Chevy Astro Conversion Van | Squat the Planet

Chevy Astro Conversion Van

PatchTwist

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So after my Odyssey, Goldmember, bit the dust a year ago, it has been a bumpy ride. But a week ago, I finally got something a bit better suited to me. 1996 Chevy Astro Starcraft. By far, the best and most comfortable vehicle I have driven and the interior has so much potential for modifying. It also helps that it hits a nastalgic nerve with me as my mom had a gray conversion van that we would travel in when I was growing up.

As for this Chevy, does any
one have any experience with any quirks this make/model may have?
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MyWayHome

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So after my Odyssey, Goldmember, bit the dust a year ago, it has been a bumpy ride. But a week ago, I finally got something a bit better suited to me. 1996 Chevy Astro Starcraft. By far, the best and most comfortable vehicle I have driven and the interior has so much potential for modifying. It also helps that it hits a nastalgic nerve with me as my mom had a gray conversion van that we would travel in when I was growing up.

As for this Chevy, does any
one have any experience with any quirks this make/model may have?
View attachment 53507 View attachment 53508
I have a Chevy Astro passenger van, 94

What year is yours?
 

MyWayHome

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Do you know what type of miles per gallon do you get with that van?

My astro gets like 18 street 21 hwy, 27 gal tank. Not very good mileage its kinda expensive for road trips.

The cruise control doesnt work, its switch is what fires the winshield wipers lol...
 
D

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My astro gets like 18 street 21 hwy, 27 gal tank. Not very good mileage its kinda expensive for road trips.

The cruise control doesnt work, its switch is what fires the winshield wipers lol...
Thats not too too bad. I also had an Odyssey. I can't remember what type of mileage it got, but wasn't too much better.
 
D

Deleted member 26656

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My astro gets like 18 street 21 hwy, 27 gal tank. Not very good mileage its kinda expensive for road trips.

The cruise control doesnt work, its switch is what fires the winshield wipers lol...
Cruise control can generally be installed on any vehicle for around a hundred bucks.
 

PatchTwist

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So far, it looks like I'm getting around 16 mpg in the city, but I haven't done much highway driving yet. At least it has a large gas tank. As for handling, it doesn't like going up hills and doesn't have much take off, but I can drive on ice and snow like it's just a wet spring day.
 

dprogram

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My astro gets like 18 street 21 hwy, 27 gal tank. Not very good mileage its kinda expensive for road trips.

The cruise control doesnt work, its switch is what fires the winshield wipers lol...


Have you checked your fuses? Chevy's of that era seem to blow fuses easily - especially if there has been extra drain like running an inverter or a 12v - anything through your lighter outlet.
 

PukingPelican

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The parts are cheap and super easy to find in the junk yard.Just a helpful tip when traveling highway keep the gas above half a tank.I had a GMC Sonoma that got the same gas mileage as the Astro van and made it from Tampa Bay,FL to Southern IL only spending $150 and that's including nicotine,caffeine and food.
 
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PukingPelican

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The parts are cheap and super easy to find in the junk yard.Just a helpful tip when traveling highway keep the gas above half a tank.I had a GMC Sonoma that got the same gas mileage as the Astro van and made it from Tampa Bay,FL to Southern IL only spending $150 and that's including nicotine,caffeine and food.
The reason to keep it above half a tank is that once it gets halfway the float in the tank that lets you how much you have moves around more.
 

White Hawk

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They were all 4.3L two wheel drive (don't have the stance to be 4x), probably of the Vortec era. One thing to watch for is running rich (should show o2 sensor code probably) they tend to crack injection lines.
 

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