Shop manual
Shop manual
I need to get a shop maual for my new ride, 04 Astro AWD. Any suggestions on the best one or combinaton of two?
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- I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
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Re: Shop manual
If you can afford it, get a factory service manual. They are quite a bit more expensive than a basic Chiltons or Haynes but have much more detailed info. I have a 3 volume set for my old 98 and it has everything from wiring schematics to engine/trans rebuilding instructions.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Mileage spreadsheet
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Mileage spreadsheet
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
Re: Shop manual
Yep, I agree with Dean above. Get the factory manual set--it's got everything you need inside it.
Rob Shaver
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
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Re: Shop manual
Check out Ebay. I got my FSM (two volumns) for $28.00. Had to pay a little extra for the Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer case volumn.
1996 Safari SLX Hotair balloon transport vehicle
Re: Shop manual
And, short of that, my Haynes manual has served me very well.
'89 Astro, 4.3L, TBI. Minor intake and exhaust mods. Rebuilt 700R4 trans (by me). Corvette servo, 0.5" boost valve, police grade 1-2 accumulator spring (shifts fast and solid). B&M stacked plate trans cooler. Bilstein shocks. Belltech sway bars front and back. New head unit, speakers and subwoofer. Needs paint and a new headliner.
name's Steve
I can't remember all I've forgotten about that....
name's Steve
I can't remember all I've forgotten about that....
Re: Shop manual
In retrospect, I should have ask what level of information was needed. I think a Haynes could be all that is needed according to what a person wants to do with his/her van. For me, though, the factory service manuals are the only way to go.kings-x59 wrote:And, short of that, my Haynes manual has served me very well.
Rob Shaver
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
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- I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
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Re: Shop manual
I have both the Haynes and the FSM, altho the FSM contains more info they do not contain photos ( only diagrams, and not the best either ) so if you're the type that needs to look at a photo, then grab a Haynes while you are looking online to find a cheap set of FSM, if you are really thinking of doing all you're own work then having both is the way to go.
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- I finally get the smurf thing
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Re: Shop manual
Factory service manual for your year, from helminc.com It will be the best $135 you've ever spent on tools. The price is steep, but think of it like this. The Haynes or Chiltons is like 150 pages. But the shop manual (factory service manual) for your year is like 1500 pages--page for page, you're paying less...
Previous Vans: 1998 Astro, AWD, 138K mi; traded on 2003 Chevy Astro, AWD, 125K mi; traded on
2009 Chevy Silverado 1500 WT, 4x4, ext, long box
2007 Chevy Cobalt
1998 Maza MPV (180K mi and in need of PA inspection--only paid $500!)
Needed: a Gen 2 Astro project vehicle...
Re: Shop manual
OR.... you can always come here....the accumulated knowledge and experience of the members fills in all the gaps imho
'89 Astro, 4.3L, TBI. Minor intake and exhaust mods. Rebuilt 700R4 trans (by me). Corvette servo, 0.5" boost valve, police grade 1-2 accumulator spring (shifts fast and solid). B&M stacked plate trans cooler. Bilstein shocks. Belltech sway bars front and back. New head unit, speakers and subwoofer. Needs paint and a new headliner.
name's Steve
I can't remember all I've forgotten about that....
name's Steve
I can't remember all I've forgotten about that....
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Re: Shop manual
Amen to that!! You guys have saved my butt too many times to count!!!!kings-x59 wrote:OR.... you can always come here....the accumulated knowledge and experience of the members fills in all the gaps imho
90 Safari XT Hi Top
Lead guitarist for The Jericho Effect
Click the link to bang that head! http://www.ilike.com/artist/Trybe13
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- I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
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Re: Shop manual
Amen x 2 brothertrybe13 wrote:Amen to that!! You guys have saved my butt too many times to count!!!!kings-x59 wrote:OR.... you can always come here....the accumulated knowledge and experience of the members fills in all the gaps imho
Re: Shop manual
You know, I haven't even looked at my Haynes manual since I got the factory set-- it's obvious that I don't need it and that it's just occupying bookshelf space. So, does anyone want a lightly used Haynes manual that covers 1985-1998 Astro/Safaris? If so, drop me a PM with your address. No charge. I'll mail it to the first PM I get. Might take me a little bit of time to get it in the mail, though. It'll be good to get this book to someone who needs it.
Rob Shaver
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
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Re: Shop manual
You can also get manuals at your library and photocopy any parts you need. Some libraries will even let you access them from your home computer.
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Re: Shop manual
Thanks, @PhyllisRYeager, for the hyperlink. OnlyPDFManuals.com covers user Manuals for both brands of the 1999-2005 General Motors M-Body mid-van; don't have to extrapolate much to cover my 1997 M11006. Hopefully the Shop Manual covers the engine side of the steering column: My M11006 has a steering-fluid leak at the 'box and I've replaced that last hose, ruling out bad seals for the hoses; suspect therefore a bad wormshaft seal, but don't know how to pull the secondary-shaft cover (which bridges the gap betwixt the column and the 'box) to get at the top of the wormshaft.
1997 GMC M11006 (Safari SLE, 2WD, V6-4300/4L60-E/7.625" 3.73:1 open)
Acquired Jul 2018 / In service Sep 2018 - Nov 2022 / down due leaky valve(s) #5 cyl.
Acquired Jul 2018 / In service Sep 2018 - Nov 2022 / down due leaky valve(s) #5 cyl.
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- I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
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