People say vans are hard to work on but they're really not. That's not a lot of work to remove the cover then you have much better engine access than you do in a pickup for the most part. Thanks for the video, very helpful as I just bought a 2003 Express that needs some minor work.
I just bought a 2008 Express Van and needed to remove the knee panel on the driver's side. I viewed other RU-vid videos and found I had only to remove 2 screws at the bottom of the cover. With the screws removed, I had a heck of a time trying to remove the panel to keep from breaking it. It wasn't until I viewed your video I felt confident enough to pry loose the panel based on your video demonstration. I haven't had to access the engine compartment yet, but I know now what I am in for after viewing your video. You leave nothing to chance. "Great Video"
If I would have known it took this much to "pop the hood", I would have reconsidered chevy vans, but the access after pulling it is EXCELLENT. Now, to find a way to install a double sliding rail for the passengers seat so it will slide back further and not need to be removed...
On my 96 what i do is i take off the "glove compartment" off the dog house. this way i dont need to remove the seat. the dog cover usually comes off an angle and rubs a little on the seat but it will come out granted u take off the storage bin.
Thanks, nice and clear, I appreciate your help. It's the little things like taking the engine cover off, that have kept me from replacing my faulty water temperature sensor.
i was looking for a video on how to clean the engine and found this. wow that was a lot of removal. THANK YOU FOR FILMING HOW TO DO IT .. i am sure i will need to know how to do this in the future. great video!
you make it looks so easy. My work van has the full rubber floor mat, from front to back, and it is a single piece, and means is screwed down under the trim and everything, which means either cut around the service panel, or take out around 15 other pieces.
This WAS useful even though my 3500 doesn't have such latches. I can firmly decide (especially with the needed removal of the passenger seat) that I do not have the ability to work on this thing, at all.
My 2001, Chevy express conversion van, 1500, is totally different, yours must be a newer, year, mine has 2 engine covers, no latches, and the second one is held in by a spring loaded, seat belt, looking, straps, I don't understand, the redundancy, thank you for sharing this video!
it's a simple 85 step process .......idiot car designers , could have figured out much easier ways to remove all the covers . And imagine what happens with a hot engine so close to the floor carpeting can do ....Not worth looking at these prehistoric vans . Will wait for the electric versions , hopefully they will be much simpler to deal with .
I have a 2003 GMC Savanna. Hit an elk, the motor is great, & I would love to restore her. My 1st van & all. Any advice? I am being told I will need to go search the junkyards for a front clip.
hi Mighty … I have a 2000 chevy Express 3500 , mine has no latches... it has stretch cords with hooks , I could not seem to get mine out of position …. I did remove 4 bolts at the upper and lower corners , am I missing something >>?????
excellent video you are mithey all other previous videos had me removing the glove box from the doghouse. you proved that unnessaary extra work. now I know why all those glove boxs little plastic tabs are broken on most of these vans. BTW what van do you have must be top end w/ leather steering wheel and heated seats I had to add that stuff.again great video.
I wish I had all that woodgrain and upgraded interior stuff for my bus, would be slick. Thanks for the vid, couldn't find those 2 latches underneath, the engineer who did that should be beaten hourly lol
I have a metal divider behind the seats. I could not believe I had to completely take the passenger seat out of the truck in order to take the cover out. Absolutely ridiculous !!!
What an incredibly poor design and a pain to remove and replace ...what were those engineers thinking ?....also , a lot of things can break when the panels are popped out to expose the engine bay . Thanks but no thanks. Will look at other vans to purchase instead of this dinosaur .
That's interesting that you get at the engine from inside the cab, I wouldn't have thought that. Would you know how you'd do an engine swap for something like that, would the engine have to be dropped down from inside?
I am pretty sure the engine would come out of the front of the van. You’d have to remove the front clip and everything else on the front and slide it forward.
@@rydstallion75 he is right the engine would have to come off from the front end. the grille is easy to remove with headlights. the radiator support has some rivets that would need to be drilled out. overly not too complicated but some people like actually pulling the chassis off the body. lot of people say its easier and at the same time u can service the chassis while the body is off. this is especially true if the van is over 12 years old. i have a 96 and want to take off the body off the chassis one day to refresh everything. love these vans. mines has 215,000 miles and still beating.
96-2002 came with either 5.0 or 5.7L engine then they went with the LS engine family after 2002. good vans. the Fords are nice for heavy duty stuff but I ve never been a fan of their modular V8s as they are just harder to work on. My friend has a 98 econoline and I have a 96 and its easier and cheaper to tune up my van Vs his. I like both but prefer the chevy.
Why I own a Chevy and hate chevy engineering. They always design something that should be simple, too complex. The old chevy vans, you unclipped four clips and pulled out the dog house. Nothing else to do.
