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It really is comical when people don’t agree or see the reason some people prefer the older vehicles. They become condescending. All the while they may be busting their knuckles on old vehicles. I have found memories of swapping out engines in my old GM cars in a weekend without much hassle. Unlike today. One wrong move a computer will shut you down. Even on something as easy as a brake job. There’s a pretty comical YouTuber called the car wizard. A garage owner who puts it all in perspective. Another Vicegrip garage that’s shows just how tough the old stuff is.

Well....I've done my first intake gasket. Probably wrong, but...we'll see? Ultra black on the china walls and 1/4" up onto the sides of the intake gaskets. Permatex High Tack (couldn't find Gaskachinch) on the head side of the intake gasket. I read wrong and it says you're supposed to put it on the mating surface of the head, not the gasket. Hoping it's like a PB&J sandwich where it doesn't matter what side the PB goes on so long as there's jelly. That crap is messy/sticky and I got a dab or two on the intake port openings, tried to wipe it off. Hopefully it won't be a big deal and will only aid in sealing. Per instructions I left the intake (top side) of the gasket dry except for a light smear of RTV around the coolant ports. Wiggling the intake in there was a bear but I had help to free me of surrounding wiring/stuff but I was basically able to set it straight down lined up with the bolt holes. I did not think to wait until the RTV skinned over but there probably was 5-10 minutes while it sat before installing the intake. Bolts finger tight first. Then, followed the Chilton's manual pattern to snug them to 15 lb-ft. Waited a little over an hour, and then did the final torque in sequence again to 35 lb-ft. Yesterday I replaced the fuel pressure regulator and got my new "nut and bolt kit" (fuel lines) installed. Damn GM used security torx on the spider, which I don't have, so I got scammed at the local HW store for an off-brand security Torx bit set. The new driver's door mirror arrived yesterday, so, there's a chance this thing could be running and road legal tomorrow? I don't want to get my hopes up. This will be my first time stabbing a distributor, too. Although, lucky me, someone else marked the old distributor for removal previously, I did see that. (Someone's been here before!!). Engine is still at TDC so it *should* be just a matter of transferring the mark to the new dizzy and rotating it into place.

Let me know how your vehicles do in 10 years. You don't know ******, kid. There's a reason that Panther platform was used as police, fire, and taxi service for DECADES ... long before you were born, apparently.

Had a 93 with this junk system that rarely ran well even when nothing was “broken”. This was at least in the era where you could still get parts pretty easily. You have my sympathy and when you get it running, dump it ASAP.

Same here Grumpy

Although there is a "recommended" weight by those who sell trailers, my experience has been that they are way too aggressive in their information, for me at least. My '22 with 6.6 Gas, has a payload of about 3400 lbs and depending on your specs (I don't have 4WD so it has a bit higher Payload than others) yours will likely be different. Payload is one of the most important numbers for towing. Although you "could" tow the max trailer weight for your truck, I, personally, would not go close to that number. Having said that, a lot depends on how/where you will be towing. I live in the LMD of BC and often tow to Denver, Co, along interstates (flat and mountains) and I find I need to keep it in 5th (6spd) for the trip and travel at around 65mph. This is for a trailer dry weight of just under 3500lbs. If you are only doing local, short trips, it would not be that big an issue if you had a heavier unit. You will be surprised how much stuff you load the trailer with, so I would only recognize the trailers "full" GVWR weight rating, then decide on the appropriate trailer from that number. If you are worrying about how much stuff you should be putting in a trailer, you might have too large a rig from the get-go. Once again, depending on what terrain/distance in which you will be pulling. Marv

you would need to get a code reader and check what codes the ecm is generating. I would use one that can also get tcm codes.

You have zero reading comprehension, or memory, since I have said NUMEROUS times that I dumped that Silverado years ago with 134k miles on it and bought a 1st gen Cummins-powered 1993 Ram W250 with a 5-speed. I spent more time working on the Silverado than I did driving it ... so I replaced it with something that's now 33 model years old that can actually get the job done without breaking! Sure, I can't speed like I could with the Silverado, but now I can enjoy my weekends rather than spending the entire 2 days underneath a modern pile of dog ****. Yeah, the Marquis is no good ... but it has taken my wife and myself back and forth to work nearly 70 miles PER DAY for TWENTY-THREE YEARS. Still running the ORIGINAL in-tank electric fuel pump after 40 years and over 312K miles! Your definition of "quality" is skewed ... I'm starting to realize you might just be mentally disabled. Sorry for picking on you in that case. https://postimg.cc/mzKr55sY https://postimg.cc/jD9d51W5 https://postimg.cc/gallery/8pZjHjN

Get her the Ram 1500 REV. The All-New Ram 1500 REV delivers innovative performance with a liquid-cooled 92-kilowatt-hour battery pack paired with a 130-kilowatt generator. https://www.ramtrucks.com/electric/1500-rev.html

I’m definitely going to follow this thread. Very entertaining.

You refuse to own anything made in this century yet you reportedly own... a 2007 Silverado, which is now almost 20 years old. The dissonance.... turn up your hearing aid? You clearly don't understand the government contracting process, brother. We send people to die on front lines, keep the public safe, and make people's husbands, wives, children enter burning buildings with equipment from .....wait for it..... ...the lowest bidder.... Just because something is used for a long time doesn't mean it's good. But it might be cheap and plentiful. Please, continue to whine about new trucks in a thread dedicated to new trucks, which you've said you'll never own. We get it. Go tell everyone how you're stuck in time on a Panther forum. I mean, Jesus, an 86 isn't even one of the good Panthers.

Gasgacinch, James Gaskets. Good stuff. High tac to help hold the gasket in place while assembling parts. Fills minor surface imperfections. Slightly elastic. Gasoline / coolant / oil proof. Very handy stuff. Nothing like RTV.

Correct. Read the directions on any chemical sealer you use, lots of RTV says to let it skin over BEFORE assembly. The more humid it is the faster it cures, I think the RIGHT STUFF can be assembled wet

Because that is IDIOTIC, much like this question. They've already been forced to do it by past administrations - why would you roll that back when it's a GOOD thing? WHO IS ARGUING FOR LOWER MILEAGE???? NOBODY IS!! I'm certainly not! What I want is RELIABLE vehicles again that are worth the price paid! I don't get your logic here ... In 2003 I paid $2,200 for our '86 Grand Marquis. It's STILL running and I've never been inside the engine, aside for the timing cover since it was leaking, so I threw a new timing set in since that makes sense. Transmission is ORIGINAL. Electric pump in the gas tank is ORIGINAL. Rear end is ORIGINAL. I'd have to hit my head REAL hard to want to pay $60k or more for a car that still can't come close to the comfort, seating and storage space, or reliability of this one. Nothing is even in the ball park! Hundreds of thousands of brands and models have been built and sent to the crusher while this one keeps on going! https://postimg.cc/Z9XRrCSg I've got a whole fleet of cars, motorcycles, and a truck close to this age for summer and winter. No one could pay me enough to buy anything built this century. I have zero use for any it.

Since I'm the one who has to fix them when they break, I'll take vehicles over 30 years old all day, EVERY day, over ANY modern crap. Have you attempted any repairs on anything built after 2006? It's a friggin nightmare, and gets worse the newer the model year. If I had the will or desire, I can make any car of any age outside of a Model T (I don't have THAT much will ...) just as powerful, comfortable, and have all the tech the new stuff does, and get pretty close in mileage, too. I prefer SIMPLICITY. The less the vehicle has, the less to fix WHEN it breaks, not IF. I'm glad you snot-nosed punks don't like them. More for us, plus that keeps the prices from climbing more than they already have.

Haha. This old man is in real good shape. If I wasn’t retired I’d still get a new truck every two years. I like the performance. My family business has a fleet of all the brands. Even performance trucks. I like the old stuff better. Too much glitter and intrusion. They don’t last like they used to. It’s a shame because the less fortunate second, third owners will pay that price.

Care to wager that those diesels don’t get better than 20 mpg? Those trucks are well kept and pristine. One is north of 250K the other is close to 175K. Never had any major repairs. It’s amazing how condensation you can get. The difference is I can back up what I say. All you do is get upset and spicy. Karen, that’s funny. Happens to be my wife’s, granddaughter and sister in law’s name. So much for originality.

Sitting at my parents house are two older diesel trucks not only getting the same fuel mileage that the mini diesel gets. But both have pulled a 14K tractor on a 7K gooseneck trailer. A 2000 Ford one ton diesel and a 1998 3/4 ton 5.9 Cummins. All original. I’m certainly not complaining about the power of today’s trucks. But the additional quest for fuel mileage and the additional pollution devices have taken reliability down to half what it used to be.

Spot on. The government makes ridiculous mandates, and this causes manufacturers to jump through hoops for every TENTH of a MPG. Main reason quality is in the toilet and prices are in the stratosphere. The gov't tightened the MPG requirements so much 5 years ago that the only way manufacturers could meet these absolutely ridiculous numbers was to go all EV. Hence the push. Nobody hates good MPG, Atlas - nobody is "whining". Your side has that trait all locked up. What a stupid argument attempt! What I particularly hate is the government meddling in the free market system. Had this system been allowed to work as designed and intended by our Founders, cars and trucks would be hitting numbers that would blow our minds, all while costing 30% LESS. Not only that, but engines could probably hit 150k miles again without needing major internal surgery. My forty year old Ford 302 has 312k on it. Wonder what changed?

I never understood the hate for the column shifter. The console shifter just gets in the way, takes up prime cargo space and in my wife's Jeep, the dog constantly bumps the console shifter into neutral! Best choice ever to just make it a column shifter across the lineup and be done with it. (Bonus: Makes swapping from a 5 seater to a six seater far easier)

It has happened to me a few times. I carry a jumpstart-tire inflator with me.

Batteries don’t always show signs of a few years ago my vehicle started fine in the morning and took me to work. After work the battery was completely dead and I needed a jump. No, I didn’t leave anything on and the battery was only a couple months old. It was replaced under warranty.

It was all part of the tiny bit of fuel savings it goes towards what was mandated by the government. Much like cylinder deactivation. That was relaxed by the recent administration. All that doesn’t help the individual buyer. But as a whole helps the manufacturer to try to reach the previous ridiculous past mileage per gallon mandate. So yes it was mandated and added cost to the vehicle.

My brother in law was sitting in Houston Traffic during rush hour going to work. He forgot to hit the button. He was at a light his VW wouldn’t restart. It took an hour for a tow truck to get to him. He said it was the scariest hour of his life. It took him to an auto zone he put in a new battery. He was late for a meeting at work. All for another useless government mandate.

Agree, they make good parts. Ford trucks use to run Roadmaster sway bars almost exclusively, while us GM guys ran Helwig sway bars.

Hi thanks for you concern. I am not sure how emailing the social media department is going to help in getting this resolved. Given my experience with GM and trying to solve these things, I don't have the time to waste at dealers for them just to tell me it is normal. I have owned many new Chevrolet vehicles over the last 20 years and am very aware of how the service departments work when warranty work is involved. For those who follow this post for usefule information, I have a theory. Since the wheel/tire location makes no difference and it seems like this vibration, at least on my truck is pretty centrally located, I am willing to be that the front axle shafts/joints are somehow out of balance.

I wouldn’t worry much about 7.3 gas. Internet causes people a lot of grief Most of the time shouldn’t worry about. I have a 2015 LML with 130K and people act like they are all destined to blow fuel pumps. I know it happens but it’s a small percentage just like lifter failures on 7.3’s. If it happens to you then yeah it sucks, but the chance is likely small. Having said that, I’m happy with my 24 gas and it is a great platform. My 23 didn’t use any oil and I don’t have enough miles on the 24 to report if it uses oil yet.