Camino LS6

I think not. It is ominous in my view.

The Patriot Act was the start of all of this nonsense. I'm all for repealing it.

Everything seems good now with the new belt. But, I think you guys may be on to something with the belt size issue. NAPA lists six different belts for a '95 Tahoe - I could have gotten the wrong one last year (especially if I did get it from Pep Boys). As for the van, I imagine that changing the belt on it is a real PITA - but I seem to be a glutton for punishment, so drag away! The next go round for the Tahoe will be the power steering pump - it promises to be a real hassle. Then, it will be the sway bar end links, tuneup, oil/filter change, lube, air and fuel filters, and inspection. I may have the shop rebuild the door hinges - too much of a hassle to do without a second guy.

The belt was unreadable - it must have been a Pep Boys cheapie. I thought that I got it at NAPA, but perhaps not. The thing was very brittle and the flat side was almost polished - looking.

I'm sure you're right about that, but this is the first one I've ever learned of. Do you have other examples?

Except that I did replace the belt - it went bad in a year. The strangest part is that I had no other ill-effects from it. No charging problems, no overheating, no sluggish steering, no belt squealing. I guess it is a quirk of serpentine belts - one I will remember.

As I said... interesting. As is the fact that Iran is claiming the cables to be fake, and that they have good relations with their neighbors. I find it all a bit fascinating.

Ignoring the debate about this for a minute, who else finds it interesting to know just how many Muslim countries want the US to bomb Iran?

Just the last few posts demonstrate 10 times the logical thinking than 'ol Janet and the TSA crew have ever managed. That broad is climbing my $h!list quickly.

Something like that, Ocn. The car was just so... disconnected from the road. I usually don't get such an instant bad vibe from a car - even a FWD. This thing just felt all wrong from the moment I got in and twisted the key.

That truck is very cool - what a nice package to have been put together in '57. It's so Real World - not the usual way that 50's showcars were done. I like it quite a bit.

...and YUCK! What a floaty boat! Twitchy front drive too - instant turn-off of a car.

Yup, quite rare. If my Jag was one of these, it might have gotten finished by now. I like 'em. EDIT: I think those are XJR wheels.

Nice! I've always liked the Magnum.

Well, it wasn't the water pump... but I have heat! My one-year-old serpentine belt was the culprit. As I was replacing the water pump I discovered that the belt was dry-rotted, cracked, and starting to split lengthwise along one of its grooves. Before anyone doubts this being the source of my troubles, hear me out. I took off the old water pump and decided to take off the back plate to see if the theory that the impeller was rotted away held up. Nope, the impeller was a bit rusty but fully intact and the pump spun easily without any play. The pump wasn't expensive, so I don't mind all that much that I've replaced it - but it wasn't the culprit. I didn't notice the condition of the belt until I went to re-install it, at that point the new pump was already in place. So, I borrowed a car and went to get a new belt. Upon installing the new belt, I noted that the tensioner was in a dramatically different place than it had been with the old belt. Obviously, the belt had been slipping on the water pump pulley enough that the flow was not sufficient to drive coolant through the heater core in its installed position. So the theory that the pump wasn't pushing enough coolant was correct - just not for the reason we all thought. I never suspected the belt as it was replaced when I first got the Tahoe - but it was completely shot. Who knew? Took a good look at the power steering pump and decided that replacing it was a job for another day. Looks to be a giant hassle of a job. Had I started, I would have been there until midnight.

Time to get back to this - tired of having a frosty Tahoe.

You can correct your speedometer by getting a new speedo gear for the trans.

That gap is due to the position the truck is in - it isn't normally quite so dramatic. But it is large to allow for lots of suspension travel.

Your trans is probably just fine. It leaks because it sits so much. A 3.73 isn't really all that radical and I would have no fears of hurting the trans by driving it at highway speeds for any distance. That said: - fuel economy will be awful - the drone of the engine at highway speeds could get very old as the RPMs will be rather high. As for your options: The best bet for a swap would be an overdrive auto - driveability and mileage will both improve dramatically. It would also be less costly than a manual conversion. If it were mine, I would probably go with an auto because the car was born with one. But it would be tempting to go with a manual since some of the hardware to do it is already present. If that's the route you follow, I'd go for a six speed/OD manual - it would make all of the work worth the effort as you would add driveability, economy, and fun all at once that would equal or better an OD auto. From a value standpoint, the right answer is to simply repair the leaky seal in your current trans and remove the manual-related pieces. So, you first need to decide what exactly it is that you want from the car.

*chuckles* I always found these to be easy to drive and park. The choppy ride comes with the territory - but disappears when loaded. The price, however, is beyond the pale.

Respect the beast, and it will be good to you. If you have anything heavy to move or tow, use this truck to do it - that's where it will really shine.

No, no 4WD. Just use as light a touch as you can manage on the pedal, and be patient. The diesel responds a shade slower than a gas engine - you'll get a feel for it as you drive the truck. Just a tap will get you rolling. When you get the chance, engage the engine braking on one of those Pittsburgh hills, keep your foot off of the brake, and prepare to be amazed. That system is one of this truck's best features.

You know that long pedal on the right? In gravel or other low-traction surfaces, you only want to breathe on it. The Duramax makes so much torque at idle that anything above a tap on the pedal will induce tirespin. On my '05 I would literally just give the pedal a slight tap and take my foot away immediately letting the truck idle its way into its initial takeoff roll. Reverse is even more dramatic. I can't tell you how many times I chirped the tires when backing up before I got a feel for the torque. That engine is flat-out amazing.

yeah,yeah

I freaking love this! And hey, I'm doing my part.