Chevy G20 van for towing

Nissan11

Nissan11

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Location
Marston, NC
My dad has a 91 chevy G20 van with a 350 motor and 4L60 trans. Four years ago the trans was serviced and the torque converter replaced. The truck has 131k miles and leaks 1 quart of oil every 3k miles.
I am interested in taking this van from Greensboro, NC to Brawley, CA towing a trailer loaded with quads to ride at the Glamis sand dunes in Feb of 2017. I have some concerns about the van that I hope someone can help me with.
First, is that motor and trans strong and reliable enough to make this kind of trip towing a trailer? I have two choices for trailers. One is a 16ft open which will weigh about 3500 lbs loaded. The other is a 24ft enclosed featherlite which I think will be at 7000 lbs loaded. Is the enclosed trailer even an option?
Second, the rear suspension seems to be sagging a bit. Can I just add a lead to the pack or should I replace the whole packs?

Third, should I add a trans temp sensor if I try to make this trip?

Lastly, the radiator is leaking near the top from a seam. I took it to a radiator shop for repair and it started leaking shortly after. This is a HD radiator with the oversize trans fluid cooler. Where is my best bet to find a used OEM replacement just like it? I'm worried if I call a salvage yard and go to pull one out of a truck it will be the non heavy duty radiator.

Thanks!!
 
Radiators are cheap from auto parts store. If I was planning to drive it that far I would be driving it some around home this year to make sure it's solid.
 
Radiators from auto parts stores have plastic tanks, not metal like OEM. I'm pretty sure they don't come available with the oversized trans cooler either.
 
If the radiator is leaking from a seam and it has metal tanks just pull it out and solder the tanks back solid your self with a small propane torch I fixed 1 in a 1989 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup with a 6.2l diesel and 1 in a 91 or 92 dodge with a Cummins and had great very hard service out of them for many years before I sold the Chevy and the dodge still works every day that was about 6 or 8 years ago as for the tranny one can never tell it may or may not be ok to go that far the engine should make it as long as there's no strange noises and it has good oil psi and you check the oil level every time you get fuel I would go with the open trailer just because of the weight and if your a budget wise person like myself I would add a leaf or 2 to the original packs especially if you have some donar pack laying around driver around the house some check er over and hammer down :driver:just my .02
 
I don't want to repair this radiator because it keeps leaking from new places every time I get it back from the radiator shop.
I'd like to find another and cary this one as a spare.
 
I would definitely add a external tranny cooler; it will do Much more than the 1 built into the radiator. Synthetic ATF, is my choice, so if a heating problem arises, the ATF wont boil or break down. Limit your towing speed to 60, & tow in Direct gear [3]. That transmission is not designed for towing in OD. Plus OD & constant shifting, Will make it run hot. If you can add some type of "overload" spring, or shock spring, do so. You should be able to adjust your load, so the trailer is level, & tongue weight is Proper. Good Tires, at max pressure, & LTs preferred. Good Luck!
 
Brand new aluminum radiator from RockAuto is $100. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
 
It's an aluminum radiator with plastic tanks. There's nothing inherently wrong with plastic tanks. A new, plastic tank, aluminum core radiator is superior in every way to a 25 year old leaking radiator, regardless of its original construction.
 
Maybe its just me by I've had me than one plastic tank fail on me in recent years. They seem to enjoy breaking where the hoses clamp on.
 
You've got 13 months to work out the kinks and see which trailer would be better. 7k is a lot of trailer no matter what the diesel Bros tell you.

One of the best things I ever did was put air bags on my truck. Really makes a difference when towing. I don't have oba or anything fancy in the cab. Just a schrader valve in the wheel well. No idea what a kit for that van would be. It would probably be just as cost effective as getting new rear springs.

If your having radiator issues it put a new one in it and do a transmisson cooler while I was in there.

From there I'd do something every month to get her in tip top shape.

What rear end gears?
 
I'll see if it's stamped on the axle next weekend when I'm in town. It's not on the door jam.


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So a cheap, new $100 radiator should cool just as well and hold just as much coolant as the OEM?
 
OK, I'll buy a new radiator and add an auxillary trans cooler and temp sensor.

Can anyone recommend a cooler and especially a T fitting for how to attach the sensor to the line coming out of the trans without obstructing flow?
 
I would search all the parts stores for a good quality HD (3 row?) radiator.
 
drkelly said:
I would search all the parts stores for a good quality HD (3 row?) radiator.
Click to expand...
Oddly enough, all the radiators I found were single row. The only difference was in the core thickness (1" for standard duty, 1.25 or 1.5" for HD). Being that it's a van, I suspect this is reflective of a packaging issue.

I thought it was a typo at first, but they all said the same thing.
 
Someone here might can decipher the Vin#, for rear ratio. I don't have the info, but sometimes it's listed in the glove box, too.
I wouldn't be to concerned with the ratio, as you'll be towing in direct gear. Just find the "sweet spot" of rpm,& comfort level.
 
Not to sound like a smart ass but for that kind of cost to coast trip with this kind of rig, might consider investing in a good roadside assistance plan that can handle whatever might come to be. One that would deal with not only the van but the trailer and cargo as well. I carry a special one that will deal with my dually and fifth wheel camper, as regular AAA would just laugh at me when I told them what I was driving. AAA may have a special deal for something like you are needing, not sure. I use one called coach-net which covers all my crap but that's geared toward the camper crowd. Mine is only $139 and that covers my truck, trailer, utility trailers, cars, rentals, borrowed you name it and has a hotline for trouble shooting for the camper. Not quite what you need but you get the idea. If shit happens, it would be the best $100-150 you have ever spent.
 
Is riding the dunes the purpose of the trip, or just a fun offshoot?
Have you considered driving something else and renting some 4 wheelers?
 
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