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lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 4:30 pm

my inspection mechanic got in a 04 silverado 1500 4x4 and he offered it to me for $3500
it's got some rust but frame and suspension look ok, i'll check it out better when I stop by his shop wit something to lay on and a flashlight. It's got a 5.3.
what to look out for with these trucks? i have never owned a chevy. does this engine have the cylinder deactiavtion?


 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 5:01 pm

Autotrader shows truck going for about $5500-$4500.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicled ... pe=listing

Does it have that 8-6-4 engine ? I don't think so but not sure. Only an idiot would put such a system into a full sized truck..but it is chevy, so.

What to look for ? Everything of course.

https://www.cars.com/research/chevrolet-silverado ... ew-sort-by

Some reviews to read that point out some stuff to be acutely aware of.

Looks like a decent deal ... I would guess other people are dumping these low MPG vehicles...you might be able to beat $3500 private owner sales

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 5:17 pm

lincolnmania wrote:
Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 4:30 pm
does this engine have the cylinder deactiavtion?
No. That was not introduced until 2007. The 5.3 was a very reliable engine until they added that cylinder deactivation feature. The only issue I really remember with them is they liked to break exhaust manifold studs like all the Chevy V8s of that era.

I believe Freetown Fred has a 2004, he can probably think a few other known issues you should look for.

 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 5:27 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 5:17 pm


SNIP The only issue I really remember with them is they liked to break exhaust manifold studs like all the Chevy V8s of that era.
"your exhaust is making a lot of noise" "what exhaust?"

 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 5:28 pm

davidmcbeth3 wrote:
Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 5:27 pm
"your exhaust is making a lot of noise" "what exhaust?"

ask to see last emissions test results...

 
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Idlorah
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Post by Idlorah » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 5:49 pm

Linc, My dad had one of these personally I don't have anything bad to say about them except once the start rusting they go very fast. he had his for about 4 years when he got it the rockers and cab corners were bubbled by 4 years later they were completely gone and rusted off also the crossmember that holds the rear shocks rusted off his as well. rear spring hangers rusted out fast to. Mechanically he never has any issues engine and transmission always worked well just rusted out extremely fast. If the body and frame is in good shape it should be a good buy.
Isaac

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 6:39 pm

someone already put slip on rockers on this one and it's rotting thru again, the outside of the bed is beat up but the inside is rhino lined and free from rust holes so no coal would leak out. Thanks for the input i'll check the body mounts and the crossmembers and the spring hangers for rust.

I have a 1989 f-250 4x4 with a 302 and zf5 and 4.10 gears. It gets 5 mpg no matter what lol. I used two tanks of fuel when I got the cast iron radiators with the truck in 2020. Why do I keep it? the truck is not all rotted out, the floors are good and the rockers are intact and the bed is solid, I paid $800 for it in 2013. What it needs is a 351w but I got many projects that have to come before that, trying to get the house finished.

I really want a newer v6 f-150 or v6 tacoma but 2012's with 90,000 miles are going for 26 grand yet I don't want to take out a personal loan on a 10 yr old truck.


 
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Idlorah
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Post by Idlorah » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 7:14 pm

Bet that 88 will never let you down I had a 96 351 with a zf most reliable truck i've had.

 
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Post by Hootyburra » Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 7:14 pm

5.3 is a solid motor.
I beat the snot out of mine on a daily basis and it loves it.
I've put at least 1.75 tons of rice in the bed and it hauled it with no issues including steep grades, I lied the steering was really light 😂. I also tow close to 9k when I have the hoe on the tractor and it's fine, you can definitely feel the weight but aren't getting passed by any means (set your brake controller properly!) avg 8 / 14 mpg when towing / hauling.
Keep an eye out for rust in usual areas. Don't be afraid to coat the underside in fluid film or something similar, I'm not a huge fan of chevys wax coating but it works quite well.
Don't be afraid to run it through the rpms, gotta keep it happy.
As long as maintenance was kept up I wouldn't hesitate to buy it, you definitely won't have to Fix it Or Repair it Daily, it'll be a Great Machine.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Wed. Jan. 11, 2023 8:53 am

L, I've had my 04 1500 4X4 5.3 for around 8 yrs--has 115,000 mi.--have done mostly work around the farm--100 bales of hay on her, close to 2 ton coal, & much firewood--she's a workhorse!!! Check engine light came on 2 yrs. ago--been screwin around with that since---I've put $1500 in her gettin that straightened out. Cost me $5000 initially---sooo--$6500 in the old girl--biggest problem there was me buyin cheap parts--my bad!!! Sounds like a
real good deal for $3500--only thing you should check is cross transmission support & the frame in general. Also floor boards.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Wed. Jan. 11, 2023 10:56 am

lincolnmania wrote:
Tue. Jan. 10, 2023 6:39 pm
I have a 1989 f-250 4x4 with a 302 and zf5 and 4.10 gears. It gets 5 mpg no matter what lol. I used two tanks of fuel when I got the cast iron radiators with the truck in 2020. Why do I keep it? the truck is not all rotted out, the floors are good and the rockers are intact and the bed is solid, I paid $800 for it in 2013. What it needs is a 351w but I got many projects that have to come before that, trying to get the house finished.
In that case I would just keep the F250 and skip the Chevy. Maybe spend some time on that 302 and make sure it is in good tune? Fresh ignition components, check the timing, make sure there are no exhaust leaks, etc.

For what that '04 will cost you can buy about 1000 gallons of gas and skip the battle with the rust. That 5.3 is not an economy machine either, especially if towing/hauling. My dad had a Yukon with the 5.3, it averaged 12-13 mpg.

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Wed. Jan. 11, 2023 5:29 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Wed. Jan. 11, 2023 10:56 am
In that case I would just keep the F250 and skip the Chevy. Maybe spend some time on that 302 and make sure it is in good tune? Fresh ignition components, check the timing, make sure there are no exhaust leaks, etc.

For what that '04 will cost you can buy about 1000 gallons of gas and skip the battle with the rust. That 5.3 is not an economy machine either, especially if towing/hauling. My dad had a Yukon with the 5.3, it averaged 12-13 mpg.
the engine is worn out. it leaks and burns a quart of oil every 100 miles lol. I do have a 96 explorer 5.0 long block with under 100,000 tho or thought about getting a 351w roller shortblock. I passed on the chevy, No way to drive it and make sure it shifts and it's rusty. my friends 351w zf5 f-250 used to get 14 mpg towing a car and a trailer but it had 3.55's. mine has 4.10 gears. Seeing the junk for sale and what I own, going to start gathering parts.

My 86 toyota pickup passed inspection and is good to go until 1/24. I put just over 800 miles on it in a years time lol. Lowes and Home depot and the garden center are only 4 miles away! $102 every six months for insurance on the Toyota and the Ford f-250

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Wed. Jan. 11, 2023 6:14 pm

I think the Explorer 302 has GT40 heads, but uses the HO/351 firing order. That would have as much or more power as the older 351s.

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Wed. Jan. 11, 2023 9:13 pm

Rob R. wrote:
Wed. Jan. 11, 2023 6:14 pm
I think the Explorer 302 has GT40 heads, but uses the HO/351 firing order. That would have as much or more power as the older 351s.
I can run that 96 explorer 302 or put the gt40 heads on a 351, would just have to get them drilled out for the larger head bolts.

I bought this truck in 2013 for $800 because owner and his son could not get it to run right. They fired the parts cannon till they wore it out lol. they even swapped the engine from a 1988 f-150. The truck came with new fuel pumps, one new tank (i replaced the other one in 2018) and the oem tank selector part that is a couple hundred and it had new clutch (confirmed when I did the zf5 swap in 2017) new brakes and recent tires, sensors, filters, tune up parts etc. My friends and I tried to get it running better, we had the wiring harness apart thinking the misfire was the harness grounds.
no matter what we did it ran the same, really poorly!
the plan was to install this 302 explorer engine I have and run it with a 5.0 HO ecm but come up with a temp way to make it run at least better than it was.
My friend John rewired the fuel injection from batch fire to SEFI The plan is to Run the HO 5.0 firing order and a ecm from a Panther chassis car and tune it (john is pretty good at tuning, you should see his cars) Right now the truck has a 1989 Town Car ecm....that's why the fuel economy sucks bad. the town car lopo 5.0 had 14# injectors and the truck has 19# injectors.
it runs better but this engine is tired, it burns a lot of oil, but I usually only put 500 miles a yr on it, everything is close where I live. Got other projects that I wanted to get done first. now that lumber prices have finally come down I can build some storage in the shop and free up a bay to work on the f-250 motor swap rather than buying another old truck.

 
lincolnmania
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Post by lincolnmania » Thu. Mar. 09, 2023 3:45 pm

looked at a 2004 f-150 today. Looked real good in the pictures too.
2wd extra cab, 4.6 automatic, looked good till i looked at the swiss cheese inner rockers and the big plate over the ds frame rail. 227,000 miles was $4000

Looked at a 2012 F-150 4X4 extended cab. 3.5 ecotech auto, had rusty inner rockers and the paint was shot and interior smelled like a gym locker (ex roofer truck) 206,000 miles. $9000 for that one.

I cant believe these newer trucks have as much rust as my 34 and 37 yr old trucks!


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