Climate Control Hell
Following Churchill's advice
Well, I finally made it all the way through Climate Control Hell after realizing that I was halfway through. In case you're wondering, the vent selector was not working properly. They are controlled/powered through the vacuum of the engine's intake manifold. It was a hard problem to source due to a number of factors. Being that I've never experienced this problem before, the sourcing of a vacuum leak can be difficult, and it was hard to find a proper diagram of the engine's vacuum hoses, I'd say that I'm doing okay with it.
I tried a number of things to help in this regard, including the purchasing of:
- Purchasing a new vacuum reservoir ball.
- a 3-way check valve that was missing.
- a new vacuum selector that was part of the climate control selector.
- various vacuum hoses
- a Chilton's book for the van
- a Chevy service manual for the van (online).
I initially had tried the new vacuum hoses, reservoir, check valve, and the new selector component, but these did not solve the problem. It turns out that I was led astray by the previous owner's misrouting of one of the hoses; hooking it into the gray-colored bi-level actuator line. I surmise that the previous owner also had this problem and tried to make it work, but could not do so.
To make a long story short, after consulting the Chevy service manual, which had a proper hose diagram for the vacuum controls, I discovered that the source was supposed to be coming from a beige (cream) line which extended directly from the vent selector mechanism and through the cowl/firewall. It turns out that this line was either cut or broken off under the hood. I couldn't see it previously because it was hidden behind the window washer reservoir. After hooking up a new line to the cut one, it worked perfectly. I'm so thankful that it turned out to be a simple fix once it was identified.
Solar Update
For usability, I have the following items hooked up to it:
As far as the performance of the system, it's been great. The Renogy package, which includes a 100-watt panel along with a PWM 12-volt 30-amp charge controller, is working well.
Regarding the panel's placement, it would have been nice if I could have put the entry hole underneath the panel, but it didn't turn out that way. In order to have more surface area for another 100-watt panel, but the clearance did not allow the panel brackets to lay flush and caused the panel to rock back and forth. Thus, I had to move it next to the input hole. Eventually, I'll either add a new 100-watt panel or replace it with a larger panel wielding more wattage.
I decided against putting the panel in the back since I wanted to put some kind of roof rack there. I figured that it would also support the most weight in this location.
- Fantastic Fan
- USB and 12-volt outputs
- Voltage monitor
- Side lights on right-hand side (their power was previously supplied by the starter battery). Unfortunately, they still have incandescent bulbs, but I'll eventually replace them with LEDs.
- The remaining tasks for the setup to be complete is including a 30-amp fuse between the charge controller (it's a 30-amp PWM charge controller) and the battery. Based on the wattage of my panel, the manual recommends an 8-amp fuse between the controller and the panel. When I get another panel or panels having more wattage, I'll have to up the amperage of this fuse.
As far as the performance of the system, it's been great. The Renogy package, which includes a 100-watt panel along with a PWM 12-volt 30-amp charge controller, is working well.
Regarding the panel's placement, it would have been nice if I could have put the entry hole underneath the panel, but it didn't turn out that way. In order to have more surface area for another 100-watt panel, but the clearance did not allow the panel brackets to lay flush and caused the panel to rock back and forth. Thus, I had to move it next to the input hole. Eventually, I'll either add a new 100-watt panel or replace it with a larger panel wielding more wattage.
I decided against putting the panel in the back since I wanted to put some kind of roof rack there. I figured that it would also support the most weight in this location.
The Adventures of BondoMan
Yesterday, I repaired the damage on the fiberglass top where one of the previous owners had scraped into something. It had revealed the fibers underneath in a pattern that was about the size of my palm. This is also the first time that I have ever worked with Bondo. I had seen the fiberglass repair kits where one rolls a section with a roller and special adhesive, but only after having purchased the Bondo. The canister states that it works for repairing fiberglass, so I stuck with it.
The first time that I was mixed the Bondo, it started hardening before I could fully get it applied. The second time was a charm after realizing that I applied too much hardener into the mix. After prepping the surface, I smoothed it onto the damaged area, waited about 40 minutes, and then sanded what I could with what I had available. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it perfect, but it is repaired and I won't have a leak. I'll have to wait until another time if I want a new stab at perfection, but it works for now. I was also able to scrounge some white Rustoleum 2-in-1 primer to finish it. From a distance, it looks good. I'm assuming that most people won't see it at all because of its height.
Next Steps
I haven't decided my absolute next step yet, but my goal is to have a van that is road-worthy, is livable, within my abilities, and without spending a lot of money (because I don't have any).
I wanted to create an upper shelf or cubby hole that extends along the left-hand side of the van. I want to avoid doing this with wood because of weight considerations and potential for mold formation. I'm considering using PVC Trim to do this task because of these issues. I think it's cheaper than wood, but it's lighter too and less susceptible to mold. I want to mitigate mold as much as I can without gutting the entire van and starting from scratch. Thus, I'm going to keep the carpet, the standard bench/bed combo, and the velvety walls.
Additionally, I would like to insulate the ceiling of the van to slow down the heat radiating through the top. I'm considering Thinsulate because of its R-value versus thickness seems good to me. However, I don't know how much the material costs. A radiating barrier here, from what I've read, requires a 1/2 inch gap to be effective, but I don't want to lose that much headroom. Thus, I will relegate this material to the windows instead once I can afford to purchase it. In all seriousness, I'm considering putting it in the front windows of my house which have direct sun exposure in the afternoon. My bedroom gets really hot at night, and I believe the heat from the intense sunlight in the afternoon is one of the reasons.
I am also concerned about the performance of the engine as well as the transmission. Thus far, I had performed a radiator flush, an oil change, installed a new thermostat, added lots of transmission fluid since it was very low. As I previously mentioned, I also fixed the climate control selector functionality.
In my driving, the engine performs sluggishly and the transmission does not shift well either. After the engine warms up, it loses the reverse gear. I'm hoping that the addition of the fluid will help in this regard, but I'm fearing that it is only a stop gap to having more trouble in the future. I would like to have it serviced as soon as I can get some money together. I still have to supply the engine with new plugs, cap, rotor, and wires. The engine only has 99,000 miles on it.
I'm also thinking that the doghouse is going to get hot and contribute to the van's comfort after driving it for awhile. That can either be a blessing or burden based on the season. I've seen an advertisement for a material to be applied as a panel, like Rattle Trap, which could help keep that heat from radiating into the living space. I'll have to check my Facebook activity log, but I think it's called X-Mark. I'll update when I know. Again, I don't know its cost, but the demonstration seemed nice. It also serves as a sound dampening material, which will also help with engine and road noise.
So far, I just have to get a job of some sort. I've been laid up with gout in my left foot for weeks, which I'm still experiencing. The pain is excruciating, especially if something lays on it such as a sheet. I can't even put a shoe on yet and I've had it for about a month now. I'm taking a steroid pack after a previous treatment was not entirely effective, but being pain-free is turning out to be a long process.
Starting work, once I have employment, is going to be hard since I can't wear anything other than a sandal, as well as limping, being in pain, and not being able to stand for a long time. We'll see what comes forth. Thus far, I've only had a couple of responses stating that they're not interested.
I wanted to create an upper shelf or cubby hole that extends along the left-hand side of the van. I want to avoid doing this with wood because of weight considerations and potential for mold formation. I'm considering using PVC Trim to do this task because of these issues. I think it's cheaper than wood, but it's lighter too and less susceptible to mold. I want to mitigate mold as much as I can without gutting the entire van and starting from scratch. Thus, I'm going to keep the carpet, the standard bench/bed combo, and the velvety walls.
Additionally, I would like to insulate the ceiling of the van to slow down the heat radiating through the top. I'm considering Thinsulate because of its R-value versus thickness seems good to me. However, I don't know how much the material costs. A radiating barrier here, from what I've read, requires a 1/2 inch gap to be effective, but I don't want to lose that much headroom. Thus, I will relegate this material to the windows instead once I can afford to purchase it. In all seriousness, I'm considering putting it in the front windows of my house which have direct sun exposure in the afternoon. My bedroom gets really hot at night, and I believe the heat from the intense sunlight in the afternoon is one of the reasons.
I am also concerned about the performance of the engine as well as the transmission. Thus far, I had performed a radiator flush, an oil change, installed a new thermostat, added lots of transmission fluid since it was very low. As I previously mentioned, I also fixed the climate control selector functionality.
In my driving, the engine performs sluggishly and the transmission does not shift well either. After the engine warms up, it loses the reverse gear. I'm hoping that the addition of the fluid will help in this regard, but I'm fearing that it is only a stop gap to having more trouble in the future. I would like to have it serviced as soon as I can get some money together. I still have to supply the engine with new plugs, cap, rotor, and wires. The engine only has 99,000 miles on it.
I'm also thinking that the doghouse is going to get hot and contribute to the van's comfort after driving it for awhile. That can either be a blessing or burden based on the season. I've seen an advertisement for a material to be applied as a panel, like Rattle Trap, which could help keep that heat from radiating into the living space. I'll have to check my Facebook activity log, but I think it's called X-Mark. I'll update when I know. Again, I don't know its cost, but the demonstration seemed nice. It also serves as a sound dampening material, which will also help with engine and road noise.
So far, I just have to get a job of some sort. I've been laid up with gout in my left foot for weeks, which I'm still experiencing. The pain is excruciating, especially if something lays on it such as a sheet. I can't even put a shoe on yet and I've had it for about a month now. I'm taking a steroid pack after a previous treatment was not entirely effective, but being pain-free is turning out to be a long process.
Starting work, once I have employment, is going to be hard since I can't wear anything other than a sandal, as well as limping, being in pain, and not being able to stand for a long time. We'll see what comes forth. Thus far, I've only had a couple of responses stating that they're not interested.
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