are those new u-joints sealed, so don't have to be greased regularly? I didn't see a grease fitting in the pictures. I know that front wheel bearings on newer vehicles tend to be sealed and never need greasing, but not so on older vehicles.

 

[Kaylee]

Asked @shop, counter folks were deer-in-headlights, grunted something about "NAPA parts" (it's a NAPA certified shop).
She did say they're the greaseable kind, and thus better since they're serviceable.
Only did a bit of shifting so far today (was mostly highway driving), and it felt noticeably smoother.

Thanks for the continuing useful info guys!

Just got off the highway, and have some Work stuff to do, then probably won't have net access for a few days. Will definitely be back for the big 9/18 cyber attack anniversary.

 

[Extra Terrific]

I would check the ignition actuator rod. Easy fix.
https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-steering-column-actuator